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Cablevision Deploying a Suite of Speed Upgrades
Eliminating 'Boost,' Killing Ultra 101 $300 Install Fee

Cablevision appears poised to offer their Optimum Online broadband users a suite of new speed boosts, based on insider gossip in our forums. According to people claiming to be familiar with the upgrades, Optimum Online Basic will be seeing a speed bump from 15/2 to 15/5 Mbps. Optimum Online Boost Plus is being renamed as Optimum Ultra 50, with the top speed of 50 Mbps staying the same, but the upstream side being nudged from 8 Mbps to 25 Mbps.

Optimum Ultra is being bumped from 101/15Mbps to 101/35Mbps, and users in our forums have stated that the company is getting rid of the $300 installation fee. Cablevision introduced the 101 Mbps Ultra tier back in 2009, setting off a bit of a speed skirmish with Verizon FiOS -- who initially complained that the speeds offered were just a "parlor trick (before proceeding to offer first a 100 Mbps, then a 300 Mbps parlor trick of their own).

Insiders in our forums also point out that the company's Optimum Online Boost tier will be eliminated. For simplification, here's what Cablevision's broadband tiers should look like by summertime:

•Standard "Basic" OOL - 15 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up.

•Ultra50 (formally Boost+) - 50 Mbps down, 25 up.

•Ultra101 (formally Ultra) - 101 Mbps down, 35 Mbps up.

According to at least one forum commenter, pricing for the news speeds should be about the same as the company's existing offerings.
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m3nphls
join:2012-10-02
Brooklyn, NY

m3nphls

Member

FiOS...

Time for verizon to shake up their speeds!

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: FiOS...

said by m3nphls:

Time for verizon to shake up their speeds!

Cable companies will keep the no longer expanding Fios on their toes.

DJ Special
WiReD
Premium Member
join:2003-12-16
Clifton, NJ

DJ Special

Premium Member

Re: FiOS...

i just got optonline yesterday. WAY better than my Fios.

AnonMan
@comcast.net

AnonMan

Anon

Nice.

Darn, and Comcast just did they upgrades. I am not @ 50/10 which is aprox 55/11.

More upload would be awesome to have... but I can't imagine them doing another round of free upgrades. I do know a new 205Mb plan is in the works but doubt they will go back again to upgrade the others after just doing so.

It's nice to see others doing this though, pushes everyone to make it better.
kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

Re: Nice.

When Comcast finishes getting overages built into their billing system, they'll roll out more speed upgrades
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner

Premium Member

Interesting

Boost is going from 50/8 to 50/25.

I can certainly appreciate that and stay put with them, especially if it's the same price or better.

I've been a promotional OV + OOL + Boost customer for three years... Keep it comin

Smith6612
MVM
join:2008-02-01
North Tonawanda, NY
·Charter
Ubee EU2251
Ubiquiti UAP-IW-HD
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-AC-HD

Smith6612

MVM

Dat upload

That is some very good upload capacity for a Cable network. I don't know how Cablevision fairs in terms of consistency in comparison to other providers, though. As for having three tiers with the base at 15Mbps (unless there are unadvertised speeds), that is even nicer. Nothing like trash 1Mbps/??? Other providers in this area offer for a light package.
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

fios

I am using my PC over Wi-Fi and I love every bit of FIOS.

Best internet you can get in Brooklyn timewarner is just crap



IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Re: fios

I'd take FiOS (if I could get it) over Time Warner and I'd take Time Warner over Comcast.

Comparing the two providers I think Time Warner is the lesser of the two evils but if FiOS ever comes to town I will hop on board the day it lights up.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to patt2k

Premium Member

to patt2k
said by patt2k:

I am using my PC over Wi-Fi and I love every bit of FIOS.

Best internet you can get in Brooklyn timewarner is just crap

[att=1]

What are you paying for those speeds and what tier is that on Fios?
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

1 recommendation

patt2k

Member

Re: fios

84.99+cable card rental + tax about 93

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: fios

said by patt2k:

84.99+cable card rental + tax about 93

I'll assume that is the Fios 75/35 plan.
»www22.verizon.com/home/f ··· t-plans/

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Comcast

Comcast changed their tiers a few years ago and I'm getting extreme 50 at the price of blast. So basically they changed blast to extreme 50 (but rebranded it blast) and extreme 50 is now extreme 105.

I think blast is good enough for me.

Extreme 105 is $99 per month which used to be the price for extreme 50. Blast is now $61.99 with basic cable or higher subscription.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Comcast

said by IowaCowboy:

Comcast changed their tiers a few years ago and I'm getting extreme 50 at the price of blast. So basically they changed blast to extreme 50 (but rebranded it blast) and extreme 50 is now extreme 105.

