4 ms·

As someone who lives just off Highway 1 on the Santa Cruz west side (closer to the University of California, Santa Cruz), at least our household has looked forw

As someone who lives just off Highway 1 on the Santa Cruz west side (closer to the University of California, Santa Cruz), at least our household has looked forward to this with excitement, for some time now. : o ) Currently using local ISP Cruzio's Velocity Internet + Phone ADSL (Residential)[1], which, due to distance from the nearest telephone exchange, delivers ~1.0 Mb/s. Note: those closest to the telephone exchanges get speeds up to 75 Mb/s; first world problems, for sure. We chose to support the local ISP, rather than throw money at Comcast/AT&T, so we've accepted the performance. Note: Comcast[2] and AT&T[3] seem to have their own troubles/past performance issues, in the area. In 2015, Cruzio began surveying existing customers, regarding prioritizing fiber buildout plans[4]. It seems you can still view results/vote and even help champion your local area, online.[5] [1] http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/economy/ http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/economy/ [2] http://downdetector.com/status/comcast-xfinity/santa-cruz http://downdetector.com/status/comcast-xfinity/santa-cruz [3] http://downdetector.com/status/att/santa-cruz http://downdetector.com/status/att/santa-cruz [4] http://cruzio.com/santa-cruz-fiber/ http://cruzio.com/santa-cruz-fiber/ [5] https://cruzio.servicezones.net/santacruz https://cruzio.servicezones.net/santacruz

cm3 10y ago
If the number of homes is significant, you can bet that Comcast and friends will hurry to make offers themselves, now that someone is becoming a viable alternative. It's happened the same way in Germany too. Zero activity up until a local effort is started to build lines.
- iokevins 10y ago
  In line with your comment: in September 2015, regional publication "Santa Cruz Tech Beat" published a special report, by Steve Blum of Tellus Venture Associates, titled, "Santa Cruz Muni Fiber Threat Forces Comcast Upgrade": http://www.santacruztechbeat.com/2015/09/23/santa-cruz-muni-fiber-threat-forces-comcast-upgrade/ http://www.santacruztechbeat.com/2015/09/23/santa-cruz-muni-... TL;DR: "Before the upgrade, the best that Comcast could reliably deliver in the Santa Cruz area was less than 25 Mbps download and somewhere between 1.5 Mbps and 3 Mbps upload speeds.... Comcast routinely advertized and sold Santa Cruz subscribers its faster 150 Mbps service. According to a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, when pushed to the wall, Comcast gave refunds and discounts to customers, but apparently only to those who went to the trouble of complaining to the district attorney, the CPUC or other regulatory agencies."
beachstartup 10y ago
how are the local WISP's in the area?
- iokevins 10y ago
  We actually seriously considered using a WISP (wireless Internet service provider). Cruzio offers "Business Broadband"[1], with "50 Mbps typical download and upload speeds" and the sales representative suggested we use that, instead. At the time (early 2015, I think?) Cruzio had just finished installing a wireless presence on/near the old Wrigley Gum building (now a business park). They visited our site, to see whether we had line-of-sight to their antenna, and Cruzio engineers concluded they couldn't guarantee service, due to some trees. So, it fell through, for us, but working with Cruzio staff has always seemed like a positive experience. I'm not sure what other WISPs exist, but that's our story. [1] http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/business/ http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/business/
- jmspring 10y ago
  Line of site, 20Mbit Symmetric is ~$99/mo. Real speeds, typically above that. But does require line of site to the handful of locations they have.
jmspring 10y ago
Talk to cruzio about point to point wifi if you are line of sight of the Wrigley plant.
- iokevins 10y ago
  @jmspring--please see my earlier reply, to @beachstartup; thank you. I enjoyed reading your successful history. : o )
  - jmspring 10y ago
    I saw that after I commented -- long day and didn't scroll. Even here, there is the concern about some "neighbor trees", but they put it in and I will double check things as trees grow.

cm3 10y ago

If the number of homes is significant, you can bet that Comcast and friends will hurry to make offers themselves, now that someone is becoming a viable alternative. It's happened the same way in Germany too. Zero activity up until a local effort is started to build lines.

iokevins 10y ago
In line with your comment: in September 2015, regional publication "Santa Cruz Tech Beat" published a special report, by Steve Blum of Tellus Venture Associates, titled, "Santa Cruz Muni Fiber Threat Forces Comcast Upgrade": http://www.santacruztechbeat.com/2015/09/23/santa-cruz-muni-fiber-threat-forces-comcast-upgrade/ http://www.santacruztechbeat.com/2015/09/23/santa-cruz-muni-... TL;DR: "Before the upgrade, the best that Comcast could reliably deliver in the Santa Cruz area was less than 25 Mbps download and somewhere between 1.5 Mbps and 3 Mbps upload speeds.... Comcast routinely advertized and sold Santa Cruz subscribers its faster 150 Mbps service. According to a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, when pushed to the wall, Comcast gave refunds and discounts to customers, but apparently only to those who went to the trouble of complaining to the district attorney, the CPUC or other regulatory agencies."

beachstartup 10y ago

how are the local WISP's in the area?

iokevins 10y ago
We actually seriously considered using a WISP (wireless Internet service provider). Cruzio offers "Business Broadband"[1], with "50 Mbps typical download and upload speeds" and the sales representative suggested we use that, instead. At the time (early 2015, I think?) Cruzio had just finished installing a wireless presence on/near the old Wrigley Gum building (now a business park). They visited our site, to see whether we had line-of-sight to their antenna, and Cruzio engineers concluded they couldn't guarantee service, due to some trees. So, it fell through, for us, but working with Cruzio staff has always seemed like a positive experience. I'm not sure what other WISPs exist, but that's our story. [1] http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/business/ http://cruzio.com/services/broadband/business/
jmspring 10y ago
Line of site, 20Mbit Symmetric is ~$99/mo. Real speeds, typically above that. But does require line of site to the handful of locations they have.

jmspring 10y ago

Talk to cruzio about point to point wifi if you are line of sight of the Wrigley plant.

iokevins 10y ago
@jmspring--please see my earlier reply, to @beachstartup; thank you. I enjoyed reading your successful history. : o )
- jmspring 10y ago
  I saw that after I commented -- long day and didn't scroll. Even here, there is the concern about some "neighbor trees", but they put it in and I will double check things as trees grow.