Cheapest internet access in Toronto without existing cable or telephone?

135982 Views 31 Replies 20 Participants Last post by vacuvox, Sep 10, 2010

krs

Discussion Starter · Jul 30, 2007

I'm moving to a new apartment and I need internet access for a Mac.

For phone service I use a cell phone and I have really no use for cable TV, so

What are my choices to get reasonable speed internet access.

Seems the assumption is that one has either cable or land line telephone service already and you just piggy-back internet on either one of those.

Dry DSL is an option, but it really bumps up the price.

I came across this service provider, CIA,
https://www.cia.com/index.do

but none of the service reps and technicians I spoke to really knew what the options were if I have no cable or telephone service to start with.
There is nothing on their web site indicating that there would be an additional charge to what they advertise, one rep suggested there may be an additional charge of $4.95 for dry DSL but he wasn't sure.
They also don't support the mac which doesn't help.

Any suggestions how to approach this?

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

8127972

· #2 · Jul 30, 2007

Check out Teksavvy:
TekSavvy Solutions Inc.

5 Mbps/ 800 kbps service is $29.95 a month. Plus they get excellent reviews:
Detail : TekSavvy Solutions Inc. - dslreports.com

fyrefly

· #3 · Jul 30, 2007

Does TekSavvy work as DryDSL??

If you're downtown (like in the square bordered by front/spadina/bloor/jarvis) then there's also the Toronto Hydro "One Zone" wireless network to think about. I had them for a month, and it was pretty good. $31 or so taxes in for a month -- no contract.

Toronto Hydro Telecom - One Zone High Speed Internet

Paradime

· #4 · Jul 30, 2007

krs said:
I came across this service provider, CIA,
https://www.cia.com/index.do

All I have to say about CIA, alias 3Web, alias Cybersurf, is do your research before signing up with them. Yes, they're cheap. Yes, you can get great speeds...especially with their cable Internet (when they're not down) but there seems to be a lot of people (and I mean alot) complaining about them for one reason or another. Take a look:

Canadian Broadband forum - dslreports.com largest broadband community

8127972

· #5 · Jul 30, 2007

fyrefly said:
Does TekSavvy work as DryDSL??

Yes. There's a guy in my workplace who has Dry DSL from Teksavvy.

wtl

· #6 · Jul 30, 2007 (Edited)

I somehow don't think Toronto Hydro's wireless offerings will make it to Belleville.

I'd suggest having a look at this site :Canadian ISP - Select a city and service requirements for your ISP search

Hideous, yes, but it does work.

[edit]
Oops. My bad. I didn't notice the Toronto in the subject header. The link will still work for Toronto.

krs

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 30, 2007

Thanks for the suggestions.

The location is just north of Dundas and just west of the Don Valley.

I looked at Toronto Hydro, maybe worthwhile to check it again. When the ISPs quote rates, I assume they assume you already have a working telephone line and the fee for dry DSL is extra.

Cable in the building is provided by Rogers. Wonder if they have an internet option without having to sign up for cable TV.

HowEver

· #8 · Jul 30, 2007

You can also do some research at DSL · Cable · VOIP · Security · Satellite · Fiber · News · Tips · Reviews · Community · Tools - dslreports.com which, before it rationalizes the URL, is simply www broadbandreports com .

krs

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 30, 2007

8127972 said:
Check out Teksavvy:
TekSavvy Solutions Inc.

5 Mbps/ 800 kbps service is $29.95 a month. Plus they get excellent reviews:
Detail : TekSavvy Solutions Inc. - dslreports.com

I had already looked at Teksavvy.

It's actually $29.95 plus $7 or $9 (band rate) plus $10 (modem rental) per month for the first six month, so a total over $50.00 with tax.

krs

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 30, 2007

fyrefly said:
Does TekSavvy work as DryDSL??

If you're downtown (like in the square bordered by front/spadina/bloor/jarvis) then there's also the Toronto Hydro "One Zone" wireless network to think about. I had them for a month, and it was pretty good. $31 or so taxes in for a month -- no contract.

Toronto Hydro Telecom - One Zone High Speed Internet

Hydro One at $30.- would have been ideal but I'm outside the coverage map.

