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thejokell
join:2014-07-03
Chesapeake, VA

thejokell

Member

Thinking of switching to Cox from Fios - data cap questions

I recently moved from a triple play package with Verizon down to just internet, and my experience since then has been horrible. I can almost never maintain an HD signal on Netflix or MLB.tv, even when I can do so from my cell phone without issue. Plus, for the same price as my 50/25 connection with Fios I can get 150/20 with Cox.

The only thing that has kept me from jumping ship already is the 400gig data cap. I honestly have no idea how close I could get to it, but I watch probably 5-6 baseball games per week over MLB.tv and my wife and I also watch Netflix somewhat regularly. And I occasionally use torrents for content not available on Netflix.

Is Cox worth looking at? Or will that data cap screw me? What happens when you hit that cap? I don't think I'd hit it every month, but I bet I would come somewhat close.
ptuck874
join:2008-10-28

ptuck874

Member

no problems with the cap if you go over once and a while, by bro in law has comcast with soft cap as well, and watches about same amount on mlb.tv as well, and he never really got near his cap at all. i think you will be ok

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7 to thejokell

Member

to thejokell
FIrst reboot your FIOS gateway/router. Use your browser and go to : 192.168.1.1

User name: Admin
Password: Password or Password1

If password above does not work see
»www.verizon.com/support/ ··· 3899.htm

Then go to area below and that should tell you a rough count of your use.
Advanced > System Monitoring > Advanced Status > Click Yes to nag > Traffic Monitoring

If your looking for something more user friendly or logs then try Bitmeter 2, although if would have to be installed on each PC you want to monitor.

»codebox.org.uk/pages/bitmeter2
thejokell
join:2014-07-03
Chesapeake, VA

thejokell

Member

Didn't know that the router monitored traffic for me. I thought about trying to do it on my own, but a lot of my bandwidth comes from devices I wouldn't be able to install monitoring software on.

I think the last time I reset my router was Sunday, and I've only used 35 gigs combined up/down since then. That would keep me under the 400 gigs monthly on average. I think I'll just keep an eye on that for a few days and see how it changes.

Thanks!

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7

Member

No problem! One of the best things Cox has over FIOS IMO is that you don't have to use their gateway. You can buy your own modem and router. Technically you can get FIOS to hook you direct to the fiber box, but its like pulling teeth.

floridaguy2
@68.101.72.x

floridaguy2

Anon

I have gone over the ultimate cap 8/12 months each year for the last 3 years. Cox stopped phoning me about the data usage about 2 years ago. I usually consume 600-900 gigs a month.

thatguythere
@108.13.189.x

thatguythere to Hard Harry7

Anon

to Hard Harry7
said by Hard Harry7:

No problem! One of the best things Cox has over FIOS IMO is that you don't have to use their gateway. You can buy your own modem and router. Technically you can get FIOS to hook you direct to the fiber box, but its like pulling teeth.

Not really, if you don't have TV you just call in and ask. If you have TV, you call in and ask and then hook the FiOS gateway in the router you're using so VoD works.

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7

Member

I tried and at first they flat out said no. Then I went to the FIOS forum here and asked for more info, and it seemed like they were even upset with me for asking. I had Cox and FIOS at the same time for about a month, so I am only speaking from my experiences. YMMV

::Edit:: It might of had something to do with the apartment complex I was in. It was pre-wired for FIOS and Cox. But the main reason I wanted a direct connection is so I could keep the coaxial for Cox and run ethernet for FIOS. And didn't have TV with Cox nor FIOS.

spanglo
Premium Member
join:2004-05-17
San Diego, CA

spanglo to floridaguy2

Premium Member

to floridaguy2
Got a email from cox the other day saying I used 374GB of 300GB cap. The email politely suggested I consider moving to fast tier with larger cap.

The tier system is complete BS. Cost the same to deliver 10mb or a 150mb speeds.
nmlobo
join:2002-11-02
Yorktown, VA

nmlobo

Member

The tiers are not really about "speeds" but about the amount of data we consume. Using your rationale, since the infrastructure is inplace already, we should pay a flat rate for elec., water, etc. no matter how much we use.

spanglo
Premium Member
join:2004-05-17
San Diego, CA

1 recommendation

spanglo

Premium Member

The price for Ultimate is $20-30 more than Premier for 100GB more data a month. Why such huge price increase when the cost per GB is pennies on the dollar?

And concerning data use and caps:

"Cringeley writes:

So your American ISP, who has been spending $0.40 per month to buy the bandwidth they’ve been selling to you for $30, wants to cap their maximum backbone cost per-subscriber at $8.

This isn’t about capping ISP losses, but are about increasing ISP profits. The caps are a built-in revenue bump that will kick-in 2-3 years from now, circumventing any existing regulatory structure for setting rates. The regulators just haven’t realized it yet. By the time they do it may be too late." - http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/29/your-isp-is-screwing-you-as-your-service-costs-go-up-their-backbone-costs-go-down/

OpTiC
Premium Member
join:2014-03-08
West Covina, CA

OpTiC to Hard Harry7

Premium Member

to Hard Harry7
That isn't a gateway. The ont is the modem and you can hook up a a router to the ont.

Termites
@80.187.97.x

1 recommendation

Termites to thejokell

Anon

to thejokell
said by thejokell:

I recently moved from a triple play package with Verizon down to just internet, and my experience since then has been horrible. I can almost never maintain an HD signal on Netflix or MLB.tv, even when I can do so from my cell phone without issue. Plus, for the same price as my 50/25 connection with Fios I can get 150/20 with Cox.

The only thing that has kept me from jumping ship already is the 400gig data cap. I honestly have no idea how close I could get to it, but I watch probably 5-6 baseball games per week over MLB.tv and my wife and I also watch Netflix somewhat regularly. And I occasionally use torrents for content not available on Netflix.

Is Cox worth looking at? Or will that data cap screw me? What happens when you hit that cap? I don't think I'd hit it every month, but I bet I would come somewhat close.

I don't do as much internet surfing/games/movies/etc and hit 307 GB per month my CAP 300GB, you would go over your limit..don't switch if you don't have caps trust me..

CAPS on Internet is killing the internet in the USA you only can do so much that's it,am on vacation in Germany where there's NO SUCH OF A THING CALLED CAP. You wanna use 2TB it's there.

It's like using my USA mobile carrier verizon in Europe that cost me $175 for around 600 MB, I stopped that mess quickly went down to the local mobile store popped a SIM card in Internet is free,

Now if I wanted a better download speed just buy 600MB allotment for $12.. After that's done it's free etc. Instead of $175..

Caps are killing us.
thejokell
join:2014-07-03
Chesapeake, VA

thejokell

Member

Turns out I'm using on average 550-600 gigs per month. Not sure I want to jump over to an ISP that caps it at 2/3rd of what I'm using...

OpTiC
Premium Member
join:2014-03-08
West Covina, CA

OpTiC

Premium Member

said by thejokell:

Turns out I'm using on average 550-600 gigs per month. Not sure I want to jump over to an ISP that caps it at 2/3rd of what I'm using...

I say stay with fios and upgrade the speed to 150/65. I recommend you get a tech to your house and take a look at it. It may be your ont or it just needs a reboot.