Metrocast now Atlantic Broadband

[bclaker]

My wife went by the Metrocast office in Belmont and the new sign said Atlamtic Broadband. I googled Metrocast and got the Atlantic Broadband web site. It has rates considerably lower than what we are currently paying. It has a phone # for current customers to call. Has anyone talked to them?

[Barney Bear]

Called them last Saturday to confirm that our service on East Bear Island had been turned back on as scheduled. It had been. Used the MetroCast number in the phone directory. 🐻

[DRH]

As a Metrocast customer I emailed Atlantic Broadband's customer service department last week to ask if my email address will be changing. So far I've gotten no reply.

[Merrymeeting]

Hopefully not hijacking the tread, but recently TDS stopped carrying Ch5/ABC out of Boston, citing a contract issue with Hearst Television.

The website channel listing still shows it as a channel, but the TDS site still does too. Just wondering if Metrocast has done the same.

[Bear Islander]

Atlantic just contacted me to say that if I wanted seasonal disconnect I would have to either pay a $150 fee and turn in the equipment every year, or I must sign a three year contract and give them hard turn on and off dates up front.

[Barney Bear]

Called Atlantic Broadband for help getting our picture on our TV. We were connected and could get menu information, but no picture. Tammy at AB in Pennsylvania walked us through the proper steps, and, voila, we were good to go. 🖥

[AC2717]

i have had an opposite experience so far. Had some billing issues they were taken care of and i was offered a much better rate than i received last year from Metrocast

Yes Atlantic Broadband did purchase metrocast

[Woody38]

We received a bill from Atlantic Broadband, wondering if MetroCast sold or if it was a scam. The bill was considerably less than previous. My wife called and it
is the real deal.

I just thought of something. If I added up what we pay for all the cable, tv, internet, RE taxes, insurances(auto, home, life, health). Do believe many could live on that. My brain is on steroids.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic.

[MeredithMan]

...Got the new Atlantic Broadband bill the other day. No price change at all. Checked their website, and the packages listed were substantially lower, (like $30+ per month), for what appeared to be the same pkg I had with Metrocast.
Spoke to customer service rep who told me "those are for new customers". I asked "what if I cancel I re-sign up?". He said, "You'd have to be cancelled for 90 days, and then get whatever new customer promo is in effect at that time".
I asked, "so there's nothing you can do for me today?", and he said, "no, not for pricing. You've actually got our best price"

I totally feel like I am getting the shaft with Metrocast, (now ABB). I pay $89/month in MA for Fios triple play, with all movie channels and maybe a couple hundred cable channels. That was a 2 year promo that expired last year and they renewed me for another 2 years at the same rate. I'm paying double that in Meredith with Metrocast/ABB for a triple play pkg with zero movie channels and well under 100 cable channels, (their VIP digital plan...$166/mo) And their service stinks, as numerous folks have stated in this forum, and I have experienced as well.


What are other folks seeing? For those whose bills have decreased, can you provide any more commentary?

[Rusty]

MeredithMan, I went through the same drill that you did with Atlantic Broadband and got the same answers that you did.
If you read the fine print about what new customers will get after a certain period of time it states that they will pay what you and I are paying now. That means that some people will get an increase of $50 to $75..maybe even more.
I've looked into alternatives to Atlantic Broadband but so far I can't get anything that would give me the internet reliability/speed and bundles that I am getting now from ABB. Some are cheaper but you get what you pay for.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by Rusty

MeredithMan, I went through the same drill that you did with Atlantic Broadband and got the same answers that you did.
If you read the fine print about what new customers will get after a certain period of time it states that they will pay what you and I are paying now. That means that some people will get an increase of $50 to $75..maybe even more.
I've looked into alternatives to Atlantic Broadband but so far I can't get anything that would give me the internet reliability/speed and bundles that I am getting now from ABB. Some are cheaper but you get what you pay for.

I just requested a vacation hold also, was told return everything and pay $150 start up as I had used it in February! The costs are out of control.

[swnoel]

3 options... Directv, Dish, or Hughes net! I left cable years ago and don't regret it!

[mcdude]

I have internet only with ABB and then use roku or slingbox to watch the tube. According to their latest mailing, internet only is going up $5 per month.

