Tech Geek moving to the Villages questions on Internet

[TerriS]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

Up in the "historic section" (far northeast corner, on the other side of 441/27), we can get GB service with xfinity.

Most of us don't, but it's available.

I have 100mbps service, which is sufficient for streaming, browsing, and gaming if you're into that. I just did a check with speedtest.net and it's pinging at 25, downloading at 90.78 (connected directly to my router, which is then connected to my modem - I own both, I don't rent), and upload on the slow side at 6.01 but that's about as good as you can get with this plan anyway.

I pay $50 a month for internet only, and we Roku with Youtube TV.

[Davonu]

We’ve been happy with Comcast/Xfinity for years. And I’m a bit of a tech geek too. 😁

[Babubhat]

Comcast works well. Getting the full speed promised by the plan purchased

[villagetinker]

Some areas have fiber (was CenturyLink) not sure who the provider is now. If you are after a NEW house, then you will be limited to the service in those ares, if you are looking at resales, you may have more options.

[retiredguy123]

I just did a download speed test on my Xfinity internet. It was 380 mbps. I don't know how much speed you need but, I have never had a speed issue.

[EdFNJ]

Paying for 400Mbps getting almost 500Mbps without fail on Comcrap. Other than the fact I can't stand the company I have had no problems with their cable & internet service since I am able to resolve any issues this side of the demarc. There are some areas with Century Link 1Gbps fiber here and you can tell by the ONT on the side of the house even if not subbed. My sister's home has it about 2 miles south of me. I am just on the North side of 466A and Comcrap is my only option for better than 20Mbps service (Century Link circa 1999 DSL) she is just on the south side of 466A. Note that Xfinity also has a 1.2Tb data cap so I also took their unlimited service which alacarte cost big bucks ($50iirc) but if you lease their modem it costs only $10 extra which is cheaper than using your own modem and paying the unlimited data fee by about 1/2. And YES, I do need the unlimited service for those who are going to tell me I don't.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Paying for 400Mbps getting almost 500Mbps without fail on Comcrap. Other than the fact I can't stand the company I have had no problems with their cable & internet service since I am able to resolve any issues this side of the demarc. There are some areas with Century Link 1Gbps fiber here and you can tell by the ONT on the side of the house even if not subbed. My sister's home has it about 2 miles south of me. I am just on the North side of 466A and Comcrap is my only option for better than 20Mbps service (Century Link circa 1999 DSL) she is just on the south side of 466A.

The only downside to comcast that I've personally experienced, is having to renegotiate the price before your year of "discounted promotion" ends. Trying to talk with anyone there requires more patience than I have, so I end up annoyed by the time someone actually answers the phone.

I always get what I want from them though. It's just an hour of aggravation every year that I would prefer to do without.

[EdFNJ]

The only downside to comcast that I've personally experienced, is having to renegotiate the price before your year of "discounted promotion" ends. Trying to talk with anyone there requires more patience than I have, so I end up annoyed by the time someone actually answers the phone.

I always get what I want from them though. It's just an hour of aggravation every year that I would prefer to do without. I never talk to them (or Fios or DirecTV or Dish in those days) at renewal time. That's the biggest mistake. ONLY online. I always make sure I have 2 years "new subscriber" contracts by switching between my name and my wife's name every 2 years. Service has never been out for more than an hour when switching accounts, in fact last time (Feb 2021) never had any downtime. Been doing that without issue here and for as long as cable/dsl/fiber had been available up north when we lived there. Was a DirecTV MDU tech support trainer up north for 5 years so never paid for that anyway but learned lots of tricks. :)

[JoMar]

Depending on where you end up, Spectrum might also be an option

[midiwiz]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

Well I can't say you are alone. We are also relocating and I faced the same problem I have high end requirements for my needs. At our current house I had to put in 4 runs of cat5e just to guarantee the coverage in a 2 story.

So while my wife picks houses by "Christmas Decorability" mine is based on 3 things 1 being "what's my speed" Due to my job plus some other items I can't accept 1GB "maybe" which is Xfinity read the fine print. So basically over the last couple months I saw a listing, ran the address and most times moved on.

Centurylink provides 1GB fiber without degraded speeds due to having me living next door. (trust me I can and have soaked a line) I'm also upgrading my wifi routers so that I can rely more on wireless rather than hard wired since coming back to Florida I find that getting someone to snake a wall isn't all that easy to find.

As for service, I've had comcast/xfinity, spectrum, AT&T, etc have not had CenturyLink. I can say that xfinity was the worst of those. I have a habit of when there are issues I troubleshoot it myself and then call them to tell them where they have a problem - Spectrum will listen if you get above Level 1 support, AT&T doesn't really listen to anyone, and xfinity didn't even get it on level 2 support.

Good luck with it, I find it frustrating. I did find out that there is additional fiber being and to be laid by CenturyLink in areas that currently do not have their fiber. I would assume that with that there will be others at the same time.

[SugarOnMyTongue]

Comcast/Xfinity can deliver the goods and they certainly will deliver a hefty bill. Speed isn't super important to me but an unlimited data cap is, they are getting $130 a month from me ( internet only, unlimited data and reasonably good speed). They had no better offerings at the time i needed service but suggested i call back to see if i could get a better rate in the future. I will be looking into the t-mobile home service when it becomes available.

