Cox, Charter merging?

[b4pjoe]

I was wondering about this. Spectrum is still operating under the terms of a deal with NY state where they got tons of money to build out service to rural areas that included a provision about no data caps AFAIK. However, if it technically becomes a new company, then they may try to get out of that deal. So glad I don't have to use Spectrum. Not that I use that much data, but I have used over 5TB in the past when working on a particular project.

I had not heard of the NY ban data caps for Charter. Charter had been prohibited from employing usage-based home broadband data policies and striking paid peering deals as conditions of its 2016 acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks that expired on May 18, 2023.

Charter did try to sunset those conditions two years early – on May 18, 2021. In January 2021, Charter withdrew the petition seeking the early sunset, noting in part that the pandemic's impact on broadband connectivity weighed into its decision. Charter has since said they have no plans to limit data. Of course with this merger of COX all bets are off.

 

[b4pjoe]

It is $148 for Spectrum Gigabit here.

When it became available here it was going to be $130 plus it is not 1 GB down/up. It was going to be 1 GB down but only 20 mbps up. They thought they were being generous to double the up speed from the regular 10 mbps up speed of their other plans. I didn't subscribe and have since been able to get true Gigabit service (1 GB up/down) from a local co-op for about half of what Spectrum was going to charge.

 

[Bruce]

Spectrum is ruthless in not giving any discounts in that sort of no competition area.

Amazing how that works, had the same issue with Comcast back in Michigan.

But, since I have moved, my old subdivision now has all three 5G options, Comcast, of course, has lowered their prices, it is now less expensive then when I moved in 2020.

Both Charter/Comcast must not understand how angry they make their customers with the type of pricing they do, cheaper in certain areas, more in others, people are usually extremely happy when they cancel, because they seem to hate the two companies because of their business practices ( not just pricing).

You would of believed they would understand, since the same thing happened with TV services, less expensive options popped up, people left, now they are losing broadband subscribers for the same reasons.

 

[Bruce]

When it became available here it was going to be $130 plus it is not 1 GB down/up. It was going to be 1 GB down but only 20 mbps up. They thought they were being generous to double the up speed from the regular 10 mbps up speed of their other plans. I didn't subscribe and have since been able to get true Gigabit service (1 GB up/down) from a local co-op for about half of what Spectrum was going to charge.

It is 40 up here, could of really used a faster up speed when I was working for Disney, while the video picture from them looked pristine on my end, they said from me to them looked terrible.

Hopefully, I will be hooked up this summer, speed is 2 down/up, but since I am retired (5th time retiring seems to be working this time, no desire to work finally), do not really need the faster up.

 

[comfortably_numb]

You would of believed they would understand, since the same thing happened with TV services, less expensive options popped up, people left, now they are losing broadband subscribers for the same reasons.

Corporations are sociopathic. They don't give a sh*t.

 

[harshness]

Spectrum is still operating under the terms of a deal with NY state where they got tons of money to build out service to rural areas that included a provision about no data caps AFAIK.

Those terms expired two years ago today (May 18, 2023). They applied to weasel out of the data cap requirement in 2021 but withdrew their application when it appeared that the FCC wasn't amenable.

 

["MysteryMan"]

It is $148 for Spectrum Gigabit here.

Wow! That's a lot. I have the Gigabit plan with Spectrum and am paying $100.00.

 

[harshness]

As a data point (not a "mine is better than yours" jab), I recently upgraded my owned modem and I'm getting nearly 180/85 with Xfinity. At one point, I was seeing 180/180, but that was short-lived. I'm paying $67/month and suffer a 1.2TB cap.

 

[b4pjoe]

As a data point (not a "mine is better than yours" jab), I recently upgraded my owned modem and I'm getting nearly 180/85 with Xfinity. At one point, I was seeing 180/180, but that was short-lived. I'm paying $67/month and suffer a 1.2TB cap.

That is pretty expensive especially with a data cap. I pay $70 per month for unlimited data 1gb/1gb fiber service.

 

[Bruce]

Those terms expired two years ago today (May 18, 2023). They applied to weasel out of the data cap requirement in 2021 but withdrew their application when it appeared that the FCC wasn't amenable.

But they still have not attempted in those 2 years since, to put a data cap in place.

 

[harshness]

But they still have not attempted in those 2 years since, to put a data cap in place.

Data caps are toxic, and new data caps are surely much more toxic in a marketplace that promises to have alternatives (whether or not those alternatives are all they appear to be).

Cable companies have recently begun to bleed broadband customers in significant numbers, and that's not a trend they want to accelerate.

 

[ncted]

I expect Charter to then lower the prices.

Based on my address, I wouldn't be too hopeful. I have Gig available from Google Fiber for $70 and AT&T for $90 (less with autoay discounts), and Spectrum is charging $100 after the 1-year discount expires.

 

[Bruce]

Based on my address, I wouldn't be too hopeful. I have Gig available from Google Fiber for $70 and AT&T for $90 (less with autoay discounts), and Spectrum is charging $100 after the 1-year discount expires.

Do not really care if they do, plan on switching anyways, 2 down/up for about $80….done, ready to go.

 

[Bruce]

As a data point (not a "mine is better than yours" jab), I recently upgraded my owned modem and I'm getting nearly 180/85 with Xfinity. At one point, I was seeing 180/180, but that was short-lived. I'm paying $67/month and suffer a 1.2TB cap.

I just checked on Comcast site, speeds 400, 600, gigabit, 2 gigabit , all include xFi Complete and no data cap.

from the site-

Advanced WiFi equipment and unlimited data included for 5 years

All-in means all-in. Easy to install yourself with the flexibility to change your plan when you want to

 

[NYDutch]

We do just fine with 100/10 unlimited data from Spectrum for $30/mo.

 

[harshness]

Advanced WiFi equipment and unlimited data included for 5 years

While the equipment may be advanced, Xfinity's software is deplorable. You have to use a phone app to configure what little is available to configure on their routers. For those who run a dozen 4K streaming sessions on their Roku Ultras or ATVs, Xfinity's offering may be just the ticket, but that's not representative of what heavy data users typically want.

 

[osu1991]

I was paying $90 a month for Cox fiber 500/500 with 1.2TB cap until a couple months ago. I always had to watch the cap daily and couldn't stream anything just as background and reduced the quality on YouTube to 720p.

Windstream Kinetic finally decommissioned their ancient 3MB DSL and pulled fiber thru the neighborhood. I dropped Cox the afternoon the Kinetic fiber was installed. Now get 1000/1000 with no cap for $45 a month for 2yrs and then the normal price which I think it is $80. I don't worry about streaming anything and typically use 2TB a month now.

I gave cox the chance to remove the data cap but they wouldn't. A few days later I was getting bombarded with calls and texts from cox about what it would take to keep me. It sounds like they've lost almost the entire neighborhood now. I expect they'll lose more as Kinetic, Metronet and Dobson Fiber have all started pulling fiber throughout the city and none of them have data caps.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Now get 1000/1000 with no cap for $45 a month for 2yrs and then the normal price which I think it is $80. I don't worry about streaming anything and typically use 2TB a month now.

That's a stellar deal!

 

[meStevo]

I pay $160/mo for Cox, 1gbps down 35m up. $50 of that is for unlimited data. We legit (no torrents or other illicit stuff) use 4tb/mo in data.

Cox is running fiber in the neighborhood though, and the techs said ATT's fiber usually becomes available shortly after as well, and they're also doing the Google Fiber installs that have just started in the valley.

Finally... some options... maybe one day.