Review of Cogeco CableAll reviews of |  about |
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But as the kinks got worked out, speed and availability increased to the point where I can't think of a reason why *any* other carrier in this city has any clients. As a standard package residential user, the Cogeco website currently promises up to 5000/640 performance, with no rise in price. I have been recently getting speeds in excess of 4500/600 on the Cogeco Speedtest. And that's without any tweaking or other attempts to optimize the connection. When I moved to this residence, I prearranged to have Cogeco come on moving day to install the cable/internet service. They came when promised (at the beginning of the installation window timeframe) and had me up and running in under an hour (the wiring in this old house was quite complex, and they managed to crawl through the attic to do the wiring). I have the full Digital Bundle with Internet, and wouldn't ever want to switch. When I got a wireless router, I had problems setting up a network connection. Despite their policy of not providing support for networking, they still were able to suggest procedures that helped me work out the problems. Update: Recently (June 2004), Cogeco began experimenting with 5500KBps download speeds. My Samsung Inforanger modem did not seem capable of supporting the higher speeds. Cogeco support suggested I trade in the modem for another, and Cogeco staff at the Windsor storefront offered me an RCA DCM315 modem without my asking. I am now getting the full speed available to Standard HiSpeed customers. Update: (September 2005) I'm still extremely satisfied with Cogeco's internet offering. The speed and service I get are phenomenal (this extends to Cogeco Digital Cable as well - and soon I'll be getting Cogeco VOIP). I specially enjoy being able to see the free credits I've earned for recommending Cogeco to family and friends. So far, no one has been unhappy with the Cogeco service. Update: (March 2006) Cogeco continues to be an awesome ISP. Since my last review in September, Cogeco has increased download speeds twice... it now sits at over 7Mbps. I've been a Cogeco VOIP customer since October or November and am very satisfied with that service, and now am using the HDTV channels upgrade to my digital cable service. Update: (December 2006) I just got a tickler from DSLR asking me to consider updating my review. And well I should, since the official supported download speed has increased to 10mbps, and I regularly get between 7800 - 9200 during speed tests. I'm pretty satisfied for the most part, and Cogeco service continues to be helpful (both the official and unofficial channels). Monthly fees have risen about $3/month since my last review, but it's the first increase in some time. Update: (October 2007) I understand Cogeco has recently begun enforcing the bit-caps and I couldn't be happier. As a customer who very rarely downloads anything and who doesn't use peer-to-peer file sharing networks, I've always been annoyed that a few bad apples can ruin the entire node's performance. Now that Cogeco is cracking down, I'm witnessing several acquaintances getting the warnings and service suspensions that I believe have been long overdue. This can only result in a network with perhaps fewer clients, but significantly less bandwidth stealing -- resulting in significant improvements in network performance. It's still the only game in town for serious speed. Update: (March 2008) My only real complaint about Cogeco has been the software fault in the PVR series record feature. I received assurances in a confidential communication back in January 2007 that the problem would be fixed by November 2007 - and then the deadline was pushed to February 2008. The problem persists, and my confidence in Cogeco's ability to either fix the problem or exert influence with those who can fix the problem is now completely eroded. My downgrades in the area of support, services, and value for money reflect my frustration with television service, not internet. Update: (July 15, 2009) I just ran a series of speed tests, and can confirm that my speed (both upload and download) have improved by about 10% since last week. Monthly cost for the service has increased fairly dramatically over the past 18 months, with the internet package now running at around $52 per month. Uptime, speed, and quick response to technical questions are still among Cogeco's best features, however, they are starting to take more grief from those clients who are running into trouble staying within the caps (not an issue for me). Update: (July 24, 2009) I started a thread about seeing improved speeds with Cogeco. The thread has been running for nine days at this point. When I started the thread, my speeds were about 9400/600. Nine days ago, they improved by about 10%. Today, my speeds are 14500/1050. That's a 50% increase (upload and download) from two weeks ago. I am quite happy! Followup comments:
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Of course with such an attitude, I told her that I'll be seriously looking for another offer and I'll call you back to cancel very soon, and she answered that that is ok and that I can call to cancel at any time!! She made me feel like I was so worthless and I meant nothing to Cogeco and I have no interest in staying with them. Update: I deleted a part where I mentioned that I will move with Acanac, for the reason that I changed my mind because Acanac can't keep my phone number and I'm looking for company that provides phone and internet and I can keep my number....still looking.... Update: I gave another call to cogeco, and I told them again about the billing problem, this time the rep was very nice, and she extended the offer to another 12 months, but she said I have to pay full price for at least 6 months after in order to give me another promotion!! I stayed only for the reason that i didn't find a provider that gives around 10Mbps and a phone service at the same time. Now I'm having another problem, I subscribed to a internet tv provider , and I'm over my bandwidth limit by 6Gigs and I'm still on 23rd day of the month!! I don't know what to do? I'm thinking of getting a separate acanac dsl only for that damn internet tv thing, it costs less than paying bandwidth overage to Cogeco!!! Followup comments:
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I was on the pro service and except for overnight, I never achieved anywhere near the 16mpbs advertised. Instead I would constantly get anywhere from 3-6mpbs during peak periods. I ended up switching to Teksavvy and have Dual Lines w/ a maximum rate of 10Mbps and a bitcap of 400GB. Works out to $ 80 a month and a much better value. Plus I actually get my 10mpbs even at peak periods. Followup comments:
