In today’s edition of “Get to Know Your Service Providers”, we’ll discuss Charter Communications, Inc.   Charter is currently the  fourth largest cable service provider in the country, providing phone, TV, Internet and bundles to over 5 million customers in 27 states.  Through its Charter Telephone® service, Charter is also the tenth largest landline provider in the country.

You’re in good hands if Charter high speed Internet is what you’re after.  On its website, Charter claims Internet connection speeds up to 20 mbps nationwide with up to 60 mbps in select markets through its Charter High-Speed® Internet Ultra.

Charter cable TV packages come with a variety of options and features, like:  HD channels, thousands of On Demand titles, premium channels and sports packages.

To see if you can Charter phone, TV, Internet in your area just enter your address in the “Savings Widget” at the top of the page.  You can compare plans and prices and sign up online free of charge.

Users of the Chattanooga high speed Internet provider EPB will soon have access to some of the fastest high speed Internet available.  Known locally as “Fi-Speed Internet”, EPB currently offers Chattanooga’s only 100% fiber optic Internet with speeds up to 150 mbps.  However, even faster speeds are on the horizon.

According to Steve Lohr of the New York Times, “The city-owned utility, EPB, plans to announce on Monday that by the end of this year it will offer ultra-high-speed Internet service of up to one gigabit a second. That is 200 times faster than the average broadband speed in America.”

Even though Verizon successfully tested a 1 gbps transmission back in June, EPB’s super high speed Internet is slated to be the first commercially available  in the United States.

Next on our list of service provider reviews is the recently created CenturyLink.

Although the name is relatively new, CenturyLink was created after the July 1, 2009 acquisition of Embarq by CenturyTel, CenturyLink is the largest independent telecommunications provider in the country.  Now available in 33 states across the country, CenturyLink is also the fourth largest telecommunications provider overall.

Building upon the history and achievements of both CenturyTel and Embarq, CenturyLink is a national competitor in the entertainment and communications industry.  After last year’s acquisition and rebranding, CenturyLink offers DSL high speed Internet, home phone service with unlimited local and long distance, and digital TV with local, premium and HD channels across the country.  CenturyLink customers can even get the NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ through a partnership with DIRECTV.

Check and see if you can get phone, TV and Internet with a CenturyLink “Triple Savings Bundle” by entering your address in our “Savings Widget” .

Moving right along with our service provider reviews, we’ll take a look at Buckeye Cablesystem and their VIP Bundle – Voice + Internet + Phone.

As their name suggests, Buckeye Cablesystem cable TV services are available in areas of Ohio and Michigan, specifically Toledo, Erie County and Southeast Michigan.  As a cable operator, Buckeye Cablesystem offers cable TV, digital phone, and high speed Internet.  Branded as “VIP”, offering voice, Internet and phone services, Buckeye also claims their service to be “the only true bundle”.

One would have to assume, since no explanation could be found on their site, that “the only true bundle” references Buckeye’s ability to offer phone, TV and Internet from a single provider.  In many cases, a single company doesn’t offer all three services, so the “bundle” is cobbled together from separate providers, such as phone and DSL from a phone company and digital TV from a satellite TV provider.

You can see if Buckeye Cablesystem’s VIP bundle is available in your area by entering your address in the “Savings Widget” at the top of the page.

Expanding our alphabetically organized review of different service providers, we come to Brighthouse Networks.  As a cable services provider, Brighthouse Networks provides phone, TV, Internet bundles, to areas of Indiana, Michigan, Alabama, Florida and California.

Fueled by innovations like “Start Over”, Brighthouse has made a name for itself as a JD Power & Associates award winner in customer satisfaction.  ”Start Over”, as described by Brighthouse, is an “exclusive enhanced TV feature for Bright House Networks customers that allows viewers to re-start a live program from the beginning anytime during its scheduled broadcast.”  There are currently 39 channels capable of using Start Over.

Brighthouse currently advertises hundreds of digital channels, free HD, On Demand shows and video, and unlimited nationwide calling.  See if Brighthouse cable TV is available at your house by entering your address in the “Savings Widget” at the top of the page.

In an attempt to keep you, the consumer, informed of service provider capabilities, Allconnect will be publishing periodic service provider “reviews”.  It’s not an attempt to sway your buying power toward one provider over another.  It’s simply our way of letting you know what’s available in your area.

Going alphabetically, we’ll start by looking at AT&T U-verse® and AT&T bundles.

The latest in a long line of innovation, AT&T U-verse® is AT&T’s latest bundle and its direct answer to the cable bundle.  Marketed as the “evolution of TV”, AT&T U-verse® operates like a traditional phone, TV, Internet bundle by offering a combined solution with advanced digital TV, high speed Internet, and digital phone service.   However, AT&T U-verse® relies on its sophisticated home network to deliver the different services throughout your home.

Using a blend of fiber optics and AT&T’s advanced digital network, AT&T U-verse® actually delivers your phone and television over the Internet.  Officially called Internet Protocol Television, IPTV allows you to accept standard and hi-def broadcasts over your existing phone line.  Similarly, your digital phone service uses Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.  However, AT&T U-verse® differs from many VoIP services by allowing you to use your existing phones and phone number.   Like its high speed Internet, the entire system operates from a central router that delivers the signal throughout your home.