[kansasr]

The biggest obstacle with Comcast is the limit imposed on upload speeds by cable. I have their 200mb service and it consistantly meets that (with almost no downtime). However, upload speed is generally around 10-11 mb. When you're trying to sync between your devices and the cloud, for example, it really hobbles you.

[PoolBrews]

If you are in an area where CenturyLink has fiber installed, you can get 1GB service for a flat rate of $65 for life, no contract, no taxes, and they give you the modem.

I've had both Xfinity and CenturyLink. Both work very well. When my contract ran out, Xfinity raised my rate by over $50/month... and offered me a "deal" at only $25 more than I was paying. I declined, and got 1GB service for $10 less than Xfinity was offering for 200GB service.

I get 930MB speeds over a hard wired connection, and 560MB over wireless.

[tuccillo]

I specifically asked CenturyLink a couple of months ago if the 1 gigabit per second service was "one price for life" and they said "no". They went on to explain that the "one price for life" was limited to their 100 megabit per second or lower service. Do you know if they had a change in policy and you are grandfathered in?


If you are in an area where CenturyLink has fiber installed, you can get 1GB service for a flat rate of $65 for life, no contract, no taxes, and they give you the modem.

I've had both Xfinity and CenturyLink. Both work very well. When my contract ran out, Xfinity raised my rate by over $50/month... and offered me a "deal" at only $25 more than I was paying. I declined, and got 1GB service for $10 less than Xfinity was offering for 200GB service.

I get 930MB speeds over a hard wired connection, and 560MB over wireless.

[dewilson58]

What are "you" doing to need speeds greater than, say, 100mbps???


:posting:

[dewilson58]

Depending on where you end up, Spectrum might also be an option

Have enjoyed Spectrum for years.

[Altavia]

Hi I
Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.
)

FYI - The new areas have fiber to the post and coax from the post to the house.

[TerriS]

If you are in an area where CenturyLink has fiber installed, you can get 1GB service for a flat rate of $65 for life, no contract, no taxes, and they give you the modem.

I've had both Xfinity and CenturyLink. Both work very well. When my contract ran out, Xfinity raised my rate by over $50/month... and offered me a "deal" at only $25 more than I was paying. I declined, and got 1GB service for $10 less than Xfinity was offering for 200GB service.

I get 930MB speeds over a hard wired connection, and 560MB over wireless.

Sounds like Century link will be my best option IF it is available at the new address. I am looking to buy NEW so I might not have that option but hopefully it would become available at a later date.

I work from home and have lots of smart devices so I need good speed and reliable service. I had Comcast in the past and they were not as reliable as I would like and the customer service was the pits but looks like I might be stuck with them at least for awhile

[MrFlorida]

Comcast, Spectrum, depending where you are located, also Verizon and T Mobile now offer wireless internet in the Villages.

[TerriS]

What are "you" doing to need speeds greater than, say, 100mbps???


:posting:

I work from home and I have a lot of smart home devices. I don't need over a Gig but I do need reliable service and good speeds with unlimited data as I stream all my TV as well.

[kathyspear]

Based on this thread I decided to do a speed test. We have Xfinity "up to 400 mbs" and my computer (wireless, NOT connected wired) achieved ~ 420 download speed last night.

In two homes over a period of 3 years we have had zero issues with the actual service. Customer support leaves a lot to be desired (more so since the pandemic but it was never great) but once it up and running it works beautifully.

We had Spectrum in Pinellas County (both when it was Brighthouse and after it became Spectrum) and I was very happy with both the service and the customer support. If they were available in our area I would choose them over Xfinity for the customer support.

You should be fine with either of these two companies, once services are up and running. Good luck with your move.

kathy

[dewilson58]

I work from home and I have a lot of smart home devices. I don't need over a Gig but I do need reliable service and good speeds with unlimited data as I stream all my TV as well.

We gots the smarties as well. We stream as well. Gaming is great.

BUT WHAT is the need for 200, 400, 800 mbps speed??? What drives this??

[midiwiz]

We gots the smarties as well. We stream as well. Gaming is great.

BUT WHAT is the need for 200, 400, 800 mbps speed??? What drives this??

number of devices, type of devices, etc. example I run 4 laptops myself, add to that webex video and voice, then you can add the TVs, cloud, etc. You also have to consider fall off and 'guaranteed rate of speed' .

[TerriS]

In my experience with a lot of devices on the network and streaming TV if you do not have high enough bandwidth you get a good amount of buffering and slowdowns. I also need unlimited data which usually only comes with the higher speed packages.

[dewilson58]

number of devices, type of devices, etc. example I run 4 laptops myself, add to that webex video and voice, then you can add the TVs, cloud, etc. You also have to consider fall off and 'guaranteed rate of speed' .

High crazy speeds are over sold and lots of people fall for it.


What can I do with megabit speeds?
Megabit speeds are the standard measurement for broadband connections. Here’s how you can stream, game and work from home with certain speed ranges:

Streaming
Typically you can stream in standard definition with speeds up to 3 Mbps. To stream in 4K or Ultra HD, you’ll need speeds up to 25 Mbps. Streaming services will offer speed recommendations to enjoy the platform in the highest quality. Here are the minimum speeds you need to stream uninterrupted using some of today’s most popular streaming services:

Netflix

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
5 Mbps to stream in high definition
25 Mbps to stream in HDR or 4K
Hulu

3 Mbps to view on-demand titles
8 Mbps to view live TV
AT&T TV NOW

2.5 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps to stream in HD via mobile device
12 Mbps to stream via web browser at home
YouTube TV

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
7 Mbps to stream on one device in HD
13 Mbps to stream in HD on multiple devices
Gaming
Speed recommendations for gaming will vary by the types of games you typically enjoy, but you’ll at least need a minimum of 4 – 8 Mbps in a single user household. A great gaming experience is often dependent on the quality of your internet connection and data transfer rate, so experienced gamers will often go for the fastest speeds they can afford and a connection type with historically low latency.