[Patofnaud]

Originally Posted by mcdude

I have internet only with ABB and then use roku or slingbox to watch the tube. According to their latest mailing, internet only is going up $5 per month.

Same here.

As I only need internet, Dish options are out. I need real internet to work remote, not wifi hotspots.

[tis]

Are the cable companies blind? Do they not see just about everybody is fed up with them? Yet they keep coming up with more reasons for us to hate them. I guess they haven't noticed how many people have left.

[Jersey Bob]

Kind of reminds me of Lily Tomlin years ago on Laugh-In.
"We're the phone company, we don't have to care!"

[Woody38]

My wife called Atlantic Broadband today to go on seasonal while we are gone for the winter. She talked to a very pleasant woman who told her it was no problem, don't need to return anything and so a technician doesn't need to come out when we return. Sorry, I don't remember if my wife said it was $15 or $50 per month while we are away.

--------------------------------------------------

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholiic

[iw8surf]

Originally Posted by tis

Are the cable companies blind? Do they not see just about everybody is fed up with them? Yet they keep coming up with more reasons for us to hate them. I guess they haven't noticed how many people have left.

Because they know they have majority of us by the balls. I wanted to dump metrocast 6 years ago when my bill was 180$ a month for bad internet connection, barely any channels and 2 cable boxes. Would complain all the time because of constant outages, they didn’t care. But in reality I had nowhere else to go and dish/direct tv wasnt an option at my house.

[Top-Water]

Post edited, was hoping someone more sensible would reply.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

Previous post edited, was hoping someone more sensible would reply.

Maybe this new product will help you with all your frustrations:

[BroadHopper]

Atlantic Broadband no longer honor Metrocast SD DTA credit given to me when they started encrypting the tv channels. I decided to return the SD DTA for the HD DTA, only to find out AB raised the prices on new SD and HD DTA boxes. SD DTA went from $1.95 to $4.95 and the HD DTA from $1.95 to $6.95!
If you need to replace the DTAs the monthly rates will go up!
Pretty soon everyone will stop subscribing to cable tv!

[swnoel]

Originally Posted by iw8surf

Because they know they have majority of us by the balls. I wanted to dump metrocast 6 years ago when my bill was 180$ a month for bad internet connection, barely any channels and 2 cable boxes. Would complain all the time because of constant outages, they didn’t care. But in reality I had nowhere else to go and dish/direct tv wasnt an option at my house.

For internet you are correct... but Dish and DTV are viable options no matter where you are for tv. Hughes Net is an option, but they are limited and can get pricey.

[TiltonBB]

Gilford is holding a hearing to hear comments about entering into a 10 year contract with Comcast.

From the Laconia Sun:

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...a9b81df95.html

[tis]

That's crazy. Things will be so different in 10 years.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by tis

That's crazy. Things will be so different in 10 years.

Agreed it will be different but a huge company like Comcast I’m sure will be in on the ground level of wherever the technology takes us.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by joey2665

Agreed it will be different but a huge company like Comcast I’m sure will be in on the ground level of wherever the technology takes us.
Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Sure! That is what Kodak said too!

[Irish mist]

Comcast is not going to build up infrastructure in the region without being allowed time to recoup its costs & make a profit.

[Slickcraft]

On Wednesday we returned all rented equipment (DVR, Modem, Digital adapter) to Atlantic Broadband in Belmont. We downgraded to internet only 50/6 service for $65/month plus taxes. With just 2 of us the 50/6 should be enough.

Our last cable bill was $224.10 which included $28.90 in rental items and $28.95 in tax/fees.

We now have YouTube TV for $40/month:
https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/
It includes local TV as well as unlimited DVR storage.
We use a ROKU to watch it as well as our tablets.

And Ooma VOIP for phone:
https://www.ooma.com/
The cost is $5.20/month for basic service; $10.70 more for Premier service.

I did buy my own modem for about $80 and the Ooma Telo Air 2 box for about $100:
https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Service...lo+air+2&psc=1


After those one time purchases we are at about:

$40 + $65 + $5.20 + $10.70 = $120.90/month

We can each watch our own TV channels and DVR recordings and in addition the YouTube TV will also work over on Welch Island over DSL.

