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In Texas, Grande's lowest speed service is advertised as 384k/128k, yet speed tests and docsdiag shows that it's really 450k/196k:

QoS max downstream bandwidth = 450000 bps
QoS max upstream bandwidth = 196000 bps

Honestly, check out Grande Communications. It's a local (Texas-based) ISP that is available throughout a lot of Austin and they provide superior service to TWC. They have second-tier support that will do on-site repairs over the weekend. You'll NEVER get someone from TWC out over the weekend. First or second tier.

Grande is currently offering 300 digital cable channels, 8mb internet, and a hard-wired land line for $94 per month.

Seth

It's nice to be able to finally let my readers know AT&T is the only acceptable broadband in the Austin area.

Hold up there chief. People living in Austin actually have a choice of cable companies. Grande offers 12MB+burst cable for $50 unbundled. Check out their homepage, their position on bandwidth caps is pretty clearly stated.

I know that I personally have gone well over 44GB several times before and I have never heard a peep from them or observed any kind of throttling. I do try to start most large downloads after midnight, but more out of courtesy than fear of getting my account cut off.

Depending on what part of Texas you are in, try Grande. Here in Austin they offer 12Mbit cable and are starting to roll out 15Mbit FTTH. I have their 8Mbit cable right now and I can max the connection anytime on Usenet downloads.

They are pretty much evenly priced with Time Warner, but I think TW cuts prices in every area that Grande moves into. Stand alone cable modem is $50 for 12Mb and $40 for 8Mb.

See if http://www.grandecom.com/ is available in your area. You won't be disappointed. If they aren't look for the 'alternative' cable offering, TW doesn't have a complete monopoly in all markets.

I recently got a $16 a month AT&T line just so I could find my phone when I lose it tho. I leave the ringer off and it is good for 25 outgoing calls.

Wow. Using a local provider I get a basic phone line for $20 per month, no limits. Though like yours about 90% of incoming calls are telemarketers who don't even leave a message.

Difficult, but not impossible. In the Austin, Texas area, we have Grande Communications which is doing exactly that. They own all their fiber and offer services for much cheaper than the local baby bell and have integrated video, phone, internet.

Linkage: Grande Communications

My ISP upgraded my cable from 4 Megabits to 8 last week for free. I now have 8Mbps down/512Kbps up for about $55/month. It would be more, but I have the whole TV/Phone bundle.

My ISP is upgrading my cable modem service to 8Mbps/512kbps on Tuesday at no charge! Press Release

My ISP is upgrading my cable modem service to 8Mbps/512kbps on Tuesday at no charge! Press Release

Grande Communications.
http://www.grandecom.com/Residential/overview.jsp


nuff said. Any other questions?

I'm happy to say that I recently started working for a Grandecom.com which is a bundled services provider (tele/catv/inet). Every one of our employees has the option to receive the services we provide free (provided you live in a serviceable area of course). I get 3mb/s cable inet, telephone w/caller ID and all kinds of other features, and digital catv + full premiums (about 30 different HBO/Showtime/Cinemax channgels)! This package would probably run over $130. And that's not the only benefits, so they aren't just using it as hiring bait. And I don't use any of it for work. Well, maybe a little, but only under my own free will. I'm not required nor expected to use the services for work-related functions. It is a very generous perk from a company that is showing that you can provide for your employees and keep outta the red at the same time. Grande up!

Grande also offers cable & broadband, but I'm not sure if they use RR's lines.

-prator

Cry me a river. The 1996 Telecommunications Act that these baby bells lobbied their hearts out for is the reason for this scenario. They wanted into the long distance market, and traded the local market for it. Oh, shit, the long distance market's collapsing and local-loop distribution is the way to go. "We don't like the laws we got passed. We gotta lobby the other way so that we can chase the new moving target."

They got exactly what they wanted with the legislators in 1996 and can't stand what they created. Personally, I'm waiting for Grande Communication to get to my house and I'll be away from the whole frickin' mess and clear of conscious.

In central Texas (south Austin/San Marcos area), there is a local provider called Grande that provides cable Internet service at speeds of up to 2.5 Mb for much cheaper than Time-Warner.

But the service doesn't seem all that cheap. I fail to see what AT&T, SBC, or any of these other people can't give me minimal local service for $8 to $16 a month. It seems to me that's what it should cost by now.