Fusion price increase and fiber expansion

[pockyken007]

At this point, my current speeds are just not cutting it. I was heavily considering switching to fusion x2, but apparently I do not qualify for the $50 introductory rate as a current customer. I think the worst part is that I was previously told a few months ago that I would be able to take advantage of the introductory rate. With my bill going up to ~$60 a month next month, adding x2 will increase my bill to $80 a month + modem rental fee. For the same price, I could get a Comcast 100mbps connection even after the 1 year promo rate. Now if there was even a hint of a possibility of fiber coming to my area, I would probably stick around, but based on Dane's previous posts it doesn't seem like my area will ever be serviced by sonic fiber. "Both Google and AT&T have said they've got plans to build fiber in San Jose, so we wouldn't build there if they do." "We're evaluating whole cities or substantial regions of whole cities at this point, not individual subdivisions. Small projects are generally not viable." Honestly, I've just about had it with the slow speeds and the price increase.

Nobody forces you to stay ... you can always vote with your $$$ and move to other alternatives out there

[jd94122]

Too bad that during the expansion and upgrade Sonic's ordering and customer service is slipping a bit. A loyal Sonic customer for years I was interested to find out about the fiber connection coming to my neighborhood. I spoke to a sales person on January 10th because I needed to ask some questions about the fiber implementation. After satisfying myself as to the details, I agreed to the upgrade on offer and was told that the price would be $40/month for the first year. I was told I would be contacted in July. I just called today, 8/3 to find my order was never recorded and that the price was now $50/month, no discount.
This is less than satisfactory.
jd

[elcon60]

We have been happy with our Sonic service for the past year. I was surprised to get the 15% ($10) increase after one year of service. I read and understand the need to increase the price. Hopefully there won't be a 15% increase every year.

[Sonic DSL Customer]

I am a Sonic customer, I have Sonic fiber, I am OK and understand with $10 increase. I do not mind the $10 increase on fiber, even initially when Sonic false advertised for $40/month without little hidden fine prints regarding price increase after a year (now they called it after a year of contract but there was not “one year” contract us when we initially signed up). I have been a Sonic ambassador, telling and convincing friends and neighbors about how great Sonic is, even volunteer to help them sign up and offer to setup their network, some of my Friends don't have fiber yet, only slow DSL available, I still convinced them to cut over, telling them Sonic fiber is coming, be the first one to enjoy the technology etc., I brought in at least 15 customers for Sonic. One year after, my friends who are on DSL suddenly got a $10 increased, when I'm told that the price is double what AT&T and Comcast are offering compared to Sonic's DSL speed that is less than 8 Mbps, I felt like an idiot, I just want to slap on my own face few times and say, never ever do this again, do not listen to anyone including Sonic!! I am no longer trust what Sonic has to offer, this is just another Business tactic, same way that Sonic itself, AT&T and Comcast have been trashing each other. Sonic really has the guts to increase price on customer who doesn't even get a chance to enjoy Sonic fiber but still struggle with DSL speed without feeling ashamed of itself. It's so unfair to those customers who still live in the area that has no predictable plan for fiber, it's like A passenger arrived at the airport, buy a $1000 ticket to fly to New York, but then you are told the plane is coming, meanwhile you can get on the bus, they will drive you towards New York while you're waiting for the plane, then after 100 Miles or so later, you were told to pay $50 more for the ticket, because they need the money to get the plate over to pick you up, except just don't know when. Is this the strategy to push DSL customer away so Sonic can cut down on their costs on maintaining legacy network with AT&T? Or, just to take advantage of those customers. Sonic, please, if you can’t deliver, don't increase! I thought Sonic supposed to be the nice guy to protect their customer... I guess not. I just resigned as a Sonic ambassador simply because I am embarrassed to be one, I am now telling everyone I know, go find something else until fiber is available in your house, it doesn’t have to be Sonic.

“Our road map - Fusion copper first, then Fiber as uptake increases - is coming along. Spread the word!”… about the price increase without getting the fiber service? I will do that!

[DDM]

Me too, after I signed up with Sonic Fusion, hoping to get Fiber soon but than after a year, they raised $10 on me... Don't sign up with Sonic if you don't see fiber on your street!

[pockyken007]

Me too, after I signed up with Sonic Fusion, hoping to get Fiber soon but than after a year, they raised $10 on me... Don't sign up with Sonic if you don't see fiber on your street!

lol no uptake on your street means no fiber for you LOL ....

[joeyyung911]

How do you expect high uptake when you're not sure when/if fiber is coming? And their current offerings (speed) can't compete.

[pockyken007]

How do you expect high uptake when you're not sure when/if fiber is coming? And their current offerings (speed) can't compete.

if you read over some of the Dane responses they base their fiber deployment on many factors among them :

Existing customer base
housing density ( S/N streets firstbefore they do E/W )
Uptake possibility
etc.etc.

So yeah , if the block has no existing customers the chances for that block to get fiber go down based on what Dane had posted before .

[joeyyung911]

Well, I'm out. 10.5 months in, I'll be paying the ETF. Up and running with Comcast in an hour, all through online chat.

Comcast has gigabit, will Sonic compete in the same territory?

[kieths]

I've read, and agree with much of what's said in the message above dated, "Tue Aug 08, 2017 9:19 pm".
I've truly mirrored this user's experience, with the exception that I don't yet have fiber in my area. Ambassador to friends and family, plus I was an early adopter and even bought my ZTE ADSL2 modem from Sonic (that's right, I have no monthly modem rental fee).

SF is now getting gigabit-fiber in many areas. But being in Fremont, we still see no hint or hope of Sonic rolling out an organic gigabit fiber network offering here. Instead, looking at Sonic's upgrade link provided, I see the two options I have from my current ADSL-2 are (AT&T) FTTN X2, and Fusion X2, both of which have a price bump up to $70/mo + taxes, etc. Of these, only the FTTN would truly have strong affect in my area, due to my distance from the CO which challenges DSL solutions.

To be fair, I know it's not all Sonic's fault nor even their choice where their gigabit fiber goes. There are taxes and government related fees, and of course rolling out fiber can't happen without investment in equipment, as well as working with the county and municipal organizations - it's surely not easy, and it takes time.

But Sonic needs to consider our challenge as customers doing our part. Sonic hopes we'll encourage new users to sign up for Sonic service, while Sonic now increases the rates and makes modem rental mandatory for most (perhaps all new) services. In fact, it appears that even the basic service cost in Fremont has essentially jumped from $40 to .... $70, plus mandatory modem rental, plus taxes and fees, as it appears traditional $39.99/mo ADSL-2 Fusion service no longer shows up on the website at all in my area (perhaps Sonic just doesn't want others to have my current low Internet speeds, too). For growth, it takes both current consumers and Sonic to draw in new customers. But pushing the cost of network growth onto current customers' shoulders discourages their help, and it further discourages would-be new customers from joining, as they see their friends are getting a rate increase, with no hope of it ever going back down, despite an increased customer base to improve Sonic's plight.

This may sound blunt, but I needn't care if additional gigabit fiber serviced areas are added in SF, as that doesn't help me or my family. What I need to know is, how soon will Fremont receive gigabit fiber? At least which year? Could Sonic provide improved speeds now to existing customers via wireless access at various locations across the city?

Consumer's goals are pretty easy to understand when it comes to home internet:
1) Improved speed and reliability,
and,
2) Reduced, or at least stable TOTAL out of pocket expense per month (this includes rates, rentals, and fees - it all comes out of one's paycheck).

Remember when the Duke said, "Your fault, my fault, nobody's fault ...". The same goes for bills.