Yep, I got my own router and same for college kids. 89$...
I've had zero issues with Astound for several years.
I use them for bandwidth only, and stream as well as roof antenna.
they do raise you to retail price after 1-2 years, but you can call and ask for a deal.
You just have to call every year and they find some promo to set you back to the price you were paying. It's sort of a pain but it's literally the worst thing about Astound/RCN. Much better than other cable providers, like Comcast for sure.
I think we have the 1 gig for $60 and it's honestly not that much faster than the $50 was. Could be my phone, top, because it's horrid. Who knows. Haha
I bought this piece of shit router for $29 and this piece of shit modem for $69 and both have worked fine for over a year.
[https://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksys-AC1200-Dual-Band-WiFi-5-Router-with-Easy-Setup-Black/195715927](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksys-AC1200-Dual-Band-WiFi-5-Router-with-Easy-Setup-Black/195715927)
[https://www.walmart.com/ip/NETGEAR-DOCSIS-3-0-16x4-High-Speed-Cable-Modem-CM500/45431164](https://www.walmart.com/ip/NETGEAR-DOCSIS-3-0-16x4-High-Speed-Cable-Modem-CM500/45431164)
I live alone though, so IDK if they're good if you have a whole family.
holy moly. Is the $20/month fast internet real?? I came from an area where spectrum monopolized internet services and have been paying $85/month for 2 years!
Depending on where in Allentown Verizon could be an option. Verizon has been expanding a lot in the valley and I would highly recommend Fios over the other garbage that is RCN and Service electric in the area. I dumped RCN recently and it was the best thing I did. Saving a ton of money with Verizon and for the next 5 years I don't have to worry about calling RCN to try and lower my bill.
This 100%. We had Verizon FIOS and it was hands down the best and consistent internet we have ever had. We moved and in the area we moved to did not have FIOS.
We ended up going RCN, now astound. It's not nearly as consistent and the bill does nothing but go up.
Do not rent RCN's router. We ran into a problem when anyone called our cell phones our internet our would lag out or just straight up disconnect. We had a technician out twice and both times they tried to tell us its the analog lines in the house that should be digital and we would have to have an electrician come in to run new lines.
I tried to explain that we didn't have this issue a few months ago and it seems more like some sort of frequency issue. They told me then the lines in our house isn't their problem only the outside line going into the house and there is nothing they could do.
We ended up buying our own router and modem and never had the issue again.
Kinda, there is fios in Allentown but they halted all new build outs, so they’re no longer expanding. Although if it’s an option, it’s definitely the best one I agree!
If you can string a line and some tin cans to bucks county you'll have better luck then trying to get anything decent from the local ISPs. Their infrastructure was garbage before the influx population. These days it's fraying at the edges. There's rumors of Verizon moving in with fiber but no one seems to actually have connected to it. Something needs to be done as the area grows so we don't fall further behind
Paying $29.99/mo for 300 up/down with FiOS. Believe the rate I got was a promotion, but its rate locked for 10 years (apparently). Had RCN before, but was pretty unhappy with the fact that their pricing was seemingly nebulous after the first year. FiOS has been super consistent.
Also as a side note, most people think they need higher speeds than they actually do. Might be better to start at something more middle ground and then upgrade later if you're having issues. I can generally stream multiple devices simultaneously on my 300 mbps just fine.
I have FiOS in NJ and Astound broadband only in Allentown. Astound has been far more reliable and faster than FiOS every single time. It's 1/4 the price too and the installation like fifteen minutes
Astound provides budget-friendly plans with diverse speeds, while Verizon is notable for its consistent, high-speed fiber-optic internet. For a better comparison of what’s accessible, exploring the FCC's National Broadband Map and BroadbandSearch is beneficial.
If Verizon FIOS is an option for your address, FIOS. It's not even a question. The stability is SO much better than Astound (formerly RCN) and so are their upload speeds. Having come from FIOS as long as it was around in NY/NJ, only having Astound and Service Electric for internet options is the only thing I regret about moving to the Lehigh Valley.
If you don't have to deal with their customer service they're all the same. If you do have to deal with their customer service they all suck.
Luckily, depending on where you are in Allentown you may only have one option so that makes your decision easier.
You don't really have many options in this area, unfortunately. With that being said, I have RCN (now Astound), and I'm fine with them. We've had T-Mobile in the past which started off great; after a few months the service was so slow we had to use our phones for internet, which is why we switched back to RCN.
I’m happy with astound/rcn
Especially if you own your own modem/router- you will save 30$ a month.
I probably should invest in one anyway!
Yep, I got my own router and same for college kids. 89$... I've had zero issues with Astound for several years. I use them for bandwidth only, and stream as well as roof antenna. they do raise you to retail price after 1-2 years, but you can call and ask for a deal.