See more details on minimum speed recommendations by gaming type and how you can maximize your gaming experience.

Working from home
The right internet speeds are paramount to a successful work from home setup, especially during COVID-19’s social distancing restraints. The speeds you require will depend on the type of work you do, but if you plan on video conferencing, checking emails or transferring large files, there are some minimum speed requirements to ensure you can successfully make your home office work for you:

2 Mbps to host a single, dual or triple screen Zoom call
3 – 4 Mbps to email and utilize basic computer programs like Microsoft Word
10 Mbps to host a group Skype video call
40+ Mbps to transfer large files

[CoachKandSportsguy]

If you want a used house with spectrum, cable of fiber, hard wired throughout, with 8-9 drops, 4 gang outlets at 1/2 the drops, wifi from a ceiling access point, 1 gb router and switches, and whole house surge protection, I have one for sale just for you at $799K

two years old, its a steal with today's availability!

sportsguy

[TerriS]

If you want a used house with spectrum, cable of fiber, hard wired throughout, with 8-9 drops, 4 gang outlets at 1/2 the drops, wifi from a ceiling access point, 1 gb router and switches, and whole house surge protection, I have one for sale just for you at $799K

two years old, its a steal with today's availability!

sportsguy

LOL if only I could afford that price tag :) As soon as I hit the lotto I will let you know.

[dewilson58]

If you want a used house with spectrum, cable of fiber, hard wired throughout, with 8-9 drops, 4 gang outlets at 1/2 the drops, wifi from a ceiling access point, 1 gb router and switches, and whole house surge protection, I have one for sale just for you at $799K two years old, its a steal with today's availability! sportsguy

Any hidden cameras??
:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Uphillputt330]

To determine what is really available at a given address within The Villages you have to use the individual service provider websites with an address. Comcast Xfinity has the most coverage, Spectrum is available in some areas, CenturyLink is available in some areas and I believe AT&T is available in some areas.
Be careful what type os service is being offered — cable vs fiber optic vs DSL.
Only 2 services are available where I live — century DSL (far too slow) and Comcast cable. I have Comcast 200MB service and it has been fine.

[EdFNJ]

Comcast/Xfinity can deliver the goods and they certainly will deliver a hefty bill. Speed isn't super important to me but an unlimited data cap is, they are getting $130 a month from me ( internet only, unlimited data and reasonably good speed). They had no better offerings at the time i needed service but suggested i call back to see if i could get a better rate in the future. I will be looking into the t-mobile home service when it becomes available.
Really? You should rethink what you are getting from them. Take basic TV even if you don't use it. I have Xfinity "double play" (TV/ISP) I pay $165 inc all taxes with 400Mbps ISP (in reality 500) 125 channel TV, 1 4K DVR in L/R, 1 4K remote box for B/R, their Gateway router rental AND NO DATA CAP then I get a $10/month discount off that for having Xfinity Mobile (Verizon MVNO) for 2 phones at about 1/2 what any of the others charge for a total of $155/month.. This was actually $5/mo CHEAPER than my first 2yr contract here for identical service plus got a $250 Xfinity Mobile cash rebate AND a $100 Xfinity cash rebate (this was in Feb which was my 2nd 2yr contract here). Could have gotten the gig service for another $15 but that I didn't need. Rinse and repeat in 2 yrs.

[btwalker]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

We just closed on a place that is 11 years old that has both fibre and Comcast cable available. We are going with the fiber service. (Which is no longer centurylink but quantum). I have had lots of reliability issues with Comcast in the past so won't use them for Internet service. The install is tomorrow so I can at least let you know my initial thoughts after some testing.

[midiwiz]

High crazy speeds are over sold and lots of people fall for it.


What can I do with megabit speeds?
Megabit speeds are the standard measurement for broadband connections. Here’s how you can stream, game and work from home with certain speed ranges:

Streaming
Typically you can stream in standard definition with speeds up to 3 Mbps. To stream in 4K or Ultra HD, you’ll need speeds up to 25 Mbps. Streaming services will offer speed recommendations to enjoy the platform in the highest quality. Here are the minimum speeds you need to stream uninterrupted using some of today’s most popular streaming services:

Netflix

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
5 Mbps to stream in high definition
25 Mbps to stream in HDR or 4K
Hulu

3 Mbps to view on-demand titles
8 Mbps to view live TV
AT&T TV NOW

2.5 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps to stream in HD via mobile device
12 Mbps to stream via web browser at home
YouTube TV

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
7 Mbps to stream on one device in HD
13 Mbps to stream in HD on multiple devices
Gaming
Speed recommendations for gaming will vary by the types of games you typically enjoy, but you’ll at least need a minimum of 4 – 8 Mbps in a single user household. A great gaming experience is often dependent on the quality of your internet connection and data transfer rate, so experienced gamers will often go for the fastest speeds they can afford and a connection type with historically low latency.

