| Author | Message | ||
     ciaopescao Citizen Username: Ciaopescao Post Number: 32 Registered: 1-2006 |
Apologies if this is covered elsewhere in the forums but the search functionality wasn't working when I've tried... We're moving to Maplewood at the end of the month (which can't come a moment too soon!!!) and are trying to line up utilities, etc for when we get there. Heres my questions: 1) What TV services are offered in the area and which are best for HD TV? 2) What high speed internet services would you recommend for cost and quality? Thats all!!! Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Ali. | ||
| rssounds Citizen Username: Rssounds Post Number: 392 Registered: 5-2001 |
Wait until this fall and see if Verizon FIOS is available then compare. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 682 Registered: 2-2006 |
A cable modem connection is faster than DSL. Verizon provides poor telephone service. The fiber optic service that may arrive may be faster than cable, but proceed with caution when dealing with Verizon. Comcast may service Mplwd for cable modems. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 10556 Registered: 4-1997  |
We have DirecTV with HD service and it's excellent. Always bypass Verizon whenever possible because their service is pathetic. Theoretically cable is faster. In reality.... sometimes yes, sometimes no. Cable bandwidth is shared. You can also use DirecTV for internet, but it's pricey. Advantage is you can use wireless everywhere. | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 684 Registered: 2-2006 |
How pricey, if you know, Dave? Do you know how it compares in speed or capacity with cable modems? | ||
| SOrising Citizen Username: Sorising Post Number: 685 Registered: 2-2006 |
About alternatives to Verizon, see another thread I think I'll start in help wanted. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 10557 Registered: 4-1997 |
Looks like it starts at $100/mo. Also, I am wrong about the "wireless everywhere" thing. It's offered through Hughes Net: http://www.hughesnet.com | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15412 Registered: 1-2003  |
I'm quite satisfied with my internet access through comcast. I'm paying about $45/month for that, on top of my cable TV bill. The speed is better than DSL, and of course, it costs more. Verizon now offers two speeds of DSL, at $15 and $30 per month, respectively. These speeds are slower than comcast's service but you get more bang for the buck with these offerings. I've heard that FIOS (Verizon's new fiber service) will lock you into a two- or three-year contract. You can't get out, even if they fail to deliver their promises. I'm wary of that. I've heard horror stories about comcast, but I suspect they are improving. Things have gone fairly well for us. Of course, a sample of one is very small. comcast came first to hook up the TV, and the installer didn't really know how to run a cable. My wife had to show him how. But it was done, and it works. The guy who ran a new cable for our computer did it right the first time without any supervision. And since it was installed, it has worked flawlessly. I can't help with HDTV, as I have no experience with it. | ||
| Joe R. Citizen Username: Ragnatela Post Number: 543 Registered: 6-2004 |
I just upgraded to DTV HD, and have to report that the picture is magnificent. My problem is dish placement. I am very unhappy with where the dish was installed (aesthetically) and if it can't be moved I'll have to slink back to regulat DTV. | ||
| Steady Eddy Citizen Username: Steddy Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2006 |
My wife started this thread for me as I didn't have a login this morning. I've done some research since then after the feedback we'd received on this board. I was about to plump for HD over DirectTV but then realised they didn't carry Fox Soccer Channel and since I'm an avid Liverpool fan, can't miss that channel!!! We (I) ended up going for Dish Network with a HD package and a bunch of channels for about 80 bucks with the usual rebates, etc. I'll let people know how it goes once its installed and hopefully running. As for phone/internet service, comcast have a deal on until the end of the month (if you believe the sales people) that gives you phone for $33 and broadband for $33 for a year. $70 for both - not too bad... (until FiOS comes out) Thanks for everyones help. Cheers, Matt. | ||
| lefty Citizen Username: Lefty Post Number: 69 Registered: 7-2003 |
Comcast HD is okay for the price. You can get the motorola box with the HD-DVR, which is a nice feature to have. We pay roughly $65/month for expanded basic, and $10 for the hd-dvr. the HD channels they have are: ESPN ESPN2 TNT HDNET HDNET2 (USUALLY THEY'LL AIR YES NETWORK GAMES: YANKEES) ABC CBS NBC FOX PBS DISCOVERY there may be more, but that's all i can think of off the top of my head. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3105 Registered: 9-2003  |
We have HDTV and internet service via Comcast. Very happy with picture quality, etc. on the HDTV and speed on the internet. I can't imagine every going back to any form of dial-up as cable modem has made using the internet truly appliance-like. When things go wrong (infrequent) it's a bit of a cluster to get things done if it involves someone coming out to the house. Reset of the HDTV box, etc., seems to be possible over the phone, and those people are good. Don't have the most recent bill in front of me, but we pay something around $130 for HDTV to one TV (no HBO or pay channels), regular cable to the other, boxes, and internet service. Wireless router between the 2 computers. I'm waiting to make the switch on phone service. Thought about it a bunch, but not ready. We pay Verizon about $77 a month for 2 lines and unltd long-distance (domestic) and that's worked out fine. | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 3028 Registered: 5-2001 |