Mississauga

· #11 · Jul 30, 2007

First thing to do, and probably most importantly, is to ask immediate neighbours regarding their experiences with local ISP services. Choose the method most highly praised. DSL or cable will ultimately be the answer. Stick with a locally reputable provider.

8127972

· #12 · Jul 30, 2007

krs said:
I had already looked at Teksavvy.

It's actually $29.95 plus $7 or $9 (band rate) plus $10 (modem rental) per month for the first six month, so a total over $50.00 with tax.

Teksavvy lets you use any modem with their service. So you can grab one off of Craigslist cheap (that's what I did). Not to mention that they don't rent modems IIRC. You should get a quote on the band rate as that rate is highly variable.

krs

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 30, 2007

wtl said:
I somehow don't think Toronto Hydro's wireless offerings will make it to Belleville.

I'd suggest having a look at this site :Canadian ISP - Select a city and service requirements for your ISP search

Hideous, yes, but it does work.

Thanks, I have used this web site before but couldn't remember the URL.

krs

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 30, 2007

8127972 said:
Teksavvy lets you use any modem with their service. So you can grab one off of Craigslist cheap (that's what I did). Not to mention that they don't rent modems IIRC. You should get a quote on the band rate as that rate is highly variable.

I was looking at this page from Teksavvy. Is that the wrong page? It said modem rent-to-buy right at the bottom at $10 per month for six month.
If I buy one, does it matter which one? I have a Speedtouch 510 now in a different location and it locks up every once in a while where I have to reset it.

As to band rate, are you saying that's negotiable? I now know the building is in Band A. CIA already quoted me 4.95 for the dry loop but the guy wasn't too sure. Everyone else seems to have the same price of $7.25 listed for Band A.

I'm going to do a price comparison, but it looks as if all the DSL pricing is pretty much the same.

See less See more

krs

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 30, 2007

Mississauga said:
First thing to do, and probably most importantly, is to ask immediate neighbours regarding their experiences with local ISP services. Choose the method most highly praised.

Yes, definitely. But I'm not there yet and want to do a bit of homework ahead of time since everyone says it takes 7-10 business days to get hooked up.

wtl

· #16 · Jul 30, 2007

krs said:
As to band rate, are you saying that's negotiable? I now know the building is in Band A. CIA already quoted me 4.95 for the dry loop but the guy wasn't too sure. Everyone else seems to have the same price of $7.25 listed for Band A.

What the heck is a band rate?

krs

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 30, 2007

wtl said:
What the heck is a band rate?

I assume it's the cost of the dry DSL loop.
Cheaper in large centres, ie band A, and more expensive in smaller locations.

anexactfit

· #18 · Apr 9, 2010

TEKSAVVY are assholes, just like all the rest. They are the moderators of the the Canadian Broadband site, and bury any negative reviews they receive. In my experience with them, I attempted to sign up, was told no dry loop would be necessary, then days later, told a dry loop WOULD be necesary, and I needed to be home between 8am and 5pm for a technician... I immediately cancelled the order, and was charged anyway. Incidentally with the dry loop you are likely to end up paying extra whenever bell has to do work on the lines, as they own the lines.
I ended up being charged for two months of internet service, AND for the dry loop installation which never occurred. That's $150, stolen out of my pocket, with no service ever recieved by them.

Sho

· #19 · Apr 9, 2010

Did you sign for any form of contract? Or agreed that you would pay even if they do the install? If not take the assholes to the BBB

broad

· #20 · Apr 9, 2010

3 web is the WORST. they have one person answering phones there..you call and it just rings and rings and rings and eventually you get a message saying "call back later" and you are hung up on. i cancelled my service with them 2 days after initiating it (before they had even turned me on) once i saw what dealing with them was like..they then sent a tech anyway to install it, and charged me even though i had no work done. i simply didnt have the time or the patience to fight them on it, so they "won"...i wonder how many others have been in my service.

they are a bunch of jagoffs, even moreso than the jagoffs whose service they are re-selling

i would rather use public internet at dundas square than give them another dime of my money

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

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