Updated. According to this CNN Money article, both Comcast and Time Warner are jacking up their modem rental fees again for 2015. Time Warner will now charge $8 a month, up 33% from $5.99. Comcast will now charge $10 month, up 25% from $8.
These fees are now so high that it is a “no-brainer” decision to buy your own modem. Unfortunately, many people either won’t notice the fee or don’t even know that bringing your own equipment is an option.
Being charged $8 a month is $96 a year. A quick look on the Time Warner Cable compatible modem list showed several models that can be found online at retailers like Amazon.com for under $50. (Here is the Comcast Xfinity compatible modem list.) And that’s just for the basic model rental – the model with a built-in WiFi router costs another $4.95 a month – nearly $60 a year – while you can just buy a router for 20 bucks! Crazy.
For my family member paying for Time Warner, I stuck with a familiar name brand and picked the Motorola Surfboard SB6121 for $64.99 and free shipping. (The SB6141 at $80 is the next model up and compatible with the fastest speeds available, though you’ll have to subscribe to one of the most expensive monthly plans.) Both are DOCSIS 3.0 which ensures future compatibility.
The installation process was quite simple:
- Buy the modem. Wait for it to arrive. Remove old modem (unscrew cable cord and unplug power). Install new modem (screw in cable line and plug it power).
- Call your provider or start a Live Chat session online. Time Warner is 1-800-TWC-HELP (1-800-892-4357), or pick the “Buy or Lease your Modem” option when chatting.
- Provide them with the Cable Modem ID (MAC address) found on the back or bottom of your new modem. Wait 30 minutes or less and your high speed internet should be working again.
- Remember to return old modem (this is really the hardest part).
Unless you plan on moving really soon, at $65 for the modem with free shipping you’d break even in less than 9 months. Even better, consider it a $65 investment that distributes $8 of tax-free income every month. That’s like earning 147% APY at a bank with a 0% tax bracket. You’d need $9,600 at 1% interest to earn $8 a month in taxable income.
Some people have accused Time Warner of making their cable internet speeds slower and/or experiencing service interruptions along customer service responses of “We can’t help you, it’s not our modem” after switching to their own modems. Share your experiences in the comments below.
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A thing to mention though, is that I heard a lot of people who bought their modems who received really poor service from Time Warner after they had changed from renting. It may not be legal for them to do so, but it seems they take their revenge by sometimes reducing your speed or plain making the connection hiccup. If you need a constant working connection, it seems something one would want to be aware of.
Good advice. It’s one of the first things I did after we 86ed our land line!
First check if your cable company will allow it.
This is the first thing I did after signing up for cable internet (bought the same modem too, the SB6121). LOL @ 111% annual yield! That makes me feel like some kind of investment guru! I wonder if more people would adopt frugality as a lifestyle if frugal ideas were presented in investment terms like annual yield.
I have service with Comcast including phone service and when I tried to use a modem that I bought off of Ebay they told me it would not work because of the phone service. Not sure if this is true or if they didn’t want to loose the rent fee.
Greg
Shreveport, LA
Greg,
You need a cable modem that also allows for phone service – Arris TM822G Touchstone® DOCSIS 3.0 8×4 Ultra-High Speed Telephony Modem – this is one you can use. A bit more expensive since it is cable and telephone.
Joe
I did this over a year ago. I went even further and bought used/refurbished Motorola modem (I don’t remember a model) on eBay for around $20. Since then no problems with it whatsoever. It may be annoying to call your internet provider and setting this up, but it totally worth it.
I have TWC and that’s exactly what I did 1.5 yrs ago. But, I did it before they started charging the rental fee because I read from http://www.dslreports.com forums that TWC didn’t always give out DOCSIS 3.0 modems (which happened to me) and it will greatly restrict your bandwidth if you get the higher speed internet package. I got the SB6141 because SB6121 wasn’t supported at that time. Boo~
Also, you should still watch your statement after you make the change because this happened to me (reported by me):
http://consumerist.com/2012/11/07/time-warner-cable-charged-me-rental-fee-for-modem-i-returned-months-ago/
I have done the same thing. One word of advice: Be sure to continue to monitor your cable bill after you have purchased and setup your own modem. I had to call Comcast twice and have them credit back the modem rental fee.
I did this as well the second RCN started allowing customers to use their own modem several years ago (of course when rental fees were much lower). I figured it would take 2 years of rental fees savings to pay off the price of the modem. I used the modem for well over 5 years.
I recently switched to Verizon FIOS, who does not charge a fee for their modem/router.
@Greg I don’t think the phone service should be affected. Typically they have separate “modem” for their phone service and one for the internet. I know i had my own cable modem for internet and never charged equipment fee for the phone. But of course this was with RCN.
I heard that some cable companies (Comcast) charge a one-time self-install fee somewhere around $50(?) if you don’t rent theirs. Anyone know more about that?
I have had comcast service in different states(IL and MN) and my own modem, but I never had to pay a service fee for self installation.
Could that fee be for something else?
To add a bit to the original post – purchase a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, and reduce the internet service to the lowest priced category. My understanding is that the provider caps the bandwidth through the modem. This is why the provided modem for the lower categories is not a DOCSIS 3.0.
