Fiber worth it considering wifi?

[Carpet_pissr]

Horribly worded subject, sorry.

The premise: We finally got access to fiber on my street, and the offers look pretty good compared to the cable-based internet I am getting right now from Spectrum.

My question is if most (almost all) our in-house internet usage goes through wi-fi, would we even notice a speed difference? I assume the bottleneck would be the router (and of course the device I guess), no? I'm probably going to get it anyway since it seems like a pretty good deal, especially for the middle speed tier (three are offered, from 1,000Mbps to 300):

$200 visa gift card
$55/month including equipment fee (but NOT including taxes) I should note that I am SOOOO sick of this used car salesly BS by such a big company. HUGE ass numbers: $45 A MONTH FOR 500Mbps!!!!! and then in tiny letters somewhere way below, they say (not including a required $10/month equipment fee, taxes, etc etc). I am sure it works, but man it makes AT&T look like total low level marketing hucksters to me, personally.

Currently getting 400Mbps via Spectrum for $54 a month.

One huge, non-speed advantage for us in particular is that we have had squirrels chew on the cable from our closest pole, that goes to the house over the years (in TWO diferent houses!). Even after they buried the cable, it was still a problem (at the pole). In the past say 15 years, it's caused probably months worths of problems including dropouts, much lower speeds than we should have gotten, etc.

Anyone have experience to share? I hate the pain of switching anything related to cable or mobile companies, since they force you to do everything by phone (except upgrades, apparently their online systems CAN handle that!!)

[hitbyambulance]

AT&T vs Spectrum? seems like a toss-up in terms of 'evilness'. go with the lower price.

also, familiarize yourself with the various wifi technologies if you haven't already:
https://www.lifewire.com/how-fast-is-a- ... ork-816543

[stessier]

FWIW, my neighborhood got AT&T fiber about 2 years ago. We are also served by Spectrum cable. We stayed on cable while many neighbors switched to AT&T. AT&T has faster speeds but has not been stable - 1-2x per months we would hear of some type of outages (not sure how long). Spectrum has been rock solid. Just one anecdote.

I have thought about switching as I could get 1 Gig down for ~$75 after taxes and fees from AT&T. I'm currently paying $74.99 for 200 MB down all in from Spectrum and they want an extra $20/month to go to 400. 200 has been plenty sufficient, though, and we have been happy with the service, so we've stayed put.

Edit: Actually, now that I'm looking more into it, maybe I should switch. We get a $200 gift card + HBO Max (not that we watch it much, but my wife was thinking of subscribing for a few months). There is a $20 discount on the service for the first 12 months so in 13 months I'll be paying $90 for a Gig. And just waiting to complete my order prompted a pop up that offered an additional $100 gift card if I'd just complete the order right now. Interesting.

[Daehawk]

Im on Spectrums 400/20 plan but get 463/23.5 or there bouts . I also have a deal and a COVID thing. So Ive been paying $25 but it bumped up a couple months ago to $29.99

I am NOT calling them.

[coopasonic]

FWIW, my neighborhood got AT&T fiber about 2 years ago. We are also served by Spectrum cable. We stayed on cable while many neighbors switched to AT&T. AT&T has faster speeds but has not been stable - 1-2x per months we would hear of some type of outages (not sure how long). Spectrum has been rock solid. Just one anecdote.

A very different anecdote. I've had AT&T Fiber in my current house for 13 years (well it will be around March) and have had issues probably 6-8 times and two of those were when lightning hit our house and they came and replaced everything with newer models for free.

My gaming PCs are hard wired and I see download speeds that make me smile. Gigabit is worth it just for that. The wifi from their router was pathetic, which is why I haven't used it in many years.

[stessier]

My anecdote is better - we're both in SC.

[coopasonic]

I am not sure what internet I had when I was in SC. I must have had some form of Dial-up maybe? In my defense it was 1997-1998.

[JCC]

I have had AT&T Gigabit for 2.5 years in my current house. I also had it for a while in my previous house. Didn't really have an issue with it then, but then a local company was available for less money which was a no brainer change for me.

