[Cialug] SOT: Local ISPs

[Bill Davis]

I live in Windsor Heights. We had DSL Internet (still do actually, as part
of a bundle with phone service through Aureon) but don't actually use it.
We decided to keep it as an inexpensive  backup after switching to Mediacom
for Internet service, since I work from home sometimes and needed much
faster speed.   Our DSL connection is a 3 Mbps connection (reality about
1.5 or less).  We asked about getting faster speeds and they told me the
phone lines were too old to support anything faster over one line.  We were
told we'd have to get a second phone line and multiplex the connection (or
whatever the proper net term is).  We'd have paid about $90/moth for 6
Mbps-ish speeds, as I recall (this was several years ago.)  By comparison,
Mediacom had 15 Mbps for half that cost, and faster options were
available.  That 15 Mbps connection was converted about 8 months ago to a
60 Mbps connection with no increase in our cost.  And I happened to run a
speed test the other day and it's now actually more like 80 Mbps.

So I'd go with Mediacom not DSL in Windsor Heights. To be fair, things may
have changed recently; someone from CenturyLink was going door-to-door
about 6-8 months or so ago and said they were upgrading their lines and
speed...but I couldn't get a speed out of him.  I'd check into what
CenturyLink or Aureon can get you, but don't be surprised if it doesn't
compare to Mediacom.   I'm on the LOW end of Mediacom's available speeds.
15 Mbps was plenty for my needs, so I am more than happy with 60-80 Mbps.
We're also watching a lot more streaming video now that we dropped Mediacom
cable TV service and use them solely for Internet.  Much cheaper to buy the
season of the shows we watch off iTunes and stream them or download them.
We figured out that to buy each season of the shows we watch, for ALL the
shows, would be just maybe 2-4 months worth of cable TV bills.  AND we own
the show and can watch them again anytime and on any device.   We hooked up
an antenna to the TV but really only use it for one or two things that
aren't series TV that we can't get over the 'Net (CBS Sunday Morning,
notably).

- Bill

On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 10:43 AM Nathan C. Smith <NSmith at hhlawpc.com> wrote:

> It seems like the Local ISPs have all gone away with Aureon having gobbled
> them up. Are there any ISPs left that serve Des Moines?  I’m looking for
> Internet service in the Windsor Heights area for one of my kids.  Any
> thoughts on getting the best deals out of Mediacom?
>
> Thank you.
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