Internet speed question

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I honestly don't know how this translates. I currently don't have any internet-related issues other than sometimes I have some sizable downloads to do but it's nothing important that I can't wait a little longer for. I don't play any online video games. My current internet/cable package advertises a speed of 500mps. I can kill the cable part and reduce my bill by 2/3rds but the advertised speed will drop to 400mps. Should I notice a difference in regular usage?

Of course at least as far as advertised rates I can get a greatly increased speed but that's also tied to having a cable package and a related higher charge I don't want to pay. There is no advertised internet-only account above 400 available. I have Comcast. As leverage I also checked AT&T but it isn't available in my building.

 

[User.191]

I honestly don't know how this translates. I currently don't have any internet-related issues other than sometimes I have some sizable downloads to do but it's nothing important that I can't wait a little longer for. I don't play any online video games. My current internet/cable package advertises a speed of 500mps. I can kill the cable part and reduce my bill by 2/3rds but the advertised speed will drop to 400mps. Should I notice a difference in regular usage?

Of course at least as far as advertised rates I can get a greatly increased speed but that's also tied to having a cable package and a related higher charge I don't want to pay. There is no advertised internet-only account above 400 available. I have Comcast. As leverage I also checked AT&T but it isn't available in my building.

In a word - no.

The devil -as always - is in the details though. 400MB as it stands is going to be 100% fine for most people.

I have 1GB connection partially because Cincinnati Bell made me an offer I couldn't resist and partially because I have a large NAS at home that I back up to the cloud.

If you don't care about uploads, then details are less important - if uploading is your thing (think cloud backups) then you may want to check the upload speed of the offered package to see if it's significantly lower than your current plan.

 

[Runs For Fun]

In a word - no.

The devil -as always - is in the details though. 400MB as it stands is going to be 100% fine for most people.

I have 1GB connection partially because Cincinnati Bell made me an offer I couldn't resist and partially because I have a large NAS at home that I back up to the cloud.

If you don't care about uploads, then details are less important - if uploading is your thing (think cloud backups) then you may want to check the upload speed of the offered package to see if it's significantly lower than your current plan.

Yep, going from 500 to 400 is probably not going to be noticeable.

 

[Renzatic]

My current internet/cable package advertises a speed of 500mps. I can kill the cable part and reduce my bill by 2/3rds but the advertised speed will drop to 400mps. Should I notice a difference in regular usage?

Not really, no. To break it down scientifically, here's how long it'll take you to download 1GB of data, on those rare instances you're able to maintain a connection that maximizes your bandwidth.

500 megabits per second is 63 megabytes per, give or take. It'll take you 16 seconds to download a gig.

400 megabits per seconds is 50 megabytes per, give or take. It'll take you 20 seconds to download a gig.

Now, you're never going to maximize your bandwidth consistently, so assume that on both connections, you'll average about a gig every 40-60 seconds on a good connection.

So cutting your bill by 2/3rds by dropping a mere 100Mb? Yeah, go for it. You won't notice a bit of difference.

 

[fooferdoggie]

comcast is tricky with its plans we were told years ago our speed would be slower without tv and it was then we got a plan that was not. But it cost more then a tv and cable plan. Now we have their basic tv plan and pretty fast internet for less then internet alone. 50.00 a month for 2 years. they sent us a cable box we dont need and it jsut sits in the box. so check out the basic tv plans they often cost less.

 

[User.191]

comcast is tricky with its plans we were told years ago our speed would be slower without tv and it was then we got a plan that was not. But it cost more then a tv and cable plan. Now we have their basic tv plan and pretty fast internet for less then internet alone. 50.00 a month for 2 years. they sent us a cable box we dont need and it jsut sits in the box. so check out the basic tv plans they often cost less.

Well, Comcast is not an ISP - they're a profit making marketing machine that just happens to provide a partial internet and TV service (although I hear they're trying to cut those two totally pointless services out of the organization as they're really annoying and do nothing to help profitability).

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Thanks for all the info. Sounds like I don't really have anything to worry about. I'm more worried about data caps because that seems to be the next big customer $ squeeze. I didn't see anything about a reduced data cap if I go internet only. I haven't gone over my monthly data plan yet and honestly probably haven't watched cable in over a year. The only thing releated I've used is some premium channels, mostly HBO Max, but that was streaming through the apps.

comcast is tricky with its plans we were told years ago our speed would be slower without tv and it was then we got a plan that was not. But it cost more then a tv and cable plan. Now we have their basic tv plan and pretty fast internet for less then internet alone. 50.00 a month for 2 years. they sent us a cable box we dont need and it jsut sits in the box. so check out the basic tv plans they often cost less.