I think blast is good enough for me.

Blast on Comcast works for me too. I get great speeds even to my laptop over WiFi.


cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA

cypherstream

MVM

Upstream requirements

How many bonded channels and at what modulation do you think CV deployed to allow 35 Mbps upload? How big are their nodes? Did they have to do another round of node splits to make this happen?

DOCSISguy
@cisco.com

DOCSISguy

Anon

Re: Upstream requirements

said by cypherstream:

How many bonded channels and at what modulation do you think CV deployed to allow 35 Mbps upload?

Probably, based on other operators, 6.4Mhz 64QAM upstreams. You could make do with two bonded (~27Mbps each for ~54Mbps total), but probably two or three 6.4 Mhz wide upstreams with a 3.2Mhz upstream for legacy equipment.

Again, this based on what other operators are doing...
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx to cypherstream

Member

to cypherstream
I'm guessing 3-4 upstream channels, all running at 64QAM, with relatively small nodes. If CV is able to run eight downstreams in a given area (I assume yes, though I haven't been on that side of DSLR forums in months) additional node splits wouldn't be needed, since downstream speeds didn't get boosted (nor do they need to be, to be honest).

dbmaven
There's no shortage
Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky

dbmaven

Mod

Re: Upstream requirements

I've been on Boost+ for a long time - which was using 4 downstream and a single upstream channel. Speeds have always been very consistent (>58 down and > 7.5 up).
In the last couple of months they've gone to 8 downstream channels, and have been replacing older modems with Arris units (like the TM822 I have), probably to get ready for the 8 down and maybe even 8 upstream channels. Right now, still using a single upstream channel - my guess is that will go up when they turn the switch on the upload increase.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream

MVM

Re: Upstream requirements

I don't think you can fit 8 upstreams in traditional 5-42 MHz upstream. You still need the box driver return for VOD and PPV and some telemetry / status monitoring and reverse sweep carrier.

8X4 sounds like the plan. I guess 3 x 6.4 64QAM and 1 3.2 16QAM. I know CV is all Cisco set tops, so I'm not sure how "low" they can go down to for the return. I usually see them sit around 20 MHz, but I think to fit more DOCSIS upstreams, you'd need to move that lower like Motorola based gear runs on (usually between 8 and 11 MHz).

I have Service Electric Cablevision and they bond 3 x 3.2 MHz 16QAM channels. Box return is 11.096 MHz I think. They only give us 20/2 (without cable) or 30/3 (triple play).

guessst
@optonline.net

guessst

Anon

Re: Upstream requirements

will be interesting to see all those upstreams with the ingress fighting through daily. below 18mhz is a mess usually. plus the diplexers are stil 5-42mhz so it will be a tight squeeze with boxes

andrewc2
join:2011-06-05
Matamoras, PA

andrewc2 to cypherstream

Member

to cypherstream
Cisco and Samsung boxes, we've got both here.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Meanwhile in TWC-land...

Yes, I'll be getting GFiber eventually. But for now the default tier is 1 Mbps up rather than 5 Mbps; you have to upgrade a couple tiers to get 5 Mbps, which is the fastest the upload side will go. And 50 Mbps is more expensive, with 20% of the upload speed, of the new OOL tier. Never mind the 101M tier, which I'd switch t in a heartbeat if it was available here (yes, I like fast uploads).

Just goes to show what can happen when both sides of the telecom duopoly decide to compete on a technology basis with each other...though I'm not completely sure whether I'd pick the faster CV or the more reliable FiOS if both were available to me.

Too bad that kind of competition is few and far between here in the US.

HellO
@rr.com

HellO

Anon

Already seeing 5mbps up on my 15x2.

Already seeing 5mbps up on my 15x2, started the other day.

Been getting 19-20 down for a while now
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

tmc8080

Member

Timing

According to reality and some speculation.. the 15/2 tier is already upgraded, while the 50 & 101 tiers have NOT seen these upgrades YET.. rumors are that they will DROP on July 1st... there is also speculation the two higher tier priced will drop also.

I guess this is the official thread outside the OOL forum thread.. I'm hoping Verizon counters with not only an upload increase, but a download increase as well in short order. Let the pro consumer upgrades begin!!

For Verizon, download speed of above 100 megabits will be more costly as that requires an UPGRADE from BPONS, to GPONS.. and they might as well upgrade it when they do prewired service activations. Docsis 3 modems are gigabit prebuilt-in. Any router you buy must support gigabit wan/lan if you want the faster speeds (faster than 100 megabits).

