ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| [TWC] Need to have Road Runner run to my new house - Please help
Hi All,
I am in the process of closing on a new house built 1 1/2 years ago in Delanson, NY.
This house does not currently have access to DSL or RoadRunner/Cable Internet.
I have confirmed that a house .2 miles from me does have this access.
My questions are:
1. Is there anyway to find a contractor that can look at my house and tell me if I can get RoadRunner lines run to my house? I realize I may have to pay a fee, but that's fine.
2. I have called TimeWarner and they told me it would take 7-10 days, which is too long as I need to know ASAP to decide on closing as if this isn't available, I can not work from home, and thus cannot buy the house. I would be fine paying someone to do the inspection sooner.
3. If a house .2 miles from me has access, would there be any reason TimeWarner would deny it to me IF I will pay all installation costs to run the lines?
4. Anyone have any experience with this? I can't find anything online and have been searching all day.
Thanks for any help you can offer,
Ethan |
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tuta23
join:2003-08-16
Houston, TX
| Re: [TWC] Need to have Road Runner run to my new house - Please
couple of other things you can try:
(and God love you for making a decision on buying a house based on internet connections!)
1-ask the neighborhood developer if Time Warner has already laid the cable.
2-call time warner about BUSINESS class road runner and start asking about your area. it's more expensive so maybe they will have smarter people answering your questions.
3-(least reliable!!!)find a Time Warner van and offer the guy $50 to come after his shift to verify where cable service is/isn't around your area.
GOOD LUCK! |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| Thanks Tuta. I am in shock, I had no idea it wasn't available since it is available so many places near me. I just assumed it was (bad bad assumption). They did advertise high speed but its via Satellite and that will not work for me, way to slow.
1-ask the neighborhood developer if Time Warner has already laid the cable.
- Good idea, I will see if I can find one.
2-call time warner about BUSINESS class road runner and start asking about your area. it's more expensive so maybe they will have smarter people answering your questions.
- Also a great idea! I have been working with a wonderful support person at TimeWarner so far and she is calling the contractors to have someone call me directly to assist, so I will give her the rest of the day before escalating (I just spoke with her again 5 minutes ago)
3-(least reliable!!!)find a Time Warner van and offer the guy $50 to come after his shift to verify where cable service is/isn't around your area.
- This is something I plan on keeping an eye out for on my way to the Home Inspection today...! |
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stevech1
join:2005-01-08 | reply to ethanlowry
a friendly neighbor might let you put a RR modem in their garage and you put a WiFi bridge link to your house.
I've done this for people and it's easy to do these days. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| Nice thought Steve 
I do have more news. I went to the Home Inspection today and looked and the house .2 miles away is actually the next house on my street!
I basically live in a newly developed rural area where there are quite a few newer houses (5-10 years old). My guess is they never turned up the street since all that was there when the poles were installed were a couple of farms.
I also counted poles, I can see where the RR lines end at the house next door and they are literally 4 poles that would have to be wired from their house, to mine. I can't imagine they would reject me for this, it would make no sense. My hope is it will cost around the $2,000 range and that will be that.
But there is always this stress until I know for sure...:( |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
 ·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
 ·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to ethanlowry
said by ethanlowry  : ...would there be any reason TimeWarner would deny it to me IF I will pay all installation costs to run the lines? You might want to wait for TW to tell you how much it will cost *you* to have them extend their lines to your house before you act so eager to pay "all installation" costs. You WILL be shocked when they tell you.
What will really suck is later when more houses go up, those new homes will get "free" installation that YOU paid for previously. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| I realize that...but at this point I just need to know if its possible or not. I can debate the cost later.
I've talked to some people on other boards who have friends that also lived in rural areas in upstate new york (same as me) that were 1/2 a mile from the closest RR access pole and they had to pay $2,000 to get it installed. I'm closer than that, so hoping the costs won't be too much more.
Your right, but I need to know now, and the more flexible I am with them, the faster they will find my answer for me... |
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stevech1
join:2005-01-08
2 edits | reply to ethanlowry
The folks who I helped with wireless extensions of a shared T1 line got DSL service a couple of months later when the phone company "got around to" responding to the residents in this affluent large-lot area of new houses. Cable TV hadn't happened yet - perhaps due to residents all having signed up for satellite TV.
