{"id":3277,"date":"2023-03-16T08:04:15","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T15:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/?p=3277"},"modified":"2023-03-16T08:04:15","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T15:04:15","slug":"dont-overbuy-how-to-save-money-on-your-internet-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/dont-overbuy-how-to-save-money-on-your-internet-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Don&#8217;t overbuy: How to save money on your internet service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Updated March 2023:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Now that the wireless carriers are offering Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Internet service in many areas, there&#8217;s more choices for internet speeds and service levels. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You may be able to downgrade the speed provided by your current Internet provider to save money with little or no noticeable difference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consider bundling home Internet and wireless service to save money.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"An Antivirus Will Not Protect You from User Error\" class=\"wp-image-3250\" width=\"551\" height=\"364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bigstock-Cyber-Security-Technology-And-413790449.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Internet service is sold and priced at the speed of the internet connection you can expect at your Internet Service Provider\u2019s (ISP) modem\/gateway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of July 2022 in Reno, Charter\u2019s Spectrum service offers download speeds of 300 Megabits per second (Mbps), 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps or often referred 1 Gig). AT&amp;T\u2019s xDSL Internet service offers slower download speeds ranging from less than 1 Mbps to 100 Mbps, and speeds up to 5000 Mbps (5 Gbps) on their fiber-to-the-home service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In July 2022, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/new-option-for-home-internet-service-should-you-switch\/\" target=\"_blank\">T-Mobile began offering wireless home internet service<\/a> &#8211; Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) -with download speeds advertised at 33-182 Mbps &#8211; which is fast enough to stream UHD\/4K video quality. By late 2023 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/5g\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\">Verizon<\/a> and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.att.com\/internet\/internet-air\/upgrade\/\" target=\"_blank\">AT&amp;T<\/a> are expected to offer FWA in the Reno area with download speeds varying from 25-300 Mbps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>FWA is cheaper, but less reliable<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thought FWA is often cheaper, unlike xDSL, Cable or Fiber Internet, FWA can be less reliable since the service is shared with hundreds or thousands of other users in your area using the same cell tower\/node. Therefore speeds during peak times can become congested, or during an extended power outage you could temporarily lose service altogether. Before considering FWA, check out <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectrum.com\/resources\/internet-wifi\/the-truth-about-5g-home-internet\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;5G&#8221; Home Internet vs. Spectrum Internet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You could possibly save money by choosing a slower Internet speed plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, higher speeds will cost more money. Count on spending at least $50\/month for reliable internet service, but anything above $85\/month is probably unnecessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Faster internet speeds do not make your computer faster.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your computer seems slow, <a href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/reno-computer-repair-contact\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact Computer Techs<\/a> before calling your ISP to increase your internet speed \u2013 because it\u2019s likely that the bottleneck is with your computer. Internet speed only affects how fast web pages load in your web browser, or how clear and smoothly videos stream to your device. If your computer is slow to start or open programs \u2013 that has nothing to do with your internet speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Speeds are guaranteed at the router\/gateway \u2013 not at your device.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you subscribe to an internet service plan at 1 Gbps or more, don\u2019t expect to see those speeds on a Wi-Fi connected device. Wi-Fi speeds vary by frequency and distance from your wireless router. On the 2.4 GHz frequency Wi-Fi band, you\u2019ll rarely get speeds near 100 Mbps due to its narrow bandwidth channels and interference from neighbor Wi-Fi networks in most areas that limit the connection speed. The 5 GHz band\u2019s wide bandwidth channels can achieve speeds of 800 Mbps or more, but only if you\u2019re within approximately 20 feet and line-of-sight to the wireless router\/gateway. Once you go to another room or move further away, speeds begin to fall off dramatically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why pay for gigabit internet speeds if your wireless devices can\u2019t deliver speeds that fast?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s typically no reason for the average family household to subscribe to gigabit internet speeds, because most wireless devices currently can\u2019t transfer data as fast as a gigabit internet connection. An exception would be is if you regularly do video calls where your video quality depends on the upload speed of your internet service. Cable and xDSL Internet speed plans have considerably lower upload speeds, which are a fraction of the download speed of your plan. You may need to subscribe to a considerably higher speed plan to achieve the desired uploads speeds for video calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do you need speeds above 100 Mbps? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Video streaming uses the most bandwidth on your network. In order to be able to download and view video streaming clear and interruption free, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/help.netflix.com\/en\/node\/306\" target=\"_blank\">Netflix recommends<\/a> that you should have a 25 Mbps connection (at your TV or device) to stream their highest quality video \u2013 Ultra HD or 4K. In theory, if you\u2019ve got a 100 Mbps internet connection, you could simultaneously stream four 4K movies with ease. But if your TV is across the house from your internet gateway\/router, your TV could be getting speeds far below the recommended speeds for streaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The bottleneck \u2013 your WiFi connection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there\u2019s lots of distance or walls between your internet gateway\/Wi-Fi router and your devices, and you\u2019re experiencing wireless speeds that aren\u2019t keeping up with your advertised internet connection speed, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/is-it-time-to-replace-your-wi-fi\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"575\" target=\"_blank\">you may need to replace your Wi-Fi<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Consider bundling your home Internet with wireless to save money<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To save money consider bundling home Internet and mobile service. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spectrum.com\/packages\/spectrum-one\" target=\"_blank\">Spectrum<\/a> offers discounts when bundling home Internet and WiFi, with their Spectrum Mobile service which uses the Verizon cell network. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.att.com\/offers\/internet-wireless-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AT&amp;T<\/a> offers a 25% discount when bundling home Internet and wireless services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We can help you save money on Internet service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/reno-computer-repair-contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">Contact us to discuss your internet and wireless needs <\/a>\u2013 we can help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>References:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spectrum.com\/policies\/rate-card\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spectrum Rate Card<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/att.com\/speed101\" target=\"_blank\">AT&amp;T \u2013 Understanding internet speeds<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.t-mobile.com\/responsibility\/consumer-info\/policies\/internet-service#:~:text=5G%20Network%20(Wireless%20Home%20Internet)%3A\" target=\"_blank\">T-Mobile Internet service policies<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/dont-overbuy-how-to-save-money-on-your-internet-service\/print\/\" title=\"Print This Article\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"WP-PrintIcon\" src=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-print\/images\/printer_famfamfam.gif\" alt=\"Print This Article\" title=\"Print This Article\" style=\"border: 0px;\" \/><\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/dont-overbuy-how-to-save-money-on-your-internet-service\/print\/\" title=\"Print This Article\" rel=\"nofollow\">Print This Article<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated March 2023: Internet service is sold and priced at the speed of the internet connection you can expect at your Internet Service Provider\u2019s (ISP) modem\/gateway. As of July 2022 in Reno, Charter\u2019s Spectrum service offers download speeds of 300 Megabits per second (Mbps), 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps or often referred 1 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-computing-tips","category-tech-support"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3277"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3690,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3277\/revisions\/3690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/computertechsreno.com\/tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}