[Woody38]

Happy New Year all.

Is it possible for someone to buy their own modem and DVD box while being connected to Atlantic Broadband. Surely there must be those out there that are compatible.

------------------------------------------------

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

[Loub52]

Originally Posted by Woody38

Happy New Year all.

Is it possible for someone to buy their own modem and DVD box while being connected to Atlantic Broadband. Surely there must be those out there that are compatible.

------------------------------------------------

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

I have Atlantic Broadband and purchased my own modem, an Arris Surfboard SBG6580, identical to what Atlantic Broadband was renting to me. They are inexpensive, even new on eBay. Seems they are willing to sacrifice the modem rental fee. When you install your own modem, call ABB tech support and ask them to push you the latest update for the modem, or you’ll likely have connection problems.

ABB will not support a DVR other than one you rent from them. Based on my experience trying to do the same, they are not willing to sacrifice that rental fee.

Hope this helps.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Loub52

I have Atlantic Broadband and purchased my own modem, an Arris Surfboard SBG6580, identical to what Atlantic Broadband was renting to me. They are inexpensive, even new on eBay. Seems they are willing to sacrifice the modem rental fee. When you install your own modem, call ABB tech support and ask them to push you the latest update for the modem, or you’ll likely have connection problems.

ABB will not support a DVR other than one you rent from them. Based on my experience trying to do the same, they are not willing to sacrifice that rental fee.

Hope this helps.

You will need the Arris TG2472 if you also have telephone service with abb.

[fatlazyless]

Anyone here have that YouTube TV ..... have been thinking about going with it .... they have an introductory offer with the first three months for $100. ..... which is 95-cents/day for a big bunch of channels ...... and you don't really need an internet hook-up or a laptop or nothing ..... all you need is like a five dollar set of headphones ..... so's you can go watch and listen on the public library computer ..... just bring the head phones ...... and while at the library maybe even look at a book ..... a book ..... a book .... a book ..... what is a book!

Never ever thought in a million years, that going to the library was the place to go to watch TCM Turner Classic Movies, or The Tennis Channel ..... or many other channels on YouTube TV

..... just seems really crazy ..... if only they had coffee available at the library ..... and a high quality ping-pong table ..... at the library ..... maybe a pool table, too ..... at the library ..... maybe a poker table, too ..... at the library?

Heck ..... with a $149 Samsung lap top from Walmart ..... you could probably watch YouTubeTv ...... inside your car ..... from the parking lot at McDonalds' with the McD-wifi ..... just in case you are homeless and living in your 1997 khaki Ford Contour 5-speed..... and want to watch the Australian Tennis Open-2019 on the Tennis Channel or live on ESPN2 ..... like, who needs the library ..... and live in the car!

..... remember when tv was free? ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2nlwy1uB0s

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Anyone here have that YouTube TV

I have tried three streaming services (DirectTV, Sling and Youtube TV) and Youtube TV is the best by far. The speed and quality is stunning. You can actually surf from one channel to the next with no delay. The interface is very slick too.

I really like that it has my local and sports channels (when viewing in that local area). I can now watch the Celtics, Bruins, Sox and Patriots on Youtube TV.

Having said that, there is one BIG showstopper: No HGTV or other Scripps channels. Without HGTV this is a no-go for my wife and household. If Youtube could just get Scripps on board it would be cord-cutting time.

[joey2665]

Who are you using for internet service and what speed? I’m with you we would also miss the Scripps channels and I would miss my Sunday Ticket on directv but it’s a big cost difference


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[fatlazyless]

Ok, so I signed up for the 3-month, $100-deal with YouTube-TV, and have no clue what the price goes up to, after that. Anybody know? Will worry about that on April 16!

It is not too totally easy to navigate, but then again, if I can do it ......

[moose tracks]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Ok, so I signed up for the 3-month, $100-deal with YouTube-TV, and have no clue what the price goes up to, after that. Anybody know? Will worry about that on April 16!

It is not too totally easy to navigate, but then again, if I can do it ......

Last year it was $40.00 per month.

