PRINTThe low down on connecting in Columbia
The dollars and cents on ways to get wired in CoMo
March 1, 2010 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Internet competition is fierce. You know the ads. You’ve probably heard a man talking on the radio countless times about his love of Socket. You might even have it memorized. But when it comes to picking which service provider is the best, you still feel in the dark. Don’t fear. Whether it be a hidden set-up fee, a lengthy contract term or a speed slower than your grandma’s dial-up, we can help you avoid any and all of these horrors when looking for the perfect Internet provider.
Tranquility Internet Service
Choose Tranquility if you’re tired of talking to someone who can’t help. “A lot of folks are tired of playing with the phone tree and usually come to us,” General Manager Travis Schumacher says. He says it’s because they’re smaller. Tranquility Internet service includes DSL high-speed Internet, naked DSL and dial-up. DSL runs with your existing phone line while naked DSL can stand alone. This is a great solution for those too hip for a home phone. Dial-up is available to customers who are outside the DSL range.
You should call for specific pricing, but here are some loose highs and lows.
• Dial-up ranges from $9.95 to $19.95 a month.
• DSL (with an existing phone line) ranges from $49.95 to $89.95, depending on the speeds, which can top out at 15 megabits, and certain areas. Speed is transferred in bits. There are 1,024 kilobits in 1 megabit.
• Naked DSL ranges from $39.95 to $54.95, also depending on the speed, which can get up to 6 megabits.
CenturyLink
If you are tired of your neighbor stealing all the bandwidth, switch to CenturyLink. “It’s dedicated to me, and I don’t have to share,” says Stephen Rawlings, a CenturyLink customer. Services offered are DSL (in a bundle) or Pure Broadband. DSL must be purchased with the company’s phone service, but you can purchase Pure Broadband without a phone line. Contract terms depend on the promotions, but typically they are one year.
Promos are always being offered, but base prices follow:
• DSL is $29.99 for 768 kilobits, $39.99 for 1.5 megabits, or $49.99 for 3-10 megabits.
• Pure Broadband is $49.95 for 1.5 megabits and $59.95 for 3-10 megabits.
Socket
Socket donates 5 percent of each client’s monthly home phone bill and bundle bills to the charity of his or her choice, including local organizations, so if you care about giving back, this is your provider. Socket offers DSL and naked DSL. However, Socket does not offer a phone line, so you must have an existing home phone for regular DSL. No contract terms are necessary. No need to be a wiring genius, either — Socket will send a technician to set everything up. “Our tech support team is just in the other room,” Stephanie Rosskopf, Socket’s marketing manager, says.
The prices at Socket are standard rates, not promos. Prices include taxes and surcharges:
• Naked DSL is $40 a month for 3 megabits.
• DSL is $39.95, plus what you pay your phone company.
Mediacom
If you are impatient, this is the service provider for you. Mediacom recently introduced Ultra 50, a newer, faster high-speed Internet service, to Columbia. Users must pay $99 for installment, but that includes a new router and set-up. Mediacom user Jonathan Sessions says his experience with Ultra 50 has been impressive. “It’s provided me with the ability to get work done faster at home then at the office,” he says. In addition, a normal speed cable Internet service is available. While Ultra 50 gives customers 50 megabits per second downstream, normal speed gives them 12.
The following prices are if you also have digital cable television with Mediacom. Add $15 if you don’t.
• Mediacom Online Intro for people who aren’t sure they need the crazy-fast speeds is $29.95 for 3 megabits.
• Mediacom Online is 12 megabits for $47.95.
• Mediacom Online Max for 20 megabits is $59.95.
• And the Mac Daddy of Internet options, Ultra 50, which offers 50 megabits download and 5 megabits upload, is available for a one-year intro rate of $99.99.
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