Frontier rental charges

**~bs** · 01-08-2019, 12:12 PM

normally better to buy the box. the only problem is if they upgrade their system and your box is obsolete. but the pricing almost always works out to buy. try check ebay, buy used for cheaper. but also see if they will accept you geting your own router from a 3rd party first.

**Gailete** · 01-08-2019, 03:22 PM

We own our box. When we first moved here we were on dial-up which is the last thing you want when running a business online! We had two landlines as inevitably a mouse/squirrel/chipmunk would chew on a wire and one of the lines would go down. Finally managed to be selling enough to be able to afford a satellite as cable ends a mile away. If snow covers the dish we have no internet, right before a storm hits we lose it for about 20-30 minutes. For charges, we are at their mercy. At least we can charge it off to business as we only have the internet with it, no TV.

**Thrif-t** · 01-08-2019, 05:10 PM

I have cable and internet. Use the cable's modem, $7.50 mo Rental fee (is this the same as a box??) and we have our own wi-fi router.

I guess I could buy my own modem but honestly I don't want the hassle. We have our phone through them too and when there's a problem they have to fix it. If I had my own equipment it would always be my fault something wasn't working even if it was because of them.

I'm at a place in my life where I can afford to pay $90 a year not to have the hassle.

**kork13** · 01-08-2019, 08:36 PM

Sounds to me like a (false) cop out by a sales rep trying to keep the gravy train rolling. I'd challenge the fee, and tell them that I'll call them if I have a problem with their cable box, and they can bill me at that point.... But not until.

**msomnipotent** · 01-09-2019, 06:26 AM

WOW was charging us a $5 monthly fee for line insurance, which is what it sounds like Frontier is starting to charge. I declined, so they charged me $100 for a tech to come out when their internet speed was 19 mbps when I was paying for 100 mbps, and he couldn't fix it. Needless to say, I canceled the service and they didn't care. I think it is nuts to have to pay a company extra to make sure they provide you the service you are already paying for, like paying for insurance in case the post office loses your package.

When we switched to Comcast, we decided to rent the cable modem since we had high speed and the boxes were over $300 each at the time. Now that the prices have come down, I'm thinking of just buying one and taking the rental back. But every time we do, the cable modem breaks and we have to buy another one. It usually comes out as a wash for us between buying and renting.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 01-09-2019, 11:33 AM

After asking to talk to a manager and getting hung up on I managed to talk to someone else. This is a new 1/1/19 charge $5 a month for 9 months then $10 a month permenently. It is not for box rental. It is to pay a tech to come out to fix things if things go wrong.

I already own a box, given to us by the previous owners. BUT now it no longer counts for free wi-fi router. Because my account does NOT show a $200 paid in full box fee. If anything happens we would pay out of pocket for a technician to come out. So unless I buy another box from them and show I bought it I am charged a fee for a box I already own no matter what. This is a new fee that anyone with internet has to pay. This has nothing to do with cable tv. So just internet we have to pay the fee. I hate monopolies. drives me crazy they can do this.

I told my husband last night and he said rent the box. He bets that in 2 years they'll upgrade or change boxes and charge us the fee again and say the old box we bought won't work. He's pretty sure that's what will happen.

**kork13** · 01-09-2019, 05:10 PM

I'd look into a new provider. But that's just me, and I'm kind of spiteful and obstinate.

**disneysteve** · 01-09-2019, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by kork13 View Post

I'd look into a new provider. But that's just me, and I'm kind of spiteful and obstinate.

Many areas only have one cable provider and maybe one fiber optic provider. It isn�t like you�ve got a lot of choices and they know it.

**kork13** · 01-09-2019, 10:51 PM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Many areas only have one cable provider and maybe one fiber optic provider. It isn�t like you�ve got a lot of choices and they know it.

Yes, sort of. That dynamic is starting to change, especially in larger/more developed areas. Most everywhere, you generally have the options of either DSL or cable internet. Many cities are also starting to add fiber optic, and then you get into the wireless side -- especially as 5G comes online, whole-home internet can be handled over a cellular network. It's not widely available yet, but it's coming. All I'm saying is that options exist (albeit perhaps with slower speeds, or higher cost), and I'm not so attached to my blazing fast internet that I'll tolerate being bullied by a company.

**~bs** · 01-09-2019, 11:02 PM

more options are always better. in areas with only 1 provider, their pricing and attitude is that of a company with a monopoly. You get shoddy service and quality of internet/cable connection at an inflated price. As soon as you bring in at least 1 other competitor, they start to shape up.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 01-10-2019, 12:16 PM

we have only one choice. my husband is betting in 5 years we'll have options

Frontier rental charges