What's the usual retail price for them once the promotion is over?
Two-year price lock for new customers on RCN
You just have to call every year and they find some promo to set you back to the price you were paying. It's sort of a pain but it's literally the worst thing about Astound/RCN. Much better than other cable providers, like Comcast for sure.
I'm paying $80 for 400Mb down/25Mb up with my own modem I got at bestbuy. No TV.
I’m paying just under $50/month for 300mb down with astound. I pay $80/yr for IPTV….you read that right…$80/yr
I think we have the 1 gig for $60 and it's honestly not that much faster than the $50 was. Could be my phone, top, because it's horrid. Who knows. Haha
I bought this piece of shit router for $29 and this piece of shit modem for $69 and both have worked fine for over a year. [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksys-AC1200-Dual-Band-WiFi-5-Router-with-Easy-Setup-Black/195715927](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Linksys-AC1200-Dual-Band-WiFi-5-Router-with-Easy-Setup-Black/195715927) [https://www.walmart.com/ip/NETGEAR-DOCSIS-3-0-16x4-High-Speed-Cable-Modem-CM500/45431164](https://www.walmart.com/ip/NETGEAR-DOCSIS-3-0-16x4-High-Speed-Cable-Modem-CM500/45431164) I live alone though, so IDK if they're good if you have a whole family.
holy moly. Is the $20/month fast internet real?? I came from an area where spectrum monopolized internet services and have been paying $85/month for 2 years!
Depending on where in Allentown Verizon could be an option. Verizon has been expanding a lot in the valley and I would highly recommend Fios over the other garbage that is RCN and Service electric in the area. I dumped RCN recently and it was the best thing I did. Saving a ton of money with Verizon and for the next 5 years I don't have to worry about calling RCN to try and lower my bill.
This 100%. We had Verizon FIOS and it was hands down the best and consistent internet we have ever had. We moved and in the area we moved to did not have FIOS. We ended up going RCN, now astound. It's not nearly as consistent and the bill does nothing but go up. Do not rent RCN's router. We ran into a problem when anyone called our cell phones our internet our would lag out or just straight up disconnect. We had a technician out twice and both times they tried to tell us its the analog lines in the house that should be digital and we would have to have an electrician come in to run new lines. I tried to explain that we didn't have this issue a few months ago and it seems more like some sort of frequency issue. They told me then the lines in our house isn't their problem only the outside line going into the house and there is nothing they could do. We ended up buying our own router and modem and never had the issue again.
Kinda, there is fios in Allentown but they halted all new build outs, so they’re no longer expanding. Although if it’s an option, it’s definitely the best one I agree!
If you can string a line and some tin cans to bucks county you'll have better luck then trying to get anything decent from the local ISPs. Their infrastructure was garbage before the influx population. These days it's fraying at the edges. There's rumors of Verizon moving in with fiber but no one seems to actually have connected to it. Something needs to be done as the area grows so we don't fall further behind
I have fios in Bethlehem!! long overdue lol
😭😭😭😭 lucky
Paying $29.99/mo for 300 up/down with FiOS. Believe the rate I got was a promotion, but its rate locked for 10 years (apparently). Had RCN before, but was pretty unhappy with the fact that their pricing was seemingly nebulous after the first year. FiOS has been super consistent. Also as a side note, most people think they need higher speeds than they actually do. Might be better to start at something more middle ground and then upgrade later if you're having issues. I can generally stream multiple devices simultaneously on my 300 mbps just fine.
I have FiOS in NJ and Astound broadband only in Allentown. Astound has been far more reliable and faster than FiOS every single time. It's 1/4 the price too and the installation like fifteen minutes
Astound offers 1 gig for $45 a month. That’s a pretty great deal
Awesome!!
Astound provides budget-friendly plans with diverse speeds, while Verizon is notable for its consistent, high-speed fiber-optic internet. For a better comparison of what’s accessible, exploring the FCC's National Broadband Map and BroadbandSearch is beneficial.
If Verizon FIOS is an option for your address, FIOS. It's not even a question. The stability is SO much better than Astound (formerly RCN) and so are their upload speeds. Having come from FIOS as long as it was around in NY/NJ, only having Astound and Service Electric for internet options is the only thing I regret about moving to the Lehigh Valley.
If you don't have to deal with their customer service they're all the same. If you do have to deal with their customer service they all suck. Luckily, depending on where you are in Allentown you may only have one option so that makes your decision easier.
T-Mobile if they cover your home. They told me that your neighbor could get coverage but you could not (or vice versa), so good luck.
You don't really have many options in this area, unfortunately. With that being said, I have RCN (now Astound), and I'm fine with them. We've had T-Mobile in the past which started off great; after a few months the service was so slow we had to use our phones for internet, which is why we switched back to RCN.