See more details on minimum speed recommendations by gaming type and how you can maximize your gaming experience.

Working from home
The right internet speeds are paramount to a successful work from home setup, especially during COVID-19’s social distancing restraints. The speeds you require will depend on the type of work you do, but if you plan on video conferencing, checking emails or transferring large files, there are some minimum speed requirements to ensure you can successfully make your home office work for you:

2 Mbps to host a single, dual or triple screen Zoom call
3 – 4 Mbps to email and utilize basic computer programs like Microsoft Word
10 Mbps to host a group Skype video call
40+ Mbps to transfer large files

If you haven't figured it out yet I'm in IT, don't really need an explanation. I think after 43 years on all levels I have a good grasp on what I need.

By the way those numbers are nice but not real. it leaves out much other data that is required to know what line someone needs.

Thanks.

[dewilson58]

I think after 43 years on all levels I have a good grasp on what I need.
Thanks.

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[EdFNJ]

What all that leaves out is the amount of **TIME** it takes to download (as an example) a 32 Gigabyte file or a 1 Gigabyte file for that matter which has absolutely no bearing on what devices you have. If one downloads a lot of files higher speed is most important if time is important. Also the price difference was $10 on my plan from basic 100Mbps to 400Mbps and since I don't smoke, drink, gamble, pay for hookers or buy illegal drugs the $10 was well worth the diff. Why do people buy $50,000 cars instead of $24,000 cars or Million Dollar homes vs. $300K homes or jacked up Golf Carts instead of old fuddy duddy Yamamama ones? Because they can. Do they REALLY need them? In 99% of the cases I think not.



High crazy speeds are over sold and lots of people fall for it.


What can I do with megabit speeds?
Megabit speeds are the standard measurement for broadband connections. Here’s how you can stream, game and work from home with certain speed ranges:

Streaming
Typically you can stream in standard definition with speeds up to 3 Mbps. To stream in 4K or Ultra HD, you’ll need speeds up to 25 Mbps. Streaming services will offer speed recommendations to enjoy the platform in the highest quality. Here are the minimum speeds you need to stream uninterrupted using some of today’s most popular streaming services:

Netflix

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
5 Mbps to stream in high definition
25 Mbps to stream in HDR or 4K
Hulu

3 Mbps to view on-demand titles
8 Mbps to view live TV
AT&T TV NOW

2.5 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps to stream in HD via mobile device
12 Mbps to stream via web browser at home
YouTube TV

3 Mbps to stream in standard definition
7 Mbps to stream on one device in HD
13 Mbps to stream in HD on multiple devices
Gaming
Speed recommendations for gaming will vary by the types of games you typically enjoy, but you’ll at least need a minimum of 4 – 8 Mbps in a single user household. A great gaming experience is often dependent on the quality of your internet connection and data transfer rate, so experienced gamers will often go for the fastest speeds they can afford and a connection type with historically low latency.

See more details on minimum speed recommendations by gaming type and how you can maximize your gaming experience.

Working from home
The right internet speeds are paramount to a successful work from home setup, especially during COVID-19’s social distancing restraints. The speeds you require will depend on the type of work you do, but if you plan on video conferencing, checking emails or transferring large files, there are some minimum speed requirements to ensure you can successfully make your home office work for you:

2 Mbps to host a single, dual or triple screen Zoom call
3 – 4 Mbps to email and utilize basic computer programs like Microsoft Word
10 Mbps to host a group Skype video call
40+ Mbps to transfer large files

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I work in IT as well, and the time factor is noticeable during my work during the day, meaning the amount of time it takes to transfer files and data i can tell if the speed is low or high. . . because fiber is generally NOT assymetrical, meaning cable is high transfer down, and slow transfer up, and sending large files up requires the high bandwidth. . . fiber is much prefered when sending multi gigabyte files to the office servers. . .

that's the reason why IT people sometimes need/want/desire high internet speeds. . . which most retired people generally don't require. . . sorry dewilson. . .

finance guy in IT

[EdFNJ]

I work in IT as well, and the time factor is noticeable during my work during the day, meaning the amount of time it takes to transfer files and data i can tell if the speed is low or high. . . because fiber is generally NOT assymetrical, meaning cable is high transfer down, and slow transfer up, and sending large files up requires the high bandwidth. . . fiber is much prefered when sending multi gigabyte files to the office servers. . .

that's the reason why IT people sometimes need/want/desire high internet speeds. . . which most retired people generally don't require. . . sorry dewilson. . .

finance guy in IT


Yea, and I soooooo miss Fios!

[scottiesrgreat@gmail.com]

I have had bad experience w/Xfinity - when I moved south of 44 - so happy to discover they have Spectrum - not one issue - and no contract.

[JeanC]

We have two streaming devices (2 TVs and no cable. Just internet). Husband works from home with zoom calls. We each have our own iPads and phones all in the same network. Which is spectrum 200. But sometimes I can get up to 300 on speed test.

We stream 7000 live channels on our sticks. Works pretty good.

[nmpettus]

I have Century link fiber Gigabit. Get about 400 mbps off wireless. Free equipment, free install, no problems ever. Had for three years. Cost 65 per month. Check their website to see if your address is served with fiber gigabit. Also they guarantee never to raise the price. I live off Buena Vista north of Savannah Center. Also a geek. Best regards.

