Comcast broadband speed?

Pawtucket Pat · #1 02-15-2005, 12:02 PM

So Comcast has finally decided to hook up my building with broadband (I refuse to get DSL because I don't need a phone line and adding one makes it way too expensive, so I've been sharing my neighbors wireless connection with him), and they offer 2 options.

The first is $42 a month for 4mbs/second and the second is $52 at 6mbs/second.

I currently 4 table, and will be moving to 6 and 8 tables in the near future. Is there any reason to pay more for the higher bandwith? I don't stream movies ever or anything like that. I will however have 2 computers on it, the poker computer and my powerbook for normal internet use.

Thanks for the help.

kenberman · #2 02-15-2005, 12:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Is there any reason to pay more for the higher bandwith?

[/ QUOTE ]
no

Pawtucket Pat · #3 02-15-2005, 12:40 PM

thanks, want to make sure that comcast makes as little as possible off me.

TheMetetron · #4 02-15-2005, 12:47 PM

I actually have to say phone lines aren't too bad (I originally didn't want one either). I find myself using it more than I thought I think it's only $5/mo for unlimited local... no toll or long distance on it (that's why I have a cell phone). And I think I'm paying only $27+phone line for it a month from SBC.

CORed · #5 02-15-2005, 01:14 PM

4mbs is more than enough for poker. I run 256k dsl and it's plenty fast for 4 tables. Poker doesn't really take all that much bandwidth, For that matter dialup was fast enough for poker, but disconnects were sometimes a problem. Unless your viewing straming video, or doing a lot of big software downloads, the 6mbs is overkill. For that matter, for big downloads on the slower DSL, I just start them before I go to bed or to work and let them run. The DSL made sense for me because I already had a phone line and it was only a few bucks more per month than dialup, whereas the cable was considerabley more expensive.

BradleyT · #6 02-15-2005, 01:37 PM

Road Runner just upped their normal subscription services to 5mb/sec. For surfing the web (non-porn sites) or playing poker there's no noticable difference.

Pawtucket Pat · #7 02-15-2005, 03:25 PM

If 256k DSL is fast enough, how about Netzero's "5x faster than dial-up?" Does anyone have any experience there? Comcast changed their mind and said that they can't hook me up with broadband until April, and when I know that will run around $40 a month, I hate to set up a full-year subscription for DSL at around $60 (w/ the phone line) when I really only it for need 2 months or so. I don't have a phone line, so I'll have to get that regardless. The thing is that all the DSL providers make you buy their modem and usually hit you with a huge early termination fee when you cancel early.

So I guess the question is, can netzero hold me over for 2 months until Comcast gets their act together? Or should I just suck it up and get a decent DSL setup for the next year? I know a couple days of playing will pay for the whole thing anyway, but I need another 2001fp and hate to divert the cash away from it.

Thanks for all the help.