OMG! Made the switch

[blueberryboomer]

Thanks to all who help me decide which ISP to switch to. Awhile ago I asked what was better DSL or Cable. I wanted to go with Satellite, but our provider doesn't have the service in our area yet, so we switched to Comcast, I hate the cable service, but I am totally amazed at the internet. OMG, I can't believe the difference. We plan on switching to SBC as soon as it is available in our area, about 40.00 a month cheaper, I have been told its a little slower then the cable but as long as its faster than dial up I will be happy. We bought the kiddies new computers for their rooms and to make the internet more accessable, we went totally wireless. (there will be strick parental blocks put on them, seeing I won't be looking over their shoulds all the time)
So again, I wanted to say a big Thanks to all that helped and offered opinions. Lisa

 

[beth]

Lisa, is SBC satellite? Why is it so much cheaper? I have cable as well which I got within the past few mos. It is amazingly fast compared to the old pigeon carrying service of dial up. I'm about to network my computer to the other one I have in the house as well.
Does it work ok with the wireless?

 

[blueberryboomer]

OMG Beth you will not believe the difference, I used to have a phone cord dragged across my family room when ever I wanted to use my laptop. It is amazingly easy to hook up and its incredible the way it works. I did it all myself.
For the first 6 months of Comcast, I get it for 19.99, but having signed up at Best Buy I got a 60.00 rebate, so I more of less get 3 months free, after the 6 months the price jumps to 67.00 a month, I refuse to pay that much. SBC is broadband, I think and they charge 27.00 month. (this is what a guy a Best Buy told me, he has it) Lisa

 

[pwnag3!!]

you pay 67 dollars a month for cable internet?
we pay 29.95 and have been for cable internet for almost 6 months..
and we get to use the modem for free...
go wth charter.

 

[blueberryboomer]

I won't pay 67.00 a month for internet. We get it for 19.99 a month for 6 months hopefully buy that time SBC will be up and running in our area. They have the tower up, but not connected yet.

 

[wrassecal]

Do you have wireless laptop? Do you get a signal with your cable package for wireless? I'm thinking about getting one of those new Dell lightweight travel laptops with wireless but assumed I wouldn't have a signal since I have cable. I have TV, internet and phone all on Cox and I pay about 109.00 a month with all the added taxes etc.

 

[tangman99]

Congrats! You can never go back now. BTW, did you get my emails? Not sure if they were blocked or not by filter as they came from my yahoo account.

 

[birdy]

Debbie- for the wireless, you hook up a router to your modem and then the laptop will pick it up.
Yikes those prices for cable internet are steep. We pay 20bucks for our cable interent, fixed rate, no running out in 6months. I love Everest. Everything in one package, cable, phone, internet.

 

[wrassecal]

Birdie - do you have phone, TV and internet? How much do you have to pay for all 3? I think Cox is high.

 

[beth]

How do you hook it up? I was about to call someone to hook mine up as I want give our second computer access to the cable broadband. Don't you have to install cards into pcs?
What is Everest??

 

[michsmith]

I'm pretty sure SBC is DSL, which is slower than broadband but MUCH faster than dialup. To hook up a wireless network, you'll need cards in both of your computers and a wireless router which the DSL or broadband modem hooks into.

 

[blueberryboomer]

Tangman, I didn't recieve your e-mails, when did you send them. My new (temp for 6 months) is on the sidebar.
Beth, I needed a modem, router and cards, I got 2 wireless laptop and 2 wireless desk top . You have the choice of internal cards or external for the desktop, I went external they just plug in,(sorry don't know where yet, X-mas gifts) and they have a small antanna on them. If you are only doing 2 desk tops then all you should need if you already have your modem is a wireless router and 2 wireless desktop cards. If you go into a Best Buy store and buy the stuff their Geek Squad guys will talk you through the install or come to your home and hook you up. There really isn't anything to it though, I did it all myself following the instructions.
pwnag3!! The only cable option we have is Comcast, it would be about 20.00 a month cheaper if I would switch back to there cable, but I won't we love the dish.
Wrassecal, I don't know how the Dell laptop would work, we have Toshiba laptops and they work awesome with the wireless.
Lisa

 

[tangman99]

Originally posted by BLUEBERRYBOOMER
Tangman, I didn't recieve your e-mails, when did you send them. My new (temp for 6 months) is on the sidebar.
I sent them to your earthlink account last week. I resent them to your new one.

 

[tony detroit]

WY-FI should be available through cellular providers as early as 2006 I've been hearing.

 

[blueberryboomer]

Tangman, I recieved your e-mails today, but you forgot to attach the photo of your angel.
tony detroit, what is WY-FI ?

 

[birdy]

Everest is an all in one company- we get local and long distance phone, digital cable with HBO, and cable internet for 75.00, with tax it is around 90.00. I love it because it is not a big company, you talk to a real live person when you call and normally they come out the same day to fix problems, very nice when you live in a fairly large city.

 

[tony detroit]

WY-FI is wireless internet
Many hotels, and coffee shops, and truck stops, etc. already have it. Ever go to Starbucks and see all the people surfing in there?

 

[dskidmore]

In our area, DSL is the way to go, but that may not be the case everywhere. The cable company is always airing "we're the fastest" commercials, with the tag line "speed claims not valid in Rochester." How lame, they can't even come up with a better commercial for the market they're not the fastest in.
I pay $58 for phone and DSL, (price guarrenteed for two years.) I used to pay $45 for cable ISP and $23 for phone. (It's 30-something if you already have cable, but I'm not that attached to TV.)
You might want to double-check if the speed on the satelite service is the same in both directions. Usually I hear it's great download, but dial-up speeds upload. That means that it will be slow when you want to send out pictures of your kids, but will be great for web surfing.

 

[blueberryboomer]

tony detroit: WY-FI is wireless internet
Dugh! I should have known that, I guess I burned to many brain cells over the last 12 weeks. Thanks!
DSkidmore,
Sounds like you are greating an awesome deal, I was paying 22. monthly just for dial up.

 

[dskidmore]

Originally posted by BLUEBERRYBOOMER
DSkidmore,
Sounds like you are greating an awesome deal, I was paying 22. monthly just for dial up.
AOL and the other biggies charge that much, but if you look carefully around here you can get dial-up for $5-$10 per month. (not unlimited, but generous hours.)
Rochester is a highly technological city, (small city, home of Xerox, Kodak, and Bouch & Lomb) there's lots of competition, and the ISPs have to keep thier prices low.