[fatlazyless]

After 10 days of fiddl'n and diddl'n around with You Tube-TV, it was an excellent choice, and I am surprised to know the $40/month or $100/3-months price is supposedly not just an initial offer, with the price going up after that. Apparently, this price is the price.

One of my favorite features is how You Tube-TV monitors what you watch, and creates a five mini-screen lay-out at the top of the opening page, so I get to watch Tennis Channel, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and the left half of ESPN2, all at the same time, on these five small screens that are big enough to see the content ..... before choosing what's the choice.

It does this all automatically, with no input from me ..... which is a good thing .... because I would screw it up.

I like this so much that I went out and bought a new $179 Acer 15" laptop, from Plymouth Walmart, to replace my old 11" Samsung lap top which had on/off issues .... plus is a much bigger screen.

[fatlazyless]

No, have not seen any WMUR-9, and it does get ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, but I almost never have looked at these networks, so maybe I don't really know?

For the local weather I look at the radar picture here on winnipesaukee.com, plus the seven-day forecast. Until WMUR hires Canadien tennis player, Genie Bouchard, to be their weather girl .... will keep using the winnipesaukee.com/weather.

Starting at 11-am, The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, a 1927 silent film with Norma Shearer and Roman Navarro, is playing on TCM ...... and TCM is almost totally 100% free of advertisements ..... so the movies play straight through with no ads during the movie ...

[Woodsy]

I have DirecTv now and it has all of the local channels.... for $40/mo. Works AWESOME!

Woodsy

[Woodsy]

No... Its $40 all the time. of course you can option up if you like.

https://www.directvnow.com/thegoodst...ww.google.com/

Woodsy

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by pondguy

Can you get local channels with You Tube- tv ?

Yes. In Alton we were assigned to the Boston area: Channels 4, 5, 10, 25 and NECN out of Boston plus WMUR ch 9

Enter your zip code on this page to see what you get for $40/month
https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/intro/

[MAXUM]

DirectTV Now is a set price per month, no contracts. That's pretty much the standard out there.

Channel lineups do vary between services and if local channels are a big selling point few offer them. DTVNow does but doesn't offer PBS or local "independent" stations.

I've been using it now for nearly a year, it's OK has its quirks here and there but in the past year I've been using it they have made noticeable improvements. Overall I've been satisfied with it. Nice thing is the service is portable so I use it at home and at the lake.

FYI my streaming platform is Roku which I highly recommend.

I'm shocked that FLL is actually paying a premium for YouTube TV when there are so many free options out there.

[garysanfran]

Is owned by AT&T. A company still operating in the dark ages of Ma-Bell...Bureaucrats!

I made the mistake of getting DirectTV in San Francisco with their promise to connect me in NH last spring...Then I found out they don't service my area in Meredith...I was lied to. I gave them my zip code and was promised they serviced my area...But they don't. I now have a 2 year contract I am going to get out of and pay the penalty.

Did you know that AT&T made a decision, now a long time ago, that cell phone technology was not worth pursuing because no one was going to be interested in it? I switched back to Verizon after one week of AT&T cell technology.

I now get 400 channels of DirectTv garbage and crap not worth watching. 100 of them show the same show ALL THE TIME!

[Woodsy]

gary...

DirecTv Now is an streaming service app..... that you download. So no equipment, no contract, no anything. it is nothing like their satellite based service.

Woodsy

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by MAXUM

I'm shocked that FLL is actually paying a premium for YouTube TV when there are so many free options out there.

At 3 months/$100, that's 95-cents/day for YouTube TV, and you obviously need access to the internet. Could you please name these free internet ways to access multiple tv channels that includes maybe 50-channels including TCM and The Tennis Channel, and 48 others?

[garysanfran]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

gary...

DirecTv Now is an streaming service app..... that you download. So no equipment, no contract, no anything. it is nothing like their satellite based service.

Woodsy

For internet?

I have the Direct TV app on my laptop in SF and no technical support person at Direct TV can get it to work. In NH Metrocast/ Atlantic works just fine, but on the left coast with DirectTv...Nada!

[Woodsy]

gary....

it is not DirecTV... it is completely different. It is called DirecTv Now. It is a streaming app.... you need internet access thru Atlantic or whomever your left coast internet provider is. I use it on my Amazon Firestick, but it will work on almost any android or iOS device.