[midiwiz]

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

and this is why I always regret chiming in on a forum, there's always someone that really doesn't get it but has to make the comments like they do.

I guess I get to start my 100 reasons I hate The Villages list. Who knows maybe just maybe someone will change that someday.

I'm out, this is ridiculous.

[rsmurano]

I'm an ex high tech geek in the IT sector for over 43 years. There is nothing liker fiber. I had 1000M AT&T fiber for over 5 years before moving here 2 weeks ago. I have a new house and I went with xfinity with 400M speed.
Most people don't realize that fiber is a much better transport than copper, it is quieter if streaming music, and with fiber, you get the same speed up or down. My 400M speed gets me 400M+ down (down from that during the day) and 20M up on a good day.
The other thing to watch out for is your house will probably not be wired for ethernet. My house, they used cat 6 cable but is terminated for phone (using 2 pairs of wire). You would have to get each cable re-terminated for ethernet.

[dewilson58]

that's the reason why IT people sometimes need/want/desire high internet speeds. . . which most retired people generally don't require. . . sorry dewilson. . .

No "sorry" needed at all.
Enjoy your opinions.

Wiz did bits & bites for 40 years.
I had IT departments report to me for ~40 years.
You hit it on the head........"wants & desires".
IT "wants & desires" were rarely a need, in my experience.

Very, Very few Villagers need crazy speeds, it's over sold.

[tuccillo]

Not exactly. TCP/IP packets are sent down the media with error detection and retransmission (all out failure, notwithstanding). You are guaranteed correct data and the data is digital. In The Villages, most people receive internet access via fiber trunks with coax to the house. The exceptions are those in the older sections with DSL over POTS and those with fiber all the way to the house. Whether the last 50 feet from the fiber trunk to your house is fiber or coax won't matter.

You are not guaranteed the same upload and download speed with fiber - it depends on the vendor and the service. For example, I have CenturyLink fiber to the house with 80 mbps download and 40 mbps upload.

Any house constructed within the last decade (or two) most likely has cat 5e or better in the walls. Rewiring the ends to use all 4 pairs for ethernet is trivial to do. Most people don't use ethernet since WiFi is fast enough and reliable enough and easy. The only place I use it is the home run from the ONT to the room where my router is located.

I'm an ex high tech geek in the IT sector for over 43 years. There is nothing liker fiber. I had 1000M AT&T fiber for over 5 years before moving here 2 weeks ago. I have a new house and I went with xfinity with 400M speed.
Most people don't realize that fiber is a much better transport than copper, it is quieter if streaming music, and with fiber, you get the same speed up or down. My 400M speed gets me 400M+ down (down from that during the day) and 20M up on a good day.
The other thing to watch out for is your house will probably not be wired for ethernet. My house, they used cat 6 cable but is terminated for phone (using 2 pairs of wire). You would have to get each cable re-terminated for ethernet.

[Lil GTO]

You can get century link for your internet service and they are fiber in most newer parts of TV and offer 1 gb

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

[toeser]

The only downside to comcast that I've personally experienced, is having to renegotiate the price before your year of "discounted promotion" ends. Trying to talk with anyone there requires more patience than I have, so I end up annoyed by the time someone actually answers the phone.

I always get what I want from them though. It's just an hour of aggravation every year that I would prefer to do without.

I just gave up and left them because of their constant price increases. Interestingly, none of their salespeople made any attempt to have me stay.

[TerriS]

I'm an ex high tech geek in the IT sector for over 43 years. There is nothing liker fiber. I had 1000M AT&T fiber for over 5 years before moving here 2 weeks ago. I have a new house and I went with xfinity with 400M speed.
Most people don't realize that fiber is a much better transport than copper, it is quieter if streaming music, and with fiber, you get the same speed up or down. My 400M speed gets me 400M+ down (down from that during the day) and 20M up on a good day.
The other thing to watch out for is your house will probably not be wired for ethernet. My house, they used cat 6 cable but is terminated for phone (using 2 pairs of wire). You would have to get each cable re-terminated for ethernet.

Thanks I am in IT and I can terminate CAT 6 cable. Looks like most of the new homes are Smart Home ready which according to the realtor means they have 2 ethernet drops. I can likely work with that and add additional ones.

[wlasowicz]

I never talk to them (or Fios or DirecTV or Dish in those days) at renewal time. That's the biggest mistake. ONLY online. I always make sure I have 2 years "new subscriber" contracts by switching between my name and my wife's name every 2 years. Service has never been out for more than an hour when switching accounts, in fact last time (Feb 2021) never had any downtime. Been doing that without issue here and for as long as cable/dsl/fiber had been available up north when we lived there. Was a DirecTV MDU tech support trainer up north for 5 years so never paid for that anyway but learned lots of tricks. :)

Hi How are you able to get a 2 yr price plan? I am near Lake Deaton plaza using Comcast. My patio villa is a rental. I ask for a long term plan and they plan tell only 12 month is available. I play the cat and mouse game with them 1 year its in my wife's name and next year its in mine to get the promotional pricing. I have gone from $55 for 50mbps and 30 channels to $75 100mbps and 10 local streaming channel using my own roku. I would like too just get internet and use the streaming service Locast.org for about $60.00 a year. Comcast will not offer just internet only as a existing customer but as a new customer its available Spectrum I believe is available in my area now With Spectrum I would also have to play the cat and mouse game with them after 12 months
Its ridiculous what charge and they wouldn't give a long term pricing . I use a company here in Rochester NY which is fiber optic into the house a flat $50.00 a month forbase service 500 down and currently due to covid 500 up which I been paying for the 2yr I had the service none of this bs promotional prices
Leo

[Skip]

...Note that Xfinity also has a 1.2Tb data cap so I also took their unlimited service which alacarte cost big bucks ($50iirc) but if you lease their modem it costs only $10 extra which is cheaper than using your own modem and paying the unlimited data fee by about 1/2. And YES, I do need the unlimited service for those who are going to tell me I don't.

