# Alternative to Cable Internet?



## Nibblersmeal (Jan 28, 2010)

I currently run on Cox Digital Cable and Internet service and I'm getting quite tired of their terrible TV Service and the ancient DVR that they provide. I am thinking of switching over to DirecTV for my TV service (because ATT U-Verse and Verizon FIOS is not available in my semi-ghetto neighborhood) and I am curious if their internet service is worth the money.

Which ISP should I go for if I decide to just get the TV from DirecTV and the internet from elsewhere?

I download a lot of stuff (we won't mention WHAT I download to avoid breaking rules...) and I do require high speed from my internet connection. 

Any suggestions for me?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Satellite Internet typically has significant usage restrictions, so downloading a lot of stuff isn't going to happen.


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## Nibblersmeal (Jan 28, 2010)

johnwill said:


> Satellite Internet typically has significant usage restrictions, so downloading a lot of stuff isn't going to happen.


Good to know...so you're saying that I should probably just stick with Cox?


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Is Cox the only Cable provider that you can get in your area? I'd do research, I have Charter, I have the all in one package from them (phone, cable TV with HD & Internet) and works really great.


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## Nibblersmeal (Jan 28, 2010)

2xgrump said:


> Is Cox the only Cable provider that you can get in your area? I'd do research, I have Charter, I have the all in one package from them (phone, cable TV with HD & Internet) and works really great.


Yeah, we have the option of Cox Digital Cable, a Satellite provider or nothing. San Diego is set up where only richer neighborhoods have ATT U-Verse and those of us who live in more ghetto areas (I've got a nice place, but it's next door to Section 8 housing and there's been like 4 or 5 murders within 4 blocks of my place in the last couple years) have the choice of one. I used to have Time Warner at my old place, which was somehow even worse than Cox. I really like Direct TV's channels and their DVR and the prices aren't really different from my Cable Company.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

You may want to consider staying with Cox for their High speed internet and Direct TV for Cable TV. Too bad that there's no Charter in your location, their Cable TV is awesome with a lot of Free On Demands Channels to choose from.


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## Nibblersmeal (Jan 28, 2010)

2xgrump said:


> You may want to consider staying with Cox for their High speed internet and Direct TV for Cable TV. Too bad that there's no Charter in your location, their Cable TV is awesome with a lot of Free On Demands Channels to choose from.


I'd never even heard of Charter. Cox is okay, but the DVR is atrocious. It's incredibly slow, can only record two things at once (U-Verse does 4) and the capacity is TINY. I can only record about 10-15 hours of HD programming. So if there's a Boxing Match and an NBA game I want to watch in HD, I pretty much have to erase everything on the drive to do so.

Just read about Charter and saw that it's bankrupt...hope (for your sake) that doesn't mean they're going away...


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Yes, heard that too. That happened with Vonage before, there was a big issue with them and they are still out there. We'll see what happens. Oh well, if not I think we can get Time Warner in our area. Too bad, we've been with Charter for a while and really like their Customer Service.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I have Verizon FiOS, and the connections are rock-steady at 20mbit/5mbit.


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

One thing ATT doesn't tell you about recording 4 shows at once is that you can't watch anything else anywhere in the house and your Internet speeds are crap when you do.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

My DVR will only record two shows, and you can't watch something different at the same time. OTOH, nothing you do with TV has any effect on my Internet speeds.


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