Woodsy

[garysanfran]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

gary....

it is not DirecTV... it is completely different. It is called DirecTv Now. It is a streaming app.... you need internet access thru Atlantic or whomever your left coast internet provider is. I use it on my Amazon Firestick, but it will work on almost any android or iOS device.

Woodsy

It appears to be an AT&T product...No?

It's asking me for login and password info. I put in my DirectTV info and it yelled at me...Jeeez, I hate that!

I suppose I need a separate account?

I remember when life was very simple...the biggest concern was whether the "party line" was free or not...Yeah, you wouldn't understand.

[Woodsy]

Gary...

It is a completely different stand alone product... It has nothing to do with satellite based Direct Tv. So , your passwords and everything else will be completely different.

Woodsy

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

It appears to be an AT&T product...No?



It's asking me for login and password info. I put in my DirectTV info and it yelled at me...Jeeez, I hate that!



I suppose I need a separate account?



I remember when life was very simple...the biggest concern was whether the "party line" was free or not...Yeah, you wouldn't understand.

DIRECTV now just like regular DIRECTV is from AT&T but they are separate services. DIRECTV NOW has its own login and is there a version of streaming television


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[MAXUM]

It has been rumored that AT&T is looking to convert the entire DirecTV Sat platform over DirecTV NOW internet streaming.

Makes sense providing a streaming only service requires far less overhead and would seem to me as way more profitable and has no geographical limitations. Best of all there is no infrastructure for them to maintain.

Dish\Sling TV is basically doing the same thing as well. However Sling is way far behind DirecTV NOW far as content and features. They are also cheaper.

FLL - Get a smart TV - access to free channels streaming through a laptop is not going to work. However I did check and you can watch Pluto TV that way so enjoy... for free.

[fatlazyless]

So, here's the latest on You Tube-TV ...... $40/month or $100/3-months ..... with You Tube-TV, I can watch 4 1/4 different channels all at the same time .... Tennis Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, and the left hand quarter of Nat Geo (Life Below Zero, on the #1 best channel) .... with audio from just one channel .... is like totally worth the price, plus supposedly is not just an intro price, but the price?

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

So, here's the latest on You Tube-TV ...... $40/month or $100/3-months ..... with You Tube-TV, I can watch 4 1/4 different channels all at the same time .... Tennis Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, and the left hand quarter of Nat Geo (Life Below Zero, on the #1 best channel) .... with audio from just one channel .... is like totally worth the price, plus supposedly is not just an intro price, but the price?

You mean you're finally giving up on WebTV?

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

So, here's the latest on You Tube-TV ...... $40/month or $100/3-months ..... with You Tube-TV, I can watch 4 1/4 different channels all at the same time .... Tennis Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, and the left hand quarter of Nat Geo (Life Below Zero, on the #1 best channel) .... with audio from just one channel .... is like totally worth the price, plus supposedly is not just an intro price, but the price?

Just wondering if you watch all this TV how do you find time to write and post all those fictional short, and not so short, stories?

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Just wondering if you watch all this TV how do you find time to write and post all those fictional short, and not so short, stories?

.... is easy while I am a totally unemployed, local loser! And besides, am totally bored out of my mind, and have absolutely, positively, absolutely, totally even, nothing better to do!

... you know what ..... is not so difficult ..... you see the biggest poster here probably has the most time to waste ....

Now, back to the topic here ....apparently, www.consolidated.com, which is the local phone company for Meredith, has a $31.99/month for two years internet offer, with a 30-day money back guarantee in case you do not like it or something, and this offer expires on Feb 28, 2019. Just got an ad flyer on this in today's mail.

That actually sounds pretty good? And, I assume it will work good with the You Tube-TV? ..... as viewed from either a laptop or a television set?

It says Seriously Fast Internet, no data cap, 20 Mbps starting at $31.99* for two years. Call today to see if you qualify for a higher Internet speed up to 80 Mbps available.

