 Review by dbmaven 
UPDATED: 1.6 years ago
member for 10 years, 5380 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Highland Mills,Orange,NY
 $45 per month (12 month contract)
 about 5 days
 "Speed"
 "None yet"
 "Value for $$ is so good it's off the charts!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)
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After having used Frontier/Citizens DSL for many a year, the news that Cablevision would be upgrading to 15/2 (from 10/1) service at no charge within the next 6-9 months was simply too much to bear.
Mind you, I've had nothing to complain about with my DSL practically since it was installed. It was very reliable - rarely had any issues at all. About a year ago they boosted the speed from 1/128 to 3/384 at no charge - and I got most of that bandwidth regularly.
But when OOL is going to 15/2 for the same price, or possibly less than 3/384 DSL, it's time for a change.
I ordered online on Monday. The self-install kit arrived Wednesday. I didn't bother to do anything with it immediately, since I had to run a new RG-6 from where it enters my house (of course, it's the opposite SIDE of the house ;-P ). Finished that in about an hour today, and plugged it in.
The first part of the install from the supplied CD went without incident. After a reboot, it continues and here's where the fun began.
The application is clearly a java/script app, but it is in a custom window, so it doesn't appear to be a "browser application". I'd get through the 1st part of the entry, and when it would try to talk to the secure server(s), it would crap out with an "unable to...." message. So, I dialed the local service #, went thru umpteen menus, before finding myself on hold for "the next available tech...."
As I'm sitting there, I thought "What would cause this type of message ?"
I fired up the "OOL Net Guide", which opens a standard IE browser window, and lo-and-behold, the same screen pops up....
Hmmmm.
Next thing I know, I get a pop-up about "..wants to set a cookie...". I accept it, and proceed thru 2 more screens - the last of which also wants to set a cookie. Accept that, and don't you know it registered my modem and all was well !
I'm getting speeds in the 9000/900+ range - exactly what you'd expect with the service.
So, all in all, I'm a happy camper.
I'd advise OOL to improve their self-install app, to allow it to ask if you want to allow the cookie (and advise that you have to say "YES" in order to successfully complete the modem registration!).
Update 10/2006: The service has been incredibly reliable, and since the original review, OOL has upgraded their entire service area from 10/1 to 15/2. Last week I finally canceled my Frontier DSL - I'd been keeping it as a 'backup' since I do a lot of remote work via VPN. At the same time, I ordered OOL's BOOST package, with service "up to" 30 down/5 up. Very happy so far.
Update 2/2008: Still incredibly happy with BOOST. Within the last 6 months or so, they removed the downstream limit on the modem configuration - you're now capable of speeds as high (or low in some areas) as the network can deliver to you, up to the theoretical limit of DOCSIS 2 (something like 38mbps ?). I pretty regularly get 30+ on speed tests to Speakeasy in New York (java based tests). Use it regularly (at least 2 days/week) for VPN access and I honestly can't remember any downtime at all - if there was any it was brief. Check out my line monitor and speed test results here:
»/testhistory/115387/fd827
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