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We have two Internet service providers at our home. My configuration choice is to use CableOnda as primary and MobilNet as backup. I've been pretty happy with both service providers, and am comforted to have access redundancy because "stuff" happens. When the primary access has a problem it is nice, sometimes critical, to be able to keep business matters moving forward (including administration of this website) with the backup service filling in. And more often than not when we are watching NetFliix in the evenings I have to manually switch the gateway router to MobilNet because CableOnda just can't handle the bandwidth needs.

I recently received an email from MobilNet that their company has been bought by CableOnda. I had no hint such a change was in the offing. Right now the transition has not been completed, and so I have no experience with MobilNet under CableOnda management. Time will tell. However, to my way of thinking redundancy isn't fully achieved if the same management is over both service providers. Granted that the underlying technologies are different (broadband cable distribution with shared bandwidth versus microwave radio links to dedicated access receivers), but soon the same management policies and procedures will begin to show their faces. Billing appears to be the first department that is being integrated, which is not a surprise to me.

I am now considering the advisability of and options for replacing one of the two. Planet Telecom is looking more interesting and attractive as the alternative. And then I have decide which service to drop. That won't be easy.

It is amazing how Internet dependent we have become. Change marches on.

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I too have two Internet service providers - both MobilNet and Planet Telecom.   As of the last month, MobilNet has become very unstable and my neighbors are experiencing the same thing.   I had heard that CableOnda was in the process of purchasing MobilNet when I went into the their office to complain about the service problems.   I believe that some of the issues being experienced are due to everything being switched over.   MobliNet explained that they are currently unable to start new service due to the change and many issues were related to this as well.

I will be anxious to see what the service is like after the switch over is complete.   I will also be eager to see if the pricing structure of either the new CableOnda wireless service or their competitor, Planet Telecom changes.  Prices for wireless service are extremely high compared to cable with Planet Telecom being slightly higher than MobilNet at this time.

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So far (praise whatever deity you choose) my Mobilnet service has been rock solid in Potrerillos.  I too am interested in what will happen to pricing, it looks like Cable Onda has a few options (apart from expensive, more expensive and "you must be joking").  However, expect the worst and what you get might be a pleasant surprise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bud...we are Planet Telecom users and pay $200 a month for 3 mb!!!!  This does NOT support streaming.   We cannot get CableOnda due to our remote location...although they are now wiring the entire Jaramillo loop, they won't come down our driveway which is 1/8 mile from the main cable, even though we offered to pay half of the cost.   We also have PR DirectTV and a MAC Mini that gives us Netflix and plays our movies, etc.   CableOnda has told us that they will be introducing 10 mb wireless starting in January for around $100 (price not firm).  This will be more than 3 times faster than Planet Telecom for half the price.  We can't wait!   I suppose that is why they bought MobilNet...so they can have the wireless backbone.  But I am curious....why you can't get enough bandwidth with CableOnda fibreoptic?  They offer up to 40 mb.  Seems like you'd just buy that.  Planet Telecom gives good service by are VERY expensive and I believe their highest capability is 4 mb for $250 a month.

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52 minutes ago, PenRip said:

CableOnda has told us that they will be introducing 10 mb wireless starting in January for around $100 (price not firm).  This will be more than 3 times faster than Planet Telecom for half the price.

That's great news, but my gut tells me that the low pricing would only last until they put PT out of business.  After that, they would be sole source for Chiriqui wireless and .........

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9 hours ago, PenRip said:

Bud...we are Planet Telecom users and pay $200 a month for 3 mb!!!!  This does NOT support streaming.   We cannot get CableOnda due to our remote location...although they are now wiring the entire Jaramillo loop, they won't come down our driveway which is 1/8 mile from the main cable, even though we offered to pay half of the cost.   We also have PR DirectTV and a MAC Mini that gives us Netflix and plays our movies, etc.   CableOnda has told us that they will be introducing 10 mb wireless starting in January for around $100 (price not firm).  This will be more than 3 times faster than Planet Telecom for half the price.  We can't wait!   I suppose that is why they bought MobilNet...so they can have the wireless backbone.  But I am curious....why you can't get enough bandwidth with CableOnda fibreoptic?  They offer up to 40 mb.  Seems like you'd just buy that.  Planet Telecom gives good service by are VERY expensive and I believe their highest capability is 4 mb for $250 a month.

My primary requirement is reliability, not bandwidth. Secondary is cost.

For instance, CableOnda was down as of early yesterday morning, and was still down as of this morning. Haven't tried to switch back because of work. At least now I do see four green lights on the modem, but I am not willing to interrupt work to see if they are back online. I will do that this evening after the crunch settles down.

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Cableonda was off all day yesterday for us but came back on early in the evening. I'm curious about what may have happened. Whatever it was, they probably had to bring in equipment and/or staff from PC, accounting for the long interruption in service.

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5 hours ago, PenRip said:

Bud...we are Planet Telecom users and pay $200 a month for 3 mb!!!!  This does NOT support streaming.   We cannot get CableOnda due to our remote location...although they are now wiring the entire Jaramillo loop, they won't come down our driveway which is 1/8 mile from the main cable, even though we offered to pay half of the cost.   We also have PR DirectTV and a MAC Mini that gives us Netflix and plays our movies, etc.   CableOnda has told us that they will be introducing 10 mb wireless starting in January for around $100 (price not firm).  This will be more than 3 times faster than Planet Telecom for half the price.  We can't wait!   I suppose that is why they bought MobilNet...so they can have the wireless backbone.  But I am curious....why you can't get enough bandwidth with CableOnda fibreoptic?  They offer up to 40 mb.  Seems like you'd just buy that.  Planet Telecom gives good service by are VERY expensive and I believe their highest capability is 4 mb for $250 a month.

We've had Planet Telecom up here in Volcancito for over three years.

We pay for 2 Mbps and we stream TV show, movies, music, Netflix and have a Vonage phone for business and personal calls back to the states. And we can do these simultaneously. 

In addition, we share the signal with two casitas on our property.  The rental casita streams similar to us.  Federico's casita primarily uses the internet for the children's schoolwork and his English lessons.

We've had minimal problems with buffering and this usually occurs on Sunday when everyone is watching a football games or during the typical slow time for everyone between 6 and 9 PM.  When people with CableOnda complained about buffering problems (on Ning) we rarely experienced those problems.

You may want to check your configurations (router + wifi + computer) and also see what else is using bandwidth such as VPN or other applications. Leaving an email program running and even FB can use bandwidth.

When we first rented here, we used MobilNet and paid for the upgrade to 2 MBPS and the buffering was terrible.

This is our experience with Planet Telecom.  Dave and Al have been easy to work with and have been very helpful in helping us configure our system. 

 

 

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7 hours ago, Woody said:

That's great news, but my gut tells me that the low pricing would only last until they put PT out of business.  After that, they would be sole source for Chiriqui wireless and .........

They will not be the sole source for internet wireless.  Internet Activo is still in business.  I got good service from them until I switched to Cable Onda when they wired my neighborhood.

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