Dedicated local support 24/7

Add streaming services to your internet: DirecTV now, HBO now, fubo-tv, philo

$31.99* .......... * Limited time offer to new customers, existing voice only customers adding internet. Early termination fee of $129 for Internet applies. Consolidated Communications charges a Broadband Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month per Internet connection and a $5/month dry loop fee.
......

I have almost no clue ..... except for the 30 day money back guarantee ....... that sounds good?

[Woodsy]

FLL....

20MbPS will NOT work with streaming apps like YouTube TV.

Woodsy

[codeman671]

Something tells me that FLL is not a self proclaimed local loser. With a home on the water in Meredith and a condo at waterville there is more to this tale than meets the eye.

Bored, yes. For sure.

We are on to you Walter!

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

FLL....

20MbPS will NOT work with streaming apps like YouTube TV.

Woodsy

That is too bad ..... so, how many MbPS, whatever that is, is needed to power up the YouTube TV?

Like, what ever happened to "We are the one for you New England, New England Telephone!" ..... it used to be so easy ..... you had one phone company, and tv with 3-4 channels, with a lot of old movies, and it all seemed to work pretty good ...... honest Walter Cronkite did the News ...... "and, that's that way it is, today", Friday, February 15, 2019! ...... and Walter 'Killer' Kowalski did the Saturday morning wrestling with his famous death claw hold ... between those two Walters ...... tv was the greatest!

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

20MbPS will NOT work with streaming apps like YouTube TV.

I'm not sure that is true. I've used YoutubeTV on many slower connections and public hotspots without trouble. I found these guidelines online:

YouTube TV: At least 7 Mbps to stream one High Definition (HD) video; 13 Mbps to reliably stream HD video, even with other devices using the same network
DirecTV Now: Minimum of 12 Mbps for broadband connections to the home
Sling TV: 5 Mbps for a single stream of video content on a TV, PC or Mac; 25 Mbps for households that maintain internet use on multiple devices
PlayStation Vue: Minimum of 10 Mbps or higher is recommended for the best experience, plus 5 Mbps for each additional stream
fuboTV: At least 20 Mbps download speed to ensure a clear and consistent stream
Philo: Minimum of 5 Mbps for HD quality and 1.5 Mbps for Standard Definition (SD) quality
Hulu with Live TV: 8 Mbps or higher for a reliable, high-quality viewing experience; multiple concurrent streams may require higher bandwidth

YoutubeTV is free for a while so the best thing would be to try it with a laptop and your connection.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Something tells me that FLL is not a self proclaimed local loser. With a home on the water in Meredith and a condo at waterville there is more to this tale than meets the eye.

Bored, yes. For sure.

We are on to you Walter!

He must own Walmart stocks. It's his favorite hand out.

[The Real BigGuy]

YouTube TV says you need reliable 13 MbPS (mega bits per second) to stream HD. First, when a service offers 20 MbPS (which works out to be something like 2.5 gigabytes per second) max you almost never get that. Second, Consolidated offers DSL internet which is provided over your telephone wires. DSL speeds are totally dependent upon your distance from the switch and how many people are using internet between you and the switch. (FLL, “the switch” is usually a big tan box by the side of the road that looks like it might be a high volume central mail box.). You might have difficulty getting a reliable 13.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

That is too bad ..... so, how many MbPS, whatever that is, is needed to power up the YouTube TV?

Like, what ever happened to "We are the one for you New England, New England Telephone!" ..... it used to be so easy ..... you had one phone company, and tv with 3-4 channels, with a lot of old movies, and it all seemed to work pretty good ...... honest Walter Cronkite did the News ...... "and, that's that way it is, today", Friday, February 15, 2019! ...... and Walter 'Killer' Kowalski did the Saturday morning wrestling with his famous death claw hold ... between those two Walters ...... tv was the greatest!

The greatest? I don't think so. We had channels 4, 5, and 7 and then 38 and 56 came along, but you needed that loop antenna on the back of your TV to get them. If you had a 25 inch TV it was considered big. If you watch football games on a 25 inch TV now it feels like you are watching the game through a key hole.

In the 60's and 70's you had to get off the couch to change channels or adjust the volume! You can buy a 55 inch TV now for what I paid for a 19 inch TV in 1970 and that doesn't even take inflation into account. Real dollars. But, we didn't have monthly cable or internet bills then either.