EdFNJ: We're about to cut the Comcrap TV cable and keep "Blast Internet" with YouTube TV. How do you find out how much data we use each month?
"$50iirc" ?

TIA, Skip

[Notsocrates]

If you are in an area where CenturyLink has fiber installed, you can get 1GB service for a flat rate of $65 for life, no contract, no taxes, and they give you the modem.

I've had both Xfinity and CenturyLink. Both work very well. When my contract ran out, Xfinity raised my rate by over $50/month... and offered me a "deal" at only $25 more than I was paying. I declined, and got 1GB service for $10 less than Xfinity was offering for 200GB service.

I get 930MB speeds over a hard wired connection, and 560MB over wireless.


You don't need a modem for 1 gb fiber service, just a router.

[jedalton]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)
took advantage of their special a few months ago. 400GB for $50/mth. works great

[LeftyMike]

Century Link 1GB Fiber to your front door. tests at over 900 MB, sometimes as low as 250 MB at wifi laptop. $65/month.

Robotic customer service, but reliable in Oceola Hills.

No Wildwood City property tax1



Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

[COLTempleton]

Check this out - AT&T vs. Xfinity: Compare Internet Service Providers (https://www.xfinity.com/compare/comcast-xfinity-vs-att-internet?dfaid=4053494&cmp=0&cid=4053494)

[KRMACK55]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)
Both spectrum and Xfinity have lousy service. They charge you to go to the box and it’s about $100. If you use the software that calculates the speed you will find all wifi companies here lie about the speeds. In 2 years my cable wifi for one TV went from 127 to 225. The wifi and cable broke down 10 times in 24 months. They also do not prorate your bill. If your service period runs one day over in the month you pay for the extra 29-30 days - no exceptions. The villages prewires for Xfinity however a technician needs to go to the box to convert to spectrum. I’ve had both companies up north however the worst experience in my life is in Florida! Wait until you try to use your cell phone here! If you use Verizon there are 4 companies piggybacking on their hardware and it’s just awful. I’m moving and relieved I don’t have to deal with either ever again. They’re so lazy here you can’t hand in your equipment you have to go to a designated UPS store. Buy as much of your own equipment as possible. The hardware here is also older than God.

[KRMACK55]

Depending on where you end up, Spectrum might also be an option
And they are awful ! I had them up north they were fine but they are crooks here and you can call 5 times and get 5 different answers. No training

[RoadToad]

EdFNJ: We're about to cut the Comcrap TV cable and keep "Blast Internet" with YouTube TV. How do you find out how much data we use each month?
"$50iirc" ?

TIA, Skip

Login to your Xfinity account, look at Devices> data usage .
Poke around a bit... all kinds of knowledge threin.

[wlasowicz]

Both spectrum and Xfinity have lousy service. They charge you to go to the box and it’s about $100. If you use the software that calculates the speed you will find all wifi companies here lie about the speeds. In 2 years my cable wifi for one TV went from 127 to 225. The wifi and cable broke down 10 times in 24 months. They also do not prorate your bill. If your service period runs one day over in the month you pay for the extra 29-30 days - no exceptions. The villages prewires for Xfinity however a technician needs to go to the box to convert to spectrum. I’ve had both companies up north however the worst experience in my life is in Florida! Wait until you try to use your cell phone here! If you use Verizon there are 4 companies piggybacking on their hardware and it’s just awful. I’m moving and relieved I don’t have to deal with either ever again. They’re so lazy here you can’t hand in your equipment you have to go to a designated UPS store. Buy as much of your own equipment as possible. The hardware here is also older than God.

Hi when you said the cable was wired for Xfinity but the tech had to wire at the box for Spectrum. So I assuming that no new cable was run from your junction box into your house ? It is work done on the outside box? I agree both are crap The only advantage with Spectrum is if you have cable tv also and you have a home up north you can stream your Spectrum cable tv thru a app like on the Roku ( out of market) where as Xfinity you have to be in your Xfinity home network

[BlueStarAirlines]

If you haven't figured it out yet I'm in IT, don't really need an explanation. I think after 43 years on all levels I have a good grasp on what I need.

By the way those numbers are nice but not real. it leaves out much other data that is required to know what line someone needs.

Thanks.

I'm in the same boat. I currently have Fios, and can't work unless I have pretty close to gigabit speeds. I have 4-5 separate VPN connections with minimum throughput that have to be up that uses around 600mb plus all the traffic outside of the VPN.

Sorry Dewilson58- Your bullying isn't compensating for your lack of knowledge on this topic.

[dewilson58]

Sorry Dewilson58- Your bullying isn't compensating for your lack of knowledge on this topic.

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Skip]

Login to your Xfinity account, look at Devices> data usage .
Poke around a bit... all kinds of knowledge threin.

