dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
2567

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

Future of Optimum WiFi

I received a survey request from Cablevision. It was all about Optimum WiFi and various hypothetical proposals for subscribing to it. Of all the options, only one was basically what we have now. The rest were all add-on charges, data limits, device limits, data speed limits, etc. Overall it looks like Cablevision is looking for ways to monetize Optimum WiFi and not for the better. The options were looking more like a cellular data plan than a free WiFi service.

There was one option for every selection of choices that said if it were implemented you would not subscribe and you would cancel your Optimum service. I wound up selecting that one for every option, other that the status quo choice, as free Optimum WiFi is what keeps me on OOL. Without it, switching to FiOS is as easy as picking up the phone and calling Verizon as my home already has a FiOS hookup for POTS service and all they need to do is activate the Internet service.

If this survey goes anywhere, I expect to hear something in the new year. Probably along with more rate hikes. I got a very bad feeling that Optimum WiFi is about to be ruined.
frdrizzt
join:2008-05-03
Ronkonkoma, NY

frdrizzt

Member

If I had to guess, I'd expect a first change to be status quo for subscribers, and a way to monetize for non-subscribers. They have it in some NYC parks (»optimum.custhelp.com/app ··· ty-parks) and tweak it for the general use purposes (as people are less likely to spend all day at a park vs length of time near home or work in a hotspot).

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

That may be the angle they are looking at but several of the questions posed a $5, $10, etc. add-on charge to your home service for access. Along with that, limits such as 10GB/month, 20GB/month, etc. Allowing 1, 5, 10, etc. devices to auto-login as you do now but having to pay extra for each auto-login device. There were a lot of choices but it all boiled down to mostly having to pay more and get less, with a few exceptions. The data caps are truly worrisome.

limegrass69
No Whammies
join:2008-05-28

limegrass69 to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
Given the significant investment Cablevison has made in the wifi network, I honestly can't blame them for trying to figure out a way to monetize it.

Don't get me wrong...its a nice amenity that I use and I hope it stays as-is. However, it's naive to think that it will be bundled in with my Internet package on an unlimited basis forever.

If push came to shove, I probably wouldn't give them more than $1 or $2 per month for the luxury of unlimited optimumwifi. And even then, it's questionable...but sooner or later it will be unavoidable. The Internet continues to evolve into an increasingly expensive toll road.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029 to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
I hope they fix it before charging people. Here in the Huntington area some aps let you connect to them but don't actually let any traffic out . ITs gotten to the point where I cant even use it.

obeythelaw
Premium Member
join:2003-04-16
Warren, NJ

3 recommendations

obeythelaw to n2jtx

Premium Member

to n2jtx
I'll be honest, I've never been in a location in NJ that had Optimum Wifi when I've been out or anything stronger than 1 bar. Frankly, I've never used it because it never seems to be anywhere I travel in NJ or NYC.

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

I use it extensively as my cell phone service is provided by my employer and it is on Sprint. The Sprint data throughput is so lousy that I have not turned the data feature on in a year now relying exclusively on WiFi. Generally, I find a signal just about anywhere I go, be it Optimum WiFi or some other public hotspot (I use a VPN through my home when I am concerned about security). In fact, I'd opt to get rid of cellular data if I could and just run with WiFi.

But if Optimum WiFi is going to turn into something like a cellular data plan, then I might just port myself to T-Mobile unlimited data and switch my home Internet service to FiOS (I do not have TV service with Cablevision and would not get it with FiOS either).
dm145
join:2009-12-12
Clifton, NJ

dm145 to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
I posted in another thread the other day about the poor performance of Optimum wifi. Here in NJ we have many hotspots but like others said it is very slow. I told our iPhones to forget this network. Websites take forever to load or don't load at all. Apps hang as well. Everything works fine on LTE. So, I would definitely say no thanks to paying more.

