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Comments on news posted 2013-12-02 10:21:02: CenturyLink has sent out a notice to customers informing them that the company is hiking the price of "dry loop" (aka DSL without a voice line) by $2. ..


Hazy Arc
join:2006-04-10
Greenwood, SC

Hazy Arc

Member

No Worries - I'll Just Vote With My Wallet

Oh - that's right. Centurylink is the only provider for my neighborhood. Guess I better bring the lube and take it like a man.

There's no need for Centurylink to sugarcoat the increase - most of their customer base is in the same boat I am. Take the increase, or go back to dial up - those are our choices.
ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve

Member

Didn't they just add an additional charge of $1 for something too? Either way it's still quite a good deal though considering the only other options in most areas (besides dial up) are getting ISDN or a T1 and they are quite expensive. Last time I checked a T1 costs over $200 a month and it's much slower than DSL.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad to Hazy Arc

MVM

to Hazy Arc
Just saw this article on the PCWorld site today about WISPs:

Meet WISP, the wireless future of Internet service
By Eric Geier, PCWorld - December 2, 2013
»www.pcworld.com/article/ ··· ce.html?

Unfortunately, when I put in "Greenwood, SC" in the search for a WISP that might serve your area, the closest ones shown on the WirelessMapping.com site were out of range for you (though the map says it was last updated almost 3 years ago).

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

Wisp

This was originally designed to serve rural customers who could only attain dial-up speed. It gave them a faster access that was somewhat closer to what they could achieve in town. How well it worked was dependent upon a number of things: no trees or tall buildings in the line of sight. Also distance to the antennas tuned to the main antenna atop the water storage tower. The local dog doc had access in his office but only dialup at home until the CITY offered Wisp.

In 2005 WISP cost $100/mo plus $250 for installation of antenna and modem. It was a Laurel & Hardy comedy for nine months. They sent me an email virus; I sent it back. They were down 8 days. I was down one day and running over AT&T the next morning.

The problem I had with Wisp was leafy trees in the summer, plus they capped or throttled - which they denied. It was pure bs. I found the specs for my equipment on the web. The instructions for How to throttle was very clear.

As was looking a wireless specs the other day. I doubt DISH partners are delivering much higher speed than 2.5G to most of America. Va is another kritter that DISH partnered with. I expect the nTelos to deliver faster speeds to that area first. Whether or not it ever goes national is another question.

Sigh, I'm still looking for a chart that converts G speed to Mbps speed.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

Click for full size
GlobalVision WISP in Greenville, SC
The WISP that I found closest to Greenwood, SC is GlobalVision, about 50 miles north in Greenville:
»www.globalvision.net/wireless/

They say they charge $49.99/mo for 5 Mbps up and down standalone service, with a 2-year contract and a $99.95 standard installation fee.
Bengie25
join:2010-04-22
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bengie25

Member

ehh?

The company justified that hike by insisting the fee helps "cover the costs associated with building and maintaining the internet network."

I don't understand that logic. Car analogy time!

Sales: Here's a new car for only $9,000.
Customer: Only $9k? What a great deal!
Sales: If you could sign here
Customer: OK!

Sales: I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

Sales: You now owe us $15k. $9k for the car, another $2k fee for us to transport it here, $1k fee for us to maintain it, another $1k fee for us to have kept it in our parking lot, and another $2k fee because.. well.. f'k you, you have no choice.

Gilitar
join:2012-02-01
Mobile, AL

Gilitar

Member

Why?

Why is AT&T and other telco providers increasing the price on something that is becoming increasingly outdated. It's like another company increasing the price on dial up. If you're too cheap to upgrade your network you definitely shouldn't be raising rates.

greg
Greg
Premium Member
join:2003-05-30
Louisville, KY

1 recommendation

greg

Premium Member

Again...

I don't understand why these secret below-the-line fees are legal. You don't go to the store to buy a $50 sweater and get sacked with a $3 energy fee and a $2 folding surcharge and a $1.75 POS technology assessment.

The advertised price has to be the price you paid; I don't understand how this blatant false advertising all these companies do continues to remain legal.

carpetshark3
Premium Member
join:2004-02-12
Idledale, CO

carpetshark3 to Gilitar

Premium Member

to Gilitar

Re: Why?

Some of us don't need cable. I don't feel like being pestered to change my cell only service, since I don't want a landline and CL partners with Verizon whom I dislike. I don't want the usual crap on cable. I don't do movies, they bore me. I prefer to read. I want sports only for background noise. I have paints, camera, crafting tools, I don't need to be entertained.

Dezbend
MVM
join:2001-04-20

Dezbend to Gilitar

MVM

to Gilitar
I think the answer to the why, is to try to protect the landline revenue.

The price increase only effected the stand alone internet, and CenturyLink's 5-year price lock (phone+internet) now comes in lower than just internet (sort of).

I say sort of because after the surcharges the phone + internet is a little higher than just internet, but the advertised price is lower.

"oh, you don't want to pay $61.95 for your internet alone? How about $59.95 for phone and internet with a 5-year price lock? sounds great doesn't it!"

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx to telcodad

Premium Member

to telcodad

Re: Wisp

I think this is in the area called the Uplands. There was 2 miles of trees and old 3 story victorian homes between me and the tower, so I didn't get very a good signal. It's not a bad price if you are close enough to a tower. But you might not get the 5/5. I hope you do.
linicx

linicx to Dezbend

Premium Member

to Dezbend

Re: Why?

Where I live the price lock is ten dollars higher. Why? Because I live 50 miles from nowhere and it is delivered over copper.

Eagles1221
join:2009-04-29
Vincentown, NJ

Eagles1221 to Hazy Arc

Member

to Hazy Arc

Re: No Worries - I'll Just Vote With My Wallet

I am considering paying the Comcast install fees to get rid of my DSL on my office. Comcast can get me 4 phone lines and TV and 75MBit internet for about what I pay for the modem lease and 10mbit (scoff)DSL line. I have never been able to get 10 mbit DSL and I have to power cycle it all the time
GetMoney
join:2010-06-11

GetMoney to greg

Member

to greg

Re: Again...

No offense, but EVERY company advertises a pricepoint before taxes (and in the telco/ISP case surcharges etc). Someone above used a car dealership analogy. Here's mine. Sticker price is $15k. You HAVE to pay TAXES and TAG fees. That's not included in the sticker price. How about consumer electronics, maybe like a PS4. Retail price is $399 in the US. Are you expecting to walk out the door for $399 or do you have expectations to pay taxes? Give me a break.
GetMoney

GetMoney to Gilitar

Member

to Gilitar

Re: Why?

Seriously??? Why do any companies increase prices. EXPENSES AND INFLATION.... that make enough sense to you? So you expect ISPs to lower prices on a regular basis. How are they supposed to stay in business. Last I checked the main point of a business is to make money. CTL is making even more now.
GetMoney

GetMoney to Bengie25

Member

to Bengie25

Re: ehh?

You do have a choice. Get rid of CTL (or your ISP) and move on. No one is forcing you to have their service.
34764170 (banned)
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON

1 recommendation

34764170 (banned) to GetMoney

Member

to GetMoney

Re: Again...

said by GetMoney:

No offense, but EVERY company advertises a pricepoint before taxes (and in the telco/ISP case surcharges etc).

But his comment was about additional fees beyond the advertised price, not taxes. Not including taxes as part of the cost of service is one thing but not including a bunch of additional fees is nonsense. This is their sneaky way of enticing people with certain rates and then jacking it up with hidden fees. It should be illegal and in other industries it is.