Though you can’t avoid some charges, such as taxes and franchise fees, there are ways to save money on your internet bill.
To start, ISPs charge an average of $70.38 for installation when you first sign up for service, but AT&T, Charter (Spectrum), Comcast (Xfinity), and others offer self-installation kits for an average of just $9.30, according to the Open Technology Institute. Just note that if you run into trouble and need assistance, companies may hit you with a self-installation service fee. AT&T, for example, charges a $99 "self-installation assistance" fee if you opt to do it yourself but then need help.
Secondly, companies typically impose an equipment rental fee, often about $10 to $12 a month, for your modem and router. You can save long-term by buying the equipment yourself. You first have to make sure the modem is compatible with your ISP; that’s information you can often get from the ISP’s website. (Note that your modem may stop working if you switch to another service.)
If you go that route, or cancel service entirely, make sure you find out what equipment you need to return to the company to avoid being charged a penalty. AT&T, for example, charges $150 for failure to return its WiFi gateway if you terminate service, and $65 for each WiFi extender.
Sometimes you can get a monthly discount for enrolling in both auto-pay and paperless programs. AT&T, for example, will cut $5 a month off your bill for doing so, and Comcast offers a $10 discount on eligible plans. Verizon’s discount is either $5 or $10, depending on the plan. Autopay can also help you avoid late-payment fees.
Try to avoid paying by phone, because some companies charge you every time you do this. For instance, AT&T has a $5 "payment convenience fee" when you make a payment with the assistance of a retail agent, customer service, or a collections representative. Charter/Spectrum likewise charges $5 when you pay by phone with the assistance of customer service.
And remember, it often pays to negotiate if you’re unhappy with your service. In our latest telecom survey results, published last fall, about two-thirds of those who haggled over the cost of their bundled plan ended up getting one or more perks, such as a cheaper price or a new promotional rate.
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June 23, 2021 at 05:07PM
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Save on Monthly Internet Fees - ConsumerReports.org
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