Boooost
@24.190.186.x

Boooost

Anon

I'm in NJ, too. If they're going to start charging for Optimum WiFi instead of it being included with my OOL service, they better improve it. There are too many broken hotspots. It's nowhere near as reliable as it should be. Also, there are very few hotspots in my area. My town has ZERO outdoor hotspots.

sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ

sporkme to limegrass69

MVM

to limegrass69
said by limegrass69:

Given the significant investment Cablevison has made in the wifi network, I honestly can't blame them for trying to figure out a way to monetize it.

Well, they do already inject ads, so there's that.

Around here it's very nice to have. Some locations are crap, but one Starbucks I go to that sometimes has shit wifi has a nearby OOL hotspot that's always less congested than the store network, and that's pretty nice. Other locations suck (train station - you'd think they'd nail that one down).

Ilsno
@24.185.54.x

Ilsno to n2jtx

Anon

to n2jtx
With droves of subscribers dropping or downgrading video services each year, it's only a matter of time before they jack up Internet and start charging for Wi Fi to keep revenue streams up.

Boooost
@24.190.186.x

Boooost to sporkme

Anon

to sporkme
I was on South Street in Morristown a while ago, and the Opt WiFi hotspot didn't work (connected but no I-net). So I sent a comment to CV giving the exact location and a description of the problem. I figured they'd send someone out to check it. But nope! They said I needed to call them back next time I was there so they could troubleshoot with me on the phone. As if I should be spending my time fixing CV's problems. F- that.

sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ

sporkme

MVM

FWIW, most of the APs I've been on are not the "here's a router in a random business' closet" but the pole-mounted units, I assume those have a much better chance of being up and running.
vabello
join:2011-05-05
Allamuchy, NJ

vabello to Boooost

Member

to Boooost
said by Boooost :

I'm in NJ, too. If they're going to start charging for Optimum WiFi instead of it being included with my OOL service, they better improve it. There are too many broken hotspots. It's nowhere near as reliable as it should be. Also, there are very few hotspots in my area. My town has ZERO outdoor hotspots.

Ditto here... A lot of times I just turn off wifi on my phone if I'm in areas with Optimum Wifi hotspots because I frequently get 0 connectivity when associated with one. They just don't work well in my experience. I'm also in NJ.

matcarl
Premium Member
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY

1 recommendation

matcarl

Premium Member

Wow, I feel sorry for you guys in Jersey. Optimum wi-fi is all over the place where I live in Nassau County. I think it's great.

civic110
@47.17.0.x

civic110

Anon

I'm in Monmouth, NJ and we have Optimum Wi-Fi all over town.
I've never had an issue here. My devices have always connected and blazed through.
PX Eliezer1
Premium Member
join:2013-03-10
Zubrowka USA

PX Eliezer1

Premium Member

said by civic110 :

I'm in Monmouth, NJ and we have Optimum Wi-Fi all over town.

My experiences in the Freehold/Marlboro/Manalapan area are rather mixed.

Boooost
@24.190.186.x

Boooost to matcarl

Anon

to matcarl
said by matcarl:

Wow, I feel sorry for you guys in Jersey. Optimum wi-fi is all over the place where I live in Nassau County. I think it's great.

As I said, there are ZERO outdoor Optimum WiFi hotspots in my town. At franchise renewal time, the Township Committee asked Cablevision about adding WiFi hotspots, and -- get ready for this -- Cablevision said they would charge the town for installing them! That's how Cablevision treats us poor schmucks in New Jersey.
said by a Township Committee member :
We did speak with Cablevision but they indicated there would be a charge if they provided this service.
kensmiles
join:2002-01-13
Ridgewood, NJ

1 recommendation

kensmiles to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
It would never occur to me to answer such a survey honestly. I would answer like the OP, in the most negative way.

Think of this in reverse. Imagine that I send Cablevision a survey asking them about hypothetical customer behavior. Would they answer me honestly? No, they would answer in whatever way would help their bottom line most. Customers should do the same.

