[maratd]

> If Time Warner, Comcast, and AT&T want their names to be associated with budget brands then its ok.

It is definitely not OK. Time Warner is absolute garbage and has been for a very long time. Cablevision has an excellent network.

I know this very well.

Unfortunately, some towns contracted with Time Warner and some with Cablevision and you can't pick who you want as your provider ... unless you decide on where you live based on the available ISP.

As much as I love a good connection, I will not make my decision on where to live based on the available internet provider. Reputation is worthless unless people have a choice.

[warfangle]

> unless you decide on where you live based on the available ISP.

Interestingly, if I ever move out of my current neighborhood, this (along with apartment price) will dictate where I look. I'm pretty happy with Cablevision for now, though.

[drcube]

What happens when you pick a town with a good ISP, which then gets bought by GiantEvilCo a month after you move in?

I don't think voting with your feet and mortgages is a solution. Perhaps forgoing entirely? When Charter dicked me around in 08, I went back to dialup for over a year before DSL became available at my house. Screw 'em. I can still read HN and text-based websites at 56k.

Which isn't a whole lot slower than AT&T is giving me now. But at least they don't treat me like a subhuman ATM like Charter did.