I will take today's TV offerings any day. Large screens, incredible pictures, multiple channels to watch, and the TV's seem to get less expensive every month. The 65 inch TV I bought 4 years ago is already outdated by better technology and you can buy the new better one for $600 less than I paid.

But, without the internet, you had no way of knowing if when Walter Cronkite said "and that's the way it is" it was really how it was, or was it just how the media wanted you to think it was. Ahhh......progress!

[codeman671]

We have 25MB DSL on the island. The last owner ran Apple TV and never had complaints. We didn't get a chance to use the TV when we "re-acquired" our home in the fall so we will try it this spring. They took the Directv dish down we used to have, so we will be looking to go to a streaming solution. We have Xfinity at home, not sure how it works to use the Xfinity app there?

[BroadHopper]

Below are speedtest results from OOKLA. I have paid for 100 Mbps. As you can see I have a high of 70.1 and a low of 17.2. Never 100. Everytime I call I have to answer mega questions to established their protocol before they transfer me to tech support. Tech support will 'talk' to my modem and it was determined there is nothing wrong at their end. Probable cause is defective computer. I get the same results on a Mac Book, HP and DELL computer, all connected directly to the modem, no router. I get the same results thru a Linksys wifi router. I even get the same results on my smartphone!
Occasionally movies will 'buffer' on my Roku stick.
Eventually they sent a tech to look at the equipment wires etc. I was determined that there is a 'weak signal' from the pole. After that, they never came back! Talk about lousy service!

DATE DL UL Latency
01/23/2018, 6:33 PM 51.1 7.6 16.0
01/27/2018, 3:58 PM 47.6 7.5 15.0
03/20/2018, 6:36 PM 51.7 7.8 15.0
04/17/2018, 7:35 PM 50.4 7.8 13.0
05/03/2018, 7:19 AM 70.1 7.3 15.0
05/10/2018, 10:17 AM 47.7 6.5 14.0
05/11/2018, 8:05 AM 47.2 6.7 14.0
05/28/2018, 9:55 AM 17.3 6.1 16.0
07/24/2018, 2:40 PM 22.2 6.1 15.0
12/20/2018, 2:30 PM 27.1 5.3 17.0
01/03/2019, 2:03 PM 71.8 6.0 15.0
01/03/2019, 2:04 PM 67.7 5.7 15.0
01/09/2019, 4:57 AM 45.8 6.0 15.0
02/15/2019, 4:53 PM 17.2 5.8 16.0

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Now, back to the topic here ....apparently, www.consolidated.com, which is the local phone company for Meredith, has a $31.99/month for two years internet offer, with a 30-day money back guarantee in case you do not like it or something, and this offer expires on Feb 28, 2019. Just got an ad flyer on this in today's mail.

That actually sounds pretty good? And, I assume it will work good with the You Tube-TV? ..... as viewed from either a laptop or a television set?

It says Seriously Fast Internet, no data cap, 20 Mbps starting at $31.99* for two years. Call today to see if you qualify for a higher Internet speed up to 80 Mbps available.

Dedicated local support 24/7

Add streaming services to your internet: DirecTV now, HBO now, fubo-tv, philo

$31.99* .......... * Limited time offer to new customers, existing voice only customers adding internet. Early termination fee of $129 for Internet applies. Consolidated Communications charges a Broadband Recovery Fee of $2.97 per month per Internet connection and a $5/month dry loop fee.
......

I have almost no clue ..... except for the 30 day money back guarantee ....... that sounds good?

Ok .... and today's Saturday, Feb 16 mail had an offer from Atlantic broadband addressed to current resident:

... ultra-fast internet and tv ... $59.99/month for two years .... includes autopay discount

... unlimited ultra-fast 100 Mbps internet with WiFi

... Stream the latest movies, shows, and live sports on any device in the house

... Find your local favorites, news, sports and weather quickly with the TiVo voice remote

... Enjoy movies and series with HBO & EPIX, and instant access to your Netflix movies account

... Call 1-855-479-8559 today ..... for just $59.99/mo for two years
..............

Now, this is tv and internet which is a little different than the Consolidated $31.99/month internet only, plus the YouTube-TV $33.33/month, total 65.32/month.

