Cablevision Optimum Online (CT/NY)

Pros: always "on", fast downloads, easy to set up, hook up in about 2 hours
Cons: you call that customer service??? no free web-site space, need a firewall

I've been on the Internet a long time. Back when it was just bbs and a lot of college computers. No graphics to speak of, just green text scrolling on my monochrome monitor. I've seen a lot come and go. I've also usually been dragged kicking and ...

Pros: loads pages quickly, downloads documents quickly and without problems, good customer service
Cons: extremely unreliable

I've used many internet providers - Time Warner DSL, Frontier Dial-Up, Time Warner Road Runner, Earthlink, and now - Optimum Online, the reason being that it is one of the very few internet companies in Long Island. The other major one is Verizon DSL. ...

Pros: Always connected, fast downloads
Cons: Need a firewall..

I originally had dial-up access through my local phone company. (SNET)It was OK but occasionally I couldn't get online. Moving from page to page was slow. Downloads took forever. But the one thing that got me to finally take the plunge to High Speed...

Pros: Wonderfully fast, simple installation, great value for the money
Cons: No space for personal websites!

BACKGROUND

I have been using dial-up modems to connect to the Internet since late 1994. I have wanted to get a cable modem since they became available in my area (Central NJ) but never made the switch. The only provider available for a long...

Pros: Very fast and usually reliable.
Cons: A little hard to install yourself.

A cable modem

A cable modem, which may or may not be available in your area through your cable provider, is supposed to allow you to surf the internet at hyper fast speeds while leaving your phone free. Where I live on Long Island in...

Pros: Fast connection speeds, no dial up, stable service
Cons: Expensive to start up, need cable

When I first moved to Long Island not too long ago, I used a rinky-dink Pentium Pro computer with a 28.8 modem for surfing the web. Needless to say, that just doesn’t cut it in today’s information superhighway. So when I finally upgraded my computer to...

Pros: Fast access
Cons: tough to configure for novices

I live pretty close to work, so I didn't stress about having a fast connection at home. If the dialup on my laptop was too slow (24 kps), I would just hop in the car and drive on in.

But after I got married, and my wife moved in and started...

Pros: Potentially speedy web surfing and file downloads.
Cons: Friendly, inept tech support-- perhaps you didn't hear me run through that list of hoops I jumped with the last Optimum Online representative?.

Tired of waiting for web pages to load? Bored to tears when you download a file that's over 1MB in size? DSL not available in your area? Optimum Online offers cable internet access for $39.95/month, plus the purchase of a cable modem.

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Pros: Download/Upload Speeds, Tech Support
Cons: Tech support

As I walked into "The Wiz" about two years ago I remember very well the excitement of getting an internet connection that was labelled as "100 times faster than dial-up". I was surprised and satisfied to see no hour long lines to see if I was qualified...

Pros: Fast, Reliable, Better than DSL (At Our Location), Easy Installiation, Network Compatible
Cons: Out when the TV signal goes, provided by Cablevision

Why We Got the Service:

Last October, we were logging on to AOL via dialup access (56K). Once logged on we received one of the infamous AOL pop up adds. This add asked us to sign up for their DSL service (provided by Verizon). We impulse...

Pros: easy and fast installation, jaw-dropping incredible speed, 5 email accounts, better value than DSL
Cons: no webspace, cablevision support infamously incompetent, (support) website is useless, dynamic IP

From DSL to Cable...
If you read my story about my nightmare with Telocity DSL, you know that I moved to a new neighborhood where the exact opposite scenario exists: no DSL, but Cable Modem is available. Again, no choice but to go with cable...

Pros: Fast, No Dialing, No Waiting For Anything
Cons: If the cable modem breaks, you have to buy a new one

I've had this service for aproximately 5 years+.

Cablevision originally called me up to beta test the product. It wound up being a full year of free service. They were using Zenith Homeworks modems. Back then, top transfer rates in a web...

Pros: FAST and EASY
Cons: Not free like Netzero, but much faster

I have been using the modem based computer networks since 300 Baud modems were top of the line.
If you wanted to download still pictures of comic books, it would take 10 minutes and be in UUENCODE, then if you transfer was not corrected you would...

Pros: Ease of Use; ease of payment; better deal than DSL
Cons: May not be easy to install for the computer-unsavvy

For two years, I had the comfort of being "coddled" by AOL for my internet service needs. However, after repeated increased monthly fees over its phone-line use, and especially the painfully-slow-at-times 56k modem, I realized I wasn't getting my...

Pros: Always on, simple to set up, FAST!
Cons: Instructions seem more complicated than actual set up.

Optimum Online is now available in Northern NJ. You can check the website or you can check your address availability at the Wiz.

I am recommending this service after only two days because of the ease of set up. I purchased the kit on my...