Since moving it's AT&T or Spectrum as my only options. I will always pick anything vs Spectrum or Comcast.

AT&T has been rock solid for me here over the past 2.5 years. Granted, after my first year it now costs $100/month. But, it's worth it for me due to its reliability - particularly now that I am 100% work from home. I also get HBO Max for free, but that isn't something I would have subbed to all year.

As for WiFi, I get about 400-550 Mb/s down which is better than I had before. Note, that I am using my own (2) routers in an Asus AI Mesh. But my mesh router has a direct wired connection to the base router. My routers are AC1900 so definitely not cutting edge. I have no idea if updating the routers would increase the speed over wifi or not. My lone wired PC (my Plex server / retired gaming PC) usually records speeds at 700-900 Mb/s down.

[Daehawk]

Doesn't AT&T cap you? Give you a fat pipe but a tiny spigot.

[coopasonic]

Doesn't AT&T cap you? Give you a fat pipe but a tiny spigot.

For us gigabit is the only plan that doesn't have a data cap, which is a big reason why I have it.

[hitbyambulance]

this thread title still cracks me up

[stessier]

Doesn't AT&T cap you? Give you a fat pipe but a tiny spigot.

In our area, none of the fiber plans have a cap. Next year, Charter's prohibition on data caps expires.

[Carpet_pissr]

Yeah, I read in the little research I did that there was no cap, so that's a big bonus (I don't have one that I know of with Spectrum either, so that's not really a point in the pro column).

I guess one small concern is that they JUST finished putting the lines in around here like...today (in my front yard - massive holes and big slabs of concrete )

Just wonder if it will be rock solid like Spectrum has been SINCE they replaced the squirrel chewed cable the most recent time. I can't help but wonder that considering the scope of the installation, there will be some hiccups.

[Carpet_pissr]

FWIW, my neighborhood got AT&T fiber about 2 years ago. We are also served by Spectrum cable. We stayed on cable while many neighbors switched to AT&T. AT&T has faster speeds but has not been stable - 1-2x per months we would hear of some type of outages (not sure how long). Spectrum has been rock solid. Just one anecdote.

I have thought about switching as I could get 1 Gig down for ~$75 after taxes and fees from AT&T. I'm currently paying $74.99 for 200 MB down all in from Spectrum and they want an extra $20/month to go to 400. 200 has been plenty sufficient, though, and we have been happy with the service, so we've stayed put.

Edit: Actually, now that I'm looking more into it, maybe I should switch. We get a $200 gift card + HBO Max (not that we watch it much, but my wife was thinking of subscribing for a few months). There is a $20 discount on the service for the first 12 months so in 13 months I'll be paying $90 for a Gig. And just waiting to complete my order prompted a pop up that offered an additional $100 gift card if I'd just complete the order right now. Interesting.

Oooh, good to know about the $100 extra gift card!

I actually tried signing up earlier but the chat wait was 72 minutes. I hit some kind of infinite loop where they recognized me being an existing mobile customer based on my address, then forced me to either
1) bundle with my mobile (which is what I want)
2) create a new separate account (GOD no, I have been through that hell with them and DirectTV, and it's STILL years later, not fully resolved. Was bungled HUGELY by them and cost me a $300 sign up gift card bonus.
3) can't remember what third option was

I tried all of them, and they all just rerouted me to the same page to log in...but no prompting to continue the fiber order process or anything. Freaking annoying.

[Alefroth]

Doesn't AT&T cap you? Give you a fat pipe but a tiny spigot.

More like fat pipe small glass.

[Blackhawk]

Currently getting 400Mbps via Spectrum for $54 a month.

Geeze, Comcast/Xfinity charges me $90 for 300 down (and a piddly 10 up.) And an extra $25 if I don't want absurd data limits.

[Kraken]

Currently getting 400Mbps via Spectrum for $54 a month.

Geeze, Comcast/Xfinity charges me $90 for 300 down (and a piddly 10 up.) And an extra $25 if I don't want absurd data limits.

