Sonic.net

Sonic is discontinuing the service next month, but doesn't cover my area with higher bandwidth broadband, what are good alternatives in the Santa Clara region of the bay area?

Preferably with a generous bandwidth cap.

Best bet would be to check the FCC’s mapping system, while it may overstate coverage, it’s a good start. https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/

dane wrote:Best bet would be to check the FCC’s mapping system, while it may overstate coverage, it’s a good start. https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/

Ok thanks.


Looks like comcast is the only non-satellite option, not great.

same here. long time customer with Sonic, and I never had a chance to get on fiber. I guess on the operating side, it makes sense for Sonic to cut the legacy DSL service which it is too costly, but on the fiber expanding, it is very slow and disappointed.

OP can try T-Mobile or Verizon 5G home internet, and I installed T-Mobile 5G Home Internet yesterday.

It is sad to say goodbye to Sonic, but I hope you guys can get on 5G competition too, they are expanding faster than fiber. The future of internet will be similar to cellphone and landline. I hardly see smeone use landline phone these days.

dale.lam wrote:

dane wrote:Best bet would be to check the FCC’s mapping system, while it may overstate coverage, it’s a good start. https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/

Ok thanks.

Looks like comcast is the only non-satellite option, not great.

Yep, afraid so.

For others reading, note that the affected service is the ADSL1 product launched in 1998 that provides from 1.5Mbps to 6Mbps, and which uses AT&T's DSLAM and which requires an AT&T retail POTS line.

We have about 200 customers remaining on this product, of which more than half can be moved to alternative Sonic products such as Fusion, IP Broadband or even Fiber. About 100 individuals will need to find alternative service, likely Cable, UVerse in some locations, wireless or satellite.

dane wrote:

dale.lam wrote:

dane wrote:Best bet would be to check the FCC’s mapping system, while it may overstate coverage, it’s a good start. https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/

Ok thanks.

Looks like comcast is the only non-satellite option, not great.

Yep, afraid so.

For others reading, note that the affected service is the ADSL1 product launched in 1998 that provides from 1.5Mbps to 6Mbps, and which uses AT&T's DSLAM and which requires an AT&T retail POTS line.

We have about 200 customers remaining on this product, of which more than half can be moved to alternative Sonic products such as Fusion, IP Broadband or even Fiber. About 100 individuals will need to find alternative service, likely Cable, UVerse in some locations, wireless or satellite.

Dane,
FYI. I am one of those 200 customers who can move on to alternative Sonic products but unable to move on. You guys ask me to dig hole for you guys to lay the fiber cable, which costs me like $1,000+ to get the cable in my house. In addition to that, HOA in my place would not approve me to dig hole. Not blaming for anyone, I just want to say that they have reason not able to move on to Sonic fiber product.

Boy, that FCC site really does overestimate! It's crazy to see Sonic listed for my address at 40 Mbps down, 2 up, when I'm sitting here at 5.7 and 0.9.

gambler wrote:Boy, that FCC site really does overestimate! It's crazy to see Sonic listed for my address at 40 Mbps down, 2 up, when I'm sitting here at 5.7 and 0.9.

Yes it does! It provides the fastest speed for each carrier for the entire census block. And oftentimes, you'll find carriers listed who might provide service a few streets over, but not to your home.

...and this is the data the FCC uses today to decide where to apply subsidies. Yep, it's a garbage process.

bbmak wrote: Dane,
FYI. I am one of those 200 customers who can move on to alternative Sonic products but unable to move on. You guys ask me to dig hole for you guys to lay the fiber cable, which costs me like $1,000+ to get the cable in my house. In addition to that, HOA in my place would not approve me to dig hole. Not blaming for anyone, I just want to say that they have reason not able to move on to Sonic fiber product.

I don't have any specifics on what the costs of putting in a conduit might be at your location, but FYI, I do not think an HOA can disallow you from receiving telecommunications services and internet access in your home. They could set reasonable standards, for example around safety or placement, but they cannot arbitrarily block you from being connected. (Think what that would do to the value of your home, or to your children's education.)

Even renters in apartment buildings have the right to the carrier of their choice. The FCC issued recent orders on this, disallowing incentive payments that carriers were using to incentivize landlords to block competitors. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-22-12A1.pdf

dane wrote:Best bet would be to check the FCC’s mapping system, while it may overstate coverage, it’s a good start. https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/

Hi, also could you look into the issue of the system demanding returning the obsolete dsl modem, charging $14 + gas and time to ship what is effectively garbage now seems like a waste!

Thanks