Need better internet than Spectrum

[harllee]

I have Spectrum internet, the highest speed available, costs about $70 per month. I have recently started streaming using Youtube TV and it has made me realize how awful my Spectrum internet is. When the Spectrum internet is on it is fast but it goes out all the time. Yesterday it just went out for about an hour for no apparent reason, I called to report it and got the message we had an outage in our area. I would say this happens about once a week. On Next-door everyone in the area is complaining about Spectrum going out all the time.

I am trying to find another internet provider. I got on At&T's website and they are not available at my address. Google Fiber was planned but they are not in my area yet (and I understand they will be $100 per month). There is Frontier DSL which I hear is slow. I get good Verizon service and could get a Jetpack but I don't know how that would work for streaming.

How can I find a better internet provider or am I just stuck with Spectrum?

 

[pb4uski]

We have Spectrum internet and it has been very reliable and fast. The rack rate is $65 per month but I called and complained and got a $10/month discount.

We previously had DSL and it was for a time unreliable... ultimately the problem was found to be some dodgy wiring in the box on the street... once that was fixed it was very reliable.

I'm wondering if the problem that you and your neighbors are having is hardware related.

 

[Jerry1]

I have Spectrum also and it’s very reliable. I would call them and complain and ask for money back it it’s going out that frequently, until they get it fixed. Don’t let them take you through the unplug your router and reset everything crap. Given that it shows up on Nextdoor and their recording says the pay have an outage, the problem is not your system. Tell them to get their stuff together.

 

[H2ODude]

We're up the road in GSO and have had TW/Spectrum for over 20 years. Other than creeping rates (that you can argue them down on) we've had pretty consistently good service. When I've had issues it might take a day or two to schedule appointment, but the people they sent out were pretty good. Sounds like your local system must be weak.

 

[easysurfer]

I have Spectrum internet, the highest speed available, costs about $70 per month. I have recently started streaming using Youtube TV and it has made me realize how awful my Spectrum internet is. When the Spectrum internet is on it is fast but it goes out all the time. Yesterday it just went out for about an hour for no apparent reason, I called to report it and got the message we had an outage in our area. I would say this happens about once a week. On Next-door everyone in the area is complaining about Spectrum going out all the time.

I am trying to find another internet provider. I got on At&T's website and they are not available at my address. Google Fiber was planned but they are not in my area yet (and I understand they will be $100 per month). There is Frontier DSL which I hear is slow. I get good Verizon service and could get a Jetpack but I don't know how that would work for streaming.

How can I find a better internet provider or am I just stuck with Spectrum?

Might want to try an internet search on internet providers near you.

Here is one such site:

https://www.inmyarea.com/https://www.inmyarea.com/

 

[ziggy29]

Unless you have fiber, usually where Spectrum is offered at 100 Mb speeds or better, it will be the fastest option.

Where we are, we have Spectrum, CenturyLink (DSL for about $20 less but 10 Mbps or less), and satellite (which is crazy unless you live where you get **nothing** else).

 

[harllee]

Might want to try an internet search on internet providers near you.

Here is one such site:

https://www.inmyarea.com/https://www.inmyarea.com/

Thanks, looked on that website and for my address there is just Spectrum, 2 satellite providers and something called Earthlink, not sure what that is, maybe DSL? Strange that I have such limited internet providers when I live in downtown Chapel Hill, NC, a college town. Looks like Spectrum has a monopoly, maybe that is why their service is so poor here.

 

[Lakewood90712]

We have spectrum at both houses, very reliable. The house in the foothills was erratic for years under time warner, then a lot of system upgrades by time warner , just prior to the time warner / charter / spectrum merger. Became excelent.

You need to call corporate a raise a fit about system reliability. There is zero reason for a flakey system with what they are charging. Also , your city may have leverage under a cable franchise licence. Time to be a p.i.t.a.

