Changing Internet Service so I can spend more time on myLot!
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
United States
December 13, 2015 11:39am CST
OK, ladies and gentlemen....I won't have to cut back on my myLot time!
I contacted HughesNet and spoke to a representative who walked me through the entire process of satellite internet. Since this is my only other option it be far cheaper than paying Verizon $400 a month.
I picked a data plan of $59.99 and will rent the equipment for $9.99 a month - unlimited usage...no data overage charges...one monthly bill for $70 (plus tax of course) but it won't change from month to month. Plus, I will get a discount on my DirectTV bill. And they have a special on the installation which will save me $50.
I told the representative I had to talk to Verizon first to find out how much it will cost me to get out of their plan. I spoke with a Verizon rep or about 30 minutes and found out I will pay a termination fee of $105 to drop them...which will be money well spent. I didn't cancel yet, I will do that after HughesNet is installed.
She looked at the history of how much time I spent online for the last 6 months and my time hasn't increased, so she doesn't understand how my bill doubled. She also agreed that Verizon is the most expensive internet there is.
Now I am waiting for HugheNet to call me back. I have already been approved so I just need to tell him to set it up for Wednesday and start saving me money!
I know, there are some problems with satellite internet also but at least I won't be paying through the nose.
25 people like this
24 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Dec 15
It is always preferable to have a plan that requires a fixed amount each month and certainly helps with planning expenses. I find the concept of charging the customer to cancel a service to be outrageous, yet most companies do this and accrue easy money. Imagine having to pay your regular grocery store for the privilege of shopping elsewhere, but the concept is the same.
5 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
Some stores charge a 'restocking' fee if you return an item, so I guess that's the same idea...but $105 to get out of Verizon is a bargain.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill The fact that you have paid for whatever service you used should be sufficient, without being charged for not using it.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill Most people are and it also something that we cannot avoid.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
Thanks!!!
It will be installed Wednesday morning, so I'll probably be offline until the afternoon - depending on how fast they get here. The previous owener had satellite internet so the cables are already in place inside. And there is a dish on the roof, which they will switch I'm sure.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (159653)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Dec 15
Glad you found something less costly. Hope it works out for you.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159653)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill ...Oh, I hope that the cost doesn't go up after the two years.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
@celticeagle I imagine it will - doesn't everything.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
Thanks, I hope so too since I have to stick with them for two years.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
$70 compared to $400- that's cheap.
1 person likes this
@marijuana (570)
• Tel Aviv, Israel
13 Dec 15
I hope your next provider will be a lot more satisfactory :)
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
If it isn't I will have to give up!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Dec 15
that sounds like a good plan, 70 dollars is a far cry from 400
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
@fishtiger58 No, the last final bill for Verizon - with overages I have no clue what it will be.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
It sure is! I know the current bill is gong to be high, but hopefully not that high.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill If it's a set price and it's unlimited it should be what you expect.
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
13 Dec 15
I don't know much about the satellite internet, but hopefully it works fine for you. That's really a big difference between the two service providers. At least you don't need to worry how much time you have spent online and you can always use it "freely".
I can't imagine you need to pay so much for termination fee. 
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
14 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill Yes, you are right. It's still better than paying so much monthly and worrying about the usage of Internet. 
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
The termination fee is $105. I can't wait to switch so I won't have to think about overages ever again.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
@kaka135 I can' wait to get it Wednesday so I can stop worrying.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
14 Dec 15
It seems by changing service provider you will be saving lots of money. Even if there may be some problems with the new service provider, it will be much cheaper to spend money on it. As regards speed is concerned, this you could only come to know when you get the new internet installed in your home.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
15 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill - Yes, you will save money on the new connection, in that case even if the speed is slow, you will be able to manage.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
15 Dec 15
@dpk262006 As long as I will be paying much less I can deal with a slower connection, if that even happens.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
Exactly, I won't know until I start using it. And if it is a little slower than what I have now, that will be ok since I will pay a flat fee.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
Thank you, I like being able to save money and I won't know how well it works until I get it.
@LadyDuck (459742)
• Switzerland
13 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill I agree 70$ is much better than 400$. This is incredibly expensive.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@LadyDuck Yes, I almost passed out when I opened the bill last week.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
Our Direct TV bill is about $115/month that's separate from internet satellite. But 70 is far better than $400.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
15 Dec 15
Well, good on you, Abby! It is always nice to cut a bill down to size!
