There is an actual technical reason for coax networks not being able to provide symmetrical speeds. It has to do with what frequencies (channels) are dedicated to data uplink, data downlink, and cable TV. Cable TV is still the cash cow for coax providers, and installing appropriate channel splitters network-wide to reallocate higher-bandwidth channels to data uplink would result in days or weeks of downtime for cable subscribers, not to mention the crippling amount of money in new hardware. It is a consequence of how the networks were physically built when providers thought that cable and download speeds were all anyone needed; it’s not just a software switch they can flip if they wanted to.
Spectrum still sucks, but asymmetrical Internet speeds are not one of the things they suck at on purpose.
It makes sense when you think about it, upstream is typically in the like 5-40mhz range, where downstream/tv is in the 40mhz-1ghz range. The splitting and routing is done at the analog level, similar to how a low-pass filter routes low frequencies to a subwoofer in a high-end audio setup.
You can’t just have a hardware low pass filter start filtering upstream traffic above what the equipment is designed for, and with frequencies that low there just isn’t the bandwidth for the throughput people want.
I mean, they have the money. They could build their own fiber network. They already have the permits, pole access, equipment, maintenance network, distribution network, utility boxes, etc. that they could leverage to build a truly modern network infrastructure in parallel to their outdated coaxial one if they wanted to stay relevant in this century, but they don’t. They stick with their shitty cable and its shitty uplink limitations and let much smaller third parties spend all that money to get their own permits, equipment, etc. and build their own fiber networks that can actually deliver the performance people want. Then Spectrum cries like the crybaby they are when everyone abandons their ancient infrastructure when competition arrives. Hell no I don’t want to stick around for your lame “gigabit” cable with a pathetic 20mbps uplink.
I had to yell at them on the phone to cancel when I switched to symmetric gigabit fiber last summer after over a decade of 200/20 Spectrum. They said “but wait we can offer gigabit too” and I said that what they were selling was theoretically impossible to match what I had. Garbage company selling inferior product. I’m glad they’re starting to see real competition in more and more places from smaller fiber companies.
It is a consequence of how the networks were physically built when providers thought that cable and download speeds were all anyone needed; it’s not just a software switch they can flip if they wanted to.
This is true of so much of our infrastructure in the US.
Not bandwidth speeds specifically but just aging infrastructure that was built out long ago and not properly maintained and/or updated over time
Nice, was it easy to talk them into the 5 year or is it standard? Spectrum is $79 and getting tired of it. Any comments on the equipment costs or suggestions?
At&t does the non-intro rate as standard for fiber. I’m not sure about other vendors, but it seems like maybe they’ve realized that most people are wise to their game at this point and have dropped the charade.
It’s included with the total for me. I only have two items on my bill: the exact amount they quoted me for 500/500 fiber, and tax.
And I mean, it’s only been three months, so I’m not willing to get an AT&T tattoo yet or anything, but they are at least being above-board about everything so far.
Agreed so hard. It took me weeks to get Spectrum to take it off my bill after the installer refused to take it back with him. I even drove it to their office and plopped it down on their desk. I couldn’t believe they were being so shady about $5. So far no such problem here.
Only to business/enterprise customers AFAIK. It’s actually rock solid in terms of reliability in my experience with a couple dozen customers in the Midwest. Even their residential coax connections are fiber-uplinked from the nearest switch, and are reasonably reliable.
Edit: None of which is to suggest that they aren’t still a shitty company in terms of their other business practices. They once included guest hotspots with every new business installation that used their customers’ power to sell more Spectrum services to anyone within WiFi range.
Fiber internet gang rise up! I would very much enjoy the death of spectrum
Yeah i went from a speed of 10 mbps upload to a speed of 300 mbps upload thanks to fiber
There is an actual technical reason for coax networks not being able to provide symmetrical speeds. It has to do with what frequencies (channels) are dedicated to data uplink, data downlink, and cable TV. Cable TV is still the cash cow for coax providers, and installing appropriate channel splitters network-wide to reallocate higher-bandwidth channels to data uplink would result in days or weeks of downtime for cable subscribers, not to mention the crippling amount of money in new hardware. It is a consequence of how the networks were physically built when providers thought that cable and download speeds were all anyone needed; it’s not just a software switch they can flip if they wanted to.
