OpenFiber.net vs. Sonic.net (in North Fair Oaks near Menlo Park)?

Internet access discussion, including Fusion, IP Broadband, and Gigabit Fiber!
13 posts Page 1 of 2
by matinee113 » Thu Sep 26, 2019 12:19 pm
Hi Sonic,

I pre-ordered Sonic gig fiber service earlier this year based on the sfgate.com story it would be rolling out in my neighborhood of North Fair Oaks. Since then there has been no apparent progress from Sonic.

This morning around the corner from my house I saw an installer truck for OpenFiber.net (see attached photo). I filled out their online form and they immediately scheduled an appointment for next week to physically connect my exact home to their fiber network!

What is different between Sonic.net's potential offerings and OpenFiber.net's, and why should I wait for Sonics?

Thanks in advance,
Phil
OpenFiberNet.jpg
OpenFiberNet.jpg (150.99 KiB) Viewed 3381 times
by matinee113 » Thu Sep 26, 2019 1:27 pm
From the OpenFiber.net team:

OpenFiber offers multiple ISPs on our network. Race and LMI are shared services, and Paxio offers dedicated service. You can find pricing here: https://www.openfiber.net/signup/ I have also included a screenshot of the pricing to this email.

We are constructing the network in your neighborhood right now. Since our field team is in the area, we are able to offer exterior installs for people who would like to choose a service in the future. There is no cost, commitment, or obligation to install the exterior junction box.
by dane » Thu Sep 26, 2019 1:31 pm
OpenFiber is an competitive carrier, and they’ve built fiber networks in a few communities in the Bay Area. They’re not an ISP, so other ISPs sell over their network. Pricing looks higher than Sonic, for example 100Mbps is $50/mo, so that’s 1/10th the speed of the Sonic gigabit connection and it’s the closest price point to ours.

I can certainly understand not wanting to wait though, but we’d love to have you as a Sonic member!
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by matinee113 » Thu Sep 26, 2019 2:44 pm
Thanks Dane. Yes, Paxio's dedicated gigabit symmetric service @$99.50 is nearly twice Sonic's quoted price, but it is available now. Can you say what the timeline is for Sonic in North Fair Oaks (94025)? And if I do go with Paxio now (they don't require a contract), when Sonic does become available in my neighborhood, will you still be able to connect your hardware to my house if already have openfiber.net hardware in place?

-Phil
by dane » Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:28 pm
matinee113 wrote:Thanks Dane. Yes, Paxio's dedicated gigabit symmetric service @$99.50 is nearly twice Sonic's quoted price, but it is available now. Can you say what the timeline is for Sonic in North Fair Oaks (94025)? And if I do go with Paxio now (they don't require a contract), when Sonic does become available in my neighborhood, will you still be able to connect your hardware to my house if already have openfiber.net hardware in place?

-Phil
Yes, Sonic would be able to connect your home to fiber when our network build-out is complete, regardless of who your current carrier is; AT&T, Comcast, or Paxio/OpenFiber. Each network is separate, and would have it's own drop and entrance facilities.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by gtwrek » Fri Sep 27, 2019 3:36 pm
Kudos to both Dane and @matinee113.

To Dane for not squashing a thread to that (in essence) highlights a competitor.
To @matinee113 for letting us know about the potential alternative where Sonic doesn't currently reach.

I'm actually stuck in a bit of a kind of no-mans-land. Was a Sonic DSL subscriber for many years, but finally needed more and hopped to ATT Fiber (Sonic offered neither their own Fiber nor Sonic Over ATT fiber at the time to my address).

Fast forward a few years, and Sonic now does offer Fiber over ATT at my address. But it appears that there's no avenue for me to get there - being a current ATT fiber customer - without a down time of perhaps a month or more. I would need to completely cancel ATT service, then order Sonic Over ATT as a new service)....

I'm detesting everything ATT at the moment - with all the recent Pace Firmware issues. I really want to be a full Sonic customer... OpenFiber.net may be an alternative in the meantime

Thanks,
Mark
by dane » Fri Sep 27, 2019 3:43 pm
gtwrek wrote:Fast forward a few years, and Sonic now does offer Fiber over ATT at my address. But it appears that there's no avenue for me to get there - being a current ATT fiber customer - without a down time of perhaps a month or more. I would need to completely cancel ATT service, then order Sonic Over ATT as a new service)....

I'm detesting everything ATT at the moment - with all the recent Pace Firmware issues. I really want to be a full Sonic customer... OpenFiber.net may be an alternative in the meantime

Thanks,
Mark
An interesting situation. Yes, AT&T only supports one account per premise -- so if you've got a direct account with them, you won't be able to get that service via Sonic.

But, when Sonic expands our network to reach you, of course that's an easy migration. Tell a friend or neighbor: the more folks who get Sonic, the faster and further we can expand!
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by blairwhitney » Sun Dec 01, 2019 10:58 am
So it's the first day of December 2019, and like the above poster, I live in North Fair Oaks and pre-ordered the service last Spring and just want to know some vague ETA on when I can cancel my current AT&T and switch over.

Just replying to this thread as it was the most relevant google result when I asked when Sonic expansion in North Fair Oaks would be completed. Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this - but I'd really appreciate a ballpark estimate of when my address will be eligible for service I pre-ordered.

Thanks in advance if anyone reads or responds to this.

-Blair
by davej » Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:23 pm
I am in North Fair Oaks on 6th Ave and ordered Sonic several months ago. When OpenFiber became available on my street the other day I went to the Sonic website and the "Chat With US" person told me there are no plans to bring fiber to my street - 6th Avenue.

What's the story?
by dane » Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:44 pm
If you input your address at http://Sonic.com/availability what does it show? It’d have to be available if you were able to pre-order.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
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