RCN Fights FiOS - $129 20Mbps triple play, two-year contract
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RCN Fights FiOS
$129 20Mbps triple play, two-year contract
(old news - 02:27PM Friday Oct 12 2007)
tags: prices · competition · business · bandwidth · cable · bundles · RCN CABLE
A study in Massachusetts recently showed that FiOSTV was probably taking a bigger bite out of cable overbuilder RCN's business than anbody else. Recent web metrics also show that a significant portion of the visitors to Verizon's website are RCN customers shopping around. It's clear that RCN has its work cut out for it.

Local news outlets state that the company has started offering a $128, 20Mbps triple play bundle in parts of the state. The operator is also starting to lock customers down with two-year contracts, something that's been increasingly used by both Verizon and Comcast to retain customers.
RCN's latest deal, available through Oct. 31, offers Internet service with speeds of up to 20 megabits per second; expanded basic cable TV with a high-definition digital video recorder, along with HBO and several other movie channels; and telephone service with unlimited calling. Subscribers must sign a two-year contract (emphasis added); if they disconnect sooner than 24 months (after a 30-day "switch-back guarantee'') they're hit with a $149 early termination fee. This model is similar to many wireless phone plans.

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  7. DSL Takes A Beating
  8. RCN Offers Less For More
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Forums »

moonpuppy @ 12th Oct 02:21PM:
Well, let's see......

.....how long they can last.

Reminds me to cancel my dial up account with them.
reply
bmn @ 12th Oct 02:25PM:
Re: Well, let's see......

said by moonpuppy :

.....how long they can last.
I'm wondering that too in light of the ETF. It is only $20 more than one month of service. Usually providers make their ETFs several times the monthly price. The ETF RCN is using may not be enough to serve as an effective deterrent to leave, especially if other providers pick up on the cash back thing that Bellsouth had been running (you get $150 back for subscribing to X).
--
Prove it...
Save the Internet Time (NTP) service, use the pool.
reply
furlonium @ 12th Oct 03:42PM:
Doesn't seem bad

I pay $72/month for Mach 20, $3/month for modem, and $40 for expanded cable. That's $115, so for $14/month more I get unlimited calling and a DVR recorder and more HD channels!

Actually I don't watch TV so I think I'm just canceling the cable tv portion of it.
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reelbigfish @ 12th Oct 03:47PM:
Re: Doesn't seem bad

No it doesn't sound bad at all. Too bad RCN isn't allowed in my building.
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ztmike @ 12th Oct 04:16PM:
Upload?

Whats the upload speed of the 20mbps download?
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lfb001 @ 12th Oct 04:31PM:
RCN Dealing

I just opted for a 2 RCN year contract. I had 10Mb, phone and analog TV for $120/Mo. I was upgraded to DTV and 20Mb for $3 less a month. With underground utilities; I figure it will be at least 2 years before Verizon digs up my street(they promised within 3 years).
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Chris 313 @ 12th Oct 04:33PM:
Re: Upload?

said by ztmike :

Whats the upload speed of the 20mbps download?
Mach 20 is 20,000/2,000
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DJ_Kismuth @ 12th Oct 04:34PM:
Re: Upload?

RCN's upload is 2 megabits/ sec. It's the fastest in this city. Only thing faster is FIOS, but thats nowhere close to the midwest.

DSL can't come close to competing with cable and FIOS.

I like RCN: fast internet service, never any downtime, their HDTV is solid too.
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theedj @ 12th Oct 05:03PM:
Re: Upload?

The thing that I really wish would be that FiOS was available in Canada. I pay almost that much now for crappy cable modem service that's slow and un-reliable lately. At this rate Canada will be clearly left behind...maybe we'll get it before Mexico?! I suppose I should be happy that I have hockey and snow I guess?
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dvd536 @ 12th Oct 05:54PM:
Re: Well, let's see......

said by bmn :

said by moonpuppy :

.....how long they can last.
I'm wondering that too in light of the ETF. It is only $20 more than one month of service. Usually providers make their ETFs several times the monthly price. The ETF RCN is using may not be enough to serve as an effective deterrent to leave, especially if other providers pick up on the cash back thing that Bellsouth had been running (you get $150 back for subscribing to X).
the ETF is just free money to them. its not like you get to keep the equipment when you cancel.
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
reply
bmn @ 12th Oct 05:57PM:
Re: Well, let's see......

said by dvd536 :

the ETF is just free money to them. its not like you get to keep the equipment when you cancel.
True, but the plans are priced based on the fact that everyone is expected to stay in the contract. Contract prices are lower because they KNOW they have your money for a set period of time. I'd wager that a non-contract price for the same service would be more.
--
Prove it...
Save the Internet Time (NTP) service, use the pool.
reply
nozzer @ 13th Oct 12:13AM:
Re: Upload?

dont forget the affordable healthcare ;)
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anon @ 13th Oct 03:49PM:
survival mode

in many cases rcn is selling service at cost just to survive. they have incredibly high churn rate.
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macguy @ 13th Oct 06:53PM:
I like RCN.

I just wish they'd get my darn tv problem fixed, but that's another story.
Their internet is solid, fast, and consistent. I haven't had any slowdowns at all. Their phone service is excellent too.

For the services I get (and could be getting if my tv's interactive functions would work correctly, but they're working on it and giving me credit), I'm not paying that much. 136.47 a month. I live in a nice town outside Philadelphia.

For tv, internet, and phone. Not bad at all, considering my phone is unlimited local and long distance.(Big factor for me considering my family lives in another state as I've moved out for college.) Plus, I don't like comcast, they're too much of a huge evil corporation. RCN is a corporation as well, but it's a matter of the lesser of two evils. I've been a comcast fan(at my parents house in NJ, they paid for it) for years. Until they started forging peoples packets and denying it and play semantic games.

So I wish RCN the best of luck, and hopefully they'll be able to push out a fiber optic internet option sometime in the future. (Or DOSIC 3.0 or whatever it's called.)
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AndyD2k @ 14th Oct 01:02AM:
Re: I like RCN.

This is exactly why I can't wait for FiOS to show up in my area (Manhattan). I don't like the lock RCN has on us. Competition is desperately needed
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batterup @ 14th Oct 03:57AM:
CATV competition who needs it?

quote:
Local news outlets state that the company has started offering a $128, 20Mbps triple play bundle in parts of the state.


Make Verizon build a you a swimming pool.
reply
batterup @ 14th Oct 04:00AM:
Re: Upload?

said by theedj :

I suppose I should be happy that I have hockey and snow I guess?
I have hockey and snow. How about those Newark Devils, it was hand gun night last game.
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anon @ 14th Oct 07:03PM:
Re: I like RCN.

It could be worse - you could have Cablevision...
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anon @ 24th Oct 01:11AM:
I used to work for them

Well Verizon is rolling out The FioS but honestly RCN pioneered that Technology back in 2000. Unfortunately the cost was to high at that time to make it the standard, maybe time to revisit that? as far as the network goes they can compete with the existing infrastructure, they just need to get rid of the yes men and start listening to the in house talent they have. They also need to Stop letting marketing run the operational side of the house. if they are to survive they need to move forward and do it with speed and not the common place knee jerk reaction they seem to currently move with.
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