We just switched to Comcast at gunpoint. We'll get 200 down for $30/mo for 24 months, after which it jumps to $95. I don't have any alternatives to Xfinity so they can charge whatever they want. My tentative strategy is to die in the 23rd month. Or maybe move, but that's a bigger hassle. I'd switch to FIOS if I could, just to get out from under Comcast's thumb.

[Isgrimnur]

this thread title still cracks me up

Oatmeal and refried beans!

[Kasey Chang]

Hah, I get NONE of those choices at my location. I can only get crappy bonded DSL (2 DSL lines), which is actually an UPGRADE from what I can get from AT&T (single line DSL). Speedtest says it is only doing 6.9 Mbps down and 1.35 Mbps up.

I keep checking Verizon but they still somehow don't have 5G Home available at my zipcode, which is downtown SF, for Pete's sake. They keep offering me LTE Home Internet, which is a magnitude different: just 25-50 Mbps down, and 4 Mbps up. But it may actually be faster than my bonded DSL

Though Verizon did promise that their new C-band 5G will be turned on Jan 19th. Maybe I'll get 5G home internet then, when my current yearly contract with Sonic runs out. C-band may not have "up to 1 Gbps" of the mm wave 5G, but it will provide "typical 90-170 Mbps down".

Being in old city has its problems. There's no cable at my location (Comcast Xfinity says it may be here in a few months, which was a few months ago), and definitely no fiber, despite only blocks from Financial District which would have a TON of fiber.

[hitbyambulance]

interesting to note that since i switched to CenturyLink Fiber last year, i have received absolutely no advertisements from Comcast/Xfinity to switch back. it's kinda like they know they can't compete with the price and bitrate.

[stessier]

FWIW, my neighborhood got AT&T fiber about 2 years ago. We are also served by Spectrum cable. We stayed on cable while many neighbors switched to AT&T. AT&T has faster speeds but has not been stable - 1-2x per months we would hear of some type of outages (not sure how long). Spectrum has been rock solid. Just one anecdote.

I have thought about switching as I could get 1 Gig down for ~$75 after taxes and fees from AT&T. I'm currently paying $74.99 for 200 MB down all in from Spectrum and they want an extra $20/month to go to 400. 200 has been plenty sufficient, though, and we have been happy with the service, so we've stayed put.

Edit: Actually, now that I'm looking more into it, maybe I should switch. We get a $200 gift card + HBO Max (not that we watch it much, but my wife was thinking of subscribing for a few months). There is a $20 discount on the service for the first 12 months so in 13 months I'll be paying $90 for a Gig. And just waiting to complete my order prompted a pop up that offered an additional $100 gift card if I'd just complete the order right now. Interesting.

Oooh, good to know about the $100 extra gift card!

I actually tried signing up earlier but the chat wait was 72 minutes. I hit some kind of infinite loop where they recognized me being an existing mobile customer based on my address, then forced me to either
1) bundle with my mobile (which is what I want)
2) create a new separate account (GOD no, I have been through that hell with them and DirectTV, and it's STILL years later, not fully resolved. Was bungled HUGELY by them and cost me a $300 sign up gift card bonus.
3) can't remember what third option was

I tried all of them, and they all just rerouted me to the same page to log in...but no prompting to continue the fiber order process or anything. Freaking annoying.

Let me know if you take the plunge - I think I need more anecdotes before signing on.

[JCC]

Definitely no data cap for me with the Gigabit plan from AT&T.

[Carpet_pissr]

FWIW, my neighborhood got AT&T fiber about 2 years ago. We are also served by Spectrum cable. We stayed on cable while many neighbors switched to AT&T. AT&T has faster speeds but has not been stable - 1-2x per months we would hear of some type of outages (not sure how long). Spectrum has been rock solid. Just one anecdote.

I have thought about switching as I could get 1 Gig down for ~$75 after taxes and fees from AT&T. I'm currently paying $74.99 for 200 MB down all in from Spectrum and they want an extra $20/month to go to 400. 200 has been plenty sufficient, though, and we have been happy with the service, so we've stayed put.

