the Cost of Cable Internet Service Providers

I received cable internet service through a well known national provider at a promotional of $23/month. Had I retained my contract with them, this rate would have increased to $60/month, which is way too much to pay, in my opinion!

This service was actually terrible. The internet was prone to frequent outages, and it never actually operated at the advertised speed. The service provider repeatedly made errors on my bill; I had to dispute almost every monthly bill that I received.

The actual employees there were great; every time the service technicians visited my home, they were polite, accommodating, and friendly. Most of them also took delight in disparaging their employer, which is notorious for providing less than ideal service.

In this instance, I was forced to keep the service because it was my only option in the part of San Francisco that I lived in. My experiences with this internet provider illustrated the need for consumer freedom.

If you're thinking about internet service, be wary of going through a cable provider, since most of them will try to get you to sign a cable contract as well. Since I don't have a television, this would be a useless service for me. Oddly enough, in my case I was offered a rate of $50/month for internet and cable, and $60/month for internet alone!

Always ask about promotions, especially promotions like free service as a reward for switching from another provider. Make sure to find out what the terms of these promotions are, to ensure that you get the best deal, and ask about surcharges like the cost for equipment rental or purchase and other charges which might pop up unexpectedly on your bill.

If you have choices, shop around. Ask other people in the area about which service they use and recommend.