You can find out if AT&T U-verse® is available in your area by entering your address in the “Savings Widget” at the op of the page.

Hughes Communications, Inc., known in the US as the satellite Internet provider HughesNet, was recently awarded the “Broadband Satellite Operator of the Year” from Euroconsult, a global leader in satellite consulting and analysis.

The award was accepted by Pradman Kaul, president and CEO of Hughes, at the 14th World Summit for Satellite Financing held at the Hotel Westin in Paris, France on September 8th.  Kaul graciously accepted the award, stating, “I am honored to accept this award on behalf of all the employees and shareholders of Hughes, and appreciate that Euroconsult recognizes our business achievements last year and our momentum moving forward.”

The television commercials would have you believe that cable TV is better than satellite TV.  Of course, there are other commercials that say satellite TV is better than cable TV.  So who do you believe?  Which is better, cable TV or satellite TV?

Like most things in life, the choice between choosing cable TV providers and satellite TV providers will likely boil down to personal preference.  However, there are a few facts you can weigh to form a more educated opinion.  Of course, the ultimate decision will likely be based on the actual provider, not the service type.  Maybe DIRECTV has the satellite TV package you want.  Maybe it’s AT&T U-verse® or Comcast Xfinity.  Any way you look at it, you can weigh the pros and cons of each service, provider and plan to make sure it’s the best for your viewing habits and your budget.  You can get started by entering your address in the “Savings Widget” above.

Cable TV vs Satellite TV:  Availability, Programming, & Cost

Availability

Programming

Cost

So you think you’re ready to get satellite TV.  Congratulations!  Now, are you sure you can get satellite TV?  Seriously.  Before you sign up, you need to ask yourself, “What do I need for satellite TV?”

Here are some of the requirements from two of the more well known satellite TV providers.  You’ll notice the requirements are quite similar for both providers.   Utilizing similar dish TV technology, both providers have similar requirements to make sure you have what you need for satellite TV.

If you’re looking to setup DIRECTV satellite TV service, you’ll want to run thorugh the following checklist:

Dish Network has its own checklist you should run through before you setup satellite TV service:

• Make sure you’re allowed to have an exposed satellite dish. Again, it may sound weird, since it’s your house, but you need to check with your homeowner’s association before you put a satellite dish in your roof.  And if you live in an apartment or rented home, you’ll need written permission from the management company or landlord.  You’ll have to give the installer the permission form before the installation begins.
• Make sure you’ve got an unobstructed view of the “southern sky”. Like DIRECTV, Dish Network also requires a clear view of the southern sky.  The dish TV receiver can not be placed behind buildings, trees, or other objects that may obstruct its signal.  Your installer will conduct an on-site survey to ensure the best placement of your dish.

Whether you decide to get DIRECTV or  Dish Network, you’ll benefit from a little planning before you actually setup satellite TV service.

So you’ve made the decision to get high speed Internet.  Congratulations!  You’ll love the enhanced online abilities you’ll gain from faster browsing speeds. But how do you know which high speed Internet service to get?

For most, the choice boils down to three things:

1. Availability – Which high speed Internet providers are in your area?
2. Speed – How fast is fast?  And how fast is too fast?
3. Cost – Is high speed really that much more than dial-up Internet?

If you can nail down an acceptable service that meets the usual criteria, you’ve pretty much settled on your high speed Internet provider. If you want to get started looking, you can compare providers and plans right now with the “Find Savings” widget at the top of the page. Just enter your address and we’ll show you what’s available.

In the mean time, let’s breakdown the usual criteria.

Availability – In some areas, there may only be one provider.  Maybe you can only get high speed cable Internet (also known as “broadband”) from your local cable provider. Maybe your only option is DSL high speed Internet from the local telephone company. Of course, you may have multiple choices from several differnet providers. In that case, compare speed and cost to see what ets you the most bang for your buck.

Of course, even if you live in a more rural area you can still get high speed Internet. Just because there isn’t a cable line or DSL wire that runs to yor house doesn’t mean you can’t have high speed Internet. Look into satellite Internet. You’d need a dish, but no wires. The cost and speeds are both comparable to cable and DSL, so satellite Internet is totally acceptable option for getting high speed Internet in rural areas.

Speed – So let’s talk about speed. If you’re used to dial-up, high speed Internet will definitely be a welcomed change of pace.  Pages that used to take several minutes to fully display will pop up almost instantly.  That new picture of your neice that your sister sent over will download right away.  If you choose fiber optic Internet, like Verizon FiOS, the speed will simply amaze you.  You’ll truly wonder why you didn’t switch before now.

But how fast is fast? This chart should help you understand the different speeds and how they apply to you.

So how do those speeds apply to you? Well, the faster your Internet the faster you can download that picture of your neice. At 50 mbps, you could also watch HD movies online and feel like you’re at the theater!

Cost – You’ll also consider cost. The good news is that high speed Internet is priced for a variety of needs. If you have no interest in playing the latest online games or watching feature films over the Internet, than you probably don’t need to pay for the best of the best. Most of us will do just fine with a basic high speed service. The best idea for you is to find out what providers actually offer high speed Internet at your house. From there, you can determine how much you’re willing to spend. Having a price in mind will help you decide if you want high speed Internet or ultra fast high speed Internet.