Mediacom review: Slow internet speeds

This complaint is in regard to the cable internet service provided by Mediacom Communications aka. Mediacom Cable.

I own a small computer repair business that I run from home. Because of the work I do I make use of the internet to perform 50% of my work from downloading and uploading. I have the pleasure of having access to several computers and make several outside calls to customers around town.

4 Years ago I signed up to Mediacom which at that time offered a 10Mb down. service. I never got more then 1Mb on all speedtests and serveral calls to tech support and two tech visits later I find that the local office here in town didn't even know that their own employer even offered a 10Mb service even though flyers were being sent in the local mail and around town for the 10Mb speed.

I canceled service after several calls to tech support and know success. Last year, 3 yeras after my first encounter with mediacom I decided to give them another chance. 30 Day money back trial could resist. I signed up for 12Mb down and 1Mb up. 3 weeks into my service and it was once again terrible. speeds of 1.0Mb down to 2.0Mb down. I called several times and techs came out half a dozen times. Finally after the third week success my internet speed started working after I was told a supervisor came to the local office which is only two blocks from my house. Since my service started working, I recieved speed tests of 10Mb to 11.5Mb out of the 12Mb available which I had no problem with at all. However, 2 months later down the speed went, and has stayed there for the last 9 months. Why have I stuck with them? becuase im in a contract and can't afford to pay my way out. I am lucky If i ever get speed tests over 2.0Mb down and 800Kb up.

My tcp settings including netsh global settings in Win 7 are fully optimized, no viruses, no spyware, tried different DNS servers, used two different routers, two different modems. I can add a list of things I've tried and 99% of the time I get only 1/10 (one-tenth) of the advertised speed. I have computers running Win XP, Vista, Win 7, and Linux. I've ran speed tests on speedtest.net, bandwidthplace, speakeasy, 2 wire, dslreports, wugnet, and ran the tests on several servers not only on my computers, my customers computers, but also on my outside calls. When going out to look at customer's computers, if those customers have mediacom out of curiosity I run speedtests. It's not just my line, or my computer, it seems to be the whole town.

I am set up for 12Mb down and 1Mb up. I generally get between 1.2 and 2.0 Mb down and 700Kb to 800Kb up. 1 - 2 hours out of every MONTH, seriously, I get full speed, speed test then hit 11.2 to 11.5Mb.. basically like 98% of the time my internet is only a tenth of the advertised speed.

Now I understand that ISPs state "up to the advertised speed", but lets face it if you advertise a speed, dont give the customers 10% of that speed. I know what speed bursts are, what bandwidth is and bottlenecking. I understand that my speed will be slowed if others in my area are using the internet but it would seem to me and ISP would do all their can to give their customers at least half of the bandwidth advertised. If the lines are bottlenecking, something needs to be done about it.

I've been through the calls and a tech has come out half a dozen times. The tech that come out didn't even know the difference between megabytes and megabits or any internet topology terms, the other more experienced tech who came out a few times did, and couldn't believe how slow the internet was going at my location but nothing ever came out of it.

About to switch back to ATT DSL 6Mb. 6Mb dsl goes 2 - 3 times faster then Mediacom's 12Mb. Very strange.