Questions about Rise Broadband internet service

[JohnJSal]

Hi all. I'm considering using Rise Broadband when I move to a new house soon. Currently I'm using Exede satellite internet and I'm unhappy with it for two main reasons: latency (~700ms) and data cap (12GB). From what I can tell, Rise doesn't have as high of latency (but I don't have any numbers for it yet) and if I read the fine print correctly, it allows 250GB per month before it charges for overage.

I wrote up an email to their customer service with all my questions, but so far they haven't responded. (It's been weeks!) So I will just call them soon and ask, but I was hoping I could get more honest answers on here, so I'm going to post the questions below.

Also, if I'm understanding the "Open Internet Statement and Policy" correctly, it seems that the following is the case: there are frequent checks of the network equipment for congestion, and when congestion is found, anyone using that particular equipment is subject to their throttling policy, which is this: after you use 500MB in a day, the speed drops from 15Mbps to 7Mbps, and after you use 6GB in a day, it goes down to 4Mbps. When congestion clears, then this all goes away and the speed returns to 15Mbps.'

This worries me a little, because 500MB is nothing, so if I assume congestion happens every day during prime time hours, it doesn't seem like I'd ever actually get the 15Mbps I'm paying for. It will mostly be 7 and probably 4Mbps, because 6GB isn't much either if I'm streaming movies or downloading bigger games.

Does anyone have any experience with this and know how this works? Or how often this "congestion management" happens? I'd really like to know this. Here is the link to that policy:
http://risebroadband.com/legal/open-internet-statement-and-policy/

Scrolling down to the charts will show you what I'm talking about.

Anyway, here are my questions as asked in my original email to them. Some of what I just discussed seems to answer some of it, but I'll just paste it all in its entirety to be complete.

1. Is 15 Mbps/4 Mbps the fastest download/upload option? Is the speed always 15 Mbps (assuming I choose that plan), or will it go up and down all the time? Is congestion an issue with the service?

2. What is the average or typical latency/ping time of the connection?

3. Is there a monthly data limit, and if so how much is it? Is it possible to increase the limit? What happens if you exceed the limit?

Thanks everyone!

 

[beers]

A lot of questions that really vary or could only be addressed by rise .

1) depends what kind of signal is available at your specific location.

2) you'll only see a handful of ms out to the provider instead of the horrible satellite RTT.

3) I'd find their specific overage table and see if it has any limits.

Is there no option for traditional cable or similar at your new place as well?

 

[JohnJSal]

Is there no option for traditional cable or similar at your new place as well?

Unfortunately, no. I used to have Comcast internet and I'd choose that in a heartbeat if it were an option. Satellite (and whatever Rise is) seem to be the only options. Even the DSL is full out here already, not that that would be a fast connection anyway.

Thanks for the answers. I'll give them a call, but it's that 500MB throttling limit that has me worried. Like I said, assuming congestion every day, then I'd never see 15Mbps.

I don't have high hopes that whoever I speak to will know all the answers or be completely honest. I'll call a few times and ask the same questions. But some reviews I'm reading of Rise are basically saying run away as fast as possible. :-(