You may want to hold off. I think it's almost April.

I was an RCN customer about 3 years ago. I called to cancel the service because at the time, Verizon was offering a low cost deal. Several days after the RCN cancel call, I received a call from RCN: "This is Vice-President (or something similar) So-and-So. We really want to keep you as a customer. Isn't there anything we can do to keep you?". I wanted to say, "Yes, you could offer me a lower price deal than what I'm paying you now." But I didn't. Am currently using RCN again, at a much lower cost than Verizon. So, you might want to call one more time next week (after the holiday and the weekend) and just say "I'd like to remain a customer but I've done a lot of research and I know many other RCN customers in my area have much better deals in terms of cost/speed".

If you know what salary this potential job opportunity will have, how much will you be able to spend on a "reasonably affordable room"? What will your budget be if you have to pay a portion of utilities such as electric, heat, and/or Internet? I'm assuming you mean having your own bedroom in an apartment with roommates. Also, are you going to own/use a car while you are living in (potentially) Allston-Brighton? There is a Commuter Rail Line (Framingham-Worcester) that includes a stop at Boston Landing which is about a 5-7 minute walk to WGBH. In order to become familiar with the neighborhood I'd suggest visiting it in person and following the walking route you've described (getting off at Allston St, etc) and experiencing it for yourself. Also, definitely check out the Wiki on the right sidebar in the section "Guide to Moving to Boston" for additional information and suggestions.

Have you considered looking on Craigslist? There seems to be quite a selection in a range of prices.