DOCSIS 2.0 supports speeds of up to 30 Mbps. So, unless you are paying for higher speed there is no need to buy DOCSIS 3.0 modem.
Off topic but does anyone know if cablevision will allow thier own cable box. I have basic cable andI pay 50% of the basic cable rates for the monthly cable box charge.
Any opinions on NOT renting cable box and work around?
I mean “allow customer to have thier own cable box”.
I chatted with cablevision rep and they said customers can’t bring their own boxes. Their defense line is that you are no being charged for cable model on your monthly bill. $6.95 rent fee is for the TV box.
Also if you have your own modem it’s less hassle to switch from one provider to another to keep promotional prices. I have a pretty comparable Cable and DSL in my area. And every 6 months I switch from one to another to maintain my $30 a month promo prices. It does require 2 separate modems (one for Cable and one for DSL) but saving $300+ a year is totally worth it!
Yup, I did this for myself and at my parents’ home. Totally worth it and really little hassle!
i’m with Comcast, and I’ve owned my own modem for years, and recently purchased a docsis 3.0 to be sure to be able to handle their increases in speed. They havent as yet charged me any added fees. However, they continue to increase my bill a few dollars every few months. i call and ask for a discount, so they reduce my bill for a few months, then, the bill goes up even more, basically IMO to just recoup the previous discount. i recently asked about a promo contract price, which would have been beneficial to me, except that i would have to take their rental modem, whether i used it or not. their rental modem price here is $9.00 a month. Their only competition in my area is a constantly dropping and slooow dsl connection thru AT&T.
What timing – NewEgg.com is currently offering this modem and Total Defense Internet Security as a combo pack for $36 after a $60 rebate! Here’s a link to a SlickDeals thread about it
http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/110784/newegg—motorola-surfboard-sb6121-docsis-3.0-cable-modem-total-defense-premium-internet-security?
For those of you that don’t want to hassle with the rebate, you can use the following 20% off coupon at Staples (in-store only, through 12/28) to get the modem for $58
http://reg.e.staples.com/c/s/tagfrm/hBSvaTYB7SHGCB83W$XNt0AwHod/coupon.html?n=2275&email=fake@gmail.com&COUPON_1=40245&COUPON_2=57352&cm_lm=fake@gmail.com&cid=EM:CM:_BSvaTYB83W$Xm1&om_rid=fake@gmail.com
Xfinity (formerly Comcast) has a help page for buying your own, including a link to a list of modems they have tested:
http://mydeviceinfo.comcast.net/?homegateway
One thing to note: Make sure you *document* the step where you return the original equipment to the cable company. Invariably, they will fail to track it properly themselves and will subsequently attempt to charge you for the equipment you no longer have if/when you end the service (and this despite the fact that they had discontinued the equipment charge for XX months or years).
If you’re prepared to show them the receipt they gave you upon returning the equipment (and perhaps also documentation of your own equipment purchase), it should help.
This is what I’ve been telling my parents forever but they still have the rental modem.
I’ve had my own modem since i noticed the rental fees on the internet bill ..
but the funny thing is every time I call Cox Communications for any sluggish internet (once or twice) period, they jump immediately to “you need a new modem, we have a new modem that you can use” talk.
My modem was bought in 2012, I’m not going to replace my modem, thank you, Cox, just because they don’t bother with troubleshooting the problem. (both cases, turns out the slowness issue was on their end!)
Just followed this plan and called in to make the switchover. Took about 25 mins of being on hold and the TWCable technician going through the process, so be prepared. Thanks Jonathan, your blog has been a daily reader of mine for years!
I just did this as well with TWC and should of done it earlier! Thanks for the quick tip!
I took your advice and stopped renting the cable modem from TWC. I drove to drop off the little modem in Portland, Maine during a major snowstorm, and even then it was not that big of a hassle. After only 12 months I will start saving money, so the payoff is quick.
Heads up to Time Warner Cable people… if you try and buy a 2 in1 device (meaning a Modem and wireless router in one box) They will NOT allow you to use it without paying them 4.99 per month for this “service”. It will work for a short time then they will repeatedly shut down your wireless. When you call them, they will not know what you are talking about! Took me 5 calls to finally get to the bottom of this. Solution: Buy a less expensive modem that is a modem only and a separate Wireless Router. I bought the SBG6580 costs over $100. Wish I knew all this beforehand, took me three weeks of work. Good luck.
Wow. That’s insane. I am not sure why they would even do that, especially if they list it on their modem list. I can’t think of any reason how and what they would benefit from doing that.
Andy — Thanks for giving the heads up. The policy is nuts, of course. But I would also add here that I’ve always found it advisable to stick with separate modems and routers.
In my experience (and from what I’ve heard of others’), combination units tend to be much less reliable. Standalone cable modems tend to be relatively long-lived and stable, but all bets are off with a combo unit. And since the entire unit is going to be considered “CPE” under the thumb of the cable company, you have less control. You may not be able to do things like apply the latest firmware for new features or bug fixes — this is typically the case for a cable modem (even customer owned), but it’s more problematic with a router, given its more diverse functions. Finally, it’s a real advantage to be able to upgrade your router equipment quickly and easily while leaving your cable modem interface in place.
