Ordering Cable internet and getting free cable?

krashx6

Senior member
Apr 17, 2001
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I'm about to sign up for Brighthouse Road Runner 7mbps cable internet and I know you used to be able to sign up for just the internet and get free cable. They had to send the cable TV signal to your house to be able to give you internet. Is this true?
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
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Mar 4, 2000
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I don't think so. There are filters in your street control box. If that were true, then a cable TV line would also be able to access free Internet.
 

NoStateofMind

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2005
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Originally posted by: krashx6
I'm about to sign up for Brighthouse Road Runner 7mbps cable internet and I know you used to be able to sign up for just the internet and get free cable. They had to send the cable TV signal to your house to be able to give you internet. Is this true?

Yes its true, but don't count on that being the case. I don't know what they have done recently to stop it if at all.
 

NoStateofMind

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2005
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Originally posted by: corkyg
I don't think so. There are filters in your street control box. If that were true, then a cable TV line would also be able to access free Internet.

No, I think that is done by way of MAC addressing with some sort of communication between the Tech and the office once its set up. Places are different everywhere though. In Virginia, you could set you own modem up with just a call to the office. now in South Carolina they REQUIRE a Tech to set it up. PITA if you ask me, took 3 weeks to get a Tech out here.

 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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Keep in mind that any "free" cable TV service is very likely theft of service. If you aren't paying for it, you generally aren't supposed to be getting it, regardless of how inept the installers may be in not installing a filter on your line.
 

Arcanedeath

Platinum Member
Jan 29, 2000
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In many cases you can get analog cable and the unscrambled digital stations as well, at least if this is going into a residential home as it normaly requires the cable company to put a notch filter on your line to block out the cable signal and just let the cable internet through so its not really always cost effective for them to block the normal cable signal. Technicaly this is stealing cable even though you are paying for internet service you are not paying for Cable TV, most cable companies charge higher rates to just the cable internet users to make up for this fact. In an apartment building this is usually a different story though.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
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Mar 4, 2000
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All I can speak to is what was observed when the Comcast tech put in Internet access. Step 1 was to move a wire in the junction box on the street. (We are all underground.) Then he connected to the existing splitter where the cable meets the house. We already had cable TV. Result? That plus a cable modem gave me great Internet. But - we found the TV badly degraded. Comcast sent out a different tech - he looked at the splitter and shook his head. "Wrong splitter!" he said.

He changed the splitter and both TV and Internet were great.

Now, phase 3 - this year I added Comcast Digital Voice to replace my Qwest landline. Same process at the street. The junction can was opened, a couple of wires were moved. Can closed and resealed.

In the house, a new modem (triple function Arris) was put in and the tech communicated with the office and cleared the system. All has worked perfect ever since.

Bottom line - different providers and areas impose different requirements. I found the different splitter to be a key element.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
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Yes, you are getting Free Cable and they send you every Month a check for $1000. ;)

:shocked: - :roll: - :gift: - :p

I.e. I am not sure what the question is and what is the Point.
 

jsbush

Diamond Member
Nov 13, 2000
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Originally posted by: JackMDS
Yes, you are getting Free Cable and they send you every Month a check for $1000. ;)

:shocked: - :roll: - :gift: - :p

I.e. I am not sure what the question is and what is the Point.

Well they should. I don't know about you guys, but the cable company should be paying me to use there service. They are the thief's.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: jsbush
I don't know about you guys, but the cable company should be paying me to use there service. They are the thief's.

Do you work for nothing? :)