[TriLUG] ISP service: ATT vs Spectrum

[Hank Montgomery via TriLUG]

Sorry - forgot to modify the subject so sending again.

As a full-time RVer I have been limited to internet over cellular for 
years and have had a Verizon hotspot (MiFi) as my main access. It 
usually gave me reasonable speed and I has an unlimited account but 
although Verizon denies it, it does slow down when I go over some 
unknown limit (the device always shows "0 of unlimited" total usage for 
the bill period.  This isn't bad except when the tower is busy and it 
slows to less than reading speed.  A call to tech support takes some 
convincing to get to second level support but they reset something and 
have me restart my hotspot and all is good again.  That MiFi costs me 
$65.  (We had Verizon cell phones for years on a separate account - long 
story why.)

I had a Sprint air-card until they were bought out by T-Mobile.  It 
worked even better than the Verizon card but was not available in many 
areas we traveled.  I don't have that account any more.

We depended on the Sprint card 5 months out of the year in an area that 
had virtually no Verizon access.  A new ATT tower went up in that area 
and I purchased a business account providing 100 GB per month of high 
speed Internet.  On my phone I typically get 150+ mbps download.  The 
phone has a hotspot capability and I use it on my laptop and my laptop 
gets about 50 mbps download through the cellphone hotspot.
The ATT Business account is $75/mo and adding additional lines reduces 
the per line charge by $5 each so with my wife and son added the charge 
is down to $65 per line.

THIS SPRING we leased a lot in a Florida park that has Spectrum fiber 
service free for a leased lot - so I don't know the cost.  It includes 
cable TV but we are only using the unlimited WiFi service. I typically 
get 250-300 mbps download speed on my laptop and have measured as high 
as 350mbps over WiFi to my cellphone's browser.

~Hank

"One cannot alter a condition with the same mindset that created it in 
the first place." - Albert Einstein
------------------------------------------------------------------------

HANK   and   SELENE     MONTGOMERY
K4HM   &     KG4RMT   (Ham Radio)
Hank at k4hm.net        919-818-7455
Selene at k4hm.net     919-818-2808
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 2/7/2023 12:00 PM, via TriLUG wrote:
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>     1. ISP service: ATT vs Spectrum (Michael Rulison via TriLUG)
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2023 11:44:46 -0500
> From: Michael Rulison via TriLUG<trilug at trilug.org>
> To: TriLUG TriLUG<trilug at trilug.org>
> Subject: [TriLUG] ISP service: ATT vs Spectrum
> Message-ID:<57f50128-52a1-df43-4762-4a880753fd87 at trilug.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>
> NO TV or cell phone, etc. needed, _/only ISP connection is involved/_
>
> I have a verbal offer from Spectrum for 300 mbs service plus 'free' cell
> phone line service for $25/month for >= 2 years.
>
> My current service is ATT 45 mbs service w/ nothing else (i.e. no phone)
> for $32/month for ??(time)
>
> They are offering 1000 mbs for $85/month, or 500 or 300 mbs for $65/month
>
> I have copper from street into house and router/modem. Spectrum says it
> would run fibre into house; ATT says from street into house would remain
> copper.
>
> My ATT has been reliable although it is a hassle dealing with their
> phone agents.
>
> Any comments on Spectrum vs ATT for ISP service?
>