Great Post. On a related note, any idea how I can save money on set top boxes? I am paying over $40 a month with my FIOS subscription.
For the Cable Modem you must buy a NEW one. I tried going on ebay and buying a refurbished model. It only lasted a little while and then the wifi quit working and they said it was because i did not buy it new. It has to have never been configured before. Also if you want Wifi you would either need a separate router with the model your purchased or you can get an all-in-one that has the WiFi built in with the SBG6580
That sounds like a BS excuse from Time Warner to me. There is no reason you shouldn’t be able to use a used or refurbished modem. I have used my own purchased modem for years – moving from Time Warner to Comcast to Suddenlink – it worked on all of them without issue.
Yeah. That sounds like BS to me. I think you just got a faulty modem.
My dad’s SB6141 stopped working (bought new from Amazon) and we replaced it through warranty (which I’m definitely sure that they send refurbished ones) and it’s working fine for a year now.
Great reminder to check out the fees every once and a while. I checked my statement and my rental was 7.99 a month and I found the same router I am renting for $27! A 4 month pay back and I can sell the modem when I move in 18 months. Thanks for the prod to get this done Jonathan.
I have a motorola modem from 2006 and it is still going strong. Would it be worth it buying a new modem to improve performance. I have a pretty mid-range TWC plan.
Sincerely, Peter
Does anyone know if you can buy a modem for Verizon FIOS, the install person said regular ones won’t work with FIOS–he didn’t believe you could buy ones compatible with FIOS on the market.
After getting fed up with the ever increasing internet bill, I decided to switch to the other provider in my area to get the promotional price. At that point a DOCSIS 3.0 modem came up for sale on Woot, and after verifying that it worked for both providers, I grabbed it. My plan was to make it easy to jump back and forth between services periodically – Hey, they incentivize us to do it!
Anyways, fast forward a week after connecting to the new service, the old provider called me telling me they’d give me the promotional price (the one they declined to give me right before disconnecting) and a free month of service thrown in as well. I jumped on it and cancelled the other provider at which point I was told they have a 30-day money back guarantee and that I didn’t owe anything for the approximately 2-weeks I had service with them. Ok… Are these companies crazy? What kind of incentive structure rewards you so thoroughly for being a disloyal customer and punishes you for loyalty?
I go outside, switch the incoming wire, call and provide my mac address and I’m in business. Thanks to owning the modem, I now have a lot of leverage and almost zero effort to switch providers.
I’d feel bad if it wasn’t set up as such a rational thing to do by the companies themselves.
Actually the 6141 is not the ultimate modem these days on TWC or future proof. It tops out @ 100 Mbps on TWC. In SoCal, TWC did an upgrade for all subscribers last year and the highest speed is now 300 Mbps. Standard speed is now 50 Mbps for which the 6141 will be fine. You will need an Arris/Motorola SB6183 to get 200 Mbps or 300 Mbps speeds on TWC if they upgrade your local.
Also, TWC pushed out firmware upgrades for the 6141 last year so they do support user owned modems. It has been said on other forums that user owned modems will not get firmware upgrades from ISPs. Not true in my case.
They want people to buy the modems. It makes money for them with the modem but it creates extra overhead – inventory, shipping, replacements, repairs, troubleshooting. If you own the modem then when it goes bad it’s 100% your issue.
Sadly, we’re still with uverse as TWC is far too expensive for the speeds promised.
Does anybody know if there is a way to get economies of scale if you manage more than one property and would like internet/TV at all properties? It doesn’t seem like cable internet/tv and directv have anyway to do this other than creating separate accounts.
recently tried this with a verizon actiontec mi424wr fios router/cable modem to Time Warner cable. After several attempts. The tech who came to check my service and install my router did not ever turn it on, he unplugged the power cable and told it it was not working, he hooked up the rental unit and quickly left. Install techs only know how to hook up TW equipment….. try two : I called got transfered around for 45 minutes, several foreign call centers later I got a southern girl who was a guru geek tech. She did not know the unit and told me it may require me to go in and reconfigure it to work. Result still could get no ping back or any signal to confirm it, so fail two…. So I ordered a refurbished model exactly like the one I rented for 15 dollars. From what I have read the Verizon model WILL work I just cant figure out how to configure it on my end (YET). They other modem is a Arris/Motorola srfboard, and it took another 45 minute call. Bingo! Just understand most of the CSR people are under time constraints and are being pressed to get things done faster than possible. You need to get to a tech who does this on a regular basis. The girl I talked to in Louisville ky knew exactly what she was doing and I did not, my fault.
James, did you get the Verizon Actiontec to work? I have the MI424WR and recently switched from Fios to TW. It would be great to continue using the router I have instead of paying the monthly TW fee.
Just cancelled cable tv and telephone from Cox here in NV. Bill went down from $200 to $65 monthly service fee. Inquired about buying my own modem instead of renting it from Cox. Weird info I got was this, my monthly would be $75 if I buy my own modem and $65 if I rent. Maybe it’s just me but I cannot see the logic on this fee difference.