Edit: Actually, now that I'm looking more into it, maybe I should switch. We get a $200 gift card + HBO Max (not that we watch it much, but my wife was thinking of subscribing for a few months). There is a $20 discount on the service for the first 12 months so in 13 months I'll be paying $90 for a Gig. And just waiting to complete my order prompted a pop up that offered an additional $100 gift card if I'd just complete the order right now. Interesting.

Oooh, good to know about the $100 extra gift card!

I actually tried signing up earlier but the chat wait was 72 minutes. I hit some kind of infinite loop where they recognized me being an existing mobile customer based on my address, then forced me to either
1) bundle with my mobile (which is what I want)
2) create a new separate account (GOD no, I have been through that hell with them and DirectTV, and it's STILL years later, not fully resolved. Was bungled HUGELY by them and cost me a $300 sign up gift card bonus.
3) can't remember what third option was

I tried all of them, and they all just rerouted me to the same page to log in...but no prompting to continue the fiber order process or anything. Freaking annoying.

Let me know if you take the plunge - I think I need more anecdotes before signing on.

Oh, I’m definitely doing it. Noticed also that a couple of cash back sites offer up to $75 when you sign up for AT&T fiber. That on top of the $200 ($300?!) gift card, and the fact that it’s cheaper than my current, slower Spectrum service…no brainer the more I research.

[stessier]

Im on Spectrums 400/20 plan but get 463/23.5 or there bouts . I also have a deal and a COVID thing. So Ive been paying $25 but it bumped up a couple months ago to $29.99

I am NOT calling them.

Just a heads up - that $50 COVID subsidy goes away in March 2022. There is a new program that offers a $30 subsidy that should be coming online about the same time that is probably worth tracking.

Less than a year after Verizon and other ISPs forced users to switch plans in order to get government-funded discounts, a new federal program will prevent such upselling by requiring ISPs to let customers obtain subsidies on any Internet plan.

With last year's $50-per-month Emergency Broadband Benefit that was created by Congress, the Federal Communications Commission let ISPs participate in the program as long as they offered the discount on at least one service plan. The FCC said it did so to encourage participation by providers, but some major ISPs drastically limited the subsidy-eligible plans—forcing users to switch to plans that could be more expensive in order to get a temporary discount.

Congress subsequently created a replacement program that will offer $30 monthly subsidies to people with low incomes. The program also specified that ISPs "shall allow an eligible household to apply the affordable connectivity benefit to any Internet service offering of the participating provider at the same terms available to households that are not eligible households." The FCC still has to make rules for implementing the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), but that requirement prevented the FCC from using the same one-plan rule that helped ISPs use the program as an upselling opportunity.

[rf2000]

I have the luxury of having att, cox, and spectrum to choose from. I tried to get att gig for $80+hbo max installed but they would have to cut into the dry wall of my house to get access for their fiber. Ah, no. So, I'm going to go with cox gigablast for $70 x 2 yrs before they eventually increase their price. At that point, I'll go to spectrum and take their introductory offer for couple yrs and go back and forth between the two. Competition is a very beautiful thing, especially in a traditionally uncompetitive cable industry.

[Daehawk]

Ive had that $50 discount nearly a year now. Damn handy for me. Its funny when I quit TV they flat out told me there is no Essentials $20 tv package for the disabled here....even though it clear shows it online and on their rate card page. Now days I get one every month to join the $20 Essentials tv package. Fuck them.

I was on 100/4 for $70. Ya it SUCKED that price did it did. I mean one county over a mile down the road is $70 for 1000/1000.

Anyways got a special where I get 400/20 at my $70 price for two years.Soon after that I got the $50 Covid discount. So Ive been paying $25 and $29 for 400/20...I actually get about 463/26

Gonna REALLY miss that when its gone. May have to drop internet to the lowest cheapest thing they have. I dont have enough money now. Otherwise Id have FOOD! argh.

[Carpet_pissr]

Since I had difficulty signing up online (!) which is a whole 'nother rant, I had not yet signed up for fiber...until yesterday I got a knock at the door. Girl wearing an obviously AT&T jacket with an AT&T logo, even a badge that showed AT&T and the logo. Said she just came by to "check on the installation" (the mess they made in front of my yard, including the approximately 4x4' concrete cover that is quite lovely).

