# USB Modems



## shadowmack (Apr 8, 2013)

Hello!

I am considering a move to an area of town here in San Cristobal that does not have telephone service. I have never used the USB modems for internet before and am wondering what plans are out there. Is there a flat monthly rate? Is it by the minute? What shall I expect to pay monthly?

Also, I work from my computer (with Skype for an hour a week), so I need a fairly consistently reliable connection. Is there anyone that has experience with them and can give me the pros and cons of using one? I cannot rent this house if I cannot trust that it is reliable (and trust that it is not extraordinarily expensive).

Also, if anyone has figured out a better solution for themselves I would love to hear any other options that may be available that I have not yet thought of. 

Thanks!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

shadowmack said:


> Hello!
> 
> I am considering a move to an area of town here in San Cristobal that does not have telephone service. I have never used the USB modems for internet before and am wondering what plans are out there. Is there a flat monthly rate? Is it by the minute? What shall I expect to pay monthly?
> 
> ...


You say the area does not have telephone service. Do they have cable TV? Internet from cable would be a better option than a cellular modem.


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## shadowmack (Apr 8, 2013)

TundraGreen said:


> You say the area does not have telephone service. Do they have cable TV? Internet from cable would be a better option than a cellular modem.



Thank you, TundraGreen. I have a feeling that they do not. However, your reply caused me to realize that I ought to ask first before making that assumption. 

Thanks again!


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

No Telmex here so I'm using a Telcel USB modem. You can do a contract or pay as you go. Contracts are per GIG depending on how much you need. Mine is 10 GIGS for $622 pesos and I use most of it each month

Mostly good but has been off and on. Here's the speed test. Upload always sucks but I have used VOIP with no problems


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## shadowmack (Apr 8, 2013)

Ouch! My partner also works from the internet and sometimes has to transfer large files. I am sadly beginning to think that this house is less and less of an option, despite how gorgeous the location is. Thank you, Sparks.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

sparks said:


> No Telmex here so I'm using a Telcel USB modem. You can do a contract or pay as you go. Contracts are per GIG depending on how much you need. Mine is 10 GIGS for $622 pesos and I use most of it each month
> 
> Mostly good but has been off and on. Here's the speed test. Upload always sucks but I have used VOIP with no problems


Ouch. I would find those numbers a serious degradation of my quality of life. We do get spoiled. I spend about 8 hrs or more per day on the computer between work and play. I am happy to pay a little more and get 20+ Mbps download and 2 Mbs upload. It is slow today.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Well I can blog, watch videos and Torrents are 2-3 times faster than Telmex with no port configurations. The size restrictions are what make me unhappy. And no cable or Telmex in the near future


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## shomer (Jul 7, 2014)

If you or a friend has a smartphone from the same service provider, stand outside the house and run a speed test (or just stream some video). That's really the only way to be sure. 

Personally I've never been able to use Skype over Telcel in San Cristóbal to make calls, no matter how strong the 3G signal. This is also something that you can test with a friend's smartphone before you rent the house.


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## DLGMEX (Jan 30, 2014)

TundraGreen your provider?

Using StrongVPN, my Telmex 5Mbps degrades to 2.75... 

Thanks


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DLGMEX said:


> TundraGreen your provider?
> 
> Using StrongVPN, my Telmex 5Mbps degrades to 2.75...
> 
> Thanks


My provider is Megacable. I have been very happy with them. When they did the original installation, the guy showed up on time, and did a very neat job of running the cable. They have regularly increased the speed. It started at a nominal 5 Mbps and now is a nominal 15 Mbps. They have always delivered faster than the nominal. Just now the measured speeds are 21.83 Mbps down and 1.01 Mbps up. Once the service failed and a technician had to come out and fix it. It turned out to be a bad connection between the cable to my house and the box on the pole across the street. That was the only failure I have had in 5 years with them.


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## DLGMEX (Jan 30, 2014)

Thank You... we're talking with them Monday

Here in Benito Juárez dele we've had lousy Telmex inet service, connectibility, poor for $1000mnp per month...


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

DLGMEX said:


> Thank You... we're talking with them Monday
> 
> Here in Benito Juárez dele we've had lousy Telmex inet service, connectibility, poor for $1000mnp per month...


I'm in Deleg. Cuauhtémoc near the Angel. I pay $400 a month for my landline phone and internet connection and have had excellent service with Telmex. Sorry to hear about your problems.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DLGMEX said:


> Thank You... we're talking with them Monday
> 
> Here in Benito Juárez dele we've had lousy Telmex inet service, connectibility, poor for $1000mnp per month...


$1000/month! Ouch. I pay $559/month. It started at $429 or $459 and has gone up a few times. I think basic cable TV is included but I don't have a TV set so I am not sure about what that means.


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## DLGMEX (Jan 30, 2014)

*Telmex*

Telmex is unreliable, inconsistent, let's see other synonyms... not fit for public purpose...

http://www.telmex.com.mx/web/hogar/conexion-internet











Thank you for your feedback, TundraGreen are you in DF?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DLGMEX said:


> Telmex is unreliable, inconsistent, let's see other synonyms... not fit for public purpose...
> 
> http://www.telmex.com.mx/web/hogar/conexion-internet
> 
> ...


No, Guadalajara.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

DLGMEX said:


> Telmex is unreliable, inconsistent, let's see other synonyms... not fit for public purpose...


I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe I've just been lucky.


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## michmex (Jul 15, 2012)

DLGMEX said:


> Thank You... we're talking with them Monday
> 
> Here in Benito Juárez dele we've had lousy Telmex inet service, connectibility, poor for $1000mnp per month...



We live in Tlanepantla just outside the DF border. We have had Telmex service for 6 years with very good service. We have had 3 outages in that time and in each case Telmex responded quickly to resolve the issue. Only 1 outage lasted more than 1-2 hours. That outage was caused by a neighborhood node going bad and taking down most of our colonia.

We pay $328 pesos per month for landline and internet which constantly tests at 5 Mbps.


Compared to our ATT Uverse service in SE Michigan, Telmex internet is both more reliable and considerably less expensive when combined with a landline package.


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