# Starhub



## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

They keep texting me to swap out the digital cable box. I rarely watch TV. I never watch the channels that are currently switching over to HD anyway.

I do not plan to re-subscribe in March. Any better options for cable?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Alternatives to StarHub include Singtel TV, M1 MiBox, over-the-air reception (now in the process of switching to DVB-T2 across the island), and/or "cord cutting" (receiving programming over the Internet). However, there are several channels that only StarHub carries in Singapore. They are the traditionally dominant TV provider.


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

I have not looked into Singtel, thanx. 

When I discovered that M1 MiBox is internet based, I decided to say no because choppy sound and freezing video are not my cup of tea. I have M1 internet, and it is not very good. It is slower than most hotel free internet.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

All TV in Singapore, except for over-the-air DVB-T2 broadcasts, is moving toward IP-based transmission over the national fiber network managed by NetLink Trust. StarHub still has its own coaxial cable-based infrastructure with dedicated StarHub digital TV "right of way," but it's getting hard-to-impossible for new properties to connect to that network. Many new subscribers are getting hooked up to StarHub's IP-based TV service. Over time their coaxial network will be phased out. Likewise, Singtel's traditional POTS (copper wire-based network) will be phased out over time (and Singtel TV is/was IP-based over ADSL anyway).

StarHub, Singtel, and M1 all use network prioritization to try to assure that their digital TV services operate smoothly over IP networks. But they're all converging on that same technology base, so you're not going to be able to avoid that much longer -- or at all unless you choose over-the-air or StarHub's coaxial network.


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

That explains why the 200mb fiber was awsone four years ago, and today is much slower than my 4g. I used to watch Southpark and other ip TV from the USA over VPN. Now the performance is so poor that the VPN Often times out.


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## badsector (May 23, 2014)

Linuxpro said:


> That explains why the 200mb fiber was awsone four years ago, and today is much slower than my 4g. I used to watch Southpark and other ip TV from the USA over VPN. Now the performance is so poor that the VPN Often times out.


not advisable to use VPN for media.
google for smartdns


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

It was working great up until M1 fibre slowed to something akin to dial up.

Now i can set up my phone as a hotspot. If I connect my computer to the phone rather than the fiber the speed is almost double.

Why not use VPN for media?


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## badsector (May 23, 2014)

Linuxpro said:


> It was working great up until M1 fibre slowed to something akin to dial up.
> 
> Now i can set up my phone as a hotspot. If I connect my computer to the phone rather than the fiber the speed is almost double.
> 
> Why not use VPN for media?


smartdns vs vpn


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## mayrolllate (Oct 19, 2015)

Has anyone used My Republic for this? I am curious because I've heard about it but don't know anything about it. I had to sign a 2-year contract for cable and was quite surprised, not entirely happy with my box but the service from Starhub has been fair. I also know that you can bundle with your sim package, etc, but I haven't gotten into that. What other alternative are there now? And is fibre worth it?


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

mayrolllate said:


> And is fiber worth it?


I have fiber through M1 (I think it is the same as Starhub, but re-packaged). I have the 200MB speed. It used to be better than I got from cable internet back in the USA. However over the last six months it has degraded to the point that 4G and sometimes 3G is faster.

I cannot speak for the 1GB fiber.

They give you a free Asus router, but to be honest you get what you pay for. It "bricked" out of the box. I went to exchange it, but there was a very long queue of other people returning their Asus routers. I tossed it in the rubbish (box, receipt and all). A router cost about $60, why would I wait over an hour in a queue, when I can be having lunch with my mates?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Linuxpro said:


> I have fiber through M1 (I think it is the same as Starhub, but re-packaged).


All fiber Internet service providers in Singapore (with the possible exception of business Internet providers to select buildings) operate over the national infrastructure owned by NetLink Trust. (I'm oversimplifying slightly -- the corporate ownership is "complicated" -- but that's close enough.)



> They give you a free Asus router, but to be honest you get what you pay for....I tossed it in the rubbish (box, receipt and all).


That's up to you, but let's make sure we warn other readers that, if they do that and then terminate their Internet service before their contract term ends then (typically) they will have to pay an extra penalty for failure to return the wireless router the Internet service provider supplied. Contractually you don't own that wireless router, typically, until you've fulfilled the entire contract term. The box attached directly to the NetLink/OpenNet fiber termination point in the home is typically permanently owned by the Internet service provider, and there's another penalty if they don't get that box back even after the contract term.


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

It looks like they now offer the a $100 voucher toward a phone or accessories rather than the router.

Right after my experience, one of my colleagues asked them for a voucher rather than the router. I think they gave him $50 toward a phone or accessories. They claimed the router is worth $189. Sorry, but it is a $60 router no matter what they said. :blabla: 

If I had to end my contract early, I can probably get one of those cheap routers used for about $20. 

Incidentally, you can "un-brick" the thing if you use their utility CD. The rep on the phone made me angry when he said I had to "get Windows" to fix the router. They do not support Linux or mac.  :boxing:

Anyway, I got a   deal on my iPhone. I can call the USA for free, international SMS is only 50 cents (no extra when roaming), and I get 3GB of 4G data a month. I seldom use 1GB. I only pay $40 a month. 

The only catch is if I go over my 250 min of airtime, my bill doubles. The same thing happens if I answer a call while out of the county. I took a call while I was in Hong Kong and it cost me $28!


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## mayrolllate (Oct 19, 2015)

Cool - thank you!


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Linuxpro said:


> They claimed the router is worth $189.


If that's what your service contract says, then that's the penalty you'll pay if you terminate your contract early without returning the equipment they still own. If your contract says $269, then that's what it'll be. Nothing else matters.



> If I had to end my contract early, I can probably get one of those cheap routers used for about $20.


Not if they know the serial number on their own equipment, and they probably do. I don't recommend trying to commit fraud.

There's a solution for you Linuxpro: don't terminate your contract early. There's a solution for other readers of this thread: either don't accept "free" equipment that you know you will never use if you think you might terminate your contract early, or accept the equipment if you think you might use it and keep the equipment in your closet if you don't. Don't throw it away until you own it, and then at least try to donate it to somebody.


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