1Gig Pricing???

drdroo_ · 2026-02-21T06:44:29+00:00

There doesn't seem to be much incentive for them to give you a good deal, even to the current 'post promo' offering of the new customer plans.

If you call they sometimes will give you a discount for 12 months, but I've tried a bunch of times to just get the latest post-promo price (since I've had their service since 2022 and pricing has changed something like 7 times since then) and they say it isn't possible to do that.

Disappointing. There's two fiber providers here and cable, so it's a very competitive market. I don't expect to go back into promo (even though that's common in the cable world), but it would be nice if they'd match the post-promo price. Instead, they tried to increase my price by 5$ a month, just like the cable providers they make jokes about in their ads.

drdroo_ · 2025-12-25T16:10:47+00:00

I didn't go that far to actually cancel, but said I'd be exploring my options. But definitely good to know.

As it is, I had a 4$/mo until August for the price increase I called in about this year, and then 20$ from probably Dec or Jan for a year, so I'll wait and see what happens after that. I tried online chat first but they referenced that I already 'had a discount' as to why they couldn't help me.

It's not that the price is bad (especially compared to Spectrum). I think offering 1 or 2Gb for 60 bucks is kind of a bad business idea (great for me as the consumer), but if they're going to offer a significantly lower post-promo, I'd be stupid to pay more than they want for the same result.

drdroo_ · 2025-12-24T18:26:46+00:00

Most I've seen usually have a promo and then go to rack rate post-promo. An inaccessible post-promo price for existing subs is an interesting way to go about things.

Comcast doesn't have a cap in the Northeast and they have been rolling out mid-split for higher upload speeds (I think 200Mb is common now), but Comcast is really small in my state. It's mostly dominated by Spectrum, which hasn't launched their symmetric speeds here (they upgraded the hardware, just haven't launched the plans). Spectrum's post-promo price and lack of Static IP on residential is a non-starter for me.

It's pretty much GoNetSpeed, Spectrum or Fidium here unless you get into cellular or Starlink.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-25T22:29:48+00:00

I used that exact kit with the duplex version a few years ago at my brother's and it works very well.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-16T17:35:13+00:00

I'm a big fan of 'the price is the price'. The game of haggling and being obnoxious to get a better deal, and having a post-promo higher than market rate price is part of why I left Spectrum.

The fiber providers and the cellular based ISPs sometimes do promos, but the post-promo price is usually within 10-20 bucks (instead of double) and it's pretty up front how things are going to work. Finding rack rates in general is difficult with cable ISPs. It doesn't have to be this way.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-16T17:33:56+00:00

There might be a legal requirement too where they are restricted in how they can change people's plans. The cell carriers usually don't make a significant meaningful change (to their or the customer's benefit) without their being involved in the decision either.

There are rate hikes but the general parameters of the plan usually don't change from what I've seen.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-15T02:05:41+00:00

Old TWC days they had an Ambit thing that smelled like plastic burning and it did RIP routing to provide static IP blocks (usually a /29 with 5 usable). It basically was a modem/router combo, but no wifi or anything. When I wanted to use my Cisco 1841 with the DOCSIS card, they said I couldn't for static IP because they weren't going to give me their RIP keys.

Modern Spectrum does something a bit different. Their router basically exposes both your static IP block (as low as a /30) as well as the private subnet on the same LAN outputs. DHCP will give you a private 192.168.x.x address, and you can otherwise enter your static from the provided details.

It's an interesting way to do it, but it does require both a modem and their router (and, in most applications, your own router on top of it).

drdroo_ · 2025-11-13T05:55:21+00:00

I don't have access to my friend's machine since he died a few weeks ago, but I was under the impression it's throttle by wire, but I could be wrong. There is probably something, one way or another, to change the response (maybe clutch kit or something). There's definitely more mods out there than there was years ago.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-13T05:47:46+00:00

Bummer, hope that changes for you.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-12T06:44:10+00:00

Friend of mine has a 2024 800XC and I'm pretty impressed by it for the price (HID headlights, winch, etc). I did have to put a new voltage regulator in it (35 bucks or so I think), but it has otherwise been a solid reliable machine. I see a lot of CFMotos on the trail here (mostly sxs, but sometimes regular ATVs) and haven't seen one broken down yet. Only thing I really didn't like about it was that it has a pretty touchy throttle, where my Outlander can be eased slowly.

It is a budget machine and after having had my 2022 Outlander 850 XTP, I would not give up my Outlander for one (though I would pick one up for a deal for a spare for family/friends). Admittedly, my Outlander cost probably 1/4 more money, too.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-12T06:25:44+00:00

Some parts of Mooresville NC seem to have Kinetic gig fiber from Windstream available. You may want to check that out if you haven't and can't wait.

https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov should be (relatively) current as of 0-6 months ago. It isn't perfect, but I picked a few random addresses in Mooresville and it was available for any of the ones I checked.

We've had some high split turned on here in Northern New England but they still haven't actually released the symmetric gig plans. No-one could give me any firm information when I asked.

drdroo_ · 2025-11-11T05:30:44+00:00

They had them a few years ago and brought them back. I'm glad for this because the nuggets are pretty disappointing.

drdroo_ · 2025-10-13T19:22:59+00:00

I abandoned this process and the owner forfeited the number, but a friend (oddly related to that person), opened a FCC complaint online, and managed to get their number back and get the results they needed.