I could see 50 becoming 75 or 100 mbits as a competitive response.
jca2050
Premium Member
join:2002-02-04
Dallas, TX

jca2050

Premium Member

TWC

How is it Cablevision can offer 35mbps upload and TWC can't even offer over 5? UGH
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

Re: TWC

TWC is a pathetic company. They claimed to have pioneered fiber optics and did much to upgrade the Manhattan system to fiber optics, but then got all stingy and self interested in offering ZIP to the consumer at super high rates. Only now when FIOS gets installed in your area can you pry a deal from this company.

This is one of the fist cable companies to TRY and offer metered and capped overages with Comcast. Comcast now favors soft caps which are virtually nonexistent in FIOS footprints since it is so easy to switch companies like putting in a new roll of toilet paper.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec to jca2050

Premium Member

to jca2050
said by jca2050:

How is it Cablevision can offer 35mbps upload and TWC can't even offer over 5? UGH

Cablevision is quite small with a very dense network within some very populated cities, that is how.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: TWC

Not sure about your area, but in mine (WNY) there are a crapload of analog channels still active sucking up lots of bandwidth. I didn't check on the upload carriers, but TBH they upgraded to D3 in my area and the tap is on the corner of my property and fibre is just sitting right there.

In my neighborhood it could be P2P networks, because almost everyone is on FIOS . My neighbors across the street (TWC) are in their 80's so they just have cable/phone and would be the only TWC customers on my block. The only advantage TWC has is for analog TV watchers, which when they switch will mean a box for everyone....

With the move to HFC networks, there really isn't any reason why they couldn't offer competitive uploads, but I guess they want to drag on line cards or the like, or they just think being mediocre on download is good enough...

Up in Canada (Rogers) they still run 12/256kbps...Now that really sucks.

FatLadySings
@optonline.net

FatLadySings

Anon

only basic so far

Just want to point out that as of today, the ONLY Cablevision upgrades have been to the Basic tier and all the other changes are pure speculation.

So far the rumors are just that---rumors. Still only 1 upstream channel here.
mingkee27
join:2013-06-21
Brooklyn, NY

mingkee27

Member

Boost Plus seems to have better advantage

While the basic has 15/5 and Ultra has 101/35, Boost Plus has 50/25, which has better outgoing poportion.
Hopefully Optimum has slightly better price, or, where is Google Fibre in Brooklyn???

DAOWAce
join:2006-10-25
Flanders, NJ

DAOWAce

Member

About time.

Now to see how overly saturated their network becomes, and to see if that terrible packet loss from the saturation comes back.

Cannot believe it took over 2 years to fix that packet loss issue caused by the upgrade to DOCSIS 3.0, which ended up being caused by partial RF interference and after a few months congestion and congestion alone. Why do companies not listen to people who know what they're talking about?

Regardless, I can't wait for this. 25Mbit UP is insane; this will help streaming and running a webserver so, so much . Hell, I can finally stop using OOLs terrible servers and have everything run locally now.

Course, I did expect a speed increase after they hiked prices by $5/mo. Why did it take this long?
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

So?

it's probably too early so ask, but:

How's that 5 megabit upload working out? Is it keeping more customers on OOL at $39.90 or $54.90 off promo?

DevlishHusky
join:2004-06-07
New Milford, NJ

DevlishHusky

Member

DL speed check...

I have Boost+ and THIS is what I got instead of the above reported:




going to reboot the modem and post again.
DevlishHusky

DevlishHusky

Member

Re: DL speed check...



same deal. I think someone goofed. lol. honestly I'd prefer the upload speed boost over the download but hey, free Ultra 101 for now I guess.

I'm on the Oakland NJ system by the way.
Kalphiter
join:2012-06-28
Berkeley, CA

Kalphiter

Member

Re: DL speed check...




I am also a legacy Boost+ customer.

I'm pretty sure I have gigabit connections all the way to the modem.

ARRIS TM822G says it supports 10/100/1000.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

4 edits

tmc8080

Member

tick, tock.. Let us count the days until Ultra tiers get upg

7/1 is here.. no speed upgrade yet.. oh well.
7/2....
7/3....
7/4....
7/5....
7/6....
tmc8080

tmc8080

Member

Re: tick, tock.. Let us count the days until Ultra tiers get upg

7/7....
lilarry
Premium Member
join:2010-04-06

lilarry

Premium Member

Jitter

Unless Cablevision can do something about their horrific Packet Delay Variation (a.k.a "Jitter") issues in dense installations like office and apartment buildings - and do a better job weatherproofing their infrastructure, a boost in speed will be essentially useless. FiOS still wins hands down in those circumstances.