Of COURSE she was not employed by AT&T even though originally she said she was.
Of COURSE she was not just checking on the mess they made when they installed the fiber in my front yard.

Anyway, because of whatever problems ATT has with my account, I couldn't sign up online to claim the $300 offer they showed me when I logged into my account (to switch to fiber). At least she did do a $150 visa card, plus a $100 gift card for my wife for "referring" me.

However, since she lied about the things above, I am not feeling great that I will get both of those. The only reason I agreed to let her be the one to sign me up was because she said that while she couldn't match the online offers, she could give me free installation, which would save about $100 (and which according to her, the online deals where you get the gift card do NOT include free install)

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

According to Ms. Lying Lyerton, I can get $10 off my monthly bill since I am already a ATT mobile customer, but again, the ATT website can't comprehend for some reason that I am ALREADY a wirless customer, and they only offer me the rates as if I am new. &^@$^&#@$

If that is true, and the fiber connection is reliable (and as fast as they promise), this is a MUCH better deal than I even thought before, especially compared to Spectrum "400". It's cheaper AND much faster.

[Daehawk]

I wouldn't touch ATT or Comcast but then again Im on Spectrum with no choice for anyone else.

[stessier]

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

We never made the switch. And now we are contemplating switching from Google Fi for cell phones to Spectrum. I think that would net a big savings and practically unlimited data (I'm a data Nazi as we pay by the GB, so going to 22 GB included per line would seem like Nirvana to the rest of the family) - but we need Spectrum internet for the deal. So I'm still in limbo. Let me know how it goes.

[Carpet_pissr]

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

We never made the switch. And now we are contemplating switching from Google Fi for cell phones to Spectrum. I think that would net a big savings and practically unlimited data (I'm a data Nazi as we pay by the GB, so going to 22 GB included per line would seem like Nirvana to the rest of the family) - but we need Spectrum internet for the deal. So I'm still in limbo. Let me know how it goes.

I looked into Spectrum for mobile since we have 4 unlimited plans with ATT currently, and saw a data cap of 20GB (you sure it's 22?) I figured SURELY no one on my plan goes over 20GB a month, I mean...HOW?!? But lo, when I checketh, the two teen girls not only blew past that 20GB limit, but laughed at it and stomped on it as they passed it into the 30's. My first thought was that surely they were not connecting to wifi at home, but no! At least the 14YO says she auto connects to wifi when at home (and is by FAR the biggest data hog) WTH man. Streaming 4K video all day outside the house!?

I must get to the bottom of it because it would save us around $60 a month, which is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe I tell them: you have 20GB per month. You want to go past that, and you are paying for it. I don't think that's unreasonable.

[stessier]

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

We never made the switch. And now we are contemplating switching from Google Fi for cell phones to Spectrum. I think that would net a big savings and practically unlimited data (I'm a data Nazi as we pay by the GB, so going to 22 GB included per line would seem like Nirvana to the rest of the family) - but we need Spectrum internet for the deal. So I'm still in limbo. Let me know how it goes.

I looked into Spectrum for mobile since we have 4 unlimited plans with ATT currently, and saw a data cap of 20GB (you sure it's 22?) I figured SURELY no one on my plan goes over 20GB a month, I mean...HOW?!? But lo, when I checketh, the two teen girls not only blew past that 20GB limit, but laughed at it and stomped on it as they passed it into the 30's. My first thought was that surely they were not connecting to wifi at home, but no! At least the 14YO says she auto connects to wifi when at home (and is by FAR the biggest data hog) WTH man. Streaming 4K video all day outside the house!?

I must get to the bottom of it because it would save us around $60 a month, which is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe I tell them: you have 20GB per month. You want to go past that, and you are paying for it. I don't think that's unreasonable.

It may indeed by only 20 GB. Right now we, a family of 4 (girls of 15 and 12), live on less than 2 GB/month total. But as I said, I am always on top of it and make sure they know what uses data, what doesn't, and when they are on wifi. If they are wifi - go wild! Otherwise, pretend you have a brick in your pocket unless it is an emergency.

