Banda Ancha...o Banda Chancha?

This from an Argentine news agency named DERF on April 3: (caution: some of the promos may not still be available) by Ricardo Sametband.

¡Mamita linda! ¡Qué bolonqui es! This seems to be a great article and one-stop reference on the subject and is very current. But it is so confusing that I don't think anyone ever read it even in Castellano! I say this because it has been reprinted on web multiple times complete with a big typo. I'll point the typo*** out with what I think the author was trying to say.

Anyway, you have a lot to consider in choosing a Internet Service Provider in the big BApple. I'm now actually feeling a bit proud of myself for being a boludo about it and saying, "just get my wife some cable TV and tell 'em I'll take whatever internet they have!"

You are probably used to being constrained in your broadband choices by what cable company has served you in your other life. Here in BsAs you have the additional "feature" of being at the mercy of whatever telephone company (Telecom or Telefónica) is available to you in your area.

When you add in the guys that give you a deal on only using your rig for nights and weekends, as well as the penalty/rate-hikes for straying into the workaday hours, you've got as complicated a choice to make as I have ever seen anywhere.

That's pretty cool, though, when you consider that all of this means availability with a capital "A" and if you can digest this list it could mean that you will find something that fits your usage so well that you'll never pay for anything you won't be using.

This is a L O N G post but it doesn't seem to make any sense to break it up by company. Just keep scrolling and don't let your eyes glaze over until you've found the ISP of your dreams.

I'll paraphrase here in English Sr. Sametband's summary which gives good advice on making your broadband selection...or even select broadband at all. If all you're going to do is send emails, do some chat, and surf some basic internet pages that are not terribly graphics heavy or flashed to the bejeezus...you don't need more than 256K and for that kind of usage you might get by quite nicely with dial-up.

On the other hand, once you start getting into anything more you gonna feel the need fo' speed. Big-file downloads like music and webcam/videoconferencing and telephony will start pushing you well past 512K depending on what you're doing.

He also reminds us that some contracts call for a cancellation fee, some don't and that your mileage may vary depending on how many users are using your connection at the same time.

Another piece of advice is check their websites before you rule any of them out...they change (usually lower) their rates, throw in freebies, and extend their promos all the time.

However, in perusing a few of these sites it seems that some may be pulling the old trick of moving to a "IVA (surprise!) NOT included anymore" rate structure to try to hide increases or make them look like reductions. Keep an eye out.

Translating this was so freaking mind-numbing that I developed some serious sympathy for the author not even half way through it. Not only that but when cross-checking some of his entries I found that some companies had sweetened the pot a little or a lot. Anyway, it's a good snapshot of a point in time in what looks like a very competitive market.

Use it as a rule of thumb...then check your thumb carefully.

Mike

" By Ricardo Sametband
A guide for getting to know what the local ISPs offer in order to get your house connected to the web with a faster connection than conventional dial-up. The prices, the promotions and what you have to have up-front to get the best plan according to your needs:

Wide-band providers in Buenos Aires:

The email accounts mentioned are POP; the subscriptions offer a helpdesk and a webpage. The prices have the IVA already included. Usually, there is a charge for instalation between 50 and 75 pesos. The broadband modem is usually provided.

ASDL

Arnet
0800-888-ARNET - www.highway.arnet.com.ar

Pricing: base rate plus usage

640K and one mailbox costs $19.90/mo + 4¢/minute. First 3 mos free promo. You can pay the installation charge at the end of the month.

640K and one mailbox costs $24.90/mo + 4¢/minute after your first 90 minutes.
...after your first 3 months, your base rate goes up to $49.90.
...after your first year, your base rate goes up to $69.90.

2.5M with 3 mailboxes, a webpage, costs $49.90/mo + 4¢/minute after your first 90 minutes.
...after your first 3 months, your base rate goes up to $109.90.***
...you can get the same deal but with 1090 free minutes for $128.90.

5M with 3 mailboxes, a webpage, costs $79.00/mo + 4¢/minute after your first 90 minutes.
...after your first 3 months, your base rate goes up to $147.90.
...you can get the same deal but with 1090 free minutes for $166.90.


Flash
0810-888-8558 - www.flash.com.ar

Pricing: base rate plus usage

for Telecom customers:

640K*** and one mailbox costs $21.10/mo + 4¢/minute. First 3 months free promo. No free minutes.

2.5M and 5 mailboxes costs $21.10/mo + 4¢/minute. No free minutes.
...after your first 3 months, your base rate goes up to $115.90. No free minutes.

5M and 5 mailboxes costs $79.90/mo + 4¢/minute. No free minutes.
...after your first 3 months, your base rate goes up to $155.40. No free minutes.

for Telefónica customers:

Noche 256K and one mailbox costs you the special promo rate of $29.90/mo with unlimited usage from 8pm to 8am Monday thru Friday and all day/night Saturday and Sunday.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $83.55.
...step out of line into non-vampire hours: $2.40/hr (or fraction thereof?)

The 60 horas plan gets you 256K and one mailbox for the special promo rate of $29.90.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $83.55.
...step out of your monthly 60 anytime hours: $2.40/hr (or fraction thereof?)

The 100 horas plan gets you 256K and one mailbox for the special promo rate of $29.90.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $89.55.
...step out of your monthly 100 anytime hours: $2.40/hr (or fraction thereof?)

The Base 256 plan gets you 256K and one mailbox for the special promo rate of $48.28.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $93.75.

512K and 5 mailboxes costs you the special promo rate of $48.28.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $117.90.

1M and 5 mailboxes costs you the special promo rate of $48.28.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $142.10.