 

[easysurfer]

Thanks, looked on that website and for my address there is just Spectrum, 2 satellite providers and something called Earthlink, not sure what that is, maybe DSL? Strange that I have such limited internet providers when I live in downtown Chapel Hill, NC, a college town. Looks like Spectrum has a monopoly, maybe that is why their service is so poor here.

You're welcome. I had Earthlink years ago back in the days of dialup. That's was my splurge this was back in the day everyone had AOL as their main internet. I had both AOL and Earthlink. Looks like they still offer dial up. Not that I'm suggesting, just going down memory lane .

 

[steelyman]

Chapel Hill is also a very old college town (meaning it has a long history). There are areas with old infrastructure, exposed cables, etc. These were placed a long time ago.

Check your measured performance (e.g., with Speedtest) vs what you’re paying for. If there’s a consistent big mismatch, call Spectrum.

[ADDED] Compare notes with neighbors who use Spectrum if possible.

 

[harllee]

steelyman. thanks for the reminder--we live in the historical section of Chapel Hill in a 100 year old house. Of course the Spectrum infrastructure is not that old but it could be 20 years old or so (they bought out Time Warner and it had been here along time). On Monday I am going to call Spectrum (or maybe go to their store) and start complaining about all these internet outages. My problem is not the speed--its fast when it works. The problem is the frequent total outages all over the neighborhood.

 

[frank]

I had this problem at one time with centurylink and at another time with mediacom. You have to be persistent and keep calling them back with complaints. it seems they have different levels of technicians. and you have to be a real pain in the butt before they send out someone who actually knows the systems and locations. but in the end you get good service. I complained with centurylink that my speed was too slow. the tech came out and said the main line to my house was bad. they replaced that. next complaint they said it was the modem, I bought a different modem and it was not the problem, next was the box on the house, by this time they were tired of listening and sent someone out who actually had experience. replaced the box on my house and everything has been fine since.

 

[IMATERP]

We’ve got Google Fiber and have had Google Fiber for three years. One or two temporary outages over that period - and we were given a $25 credit for each instance. Our rates are sort of high for internet and cable but the rates have remained consistent since day one. I also like the fact that I no longer have to waste my TIME calling Spectrum to renegotiate rates. That was an insensitive way to do business and really was a turn off to this customer.

 

[steelyman]

steelyman. thanks for the reminder--we live in the historical section of Chapel Hill in a 100 year old house. Of course the Spectrum infrastructure is not that old but it could be 20 years old or so (they bought out Time Warner and it had been here along time). On Monday I am going to call Spectrum (or maybe go to their store) and start complaining about all these internet outages. My problem is not the speed--its fast when it works. The problem is the frequent total outages all over the neighborhood.

That’s a beautiful area with some amazing homes. I know someone who also was having connectivity problems that took a little determination to solve.

I’d bypass the Spectrum “store” and make a service appt. The office is mainly for billing and distributing/collecting things like set-top boxes. If you can, collect some data/records about speeds and outright outages at your location. A tech can come out with meters to isolate/analyze problem areas.

Good luck - getting your service up to speed (literally) will be worth the effort!

 

[harllee]

OP here. I called Spectrum yesterday and after quite a wait I talked to a real person about the outage in the neighborhood this past week. Spectrum says there was a tree that was blown down on their lines a few blocks from my house that caused the outage. It has been windy here but no power outages but I guess it is possible the Spectrum line was down. I will continue to call Spectrum about these frequent outages if I have the patience to get through. It seems I have no other high speed options so I am stuck with Spectrum.

 

[steelyman]

Fallen trees are a wild card that you can’t predict, that’s too bad but would account for a total loss of network service for some period. Cellular might help but not for really “high speed” Internet.

There are definitely many old trees in your area that are majestic/beautiful but they can and do fall.

If you don’t already, an occasional Speedtest at times when you DO have service can help to get a sanity check and make sure you’re getting all the data you’re paying for.