Uhm... I do wonder why your internet service is so high, though... You are paying well beyond what I pay for very good high speed internet! (Our bill is $45 a month. We get unlimited internet, which is a good thing since PrettyEvil (my daughter) uses almost 700 GB's a month working online.)
We were not charged installation fees, nor would we pay a termination fee if we decided to change service providers...
I think somebody is ripping you off!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
15 Dec 15
When they upgraded the towers my speed increased, and when speed increased data usage increased. Of course they don't tell you that until you scream and yell at them. Verizon is a rip off.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
I had to use what was available at the time. As a matter of fact when I ordered the HughesNet there were only 3 slots left for our area. So I was lucky to be able to get this.
1 person likes this
@anh101 (1379)
•
14 Dec 15
OMG, the internet fee in America is so high, but I am happy to hear that you've get the deal that you want. Actually, in my country, i can spend 4 to 10$ monthly fee for internet bill. And in my house there will be only me to use the internet, that mean the modem is mine. So i can use the service around 7$/month and its good already. In VN the fee is not so high like other country. with you 105$, that's my internet fee for the whole year i think
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
You really do get cheap internet, good for you!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Dec 15
I have verizon and I pay $100 a month and that included the wifi box.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
HugehsNet doesn't sell routers but I can get one for about $30 if I decide I want one, but I probably don't.
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
13 Dec 15
When you say Verizon, I assume you have... had FIOS? A fiber optic network is a lot faster than cable or satellite, but hopefully, it will work for your purposes.
The problem with Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, any of them, is that they offer you these great deals to sign up, but you will slowly see your bill get highter and higher regardless of your usage. It is almost impossible to find out up front what the 'bottom line' is going to be when the promotional period ends. I know. I've tried. No, you just get blindsided by significant increases in your monthly bills.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
I have a Verizon Jetpack - I am in the country. Verizon never offered a promotion gimmick - I've had it since around 2003. My plan was 80/20 ($80 internet, $20 phone) and I went above every month and was paying $175 - then $195. We don't have cable out here, if we did I would have gotten it years ago.
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill Ohhhhh... I see. Oh yeah, it sucks with no broadband access. I was on dial-up forever and that just doesn't work anymore. I am unfamiliar with the Jetpack, so I looked it up. So, from what I understand, it is a router that allows you to use it as a mobile hotspot? CNET does say it is an expensive way to go and data plans are limited, it is more suitable to travelers.
My sister uses Hughes.net where she lives also because of no broadband access. Absolutely, you will see a BIG difference in costs!
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@LaDeBoheme That's why I got the Jetpack years ago. Also when I got it many hotels, etc. did have free wifi so when we traveled I could take mine with me. Now almost everyone has free wifi.
@infatuatedbby (94921)
• United States
13 Dec 15
Great news! You'd be saving a lot money!!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
I sure will be and I can't wait!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
Thank you very much - I hope so too but even if it is a little slower it will cost a lot less.
@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
14 Dec 15
Wow, I never get used to how expensive ISPs are in US.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
13 Dec 15
I would deff want to know if my usage hadn't gone up why they had been charging me more.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
They still can't explain it to me ... it doesn't make sense does it.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@Jessicalynnt That's classified information LOL
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
13 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill not whatsoever, I would want an itemized bill but doubt they even have that
1 person likes this
@just4him (307744)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Dec 15
I'd be interested to know what your total Internet/DirecTV bill is going to be with the discount. To me it still sounds high. I'm with Time Warner and my bill is high at $70 and that includes my phone. At least I think it's high when I hear commercials for other services that are a lot cheaper.
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
I have to use what is available in this area. I live in the boonies...there is no cable here.
My HughesNet bill will be $70 (plus tax) a month
I don't know what the amount of discount is that I will get on my Direct TV. Direct TV bill is high, we're paying close to $125/month.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Dec 15
@just4him That is our entertainment - we don't go to movies or things like that. We are both TV people so for us it's ok. And $200 is far less than what I've been paying for satellite and internet the last 3 or 4 years.
1 person likes this
@just4him (307744)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill So then your bill will be almost $200 total for Internet and satellite. Too bad it's the only thing in your area where you live. I'm on a very strict budget and couldn't do that.
