Are You Wasting $120 a Year on Cable Modem Rental Fees?

By Frank Manning, CEO, Motorola Cable Modem Producer MTRLC LLC  

It’s recently been reported that over 61 million U.S. homes subscribe to cable internet service. This high-speed link to internet, TV, and gaming services for tens of millions of households across the U.S. is made possible by cable modems.

It may come as a surprise to some because of the popularity of service, but only about 15 percent of cable internet subscribers own their cable modem. This is even more surprising because consumers who decide to purchase their own equipment typically save $120 per year in cable modem rental fees. To see how much you’d save, check your bill.

Comcast, Cox, and other leading cable service providers eliminate cable modem rental fees when consumers provide their own equipment, creating significant cost savings for the everyday customer.

So why aren’t more consumers taking advantage of these easy cost savings? And, more importantly, what’s stopping them from installing their own cable modem?

 The Roadblocks

It’s safe to say that most consumers don’t realize that they have another option when it comes to cable modem rental fees. The majority of homeowners don’t scrutinize their bill each month, and many set up auto-pay so that they never actually review the details of what they’re being charged.

For others, they may know that savings are available, but there’s an insecurity about having the technical expertise to install their own equipment. In reality, cable modems are user-friendly and easy to install. Plus most well-known U.S. suppliers provide tech support specialists based in the U.S. who can explain the process clearly.

Whatever the reason, many people are losing over $100 each year by renting a cable modem instead of providing their own.

Why Better Performance Matters

Many customers are frustrated with their Wi-Fi service, especially for video streaming, gaming and other data-hungry applications.  In apartment complexes, residents’ Wi-Fi signals interfere with their neighbors’ Wi-Fi, leading to poor performance. Residents of large homes also experience reduced performance when rooms are located far from the router or on a different floor.

This leads us back to consumers providing their own cable modem. In addition to saving money by providing their own equipment, customers can often achieve improved performance and overcome some of these challenges through upgraded equipment purchased at Best Buy, Micro Center, Target, Walmart, or an online retailer.

Where to Turn

So, where should customers look for a cable modem that has better performance? An independent lab called Netperian recently found that Motorola Cable’s MG7550 cable modem plus router had much better Wi-Fi performance than the cable modems of other leading providers. Netperian’s tests were completed in everyday settings like apartment complexes and large homes with multiple rooms.

The MG7550 (Amazon sells it for $179.99)has a feature called Power Boost that amplifies the wireless signal to the legal limit in the U.S. In laymen’s terms, if consumers are looking for a very strong Wi-Fi signal, they’ve found the right cable modem.

The MG7550 also features AnyBeam technology. Its implicit beamforming at 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz focuses the wireless signal toward the wireless clients. Both Power Boost and AnyBeam extend the range of the AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router. Together, they provide the fastest and most robust connections over the largest possible range, for virtually any type of application.

Moving forward, consumers should focus not just on the cost-savings that are available by providing their own cable modem, but also on the improved quality of life that comes from upgraded hardware. As mobile phones, HDTVs and game stations command more robust Wi-Fi performance, the market is trending toward better-performing Wi-Fi products to meet demand.  Motorola will continue to create products that can keep up with demands for faster internet speeds and faster Wi-Fi that reaches all rooms in a home.

Frank Manning is the CEO of MTRLC LLC. The company designs, produces, markets and supports Motorola brand cable modems and gateways under exclusive license from Motorola. For more information about Motorola cable modems, please visit http://ift.tt/1Uv4d9H.

The post Are You Wasting $120 a Year on Cable Modem Rental Fees? appeared first on Electronic House.

from
http://ift.tt/2fXx0th