Wireless bridge link would cost $200 in hardware and 2 hours of someone's time. |
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K Patterson
Premium,MVM
join:2006-03-12
Columbus, OH
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to ethanlowry
Your friends got one H of a deal. Figure $5 per foot, if it can be done at all.
Rime Warner (and all other cable companies) have design standards that regulate how far a line can be extended. For 1,000 feet it takes more than cable. I sould guess two amplifiers. If that does not exceed the amplifier chain limits, then they will probably do it for a price. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY | I am estimating it will be about 600 feet max they would need to run it. There are 3 poles from the house next door (and the pole with RR on it now) to mine that they would need to run cabling through.
Hoping to get an answer this week! |
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XPAMD
Premium
join:2002-06-08
united state
 ·ViaTalk
| reply to ethanlowry
I'll be surprised if you end up getting charged for them to extend the main plant to you. You might want check with the township or county franchise authority to see if they have to extend it to you at no charge.
You MAY be charged for the drop from the pole to your house and the cable modem install, and any outlets for TV viewing. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| They would charge, I'm in a rural area where they would basically be extending it just for me (no other customers).
I've do have some good news.
1. My survey has been officially scheduled to occur on Wednesday this week. I will then at least get a yes or a no and then approximately how much it may cost if I wanted the access.
BUT most importantly.
2. A house farther away from the pole than me (about 3 times as far) had a survey done last year and was approved to get the access, but never did (probably due to cost). This is obviously great news for me, since I am closer to the pole then them I bet my answer for access will be a yes. The TW person I talked to today said if I am only 3 or 4 poles away they probably estimate my cost would be about $2k.
Either way, I can now relax and enjoy my holiday tomorrow knowing the changes are 99.9% now that I will be able to get it
I'll update everyone on Wednesday.
Ethan |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| said by ethanlowry : The TW person I talked to today said if I am only 3 or 4 poles away they probably estimate my cost would be about $2k. What department did this person work in ?? What was this person's "title" ?? |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| Does it matter? She knows what it normally costs. Yes it could be different, but at least she's trying to help.
She also said that if someone else signed up for Time Warner after my install that they used the lines they installed for me for I would get some of my installation costs back. Figured I'd mention this since you brought it up before. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| All I'm trying to do is "prepare" you for what they might tell you. You think things are all rosy... Did you do a search here for a similar subject ? You're not the first person who's asked their cableco to extend the lines to reach their house. What I can confidently say is I don't believe that ANY person went through with the process after they got the cost estimate. Unless the cableco is within a regulated area and they're "forced" to provide service, they typically won't do it. It would take them YEARS to re-coup their costs at $50-100/month for one household's service.
Will you get an estimate that's reasonable ?? I don't know, but for your sake, I hope you do. I don't want you to NOT get service, whether you think I feel that way or not. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| LOL. Not sure where your coming from but I've spoken with many people who have had Time Warner extend cable service to their house (either newly built or purchased). Some are very close, some are a 1/2 mile away. No one I've spoken with has paid more than $3,000.
Is it possible? Sure, anything is, but to say no one has ever done it after getting an estimate is quite a statement when its not true. If no one did it, they wouldn't provide estimates.
I don't think everything is rosy. Until I get the final "yes" and estimate, than I will be happy, but for now, I got good news today, better than I have had in the 2 weeks I've been dealing with this. So YES, I am happy now. Anything can change. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH | ...and the final answer is ?? It's been six days since your last post and I'm curious what was determined. |
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stevech1
join:2005-01-08 | reply to ethanlowry
I'd write letters to the city/county that granted TImeWarner the franchise for the service. Press them on why should YOU have to pay TWC for their infrastructure installation costs. It's part of their monopoly deal. |
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K Patterson
Premium,MVM
join:2006-03-12
Columbus, OH | Before doing that it might be a good idea to read the franchise agreement and see what it actually says. |
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ethanlowry
join:2006-06-27
Guilderland, NY
| I'm still waiting the official estimate from Time Warner, but I met the guy further down the street from me that got an estimate from them last year for cable internet access and he was quoted $4,000 to do the install. I am closer to the pole than him (about half the distance) so my guess is they will quote me $2,000-$3,000. Everything seems good now.
I'll let everyone know once I get official word.
Ethan |
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