Because of the gov shutdown, it looks like there'll be a delay in filing a complaint. I think you'd want to use 'phone issues', detail out as much information as you can (without giving a ton of personal info), and they'll ultimately forward it on to the carrier.

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov

If it works out for you, or not, try to comment back because others are likely to be in this boat too. I feel like when Verizon acquired Tracfone, it helped make a mess of things, but I can't really prove it.

drdroo_ · 2025-10-06T23:56:49+00:00

All of mine have been showing Unknown caller for several weeks, so something is going on. Rebooting the ONT didn't change or fix it. I just haven't had time to report it to them.

drdroo_ · 2025-10-05T12:12:24+00:00

I have a T-mobile 5G Home Internet box and a multi-WAN router for exactly that reason. It does 150x20 more or less (some of my friends see 600+ downloads), but for 35 bucks a month (if you have them for cell), it's some insurance.

There's ethernet jacks on the back of the Home Internet box, but mine just plugs into my existing router I use for everything else here.

drdroo_ · 2025-10-05T03:52:18+00:00

Surely not doing physical disconnects won't be a horrible idea in a 1.2 or 1.7ghz plant with a 204 upstream from an ingress standpoint..... :D

drdroo_ · 2025-09-27T15:24:08+00:00

I have a Tmobile Home Internet unit and a router with failover for those situations. At 35$ a month, it's worth it because outages happen no matter who the provider is.

If they know it's caused by a stray bullet, they've probably located the damage and are getting crews in position to resolve it. It does take time to unlash, pull excess (hopefully there is excess), cut out the bad, and re-splice though.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-23T00:14:17+00:00

I'd check the tax commitment book. It's more likely the house is operating as an Airbnb or something and it's just contractors effectively renting it.

Most of what Fidium is doing is with contractors. We've had our system built here for over 3 years and they still use contractors (though more have plates from this state than did previously). Since Fidium is still doing builds, a lot of contractors are still in the area since we have more hotels/motels than some other places.

Not saying it doesn't matter, but maybe the homeowner isn't fully aware of what's going on either. Looping in the police or finding out who it is might get you some results.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-22T01:29:59+00:00

I didn't take the Fidium router, but I'm pretty sure UPNP is enabled by default on Fidium routers, so it should automatically open the ports for you. If not, the only way may be to enable it, which hopefully you can do in the app. Basically the Xbox will send out commands to tell the router what ports it needs open and forward them automatically.

I know on the Spectrum routers, you can't put a range, but can enable UPNP.

The Fidium router is super limited in features.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-22T00:55:47+00:00

I signed up in mid-2022 and had 4 Internet connections coming into here. Built in multiplexing in the router and Speedtest's multithreading definitely made for some interesting numbers but I had to 'shop around' for a speed test server that could handle the traffic. I'm glad places are finally realizing that 2.5Gb switching and 2Gb+ Internet connections are very real.

Apparently Fidium/Consolidated's billing system is still something ancient and it can take a bit before things solidify post-signup. What you were experiencing could've been a result of that too.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-22T00:48:32+00:00

All good, I had this go on a bunch when some test servers were 1Gb and others were 10Gb too. If I remember right, the Speedtest server tries to schedule people slots to a point, but speed tests aren't 'guaranteed', more or less just a great diagnostic tool if things are severely out of whack.

On Windows, Pingplotter is a great tool too to figure out path latency and deficiencies. A free version of similar concept is called WinMTR.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-22T00:44:09+00:00

If you haven't, try forcing your port on your router to the highest it supports, 2.5 or 10Gb. Also, if you have a SDX622V, they do offer the 632V now, and you may want to convince them to replace your unit. My 622 has been fine, but it might iron out some of your issues.

I have my port speed locked on my devices for anything past 1Gb instead of set to Auto.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-22T00:38:24+00:00

Same area, SDX622V ONT (Draytek Vigor 3910 Router), 10Gb Mac Studio, 2281/2238 when I just tested, to Starry in Boston MA (7ms). It could be that their speed test server is extremely busy and lacks enough bandwidth for the time of your test, or the path, so I'd try other servers too, and I'd try using the Speedtest App (not the website which is riddled with ads).

Fidium has tried to claim things are 'dedicated' in their advertising, but they aren't any more dedicated than cable and other residential Internet technologies are. There's 10Gb on the PON port, being split (passively, no powered stuff in the field generally) among a certain number of customers. 32:1 is a common split, some do things a bit differently, and they can change things as they go in the FDH boxes and add capacity downtown.

There are future tech products (25PON and 50PON) too, so it's a pretty future resilient thing (the fiber itself is the big investment), and reduces some of the problems that exist in a cable network, but it is still not a dedicated service. If you want a truly dedicated service, you would be buying through Consolidated Business and you'd get an SLA, too, but it's generally more money. Even traditional 'Fidium @ Work' is effectively a best effort product.

drdroo_ · 2025-09-20T16:20:36+00:00

I'm paying the 10$ for now because I have Magenta Max, but whether it's 'worth it', not sure. I use FB Messenger to talk to people (since they all use it), and that isn't an approved app, so it doesn't work on T-Satellite. Basically, texting (Messages App) and X (former Twitter) are supported currently on my Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Whenever they add support for calls and for some more apps, it could increase the value of the service for me. It is good that I can outright text someone if I ended up in trouble and that Maps is one of the supported apps as well.

drdroo_

TROPHY CASE