[Carpet_pissr]

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

We never made the switch. And now we are contemplating switching from Google Fi for cell phones to Spectrum. I think that would net a big savings and practically unlimited data (I'm a data Nazi as we pay by the GB, so going to 22 GB included per line would seem like Nirvana to the rest of the family) - but we need Spectrum internet for the deal. So I'm still in limbo. Let me know how it goes.

I looked into Spectrum for mobile since we have 4 unlimited plans with ATT currently, and saw a data cap of 20GB (you sure it's 22?) I figured SURELY no one on my plan goes over 20GB a month, I mean...HOW?!? But lo, when I checketh, the two teen girls not only blew past that 20GB limit, but laughed at it and stomped on it as they passed it into the 30's. My first thought was that surely they were not connecting to wifi at home, but no! At least the 14YO says she auto connects to wifi when at home (and is by FAR the biggest data hog) WTH man. Streaming 4K video all day outside the house!?

I must get to the bottom of it because it would save us around $60 a month, which is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe I tell them: you have 20GB per month. You want to go past that, and you are paying for it. I don't think that's unreasonable.

It may indeed by only 20 GB. Right now we, a family of 4 (girls of 15 and 12), live on less than 2 GB/month total. But as I said, I am always on top of it and make sure they know what uses data, what doesn't, and when they are on wifi. If they are wifi - go wild! Otherwise, pretend you have a brick in your pocket unless it is an emergency.

OK that does it. I have to find out what's at the bottom (apparently it's bottomless!) of the 14YO's data usage, as it's just bonkers compared to what you just posted.

[Isgrimnur]

Android?

[Carpet_pissr]

iPhone

[Isgrimnur]

[coopasonic]

Hmm I am at 52GB in the current period (no idea when the period ends), which is really weird since I am always home and always on wifi.

OK, it looks like maybe that is since the last reset which was in 2014 so that makes more sense.

[Carpet_pissr]

Surely you jest?

[coopasonic]

Surely you jest?

That I've apparently used 52GB of data in 8 years? No.

[Carpet_pissr]

Can you confirm that Stessier? Did you have to pay for install or ANY fees when you signed up? Or have you signed up yet?

We never made the switch. And now we are contemplating switching from Google Fi for cell phones to Spectrum. I think that would net a big savings and practically unlimited data (I'm a data Nazi as we pay by the GB, so going to 22 GB included per line would seem like Nirvana to the rest of the family) - but we need Spectrum internet for the deal. So I'm still in limbo. Let me know how it goes.

Installation happened today, and at least for now, I highly recommend it.

I still have Spectrum so it’s easy to compare (ATT gives you three weeks trial before they start billing)
Spectrum 400: 327 down, 18 up (!)
ATT fiber 500: 581 down, 275 up

The fiber is $55/month, and I got a $250 gift card. Normally $66/mo, but having mobile svc with them gets you a discount.

Install took about 2/3 hours I guess. Super nice and professional guy (kid!).

They pulled a line from the street, and left it sitting out. Said someone will come bury it in next week

No install fee.

Guy said that the 300 and 500 speed tiers seem to be clocking out about 30% above what you are paying for. The gig and up to 2 gig speeds are just that. (So he recommends the 300 to most ppl unless you’re doing something crazy)

Honestly I was fine with the actual speed from Spectrum, but it was a bit flaky. Apparently fiber is less so. We’ll see. It is a NOTICEABLE speed difference though. It’s like …instant. Pretty impressive. Can’t imagine what 1 or 2 GB would be like.

Highly recommend.

[Jaymon]

I got a special when I moved in 3 years ago. CenturyLink gigabit fiber $80 a month for life. I paid the extra to buy their modem instead of rent, and my bill after the first one has been, exactly $80 a month. (Oregon).

I am running my own wireless router in the house instead of the one they gave me, and some machines are plugged straight in. The plugged in machines do get the full gig download speeds on the various speed test links. Its crazy fast. Nobody lets me download that fast, I think the fastest I ever got from Steam was 48mbs.

But, even with everybody in the house streaming video, and the TV streaming video, and a download running, and online gaming happening, nobody experience any slowness or lag.