Internet Options

Submitted by lama_drama99 t3_z0zd69 in Maine

Best internet for Bangor/Hampden area? Currently have spectrum but I'm wondering if there's cheaper options that don't suck and what others experiences are.

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[deleted] t1_ix857vz wrote

[deleted]

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BigMu1952 t1_ix85m8f wrote

Do you have fidium? I’ve been debating on trying them.

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spaceghostinme t1_ix8dbyk wrote

Same. Have been using Fidium since August. It works great. No real issues.

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9wild9 t1_ix8n15c wrote

1gig for $70 a month?

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spaceghostinme t1_ix8s8lc wrote

Correct! Thought about the 2 Gig option, but couldn't really justify it right now. 1 has been good enough so far.

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[deleted] t1_ix87njy wrote

[deleted]

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XStateAlchemist t1_ix89t3r wrote

Had an install about 2 months ago for Fidium, the techs (or at least mine) don't seem to know that they swapped to DHCP instead of PPPOE recently. I was told you could only use their equipment however after the initial setup I just gave them a ring and had them put my router MAC in and had no issue with it popping right on and grabbing IPs without issue. So relatively painless now in my experience!

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DidDunMegasploded t1_ix9szyx wrote

They're run by Consolidated Communications which is infamous for being slow, so I'd go with GoNetSpeed instead.

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Shambud t1_ix9vi3c wrote

I’m in southern Maine and use GoNetSpeed fiber. 100% recommend them over Spectrum.

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Yourbubblestink t1_ix852q0 wrote

Currently spectrum sucks and it’s a monopoly here

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Maughlin t1_ix8j0y1 wrote

It's actually horrible. The prices are significantly higher here than they are in other states for faster speeds.

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tmssmt t1_ix9evxt wrote

To be fair to spectrum, it costs more for them per customer to operate here

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eljefino t1_ixa6oea wrote

To be fair to me, Spectrum offers 300 mbits/sec in Sanford but 20 in Standish. They inherited the circa 2002 Adelphia lines and made no investments in them since then.

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tmssmt t1_ixa6vag wrote

I just got a free upgrade last year from 100 to 400

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demalo t1_ix86h4w wrote

Fidium is in spots up in Bangor.

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sohikes t1_ix8538q wrote

Have you looked into Starlink?

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Ironbird207 t1_ix8qhzh wrote

Not cheaper by any means. Starlink is great if there is nothing else as it's $110 a month plus $600+ to install YOURSELF. Shows how awful internet monopolies are in the states as in Europe with competition the same EXACT service is half the cost.

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sohikes t1_ix8r1qd wrote

I’d personally rather give Starlink/Elon my money instead of companies like Comcast and Spectrum

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DrDeason t1_ix8ucs1 wrote

We’re doing Fidium in Bangor for $35 on the 50 mbs plan. Honestly I don’t see any difference from that of the 200 mbs I had with Spectrum but I don’t do much more than streaming 4K movies and normal internet functions. When I called to cancel Spectrum offered to reduce the bill to $45 as I recall, but that was too little too late for me.

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Good_Cookie3258 t1_ixa0fps wrote

See if you can get the T-mobile 5G. I switched from Xfinity over 8 months ago. Granted I can almost see the 5G tower. I get 400 mbps down consistently and about 75 mbps up. All for $50 a month.

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katahdindave t1_ixa1o4r wrote

RedZone is a great choice and a Maine based company. It works off of cell phone towers. They'll come to your house and confirm that the signal strength is good enough and then put up a small antenna on your house. Our antenna is less than 12 in x 12 in in size. We've had them for close to 3 years and have been very happy with them.

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eigenstien t1_ixa7ian wrote

Second vote for Redzone. Solid local company.

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SavingsInevitable t1_ix88c41 wrote

Check out TDS and see if it offers fiber at your address. We have it and it’s great.

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mymaineaccount46 t1_ix8hoak wrote

I use starlink near Bangor. Works well for the most part. Would be probably perfect if you have enough clear space to get a good view of the sky.

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mainething t1_ix8iwlq wrote

If you qualify, Spectrum has an $18 34 down 4 up plan

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lama_drama99 OP t1_ix8lyl2 wrote

We have had spectrum for 4 years, I'm just looking at other options but even with their prices going up I'm still thinking they'll be the cheapest for better internet speeds.

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aluredus t1_ix8linb wrote

Big fan of Premium Choice Broadband. They’re local and we’ve never had serious issues with them. I believe they’re up in the Bangor area, though I’m in Southern Maine.

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GuanoLoopy t1_ix8sx0d wrote

What about TMobile or Verizon? If you have service from them you can get home mobile broadband. T-Mobile i know is only $50/month.

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FatRedDragons t1_ix8tvsf wrote

I have fidium in Bangor and I love it. 900+ mb all the time, never had any losses of service in the past three months

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lama_drama99 OP t1_ix8uw8c wrote

How much is that per month?

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FatRedDragons t1_ix8vdb1 wrote

$70/mo for 12 months then $95

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lama_drama99 OP t1_ix8vnjm wrote

I'm looking too lower our bill if we switch. $70 for thr first year is good but $95 a month for only 2 of us is a little too much for me lol

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FatRedDragons t1_ix8vsyk wrote

Maybe try it out for the 12 months then cancel and put it in the other person's name 😜

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DidDunMegasploded t1_ix9swi4 wrote

We're getting GoNetSpeed. Tried looking up stuff about Fidium but no one anywhere has said jack shit on it other than the fact that it's run by Consolidated Communications which is known for being infamously slow. So I would be very wary about getting Fidium.

As a final nail in the coffin--not that we needed one--we just had an Internet outage that Spectrum refused to do shit about. Thought it was our 5-year-old modem or bad weather hitting the utility pole in our yard...turned out to be an issue down at the other end of the street with a box that they finally got off their asses and fixed after enough people complained. They wouldn't come and fix the issue until Tuesday, they told us...which is horseshit.

So yeah. GoNetSpeed. We went with that. Good prices, highly recommend.

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Silent_Can_1647 t1_ixackr3 wrote

Depending on income there is a program here in Maine for free Internet You keep your same Internet just answer a couple questions I haven't paid for my Internet in 2 years

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jonesyje t1_ixb1pcy wrote

T-mobile home internet.

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