We have been on Time Warner for over 10 years with not one complaint with the Internet service. We're currently on a 50/5 service, and we get 100% of that 24/7/365 even in a college town, even when the local population doubles every late August. We also have more than a dozen devices connected at any time. What sort of router do you have and how old? A new router may be in order, but it certainly doesn't need to be a $500 one. Asus is currently making very good routers - we are currently using an RT-N66u and it's great. Nobody ever gets bogged down ever. Besides the bandwidth, if your router is old enough, you may be overloading the cpu of the router itself with that many active devices.
Since I live alone <sigh!> I never have more than one device pulling from the internet at a time, with the possible exception of the computer doing some automatic stuff in the background while I'm watching streaming video on the blu-ray player. The iPad Mini gets used for web surfing, but only lightweight stuff: look up a word or a thing while reading, or order a book for the Kindle. (Much faster via the web than through the Kindle's own wireless connection.) DSL is worthless!!! unless you live very close to the node. Its speed decreases the farther you are. I get ads from the phone company to switch to "fast" DSL internet, and the ad touts "up to" some blazing speed, but when I go on their web site and look up my address, the fastest I could get is like 1.5 mbps. It sounds like your (JMD) speed issues have to do with the number of devices in use, not the company providing service. My speed went up considerably when I switched from a six-year-old modem to a newer modem supporting the latest protocols. As zhenya suggested, maybe the router has trouble with the number of devices, or maybe it's using an older protocol. Comcast gave me an up-to-date modem on indefinite free loan. You might be able to get a modem for nothing from TW. If your kids are watching streaming movies you might have to see if you can get a faster category of service or a second internet channel. Can they even do that? Or would it require installing a second physical cable? I'm not sure, but I think Comcast offers a faster service than I have. I just don't need it. One week until the new iPad comes out.
I think that alone explains your happy disposition Presuming your units are Mbps, my home has 6/0.7. I could spend more for more bandwidth but this suffices just fine so long as the home bodies do not try and stream two videos at the same time. Btw Daniel, I tend to switch between cable (Comcast) and Qwest internet as the prices change. Overall Qwest provides a better connection. The connection is DSL, although the path up to my street is fibre
Indeed! Despite only one real competitor here in town, because of the colleges we have very good Internet connections. The basic TW connection is 15/1 for something like $25/month.
Anyhow, on the topic of the thread, as an iPad 4 owner, I'm excited about the release of the iPad Air and, depending on spousal approval - would love to replace mine as it's by far my most used computing device. The size reduction and especially the weight reduction will be very welcome for a device that sees so much usage!
I thought the US had great internet. I'm on the lowest option here at £10 per month and get 30 mbps (well between 24 and 31 usually). I could pay more for faster but it's not worth it for me.
Nice deal! Internet speeds in the US vary a lot by location, population density, competition, and regulation. The cities that have Google fibre e.g. are crazy fast, up to 1000 Mbps.
The best Qwest can give me is a pathetic 1.5 mbps. I don't know my nominal service level, but it usually tests around 20 mbps, never lower than 15 unless there's a problem somewhere. Just now Speedtest.net said 33.47/5.65. But this may be the fastest I've seen. I thought I was paying $50/month, but I checked just now and it's $65/month. I guess they raised it since I last looked (It's set to pay automatically so I don't have to think about it.) Maybe they increased the speed also. I cannot find anything on their web site or my bill telling me what my connection speed is supposed to be. I watch NetFlix streaming, in HD when available, so I think it's worth it to pay for the fastest speed I can get.
I probably wasn't clear, I was really only saying that each local market has it's own quirks and it is not very helpful to generalize 'good' companies and 'bad' companies. E.g. Qwest can be atrocious in one city and quite Ok elsewhere. I know Star Trek (old TV programming) streams at about 1.5 Mbps, so I'll guess that HD requires in the neighborhood of 5 Mbps*. Seems like you are paying for more bandwidth than you need. *Netflix agrees.
My TWC is $36 per month If you shop around the Internet and call TWC and ask for a price match or threaten to cancel they will match.
Time Warner around here only offers 'specials' that last for one year. If you don't call back after one year, your prices start to go up. So long as you call though, they will usually offer you either more service or a lower price...
Yep. My periodic conversations go like this ... me: Good morning. I'm calling to cancel my plan ISP: I'll be happy to help you. When do you want the last day of service me: One week ISP: ok..... if you do not mind me asking, why are you canceling ? me: my promotional pricing is ending. ISP: One moment please ... [call transferred] ISP#2: Would you like to stay with us if your promotional pricing continues ? me: Sure.
lol they've wised up to that one here. I called Sky (leading satellite tv provider) and the call went exactly like you described until they said "ok sir, we've cancelled your plan and your service stops in 30 days". Nice lol Been on cable since who are a little more receptive to keeping customers.
That wasn't true when I was working Bell/NEC/Zenith Data Systems Bra... end runs were the over-run of a production shop order making more units than were ordered because we weren't sure of the pass/fail rate after burn in from the production line. The factory often sold the end-runs in their own outlet store or to buy-in-bulk resellers. Quality was the same as units released to the original shop order.
And yet there are times when Netflix stalls, then reduces my quality. If I immediately to a Speedtest.net check, I've got plenty of throughput speed.
If you believe Speedtest then that implies your connection is not the bottleneck, and the extra money you pay is not resulting in a better movie experience.
There was a time when the local establishments provided free hot spots. Little by little they have ended that offer or one only allows about 10 minutes of free wi-fi per day. They kick you off. Starbucks still keeps the unlimited and High speed internet for free.
I once floated the idea in the home of ending Cable TV all together and leave everyone to choose the internet service they prefer, pay for it on there own dime, and stream away. Hulu, Amazon TV, Apple TV, Netflix whatever floats your boat. I thought that would eliminate about $60 a month in Cable TV fees. My wife was quick to bring to my attention that I'm the one watching cable TV about 20 hours a week and that if everyone transitioned to Streaming the home based internet would be useless.