Thanks, found it. We average 200-270 GB/month. (And we have been using YouTube TV for the last 2 months in preparation of cutting the cable.) I guess I'm good with their 1229 GB data cap.

Again "$50iirc" means what?

Skip

[rogerk]

We use Xfinity internet and get 800mbs speeds and we don't have their fastest option. It is reliable and stable. Their cable service is also good but expensive. We will try YouTube TV, which we use in our summer home when we get back. You should also be able to get Spectrum internet/cable service but I can't comment on price or quality. I do know that there is fiber optic cables to the house but I don't know who, if anyone, connects to these fiber cables.

[DonnaNi4os]

Don’t go with CenturyLink! They raise your bill monthly. I spent more time on the phone with them than I can tell you. Terrible!

[DonnaNi4os]

The only downside to comcast that I've personally experienced, is having to renegotiate the price before your year of "discounted promotion" ends. Trying to talk with anyone there requires more patience than I have, so I end up annoyed by the time someone actually answers the phone.

I always get what I want from them though. It's just an hour of aggravation every year that I would prefer to do without.

My contract is about to expire. I called to renegotiate this morning and had only a 3 minute wait. Still not satisfied with the price I was quoted but I have 2 weeks to research and try again.

[DonnaNi4os]

Comcast, Spectrum, depending where you are located, also Verizon and T Mobile now offer wireless internet in the Villages.

I had FIOS with Verizon when I lived in NJ. It was by far the best service I’ve had. I wish they were here.

[retiredguy123]

A lot of people make two mistakes when dealing with Xfinity. First of all, they don't know when their contract expires. So, the monthly rate increases and they get mad at Xfinity because they don't realize that it is because they no longer have a contract. And, second, they try to establish a new contract by talking to Xfinity on the phone with someone who is trying to make a huge commission on an upsale. Don't do that. Know when your contract expires, and make a personal appointment with the Xfinity store several weeks in advance of the contract expiration date, so you can meet in person and discuss all of the available discount plans with a live person, face to face.

[tuccillo]

CenturyLink does not raise my monthly bill. I have a "one price for life deal". The price is fixed unless I change the level of service. I do, however, only have internet access with them. I agree that talking on the phone, on the rare occasions when I needed to, was a bit painful. However, their internet service has been reliable and they do deliver the bandwidth they promised.

Don’t go with CenturyLink! They raise your bill monthly. I spent more time on the phone with them than I can tell you. Terrible!

[jrref]

Most of the newer homes have Quantum Fiber all ready at the house. You will see a loop somewhere on the side of your house where the cable comes in. It was owned by Century Link and spun off to Quantum Fiber. $65/month for bi-directional 1Gb internet.

[jimkerr]

Hi I am a Tech geek. I am looking for a house in the Villages and hope to move in soon. I am SOOOO sad that I cannot get ATT&T Gigabit service in The Villages as I have had them for a few years now in GA and love the service. No problems and great price with free HBO Max as well.

Looks like the new houses seem to only have Xfinity so I will likely have to go with that but how are the speeds as it is my understanding with Cable internet you share with other customers so you are never really getting the Highest speed advertised.

Also if and when other services become available it is worth changing?

Thanks in Advance :)

I’m a tech geek too. I have 1.2 GB for my download speed and it’s been very reliable with Xfinity.

[jimkerr]

EdFNJ: We're about to cut the Comcrap TV cable and keep "Blast Internet" with YouTube TV. How do you find out how much data we use each month?
"$50iirc" ?

TIA, Skip

I use the Xfinity app and it shows your monthly usage. You can also login to your router and there will be someplace that can show you your monthly usage.

If you strike out, let me know. I’m happy to help you figure it out.

[wlasowicz]

I am not sure if many of you realize the fastest and greatest internet speed you may have is only as good as the device you are using . Think of this way you pay for a gigabit internet plan but your fastest device whether it be a computer , smart phone , gaming box or streaming device is only able to go as fast 100mbps due to the hardware limitations in the device, so your paying for a extra 900mbps which you'll never use unless you upgrade to a device capable of reaching that speed

[dpmers]

We have centurylink fiber into the house, they call it 1 Gigabit service, typically runs 7 to 800 m/b. Not available in all sections of The Villages. $65/mo for life incl tax

[EdFNJ]

I am not sure if many of you realize the fastest and greatest internet speed you may have is only as good as the device you are using . Think of this way you pay for a gigabit internet plan but your fastest device whether it be a computer , smart phone , gaming box or streaming device is only able to go as fast 100mbps due to the hardware limitations in the device, so your paying for a extra 900mbps which you'll never use unless you upgrade to a device capable of reaching that speedI don't think people who pay for 1GIG or 400Mbs service have devices that old, they usually know what they are doing.

[EdFNJ]

Hi How are you able to get a 2 yr price plan? I am near Lake Deaton plaza using Comcast. My patio villa is a rental. I ask for a long term plan and they plan tell only 12 month is available. I play the cat and mouse game with them 1 year its in my wife's name and next year its in mine to get the promotional pricing. I have gone from $55 for 50mbps and 30 channels to $75 100mbps and 10 local streaming channel using my own roku. I would like too just get internet and use the streaming service Locast.org for about $60.00 a year. Comcast will not offer just internet only as a existing customer but as a new customer its available Spectrum I believe is available in my area now With Spectrum I would also have to play the cat and mouse game with them after 12 months
Its ridiculous what charge and they wouldn't give a long term pricing . I use a company here in Rochester NY which is fiber optic into the house a flat $50.00 a month forbase service 500 down and currently due to covid 500 up which I been paying for the 2yr I had the service none of this bs promotional prices
Leo
Certain packages (usually the ones with the 400Mbps and above) internet tier which I have are 2 years unless it has changed since Mid Feb when I renewed. You also need a TV service as well. NEVER CALL THEM, ALWAYS DO IT ONLINE!