2M and 5 mailboxes costs you the special promo rate of $120.90.
...after 6 months, your base rate goes up to $226.75.


Inter.net
0810-321-8000 -
ventas@ar.inter.net

Ricardo tells us that for Telecom customers that the bandwidth for the following tariffs is quadrupled at no extra charge! For you Telefónica tipos it is as follows:

256K with 5 mailboxes costs $60.37/mo., first 3 mos. free.
512K with 25 mailboxes costs $90.62/mo., first 3 mos. free.
1M with 25 mailboxes costs $60.37/mo., first 3 mos. free.


Netizen
5093-8500 - info@ntzn.com

for Telefónica customers:

The 512K Basic plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $108.80/mo.
The 512K Full plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $133.00/mo. & includes a free domain name.

for Telecom customers:

The 1.2M Basic plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $109.00/mo.
The 2.4M Basic plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $142.90/mo.
The 1.2M Full plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $128.25/mo. & includes a free domain name.
The 2.4M Full plan with unlimited mailboxes costs $161.22./mo. & includes a free domain name.


Sion
0800-777-7466 -
info@sion.com

for Telefónica customers:

The 256K Control plan gets you 5 mailboxes and 100 hrs for $19.00 your first month.
...after that month your rate goes to $44.90.
...for months 2 and 3 it's $49.90.
...after that you pay $89.90/mo.
...any over-hours cost you $1.60 each (of fraction thereof?)

The 512 Premium plan gets you 5 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2-6 cost $69.90 each
...after that you pay $109.90.

The 512 Full Pro plan gets you 10 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2-6 cost $72.9 each
...after that you pay $112.90.

The 1M Full Pro plan gets you 10 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2-6 cost $84.90 each
...after that you pay $134.90.

The 2M Full Pro plan gets you 10 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2-6 cost $119.90 each
...after that you pay $204.00.

for Telecom customers:

The 2.5M Premium plan gets you 5 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2 & 3 cost $64.90 each.
...after that it's $102.90/mo.

The 5M Premium plan gets you 5 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mo 2 costs $76.00.
...after that it's $136.90/mo.

The 2.5M Full Pro plan gets you 10 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mos 2 & 3 cost $69.90 each.
...after that it's $107.90/mo.

The 5M Full Pro plan gets you 10 mailboxes for $19.00 your first month.
...mo 2 costs $76.00.
...after that it's $142.90/mo.


Speedy
0800-222-2468 - www.speedy.com.ar

The 256 Control Plan with 1GB of usage/mo. and 1 mailbox costs the promo price of $25.00
...after 3 mos you pay $65.22/mo.
...every MB across the line costs 1.8¢

The 60 Hora plan with 60 anytime hours and 1 mailbox costs the promo price of $29.90.
...after 3 mos you pay $78.53/mo.

The Night/Weekend plan with 1 mailbox costs the promo price of $29.90.
...after 3 mos you pay $78.53/mo.
...anything outside of M-F, 8pm-8am, & all Sat/Sun will cost you 3¢/minute.

The 100 Hora plan with 100 anytime hours and 1 mailbox costs the promo price of $29.90.
...after 3 mos you pay $84.58/mo.
...anything above and beyond 100 hours will ding you 3¢/minute.

The Speedy One plan give you 256K and 1 mailbox for the promo price of $48.28.
...after three months you pay $90.63/mo.

The 512 plan gives you 512K and 3 mailboxes for the promo price of $48.28.
...after three months you pay $114.83/mo.

The 1M plan gives you 1M and 10 mailboxes for the promo price of $48.28.
...after six months you pay $139.03/mo.

The 2M plan gives you 2M and 10 mailboxes for the promo price of $48.28.
...after 6 months you pay $223.73/mo.


UOL
0810-999-0100 - www.uol.com.ar/suscribite

for Telecom Customers:

The Light plan gives you 640K and 1 mailbox for the promo price of $24.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $49.90/mo.
...after a year it's $69.90/mo.

2.5M with 5 mailboxes is $44.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $114.90.

5M with 5 mailboxes is $75.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $154.90.

for Telefónica customers:

The Light plan gives you 256K and 1 mailbox for the promo price of $19.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $84.46/mo.

512K with 5 mailboxes is $42.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $109.38.

1M with 5 mailboxes is $75.90.
...after 3 mos. it's $136.00.


Now for all you cablemodem jockeys:

FiberTel
4778-6000 -
ventasresidenciales@fibertel.com.ar

for CableVisión customers:

512K w/5 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after 3 mos. it's $88,21/mo.

1M w/5 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after 3 mos. it's $88,21/mo.

2.5M w/10 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after June. it's $120.00/mo.

for non-CableVisión customers:

512K w/5 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after 10 mos. it's $110.00/mo.

1M w/5 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after 10 mos. it's $130/mo.

2.5M w/10 mailboxes is $40.00/mo.
...after June. it's $145.00/mo.

Now get this: Fibertel is going to give progressive discounts depending on the success of the national team in the World Cup! I don't understand the structure but...¡AGUANTE ARGENTINA!


Flash
0810-888-8558 - www.flash.com.ar

128K with a mailbox is $19.90 until August 1.
...after that it's $44.90.

600K with 5 mailboxes is 19.90 until August 1.
...after that it's $69.90.

1M with 5 mailboxes is $19.90 until August 1.
...after that it's $105.40.


TeleCentro
0810-810-1111 -
ventas@telecentro.com.ar

256K with 3 mailboxes costs you $105...and they throw in the cable TV for free!
512K with 4 mailboxes costs you $123...and they throw in the cable TV for free!
1M with 4 mailboxes costs you $143...and they throw in the cable TV for free!