Rural Cable and Internet

[Panik]

Just a quick update - went with Charter after the previous owner gave them positive reviews. The installation tech was supposed to be out between 10 and 12 today. Well 12 rolled around and no tech, so I called dispatch and was informed by a very apologetic lady that their tech was having difficulty with an earlier job and that he would be at my home in about 45 minutes.

At 2 in the afternoon a tech from Al, mind you I'm in NW Ga, shows up and explains that he was called last minute because the original tech couldn't make it. We go inside to start installation and he informs me that because we don't have a tv in the house yet he cannot perform the installation due to being unable to check that the system is working properly without a tv.

At this point I about went though the roof because I had driven an hour from the house we are currently living in to the new house, and then waited for 4 hours for a tech to show up only to tell me that they couldn't perform the work requested because no one had the where with all to inform me that they needed to have a TV onsite to complete the installation. Wouldn't normally be a problem but the movers aren't bringing our stuff until early next week.

So now we're scheduled to have cable installed sans installation charge next week on the same day the movers are coming.

 

[whistlepig]

Just a quick update - went with Charter after the previous owner gave them positive reviews. The installation tech was supposed to be out between 10 and 12 today. Well 12 rolled around and no tech, so I called dispatch and was informed by a very apologetic lady that their tech was having difficulty with an earlier job and that he would be at my home in about 45 minutes.

At 2 in the afternoon a tech from Al, mind you I'm in NW Ga, shows up and explains that he was called last minute because the original tech couldn't make it. We go inside to start installation and he informs me that because we don't have a tv in the house yet he cannot perform the installation due to being unable to check that the system is working properly without a tv.

At this point I about went though the roof because I had driven an hour from the house we are currently living in to the new house, and then waited for 4 hours for a tech to show up only to tell me that they couldn't perform the work requested because no one had the where with all to inform me that they needed to have a TV onsite to complete the installation. Wouldn't normally be a problem but the movers aren't bringing our stuff until early next week.

So now we're scheduled to have cable installed sans installation charge next week on the same day the movers are coming.

Service after the sale. It's what our neighbors said to beware of when we moved here. I hope when they troubleshoot your system down the road that things go better for you.

 

[scoutcub]

Live in rural Ohio, no cable available.....:irked: Got hughesnet gen4 and Direct TV. Both have been better than expected for the last 2 years.
Despite the hiccup, I would still try the cable first.

Good luck!

 

[ultrarunner]

Went through the same thing...

No cell coverage and only dial up.

Neighbor has Comcast and Comcast want 14k to trench in a line which I declined.

Right now the neighbor has set up a local wireless network and we can piggyback with their permission.

 

[Western]

If you are in the Sprint network range, here are a couple of place that "piggy back" on the Sprint service. I cant use then or I'd pick one, I am in the Sprint "roam" area. I am using the Verizon jetpack, best service I can get here, even though a few others are available, they have worse reviews than Verizon does.

EVDO DEPOT USA
Millenicom

 

[Midniteoyl]

Went through the same thing...

No cell coverage and only dial up.

Neighbor has Comcast and Comcast want 14k to trench in a line which I declined.

Right now the neighbor has set up a local wireless network and we can piggyback with their permission.

How far is the neighbor?

 

[ultrarunner]

Neighbor is about 300 feet across the draw...

The pole is about 500' up the draw on his side and the way the road meanders... it is a fair distance to lay in a cable to me along the drive.

Olympia Washington Comcast said 2" conduit with access inervals and a upright box at my gate.

Neighbor has lines overhead and new country regs require buried and this is a huge part of the cost to my place.

So far the wireless has worked great when it works... problem is sometimes it needs to be reset and have no control over that other than a phone call to neighbor and hope their home.

Home is rented presently... Conduit would be a good project for me and my tractor if and when I move back.

Never lived in a home with cable or sat... just got DSL a few years ago for work and TBN and it gave ATT a headache getting it working in California because of the distance from Central Office.

 

[Larro Darro]

How far is the neighbor?

My router is just a $60 Belkin, and it reaches 125 yard to a deck out past our sheds. They make outdoor ones that will reach much further, though they cost a little more. But if you have a willing neighbor, a couple hundred $ in equipment would be cheaper than a monthly bill.

 

[JDgreen227]

I am on the very fringe of the maximum distance for Verizon DSL and can barely get the required speed for downloading video and the landline service costs me $81 per month. What sucks is that I am deaf and never use the phone line for voice calls, maybe a TDD call once or twice a month...and to me paying $81 a month for barely adequate DSL service is a ripoff. Cable is not available here and Dish Internet is even slower than the DSL I have and just as costly.

 

[Larro Darro]

I am on the very fringe of the maximum distance for Verizon DSL and can barely get the required speed for downloading video and the landline service costs me $81 per month. What sucks is that I am deaf and never use the phone line for voice calls, maybe a TDD call once or twice a month...and to me paying $81 a month for barely adequate DSL service is a ripoff. Cable is not available here and Dish Internet is even slower than the DSL I have and just as costly.

$81 is pretty steep for DSL. Is that the phone and DSL? We used to pay about that for both, but my wife called them and asked for a discount. They knocked $10 off our bill. That was over a year ago, so we have saved more than a hundred dollars. Hate to pay it, but I don't think I could live without the net. We don't have cell phones, [thank the Good Lord] so our total for Dish-phone-internet is less than most.