Switching ISPs

[DrGravitas]

How the hell do I go about this? Do I have the new folks hook up first and then cancel the old one? Do I cancel the old one first? What?

I'm sick of crap speeds and want yo try streaming or something.

Anybody experienced switching before? What kind of gotchas and traps have you come across?

[Lopaw]

I don't know about how you switch in terms of changing who you get internet and landline etc. but I do knowIn terms of speed you preferably want fiber to the home, but fiber to the cabinet is more likely depending on how developed the IT infrastructure is near you.

Only thing with fiber to the home if you are able to get it is you'll need guys from the ISP to come and fit a box called a optical network terminal that acts as a modem to turn the fiber optic light into gigabit ethernet that your router can be connected to.

Fiber to the cabinet is where you keep your standard copper phone line up until the cabinet that everyone else connects to, but the ISP then connects that cabinet to the existing fiber in the area if possible.

The only time this gets problematic is if your cabinet is so far away that the last few meters of copper wire mess things up.

[Zop]

You should also probably check to see what ISPs are available to you. I have no idea where you live, but fiber might not be present where you live. If you have cable internet, you might look into high speed dsl, or vice versa.

It might not hurt to ask about fiber, though. You might be close enough to a box to have a line run to your house.

I would keep the Internet you have for now, at least in case the installer misses an appointment, unless you can live with using the Internet through your phone for a short time.

 

[DrGravitas]

Unfortunately, I don't have much choice here. It's either crap DSL or local cable monopoly. Both of them are incredibly obtuse about what their service is and outright lie at times.

I'm mostly looking for thoughts on the actual process of switching. Fees to watch out for, timing, and other stories to steel myself.

[Fantasma]

Basically, don't cancel the old one until the new one is up and going otherwise you are pretty much screwed if any delays happen.

Source: used to be my job

Some companies will charge you for every little thing and some will only do the agreed upon install fee. With the one I used to work for (ATT) they did a "customer self install" where they basically did it to the point of demarcation and said good luck. Don't do that.

Make them put it at a decent spot in the house if possible, high up and centrally located.

Look into what companies actually give you for speeds, and see if they lower or raise them. The cable companies here (cox etc) always never gave you the speed you paid for except in (a milisecond) of peak scenarios while the telephone company actually did give you those speeds.

(Oh and seriously, if you have shit internet make them put it right next to your pc so you can hardline it rather than lose ~40% of your speeds on wifi.... )

 

And return to everything those asshole local cable companies sent you, they will charge mad money of not.