Best high speed internet service providers?

[retiree]

Can anyone recommend the best high speed internet service providers in Kingsland? I have tried without any success to get information about rates and installation from Verizon but since mine is a new construction -- the address is not in their database and that seems to throw the folks in Dallas or India or where ever their customer service is located into a tailspin -- especially when all I want is internet without a land line telephone. Does anyone use Northland cable for internet and if so, can you recommend them?

[butchkemper]

Depending on your location in Kingsland, the Internet choices are:
Verizon - DSL service
Northland Cable - Cable Internet - a local company
Keyon - Fixed Wireless Internet Service
281.Com - Fixed WIreless Internet Service - a local company
Wireless Cell Phone Company - Mobile Wireless Internet Service using Wireless Modem

Sometimes, the only way to get a good answer from Verizon or any Internet provided is to place an order. Specially when you are dealing with non-local support personnel.

Butch

[fairlyoldguy]

Verizon is good, but their customer service is absolutely horrible !
Calling their 800 number has put me in a 30 minute hold just about EVERY time. And you know what the rep says when finally answered ? "Sorry, Sir, we are experiencing an unusual number of calls right now".....EACH AND EVERY TIME I HAVE CALLED over the period of the past 4 years.
Only way to get Verizon to react is to call the executive offices in Dallas and DEMAND to speak to the VP of Customer Service....THEN you get someone who will actually help you.
....OR.....
if you are lucky enough, like we were, to find the cell number of one of the local tech service guys, you can call them and they are very, very good and very, very helpful.

[Doublehorn]

Verizon is good, but their customer service is absolutely horrible !

Ditto!


............Only way to get Verizon to react is to call the executive offices in Dallas and DEMAND to speak to the VP of Customer Service....THEN you get someone who will actually help you.
....OR.....
if you are lucky enough, like we were, to find the cell number of one of the local tech service guys, you can call them and they are very, very good and very, very helpful.


You got any phone numbers that you can share?

[Moonlyp]

We are in Granite Shoals and use Northland. Internet service has never been interrupted in over four years. We also use their cable tv. We have only one 'box' and two tv's directly to cable from wall, and have had almost zero issues. The few that we have had have been quickly resolved.

[springflower]

We're looking to replace our current ISP, "wildblue.net".
If you ever see this as an ISP option, don't do it!
A 2 yr. contract with many "no internet service available" messages.
We pay our bills on time every month and they are no better then dial-up.
While looking for an ISP we found one in the area called "ERF wireless".
Has anyone done business with this company?
I wonder what their record looks like.
Happy Thanksgiving to God day!

[fairlyoldguy]

ERF is the old TStar. They were pretty reliable as TStar, but had the small town give a s*&t attitude for customer service. When they became ERF, we tried to sign up, but had to call a "call center" in Austin. To them, we were small town, small market, not worth the effort people. When we finally got someone out to install an antenna, guy showed up for 10 minutes, then disappeared for 2 hours ! Called to complain, worked my way up the supervisor ladder until someone finally agreed to talk to this worker guy...all that did was to piss him off, and he disppeared again for another 2 hours. I finally told him to go home...called the supervisor back and cancelled everything. She didn't seem to really care that much. All I got was a perfunctory "sorry about the inconvenience".
Best I've had so far has been Northland Cable...wish they serviced my new area...I'd switch back in a heartbeat.

[springflower]

I googled "complaints on ERF services" and got more then required to convince me not to go with them.
It seems they are just as bad as Wildblue.net.
I have a few weeks to shop around.
Wish me luck!

[springflower]

Does anyone have any thing to say about Zeecon wireless?
They claim the cost for installation and materials is $75.00.
No monthly charge for equipment.
It almost seems to good to be true.
$57.48 will get you up to 3Mbps download and 1.5 Mbps upload speeds.
Does anyone have this service and have you had a good experience with it?

[Immune]

I had wireless when it first came out. They put up an antana for it. I didnt have it with Zeecon but had it with momentum and I lost connection all the time. Finally went to cable. Wireless is good if you are in the country somewhere and you cant get anything else. As long as they can hit a tower from your house your ok. I would avoid wireless if you can though.

[matokeya]

Has anyone checked out Earthlink? I've used it for eons and don't have the problems that I hear others talking about. I've had DSL with them for a while now and very little, if any, problems. Always works, always available and great customer service.

[VisiCom]

VisiCom is a new option in Horseshoe Bay. We are providing a premium service through wireless point to point connections. We are currently available to residents that have direct sight to the water tower on the South side of town, with other locations to be turned up soon. We are opening an office in Horseshoe Bay and will provide local support.
If anyone is interested please call:
Matt Fryar
Cell - 325-212-7292
Office - 830-693-5557

[Taxlave]

I know I'm late to this thread, but if anyone is considering Keyon/Speednet, I recommend that you choose dialup as that is preferable to Keyon. I've had a radio that disconnects, re-registers, disconnects, ad naseum. Two weeks ago I was told that the radio needed to be replaced. So, I can't find out if a radio has been ordered or what. The only thing I can get out of them is "we'll call you when we have the equipment". So, they expect me to continue to pay for their version of broadband that is slower and less reliable than dialup.

I really love that this company is a recipient of "stimulus dollars". Yes, our tax dollars at work...

[springflower]

This is an update on my experience with local ISP companies.
I finally got rid of Wildblue as our ISP.
It was awful,but now I have Zeecom.
Zeecom is like lightening speed compared to what I've ever had before.
I can watch full length movies without interruptions.
There's the occasional buffering for about 3 seconds but I can live with that.
I would highly recommend Zeecom to anyone looking for an excellent ISP.

[Taxlave]

I have a call into Zeecon and hopefully they'll be in touch, soon. I've cancelled Keyon and won't look back. If needed, I'll go work at the library-Zeecon provides the service, there, and I've never heard a complaint about Zeecon.

[Tgutr]

just noting that we now have Time Warner, and it blows everyone else out of the water.
NCTV ranks about worst due to total loss of connection so often, ability of their staff to mess up our email account settings time and time again, and the difficulty getting any worthy technical support
.

[springflower]

Could you share the monthly rate for Time Warner ISP please.
Right now we have Zeecon and it is fantastic.
Two people on separate computers are able to watch online movies or surf the net with no
problems. Movies come through clear and if it should stop for buffering,it's just a few seconds.
We love it !
Cost: 57.00 a month