The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[MistyMountain]

For what it's worth, fiber is AMAZING!!

I've earned mine here, lightning quick. I'm a graphic artist, and sending my files first by dial-up, then by super slow DSL, I'd pay (well almost) any amount of money for the service! Ours is TV, Internet and phone all in one. Installed in the entire house, for free 5 years ago!

 

[speckledhen]

Installation is not free, but there is a huge discount on that and the monthly service as well, and a free upgrade from 50MB to 100MB, if we can get it. Someone from the company called, a sales rep I guess was supposed to call after we put in the order online, and said yes, it's here, but since we are right on the edge of the shaded area, it's a policy to send out an engineer to be sure it's feasible. So, within a week we should know. I sure hope so. It will help my husband's blood pressure, I bet. He is sick of messing with the satellite and having sucky internet so for about $20 more than we pay for phone and DSL and the locals on ROKU, we can have everything we need and more and, as you said, lightning speed. He can't be in a room without the TV on, even if he has headphones on listening to something on the web. Sigh. So, this is mostly for him, Mr. TV Addict. He can't stand silence, which I love, but it's not silent, it's nature sounds!
Now, it takes 2-4 hours to upload a 3-5 minute video to YouTube. And when I'm uploading the net is super slow and we cannot watch the ROKU at all because it comes over the internet. Uploading will probably take 30 seconds with fiber optics. I can't even imagine!

 

[getaclue]

See what packages they offer new customers. We first got ours that way. It cost less to do a bundle of phone, tv, and internet, than to spit it up. Sounds crazy, but that's the way it works with some of them. I sure hope you can get fiber optic. You will LOVE it.

 

[getaclue]

Got up this morning, and thought about adding a little water to the pool, then looked up to see the sky all dark. I figured it would rain, so I didn't add water. All afternoon the wind has howled, and it has been very dark out. It looked like a decent tropical storm was going to hit at any minute. Kept waiting on the rain. It rained all around us. Finally, at 3:45 pm it began to sprinkle ever so lightly. Yup, here it comes...wait for it....wait for it.... It quit sprinkling. I could have stood out in that tiny sprinkle, and stayed dry. I still have to add water to the pool, but that teeny tiny sprinkle will make the temperatures drop tonight. Dang!

 

[speckledhen]

See what packages they offer new customers. We first got ours that way. It cost less to do a bundle of phone, tv, and internet, than to spit it up. Sounds crazy, but that's the way it works with some of them. I sure hope you can get fiber optic. You will LOVE it.

We ordered a package and the discounts are for new customers. Now, we just have to wait and see if we are really included in the "blue zone", or is it green? I can't tell sometimes. But, our house is in the zone on the map and it's the last one in our subdivision on it, too. For example, Mark Wilson, the guy whose house roof you see sometimes down the hill from my garden would not be able to get it. We ditched DirecTV almost 15 years ago for free-to-air satellite, but maintaining the equipment and with massive trees semi-blocking the path of it, it's been a royal pain, plus we have to pay $30 for DSL plus our home phone (total over $85/mo), plus $10/mo for Roku so we can have locals, and today, we were getting only 3MB out of the DSL. So, for $117/mo, we get the TV, 100MB internet and home phone with 100 minutes long distance. We don't use LD very much these days anyway.

 

[getaclue]

Hey, I understand. When Direct TV started running cable, they had most apartment complexes, and housing communities with an HOA sign 10 year exclusive contracts. When FIOS came in and ran their cables, they were unaware of the exclusive contracts. The FCC deemed the contracts against their regulations. Had Direct TV tried to enforce the contracts, on anyone wanting to switch over to FIOS, the FCC said they would pull Direct TV's licensing. The problem is, even though they could have had their license pulled, and probably would not have risked it, the contracts were still legal, and binding.

We lived in an apartment for 5 years, that had signed the exclusive with Direct TV. At the time the apartment manager(s) were unaware of it. If you wanted Direct TV, you called the office, and they arranged it to be switched on. We didn't have it turned on. Instead, I called FIOS, and had it installed. It's when others began shutting off their Direct TV that it was discovered. Residents were informed they could not have FIOS. Those that had already gotten it, could keep it, but no more would be allowed.

When we moved to a bigger apartment, they mentioned I could not get FIOS again. I let them know I was an existing customer, and moving, not a new customer. They squawked, but I did too, and I got moved, so I was able to keep it.

 

[speckledhen]

DirectTV by itself when we moved here was about $70/mo, plus the other stuff. Not sure what it is now. Seems most folks pay much more because they want movie channels I wouldn't watch if you paid me and they want sports networks (my husband is not a huge sports fan, though he'll watch Univ of GA play or Tiger Woods golf). I just figure if we're stuck with sucky internet and phone with uncaring customer service in India, might as well get better internet and add TV to keep my poor husband off that ladder and un-frustrated. And for about $20 more each month.
Well, like a good farmer who got up too early, I'm off to bed to read. Nothing on TV to watch tonight that I like that isn't a repeat.

 

[speckledhen]

And just like that, we're back into winter again on the day after the first day of spring. This is not making it easy to get Maretta away from her chicks. If I put her in her former group, she beats up Wendy and then, June goes after Maretta. Chaos. Nowhere to run inside the barn. And she tries to fly over the pen wall. I'm afraid she'll be hurt.

 

[MistyMountain]

Here in VA, too! Wish it would have happened in winter season and not baseball season! I think the boys said 8 inches or something?

 

[speckledhen]

@MistyMountain Michelle, I so wanted to put a thumbs-down on that one, LOL! Well, you do live in VA so serves you right, ha! J/K! The seasons never have settled down to what they should be here all winter long and now, spring is having issues. I vote for a reset!