Spectrum still sucks, but asymmetrical Internet speeds are not one of the things they suck at on purpose.
That’s interesting. I knew coax wasn’t symmetrical but never know why.
It makes sense when you think about it, upstream is typically in the like 5-40mhz range, where downstream/tv is in the 40mhz-1ghz range. The splitting and routing is done at the analog level, similar to how a low-pass filter routes low frequencies to a subwoofer in a high-end audio setup.
You can’t just have a hardware low pass filter start filtering upstream traffic above what the equipment is designed for, and with frequencies that low there just isn’t the bandwidth for the throughput people want.
I mean, they have the money. They could build their own fiber network. They already have the permits, pole access, equipment, maintenance network, distribution network, utility boxes, etc. that they could leverage to build a truly modern network infrastructure in parallel to their outdated coaxial one if they wanted to stay relevant in this century, but they don’t. They stick with their shitty cable and its shitty uplink limitations and let much smaller third parties spend all that money to get their own permits, equipment, etc. and build their own fiber networks that can actually deliver the performance people want. Then Spectrum cries like the crybaby they are when everyone abandons their ancient infrastructure when competition arrives. Hell no I don’t want to stick around for your lame “gigabit” cable with a pathetic 20mbps uplink.
I had to yell at them on the phone to cancel when I switched to symmetric gigabit fiber last summer after over a decade of 200/20 Spectrum. They said “but wait we can offer gigabit too” and I said that what they were selling was theoretically impossible to match what I had. Garbage company selling inferior product. I’m glad they’re starting to see real competition in more and more places from smaller fiber companies.
This is true of so much of our infrastructure in the US.
Not bandwidth speeds specifically but just aging infrastructure that was built out long ago and not properly maintained and/or updated over time
I’ve seen advertisements fiber internet is in my area (Frontier), starting price is $59, guessing the price goes up eventually?
I have gigabit fiber and am locked in with a price of $59 a month for at least 5 years.
Nice, was it easy to talk them into the 5 year or is it standard? Spectrum is $79 and getting tired of it. Any comments on the equipment costs or suggestions?
In my case it is the default and there is no need to negotiate the rate.
Oh nice 👍 are there monthly equipment charges? I do know there’s different equipment.
Nope, not for my ISP.
Thanks, you’ve helped a lot in convincing me to switch. 👍
At&t does the non-intro rate as standard for fiber. I’m not sure about other vendors, but it seems like maybe they’ve realized that most people are wise to their game at this point and have dropped the charade.
Good to know! So are there monthly equipment charges? I do know there’s different equipment for fiber.
It’s included with the total for me. I only have two items on my bill: the exact amount they quoted me for 500/500 fiber, and tax.
And I mean, it’s only been three months, so I’m not willing to get an AT&T tattoo yet or anything, but they are at least being above-board about everything so far.
Oh that’s better, I hate “modem rental fees”. Knowing there aren’t any seems to good to be true these days lol.
Agreed so hard. It took me weeks to get Spectrum to take it off my bill after the installer refused to take it back with him. I even drove it to their office and plopped it down on their desk. I couldn’t believe they were being so shady about $5. So far no such problem here.
Oh it is $79 now, sure. But next month it will be $84. The next month after that it will be $89.
Doesn’t Spectrum offer fiber?
Only to business/enterprise customers AFAIK. It’s actually rock solid in terms of reliability in my experience with a couple dozen customers in the Midwest. Even their residential coax connections are fiber-uplinked from the nearest switch, and are reasonably reliable.
Edit: None of which is to suggest that they aren’t still a shitty company in terms of their other business practices. They once included guest hotspots with every new business installation that used their customers’ power to sell more Spectrum services to anyone within WiFi range.
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it’s so wild to me that america still views fiber as a new thing, it’s been standard in the nordics for like… 10 years maybe?