Now I do not know, but would be very surprised if the Atlantic offer includes Tennis Channel and Turner Classic Movies with the 59.99 price, and the YouTube-TV does include them as well as local stations for abc/cbs/nbc, plus cnn, fox news, and msnbc, and bbc ... plus many other channels.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

FLL....

20MbPS will NOT work with streaming apps like YouTube TV.

Woodsy

Hurray for Consolidated Communications ….. seems their least expensive, 20MbPS service, whatever that is, is plenty good enuf to power up the You Tube-tv ….. just in time to watch the Indian Wells tennis match, live on the Tennis Channel.


The installer did a super-duper job running new cat-5 wire from road through woods to house, with no complaints or problems with wading through piles of old snow, 3-4 feet deep ….. way to go Consolidated!

[webmaster]

I just got this notice from YoutubeTV. My only complaint was no HGTV and they've fixed that. The bad news is that the price has gone up to $49.99:

Effective today, April 10, 2019, YouTube TV includes channels from Discovery Inc. All members will now have access to Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, and MotorTrend.

[fatlazyless]

Yes, the old price was $40/month, or $100/ 3-months. Now, with the addition of the Discovery Channel and the famous Kilcher family from south east coastal Alaska, the price will be going up. Maybe, there will still be a 3-month discount price that wasn't mentioned?

Got to pay for all that big money, Alaska gold mining talent!

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Hurray for Consolidated Communications ….. seems their least expensive, 20MbPS service, whatever that is, is plenty good enuf to power up the You Tube-tv ….. just in time to watch the Indian Wells tennis match, live on the Tennis Channel.


The installer did a super-duper job running new cat-5 wire from road through woods to house, with no complaints or problems with wading through piles of old snow, 3-4 feet deep ….. way to go Consolidated!

The 20mbps will work ok until the summer crowd comes in and starts hogging all the bandwidth....

Good Luck!

Woodsy

[ApS]

I've done without TV for 18 years. Those who need it for free can appreciate this item:

"Miracast is basically a Wifi HDMI display adapter. It’s the closest you can come but it’s expensive and it doesn’t look like it supports legacy DVD players.

https://www.startech.com/AV/Extender...cast~WIFI2HDMC

You should just get one of these...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MXQ-Pro-4K-...cmPGb&LH_BIN=1

...and install Kodi with the cCloudTV and Scrubs2 addons and get PrivateInternetAccess.com VPN for $40 a year.

You can watch any movie or TV show you want for free and stream FOX News or other cable channels.

All for free."

[MDoug]

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

Called them last Saturday to confirm that our service on East Bear Island had been turned back on as scheduled. It had been. Used the MetroCast number in the phone directory. 🐻

Is Atlantic cable running on Bear Island today 5/24/19 ?

My cable home phone is off line apparently.

[Barney Bear]

We have not opened our place on East Bear Island yet. Our service was scheduled to be turned on April 20th, a date given to Atlantic Broadband by us last October. 🐻

[Hoboken]

It had been down for maybe a week+ but came back on sometime yesterday, at least mine did. I called a week ago about it being down and they had over two dozen houses in the area whose modems were off-line and not responding. Said they’d send a crew ASAP once the ice cleared.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[MDoug]

When I called our West Bear camp cable phone, message indicates it's offline. Now thinking of getting DISH as a backup when Atlantic goes down. If I can stream Patriots and Red Sox games and local stations somehow, that would be great, as opposed to installing DISH

[SailinAway]

How about a Roku plus Netflix for $9 a month? You can get news from all major networks, WMUR news and weather (on the Haystack channel), and an awful lot of movies and programs. With Roku you can access YouTube just like you would on your laptop.

[Merrymeeting]

https://www2.bostonglobe.com/busines...NUO/story.html

[MDoug]

Originally Posted by MDoug

When I called our West Bear camp cable phone, message indicates it's offline. Now thinking of getting DISH as a backup when Atlantic goes down. If I can stream Patriots and Red Sox games and local stations somehow, that would be great, as opposed to installing DISH

We haven't had service since last Saturday. Is anybody on Bear getting cable tv?