The currently advertised packages are just internet for $50 or basic cable/internet for $120. Basic cable isn't worth $70 a month to me. Like I said I haven't watched cable TV in over a year and everything I would be interested in is now available as al cart apps. Dsicovery+ pretty much killed any interest I would have in having cable.

Comcast also likes to engage in Apple Bundle-type practices. As an example, they have a package with Netflix included. It would be appealing to most people if it also includes HBO Max but instead includes Showtime. The HBO Max included package doesn't include Netflix. Similarly, I think some people would like to see an Apple Bundle with Apple Fitness and maybe 2 other services, but the only bundle they have that offers Apple Fitness is the most expensive with all available services. Actually, maybe Apple is acting more like a cable company, forcing you to subsidize less popular services if you want the more popular services.

 

[fooferdoggie]

You can’t get this deal?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[User.191]

You can’t get this deal?

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Are those offered in the same location? And are they for new subscribers only or can existing subscribers take part as well?

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

You can’t get this deal?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

When I checked I logged into my account and from there checked available changes, only 1 internet only option - 400mbs for $50. I think that’s reasonable but also requires a 2 year contract. It won’t tell you the early cancelation fee until later in the switch process just before you confirm. Last I talked to a rep years ago the cancellation fee went down with each passing month into the contract.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Are those offered in the same location? And are they for new subscribers only or can existing subscribers take part as well?

I checked without putting a location and I got this and I have been on comcast for many years.

 

[fooferdoggie]

When I checked I logged into my account and from there checked available changes, only 1 internet only option - 400mbs for $50. I think that’s reasonable but also requires a 2 year contract. It won’t tell you the early cancelation fee until later in the switch process just before you confirm. Last I talked to a rep years ago the cancellation fee went down with each passing month into the contract.

I have been on comcast forever so don't worry about the cancellation fee. we don't have anyone else thats practical

 

[User.191]

When I checked I logged into my account and from there checked available changes, only 1 internet only option - 400mbs for $50. I think that’s reasonable but also requires a 2 year contract. It won’t tell you the early cancelation fee until later in the switch process just before you confirm. Last I talked to a rep years ago the cancellation fee went down with each passing month into the contract.

From what I can tell, the early cancellation fee essentially works out to be ~$10 a month remaining.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I have been on comcast forever so don't worry about the cancellation fee. we don't have anyone else thats practical

From what I can tell, the early cancellation fee essentially works out to be ~$10 a month remaining.

I'm not all that worried about the cancellation fee but I might also be moving in the next 1 - 4 months and am not sure if I will be transferring the account. It will depend on what my moving reality turns out to be.

But also the way I look at it I spent over $1,000 over the past year for something I didn't actually use.

 

[Herdfan]

I have been on comcast forever so don't worry about the cancellation fee. we don't have anyone else thats practical

Same here. Comcast at 200 or Frontier at 25. No comparison really.

I can't complain though. I used to have Adelphia until they went bankrupt. But before they did they had upgraded my area to fiber to the node. So it's just me and about 124 of my neighbors on a fiber link back to the headend. I don't even notice a slowdown when all the kids get home from school and all jump on Minecraft or whatever the new game is.

I have never hit the Comcast cap which is rumored to be in the 250 gig/mo range. I have the Blast and pay $100.95/mo without TV or Phone.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Checking Comast's site the data cap is 1.2 tb.

Estimated usage (or, not and)

21,600 hours of music
500 hours of video streaming
34,000 hours of online gaming
3,500 hours of video chat

 

[Renzatic]

500 hours of video streaming

That's not nearly enough.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Yesterday I did it. I killed cable.

Right after I submitted online it brought up a page telling me I have 10 days to return my cable boxes. Seconds later I lost my internet access for about 20 minutes. I assume hitting the submit button instantly sent out the cable gnomes to reset my modem and kill my cable boxes because that’s what happened.

Contract early termination fee is $110 which is less than the price of 1 month of cable I wasn’t watching.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

That's not nearly enough.

It is if you watch everything at 2X speed.

 

[Renzatic]

It is if you watch everything at 2X speed.

But I don't wanna do that!