Cyn, just curious why you have and pay for a second line? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 9139 Registered: 5-2001  |
We received a UPS overnight letter offering FIOS. I was really pissed. How much did that little promotion cost? It's a one-year contract for $39.99, then it goes to "prevailing market rate". FIOS will also be competing with cable TV here, soon, too. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15439 Registered: 1-2003 |
$39.99 for the entire first year? | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3107 Registered: 9-2003 |
Wendy, we wanted a two phone numbers. | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 10588 Registered: 4-1997 |
NEW YORK—Verizon Communications, Inc. announced a new service package for its wireless and residential customers that would charge them widely varying, but always high, fees every month depending how the communications giant feels at the time. "Our Charge-At-Whim packages offer the same mediocre quality and insufferable level of customer service you’ve come to expect," a Verizon spokesman said Tuesday. "But it adds an unjustified, arbitrary and, if you’ll allow us to boast, frankly unjustifiable method of determining just how much you’ll pay for them." Packages start at "oh, $69.99 a month, let’s say?" and went into effect about three or four months ago. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 9144 Registered: 5-2001 |
Sorry, Tom. That's per month. Then it switches to the plan Dave cites, aka "Random Orifice Pricing". | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15441 Registered: 1-2003 |
Or, as they say in another industry, reasonable and customary, which is an oxymoron. | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 3036 Registered: 5-2001 |
This is a real email I just received from Verizon regarding my DSL. Read it and laugh - that's all I could do unless I want to change and pay out more money. Bold is my emphasis to highlight the absurdity. Dear Valued Verizon Online Customer, Effective August 14, 2006, Verizon Online will stop charging the FUSF (Federal Universal Service Fund) recovery fee. We will stop being assessed the fee by our DSL network suppliers. Therefore, we will no longer be recovering this fee from our customers}. The impact of the FUSF fee is as follows: for customers of Verizon Online with service up to 768Kbps, the fee eliminated is $1.25 a month; for customers of Verizon Online with service up to 1.5 Mbps or 3Mbps, the fee eliminated is $2.83 a month (based on current FUSF surcharge amounts). On your bill that includes charges for August 14, 2006 you will see either a partial FUSF Recovery Fee or no FUSF line item at all, depending on your bill cycle. Starting August 26, 2006, Verizon Online will begin charging a Supplier Surcharge for all new DSL customers, existing customers with a DSL monthly or bundle package, and existing DSL annual plan customers at the time their current annual plan expires. This surcharge is not a government imposed fee or a tax; however, it is intended to help offset costs we incur from our network supplier in providing Verizon Online DSL service}. The Supplier Surcharge will initially be set at $1.20 a month for Verizon Online DSL customers with service up to 768Kbps and $2.70 per month for customers with DSL service at higher speeds. On balance your total bill will remain about the same as it has been or slightly lower. For more information, see the Announcement in the Help section of Verizon Central, located at http://central.verizon.net We regret the need to add this Supplier Surcharge, but we thank you for choosing high speed Verizon Online DSL. We appreciate and value your business. Sincerely, Verizon Online Broadband Customer Care Team | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15458 Registered: 1-2003 |
Gotta have sympathy for poor little Verizon. | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2807 Registered: 5-2005  |
I stopped using verizon for ANYTHING 2 years ago due to their totally moronic incompetance and less than stellar (rude/don't care) customer service and I was having to call each month over a 4 month period with overbillings. Finally I just had enough and went with Cablevision for internet which yes, is more money but i've only had one outage, Kiss for phone which is much less (PL me if you want details), and Cingular for cell. For them to treat their customers as fools and say the are giving to you what is rightfully yours in the first place and then try and pass an increase on as you will be "helping" them to pay for the DSL service is an insult. If they want to increase costs to you at this time, as afterall in their eyes it's money you were paying anyway so you won't miss it, they should call it what it is, an increase in the cost of their DSL. There are some good people working there, it's just a shame, like in so many companies they are well hidden behind the dross. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4598 Registered: 5-2001  |
Being so close to NYC, for HDTV you can simply buy a settop box for around $200 and a settop antenna pointed to the Empire State Building for FREE over the air HDTV. Funny...you spend $2-$3k for an HDTV TV and get a great picture with the equivalent of "rabbit ears". | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 3042 Registered: 5-2001 |
MHD, do you really think that works throughout our two towns? I live in the valley between Valley and Prospect in Maplewood. I don't think a "settop" antenna pointed anywhere would work. Please prove me wrong. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4599 Registered: 5-2001 |
Wendy, I can't speak for everywhere, but here "on the hill", it actually works great (except when we have real bad weather) |
