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Internet/cable options

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by NEW2BROADLANDS, Jun 8, 2015.

  1. NEW2BROADLANDS

    NEW2BROADLANDS New Member

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    Hello,

    We just closed on our home, but I am confused about the interent/cable situation. I was told by the HOA that we no longer have to go with Openband (which is great because pricing was really high). But now that I am shopping around I am finding that most carriers do not service our area.. has anyone changed their internet/cable provider? And what company did you change to?

    TIA for your help :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2015
  2. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    I did call DirecTV and was told that they only provide satellite TV. They do not provide internet or telephone service. You can opt to get Internet and/or phone with OB and get cable TV from Direct Tv or Dish....choices are rather very slim pickings now.
     
  3. kevinq

    kevinq Member

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    AT&T recently announced a deal to acquire DirecTV, so I expect DirecTV and AT&T will bundle services soon. AT&T does offer in home wifi phone service, for about $20/month.
     
  4. Zeratul

    Zeratul Well-Known Member

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    You won't see Comcast until late 2015 but more likely 2016 depending upon which street you live on... they have to install cable everywhere. The good news is that you can go with Openband month to month and then perhaps switch later. DirecTV is an immediate option and then Openband for internet and phone. Or you could go with something like Vonage for phone.
     
  5. NEW2BROADLANDS

    NEW2BROADLANDS New Member

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    Thank you. We did decide to go with openband for now, but will be switching as soon as other bundles come available. Thank you for suggesting satellite we hadn't really explored that idea.
     
  6. GeorgeSC

    GeorgeSC Southern Walker

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    I kept the TV/Internet, and switched over to Vonage for the phone service, right now they have a special $9.95/month for the first year and then $24,95 afterwards - Unlimited local/long distance calls. I can finally fax documents (and make calls) to other parts of the country , like Tysons Corner, Virginia, Bethesda, Maryland and Washington D.C. LOL!!! (yes I know who still faxes documents, you'd be surprised which organizations will only accept faxes and not digital copies like PDFs)

    With Vonage, I can take the phone with me when I move, or even use the smart phone app to accept/make calls via my smartphone. more feature with Vonage and by far a much better deal. Woohoo woo hoo hoo
     
  7. backtothewoooo

    backtothewoooo Member

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    GeorgeSC, when you ported your landline number, where you required to give your account number and password/pin? I know my OpenBand account number, but what is the password/ pin? Is it the password I use to log in to Openband? or should I ask OB for a PIN? Thank you for any help with my question.
     
  8. GeorgeSC

    GeorgeSC Southern Walker

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    Vonage asked for the account number, apparently OB needs the account number to complete the phone number transfer
     
  9. backtothewoooo

    backtothewoooo Member

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    Thanks. I have my OB account number, so hopefully it'll work.
     
  10. ALOEL

    ALOEL Elder Geek Truth Seeker

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    We just ordered Xfinity, to be installed in 2 weeks. We'll see if it actually happens since the agent said a location evaluation would have to be made.
    We were very happy with OpenBand until we got the latest bill for almost double the amount of past payments. This is after they told us the payment would decrease. Agent confirmed our bill was accurate.
    I'll post the outcome!
     
  11. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Comcast does not have any infrastructure in SW.
     
  12. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    How can you get Xfinity services when OB still has control over the easement??? Verizon cannot come in until the $1M is paid to OB.
     
  13. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    don't get your hopes up.. once the order gets to engineering where they will look at it, they will kill it.
     
  14. ALOEL

    ALOEL Elder Geek Truth Seeker

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    Actually I was wrong about the date. Install is supposed to happen Sunday Aug 3rd.
    I still don't get why our bill went up to $300 a month. We have the max service with 5 boxes. They DID say the box rate went up to $17 ea. That still doesn't add up to less than our previous bill.
    Again, I will post the outcome when I know what happens.
     
  15. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Why am I not surprised that the box fees went up??? That's OB for you. Also how can you get Xinfinity to be installed when they do not have yet any rights to install within OB's exclusive easements? They aren't going to allow anyone to install cable lines etc until OB gets their $1M fee from SWHOA.
     
  16. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Aloel - your bill is now combined. It is the cost that use to be paid by the HOA AND what you paid OB directly for (Premium services).
     
  17. KDonatella

    KDonatella New Member

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    I'm also in Southern Walk and decided to keep Open Band for now. I feel like we are being double charged though - we paid the HOA the usual amount in June and July, which I believe would cover telecommunications services for both of those months. But the new Open Band invoice we all recently got was for services covering June 27-30 and all of July. Didn't we already pay for July through the HOA payment?
     
    GeorgeSC likes this.
  18. GeorgeSC

    GeorgeSC Southern Walker

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    I am in the same boat, I was charged by the SW HOA for July and was billed/charged by openband - this is absurd!! if it was a couple dollars, I wouldn't care, but it's over $100.00 on each end.

    Does the HOA fee for July from SW go to Openband, or does the HOA keep it, and we just double pay, "just because." Someone is making some free money around here.

    Who do we need to speak with to try to get some of this money back?

    Thanks,
    G
     
  19. Zeratul

    Zeratul Well-Known Member

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    I seriously urge you guys to get an official explanation from the HOA. The letters explained part of this (not well) but your July payment to the HOA paid for Openband services in June (to the 26th). The additional money was collected by the HOA as a type of special assessment to help pay for remaining legal expenses. June 26-30th was charged by Openband to you and included in your july invoice. So part of the concern is that the HOA made is sound like they collected money for June but the payment only covered to the 26th.

    Premium service prices may have gone up... not sure. Box rentals I thought stayed the same. Your July payment was the last time that this would happen... it does appear to be well explained and nothing seems to be happening to help. I do not claim to know all the details, I am struggling to figure out the numbers myself. Lets just say there is room for improvement in how this has been handled.
     
  20. ALOEL

    ALOEL Elder Geek Truth Seeker

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    Sorry for the delay in updating for those who are following this thread.
    We ended up getting THE ONLY OPTION available other than Openband.
    DirectTV - premium 240 channels with 3 months free HBO, Showtime, etc. This is a new subscriber deal that includes one Genie, the main hub, and 3 additional 'sub boxes' that share the service. The initial cost is $49 a month and will go up after the 3 months free premium channels. No install feels no box fees - all of these details are on the DirectTV website. I'm happy, so far, with the service, even though we don't get HD on the premium channels. The tech was quick, very professional and polite. He went thru everything on the remote use and set-up. He left us small pamphlets with the channel listings for each box. He left his business cell number on our main brochure, assuring us we could call him at any time. We have not made any calls for help!
    My only issue is getting used to the channel line-up. There seems to be 80% ad channels mixed in with regular programming. We are slowly adding channels we like to our favorites list in order to bypass all of the ad channels (must be a lot of jewelry buyers out there). I have great difficulty in finding the FREE OnDemand shows, maybe just me but so far only by accident have I accessed it. I have a weak memory and just can't remember the steps to get to some things.

    We are continuing with internet only with Openband because that has been reliable but I'm beginning to suspect we're being throttled due to some speed slow down and halting service. We are debating phone services such as Vonage but have not yet made a switch.

    We're still WAY BELOW the $350 monthly fee that Openband charged as on the new billing arrangement!
    Good Luck to you all. Especially those of you who insisted on suing Openband which, it seems to me, only screwed us all!
     

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