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A tech guy came here and,before installed the modem,he changed my line frequency to be sync with the modem. I wished to install that gizmo myself (like dsl), but i had no choice. Internet reliability. Since i subscribed to this provider, i always had contant 9.4 mbps download speed,near their advertised speed set to 10mbps. recently i had a slowdown that gave me 3.5mbps as download speed. after some modem handling and cogeco tech guys from BBR helped to fix the problem. Tech support I couldn't say too much from tech support. The main reason is because most of time, I'm gonna fix problems (if any) by myself instead,before calling tech support. Tech support by phone is much more for asking DNS' ip address,set up mail accounts and check your modem status (signals,upstream and downstream power,battery status,etc...) but I already know that settings. They appear to be local, and I don't have the feeling to make overseas calls for tech support,just what i like  Billing I don't have billing issues yet,after 4 years subscribed to them. Always the same price and no hassles. The bottom line Really good service. Highly recommended. Attachments:   Followup comments:
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A new feature on the Cogeco Digital Phone is direct international dialing. At first glance this seems like a welcome new feature. However, the per minute rates are completely nuts and it is obvious that all Cogeco is thinking about is profit, profit, profit - "how can we rip people off some more..." - Given that the cost of the digital phone is already around $55/month, I would have expected reasonable per minute rates - most European countries land line calling should be around 3 to 5 cents/minute and mobile around 25 to 30 cents/minute. This would be competitive (which is what their website says - "competitive international long distance" - HAH!). No, forget it! The average land line per minute price for calling most European countries is 10 cents/minute and mobile ranges from 39 to 69 cents/minute. They are out of their freaking minds! I hope not too many people fall for this. It's completely unacceptable. Since having the phone service installed just over 3 years ago, the price has gone up significantly. The internet price has also gone up, as well as the cable TV price. Some increases can be expected of course, but this is getting out of hand. I believe now the pricing of the phone is basically the same as we could get for a normal land line again - which always worked. Cogeco's phone has had several days where it doesn't work for half the day because of issues at their main office. --- September 24, 2007 --- Enforcement of bitcaps in the middle of the month was a terrible idea. I was not affected, but nevertheless I think it is a bad idea. Also, the enforcement system had issues which suspended many people before warnings were even sent. If they had taken the time to ensure the system would work properly, and then begun enforcement at the beginning of October instead after notifying customers, things would have gone much more smoothly. No longer impressed after this poor execution of policy, however, since I do not exceed the bitcap, I will stay with Cogeco for the speed. --- May 9, 2007 --- The last three years have for the most part been uneventful. Speeds are consistently fast and reliability in the last year is greater than 99.999% (excluding power outages where the whole neighbourhood was out, including my house, which was probably around 20 hours this year). The system is definitely much more reliable than it was before VoIP was rolled out. Given that years ago I was seeing less than 75% uptime, this reliability is a welcome change. Newsgroup (usenet) service is usable, which is a nice bonus, and accounts for my upgrade from 4/5 to 5/5 on services. --- April 10th, 2004 --- When I first signed up I had 512/512 kbps for $59/month back in February 1998. Then, in October of that year they upgraded everyone to DOCSIS modems, and that's when the problems started. They didn't completely go away for about the next three years, and it took tons of dealing with different support and maintenance people to finally get some action. The problems were always related to some kind of water damage to some equipment, or someone half cutting through an underground cable - that sort of thing. It just took forever to fix and I had no high speed alternative in the meantime. The last couple years have been just fine, and the speeds now at 5000/640 kbps are great. If you live on a street where more than a couple people have Cogeco Internet on the same feed, you should be just fine, because if anything goes wrong for everyone in your neighbourhood, you have a bit of extra weight to complain with. Followup comments:
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Cogeco is what it seems to be one of the few ISP still offering usenet access. They've had some problems with it in the past. Though recently they have outsourced it. Can usually grab binaries from 100 days back with no problem. Not the best, but free. Much improved. It would be great if they didn't count data down from usenet toward the monthly cap. The fact that the cap/overage charges and the new fixed newsserver was announced within a couple days (If I recall correctly) of each other is very suspect. Doing so would be a show of faith to loyal customers. The caps and overage charges are outrageous and unreasonable. Cogeco seems to be making a lot of poor decisions as of late (do a news search on this site for cogeco). In all honesty, don't know if I wish to continue to support them any longer. Though, unfortunately, there are not that many other choices. Tek Savvy seems to be the best bet, but Bell is trying to enforce the same shenanigans as Cogeco, on their (BELL'S) resellers. I wonder how management could allow such a quick and drastic change in service and opinion. Cogeco, please stop the madness. Followup comments:
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We're in an older neighbourhood, although I think they ran a new line from the overhead back when we installed the digital cable. Before that we had spotty internet, since the changeover (which later included a powered booster for the cable) the connection reliability has been very good. I've occasionally considered DSL service, but would likely need to do a new drop as the phone lines are a mess inside the house. My biggest complaint was the recent implementation of caps. Tech support kept telling me I must have received notices (which I hadn't). They're only one step above the worst because of a single rep who kept an eye on my service after it was restored (and caught that someone had manually disconnected me afterwards... and reconnected it and called me about it). ---- Still not getting consistent 85% notifications. Have specifically been pushing over that level and have only received 1 in 5 month's notices (last in April). Followup comments:
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Cogeco Cable
(23)
(49)
(12)
Peterborough,ON
$50 per month
"Speed"
"Throttling, Low Cap, Usage Based Billing, Price Increases with no added value"
about 3 days
"High Availability and Excellent speed - the only way to fly!"
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Selfish
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