Do you remember when you were a kid and how going to the carnival seemed like the BEST day of your life?
With cotton candy-laced fingers, you threw balls at bowling pins with the intent of winning the largest multicolored stuffed animal hanging high up in the corner. You could ride the swings, the Ferris wheel, and bumper carts for days on end with giggling enthusiasm. The bright lights sparkled just right, and the ever-present deep-fried smell lingering in the air was magical.
Now, as an adult, while the fair may still have its nostalgic and delicious moments (funnel cakes, am I right?), you start to notice things.
You’re pretty positive that the bowling pins your kid is trying to knock over with no luck are weighted. And the biggest, most appealing prize is a cheaply made stuffed zebra the size of a Great Dane (Who has room for that?!).
Motion sickness lurks its ugly head, and you realize as your child hangs their head over the edge of the seat on the Ferris wheel that it looks a little bit…rickety. To top it all off, the bright lights and the deep-fried smell promptly fuse together to create a terrible headache by the end of the night.
What happened to that giddy feeling? Why doesn’t it seem as magical as it did when you were a kid?
When Your ISP Loses Its Luster
We all know that feeling of disappointment when the rose-colored glasses begin to fade. Especially when it comes to our internet service provider (ISP).
At first, your ISP promises you a low monthly fee, higher speeds than the competition, excellent customer service, and maybe even some fun add-ons like a 15-day trial of a popular streaming service.
Right about when you’ve told all of your friends that it’s the best internet service in the area, something shifts. And you realize you’ve been tricked.
As an internet service provider through a rural cooperative, Tombigbee Communications prides itself on intentional, local service, no hidden fees, the same lifetime monthly price, no cancellation fees, and no throttling. But we know that the bigger more nationally known companies could seem like the better option at first with their flashy sales and promotions (Always look closely at the fine print!).
Here are 5 sadly common “gotchas” that internet service providers use to trick people into cumbersome contracts (and all the ways Tombigbee gives you the freedom to make your own fully-informed decisions without all the fanfare and flashing lights).
Those Pesky Hidden Fees
Yeah, the mirror funhouses were a little bit thrilling as a kid, but as soon as you saw the clown emerging from a dark corner (or what seemed to be a bazillion dark corners in every direction), you ran screaming.
That scary clown in the dark corner is a lot like the hidden fees that ISPs drop on you after you cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Installation, equipment rental, data overages, and cancellation fees can be steep. Some cancellation fees can be up to $400!
Tombigbee Communications proudly boasts of no hidden fees when you sign up for freedom FIBER high-speed, fiber-optic internet. Installation is free, equipment is free, we have no data caps, and you can cancel anytime because we don’t make you sign a contract.
Hook, Line, and Sinker Promo Pricing
At the concession stands at the fair, they say things like “Buy 2, get 1 Free Hot Dog.” But then when you get to the window and order all of your food, you’ve ordered cotton candy, a funnel cake, drinks, street corn, and loaded fries. Was that 1 free hot dog really “free”?
ISPs often promote a low monthly price that seems too good to be true (because it is). These promotional prices tempt even the best of us, but they don’t last. Often, promotional pricing lasts for only one year and then significantly increases each subsequent year.
When you get freedom FIBER internet, you pay the same lifetime monthly fee. It will never be increased, so you don’t have to call us and negotiate your monthly price to stay the same (although we love speaking with our customers if you still want to call us!).
Non-Existent Customer Service
If something went wrong at the carnival, could you imagine turning to one of the teenage kids working there for the Summer to ask for help? You would hope that every employee there would be trained to respond in any type of situation and to give you the best customer service you need!
This is true anywhere, especially with your ISP! Unfortunately, many ISPs use automated services and/or out-of-state or even out-of-country customer service representatives. While these people may be helpful after they pick up, wait times can be agonizing.
Tombigbee Communications prides itself in being comprised of a bunch of friendly locals. We’re your neighbors, family members, and friends. We make it our top priority to speak with you and help resolve problems quickly, no matter your question or concern!
Restrictive Data Caps
Even though you want the best seatbelt on a rollercoaster ride, you don’t necessarily want to be strapped into a limited amount of data each month! However, many ISPs limit the amount of data you and your household can use and charge extra for extra gigabits uses (typically in increments of 50).
Freedom FIBER wants to live up to its name and give its customers freedom! That means we don’t put data caps on our customers’ usage!
ISP Throttling
Do you remember being on a fast ride and screaming with excitement and then the ride mysteriously getting faster? The person with the controls was in charge of the throttle, and they boosted your fun just a little bit more for that ride!
Some ISPs do the opposite when it comes to your internet speeds. To save money and control website traffic, they slowly start to throttle your internet speeds down. You will notice a lag in your game-playing and website loading. Check to see if your internet is being throttled!
Tombigbee Communications never throttles its customer’s internet speeds (we don’t need to). Our fiber-optic network is robust enough to support internet usage in our area!
We Don’t Have Tricks up Our Sleeves…We Have Fiber You Can Trust
Tombigbee Communications can be real with its customers because we’re proud of the service we provide. If you want to switch to our no-nonsense, local, upfront, high-speed, fiber-optic freedom FIBER internet service, check out our rates here.