[EdFNJ]

EdFNJ: We're about to cut the Comcrap TV cable and keep "Blast Internet" with YouTube TV. How do you find out how much data we use each month?
"$50iirc" ?

TIA, Skip




Just login to your online account and go to this link: Xfinity xFi (https://internet.xfinity.com/network/advanced-settings/networkusage)


or get the app on your cellphone. This is from my PC.

[Skip]

This is from my PC.

Wow you are getting close to the 1229 GB monthly limit. I see why you would want unlimited service.
One problem users have is that they don't shut down the streaming apps when they are done watching. That means that the app keep streaming all day whether you are watching or not. We make sure we "EXIT" every app (keep going "Back") when we're done viewing.
Thanks for the info.

Skip

[M2inOR]

I'm also a retired tech guy.

Left my 1Gbit FiOS service in Oregon, which provided 2 phone lines, TV, and internet. Fast and reliable, though FiOS was originally Verizon, then Frontier, and was transitioning to Ziply when I left.

Choices in Village of Marsh Bend are limited to Comcast/Xfinity and Spectrum for cable tv/internet. T-Nobike is also marketing cell based Home internet.

I chose Spectrum, and found that the basic 200Mbps service and lowest tier cable TV satisfied my needs, despite my tech background. Reliability is the most important factor for me. I chose Spectrum because of no caps on internet usage. It's been reliable for that. Traded original 2-tuner DVR for a 6-tuner one, so happier when I need to record.

Most tv viewing is streaming, and no problems with basic 200 Mbps service.

Only deficiency is upload speeds, but that is the problem with cable internet technology.

One other thing, I don't use the wifi that Spectrum provides ($5/mo).

Instead I installed my own mesh WiFi network with several hubs spread around the Designer Iris home. Better security.

So... Your internet and tv choices are determined by the Village you choose to move into.

Related, I have ATT for cell service. When I moved here into Marsh Bend in Oct 2019, service sucked. I used my cell hotspot for Internet, and it was ok as an intern solution until Spectrum was available. I located the hotspot near the window that had the best connection. It was just under 100Mbps most of the time. Cell reception for calls varied within the home, and most of the time sucked.

In Spring 2020, ATT upgraded it's towers, and reception within the hole improved greatly, but we had learned to use WiFi calling which works great if your phone has that capability.

We also installed Panasonic Link-to-Cell cordless phones so we didn't need to have our cellphones nearby. The cordless phones act just like a convenient land line even though it's really cell service. Cellphone connects via Bluetooth to Panasonic base station, which in turn connects to cordless handsets with their proprietary wireless tech.

[ldj1938]

I've had TM for about 8 months now. I was on the beta program. I pay $50 a month, no data limit. DL about 100mbs. It can only get better. I had a conversation with an area manager for Comcast and he said there would be no more investment in fibre in TV. The new thing, obviously, will be OTA data reception. Depends on your location. TM will be doing 5G OTA data, Should be like a lightning bolt. Can't wait. I run 3 tvs, 2 ipads, iMac, and PC without problem.

[EdFNJ]

I've had TM for about 8 months now. I was on the beta program. I pay $50 a month, no data limit. DL about 100mbs. It can only get better. I had a conversation with an area manager for Comcast and he said there would be no more investment in fibre in TV. The new thing, obviously, will be OTA data reception. Depends on your location. TM will be doing 5G OTA data, Should be like a lightning bolt. Can't wait. I run 3 tvs, 2 ipads, iMac, and PC without problem.
Assuming you have T-Mo coverage at your location which is the downfall of any cell based data service. I am currently on one of their 30 day "testing" data accounts on my iPhone 12 Pro get 3X the data speeds in LTE than I do in so called 5G. On LTE I get 85Mbps+ DOWNLOAD but .13 (POINT 13) Mbps UPload. On thgeir alleged 5G I get maybe 12-15Mbps DOWNload and virtually ZERO upload. On my current Xfinitiy Mobile (Verizon MVNO) on LTE I get about from 50/20 to 70/30. Don't get any alleged 5G coverage here, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. I could never deal with ANY of them as my home internet service.

[rsmurano]

OP - I feel your pain. I am also a tech geek with 43 years in IT field. I also had 1Gb AT&T fiber in GA for 5 years without 1 issue. I have 400Mb here and its terrible. Copper internet gives you decent download speeds but 1/20th of that for upload. I have a brand new house and the wiring that was put in was CAT6 but they used it for 3 phone lines (2 pairs). I rewired all the cables for rj45 and setup a 2nd router for better wifi coverage because the ISP modem/router doesn't cover the whole house.
I saved around $700 doing the terminations myself instead of the original installer wanting to come in and do it.
I have around 25 devices on my network due to whole house automation, multiple computers, iPads, iPhones, apple watches, door locks, garage doors, ecobee. and other devices