Either tell them you hate their thoughts of increasing prices or don't waste your time responding.

Boooost
@24.190.186.x

Boooost

Anon

My employer conducted a similar type of survey. They asked about what health benefits we cared least about. Keeping the same benefits was not an option. So it was like asking: Would you prefer to lose both legs or one arm? Needless to say, people were not happy about the way the company approached this.

The Optimum WiFi survey is the same - It's all about winning the race to the bottom.
PX Eliezer1
Premium Member
join:2013-03-10
Zubrowka USA

PX Eliezer1

Premium Member

If Optimum/CV want to successfully charge money for their WiFi, it would need to be much better and more uniformly available.
frdrizzt
join:2008-05-03
Ronkonkoma, NY

frdrizzt

Member

said by PX Eliezer1:

If Optimum/CV want to successfully charge money for their WiFi, it would need to be much better and more uniformly available.

I understand where you're coming from, but to those who don't have it in many nearby places, it's not going to cause them to cancel. Losing something you don't use wouldn't make you drop service. They wouldn't purchase standalone wifi. Losing a feature that you use frequently is where you will have the most upset customers.

Jmartz0
join:2000-07-20
Tenafly, NJ

Jmartz0 to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
Doesn't optimum advertise the free wifi as a faster and cheaper alternative to slow 3g/4g networks without caps?

limegrass69
No Whammies
join:2008-05-28

limegrass69

Member

said by Jmartz0:

Doesn't optimum advertise the free wifi as a faster and cheaper alternative to slow 3g/4g networks without caps?

Yes. Until they start charging for it...

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

said by limegrass69:

said by Jmartz0:

Doesn't optimum advertise the free wifi as a faster and cheaper alternative to slow 3g/4g networks without caps?

Yes. Until they start charging for it...

exactly what I was thinking when I saw the ad. Free now, pay tomorrow. The ad is truthful as things stand now but could change January 1.

FallenAnjel
join:2011-04-07
East Cupcake

FallenAnjel to Boooost

Member

to Boooost
said by Boooost :

They said I needed to call them back next time I was there so they could troubleshoot with me on the phone. As if I should be spending my time fixing CV's problems. F- that.

It's not because they think you should spend your time fixing their problems. They think the problem is your phone; not their system.
FallenAnjel

FallenAnjel to Boooost

Member

to Boooost
said by Boooost :

poor schmucks in New Jersey.

omg, LOL...
FallenAnjel

FallenAnjel to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
said by n2jtx:

...

I knew years ago that it eventually they'd charge for it. It's just a matter of time. Nothing is free forever. (nor free at all for that fact)

I just had a thought tho.... I wonder if they're using this survey to decide if they're going to offer optimum wifi to NON-Optimum subscribers. Think about it.... they claim it's faster than 3g/4g (I go into that in a bit). Optimum supplied routers have optimum wifi channels (or whatever you call them). They're trying to make Optimum Wifi available "everywhere"... So why not offer the option of having Joe schmo who does not have optimum subscribe for $10-$20/month for Optimum Wifi service? My sister's neighbor has optimum wifi enabled on their router. When I'm at her house I can easily connect to it when I'm in the kitchen.

I think THAT would be a better idea than charging US. We already pay for it in our service.

As for their speed... Unless I'm within 100 feet of an antenna or in a store that has inside wifi it's almost useless and I just shut off wifi and use Data which is only 3G on iphone 4s.

However, the internet is like Gold to someone who has no internet.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

If *I* were hosting an Optimum WiFi hotspot (from my home via a CV-provided wireless router), and CV started charging others for access to it, I would expect some form of compensation (ie: Billing credit) from CV to offset the cost of providing the electricity to power *Their* commercial WiFi Hotspot located on *My* property (Token as it may be...)

andrewc2
join:2011-06-05
Matamoras, PA

andrewc2

Member

Perhaps the way they would do it is if you are hosting the hotspot with the smart router they'll give you optimumwifi access for free?