The Five Best Streaming Services for Cord-Cutters

When it comes to cutting the cord there are loads of services to choose from, but they aren’t all created equal. From available channels and original programming to the user interface and cutting-edge audio-visual technologies (or lack thereof), each streaming services has its pros and cons.

So what’s the best? How do you choose? Well, you could subscribe to them all or you can read this list of the five best streaming services for cord-cutters.

While the process of selecting the best is undoubtedly subjective, this list is based on three things:

  1. The quality of service-exclusive programming
  2. The amount and balance (TV shows, movies, genres) of the service’s content library
  3. The platform’s user interface experience and its support of the latest audio-visual technologies (Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR, etc.)

Whichever platforms you choose from this list, you won’t be disappointed as each one has great content and plenty of it. We really are in the Golden Age of streaming entertainment.

Netflix

Netflix continues to rule the proverbial roost when it comes to streaming services despite several others nipping at its heels. With a massive library of movies and TV shows and award-winning original programming, Netflix has a lot to offer. Combine its library with a user-friendly interface and wide support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR, and 5.1 surround sound and Netflix is hard to beat.

  • Standout Original Content: The Witcher, Stranger Things, Ozark, Orange is the New Black, The Crown, Tiger King, Making a Murderer, The Queen’s Gambit, Wild Wild Country, GLOW, She-Ra, BoJack Horseman, A Marriage Story, Roma
  • Pros: A huge library of quality movies, TV series, documentaries, and docuseries, an intuitive user interface, and excellent audio-visual technology support for the best picture and sound.  
  • Cons: Starting to get expensive — at $19.99 a month for 4K quality, it is the most expensive stand-alone (non-live TV) streaming service

Disney Plus

When Disney launched its own on-demand streaming service in November of 2019, it was highly anticipated and for good reason — it was coming to the scene with a library of content that was largely unavailable (and highly sought after) elsewhere.

Disney Plus has since also delivered high-quality original programming that makes the streaming service a true juggernaut. including.

  • Standout Original Content: The Mandalorian, Hawkeye, Wanda Vision, Loki, The Beatles: Get Back, Disney classics, Pixar movies, The Simpsons, National Geographic programming 
  • Pros: Complete collection of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars properties, The Simpsons, and Pixar films, a slick, easy-to-use interface, and great support for the best picture and sound.
  • Cons: Heavily geared towards kid-friendly content — you won’t find a lot of different (or more adult-themed) genres on the service.

Apple TV Plus

With a truly beautiful user interface, a growing library of industry-leading original programming, and strong support for the best audio-visual experience (Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR, etc.), Apple TV Plus is on the move. It has yet to make a huge splash on the movie side of things but continues to deliver awesome TV show experiences.

  • Standout Original Content: Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, For All Mankind, Foundation, Severance, Mythic Quest, The Shrink Next Door    
  • Pros: One of the slickest, best-looking user interfaces on the market right now and excellent support for the best audio-visual experience. Competing with HBO for the most inventive, quality-driven original television programming out there. Probably worth the subscription just to watch Ted Lasso.
  • Cons: Not nearly as strong on the movie side of things although there’s plenty to rent.

HBO Max

Thanks to an incredibly rich library of original content that goes back almost three decades, and a continuing tradition of licensing popular new film releases, HBO Max is a strong streaming competitor. However, technical problems with the app and a watering down of the brand in recent years is holding it back.

  • Standout Original Content: Euphoria, Succession, Mare of Eastown, Barry, Watchmen, Big Little Lies, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Chernobyl   
  • Pros: Perhaps the deepest bench of quality-driven original programming of any streaming service out there (both TV and movies). When subscribing to HBO Max you not only get access to new original programming, but HBO classics like The Wire, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.
  • Cons: The HBO Max app is riddled with bugs, is slow and suffers from random crashes — it’s a bit of a mess. This seems to affect a lot of devices (Apple TV, NVIDIA Shield, Amazon Fire TV Stick, etc.), but results may vary. Once the content starts playing it seems to be fine but getting there can be painful. Also, since merging its content with the Max brand a few years ago there seems to be a glut of subpar programming on the service.

Hulu

Hulu is, perhaps, the most flexible, most all-in-one service on the list. It’s a great service if you are looking for live TV, looking to keep everything in one single app, or really like reality TV (Hulu has a lot of reality TV) — this all costs extra, though.

A standalone subscription to Hulu nets you a balanced mix of good content and not-so-good content. There are diamonds in the rough, for sure, but you have to look for them.

  • Standout Original Content: The Great, Pam & Tommy, Only Murders in the Building, Vacation Friends, The Handmaid’s Tale, Pen15, Palm Springs, Casual
  • Pros: Hulu is great for keeping up on TV shows from other networks if that’s your thing. It also offers a live TV plan that comes with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. You can also order a ton of “add-ons,” like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz — adding these on gives you access to all the content on those platforms, but inside the Hulu interface. So, if you want to keep up on the latest reality TV shows, want access to live TV, want to deal with just one interface, or want all the above, Hulu is for you.
  • Cons: Hulu’s library of programming (both TV and movies) is hit and miss — there are a lot of great, high-quality titles but a lot of middling programming too. Thin on original content. The user interface is okay, but a little jumbled.  

No matter which streaming platforms you choose, your Internet connection is the key to a great streaming experience. You’ll need ample bandwidth, symmetrical speeds, reliability and a service without data caps and throttling. At GoNetspeed, we’ve got you covered.

Check your address or get in touch with our super-friendly Customer Service team, 855-891-7291 to get started today.

Awards Season Is Upon Us: Here’s How to Stream Them All

Are you a cord-cutter that can’t get enough of the red carpet? Are you on the go, but refuse to miss out on glitz and glamor? Are you worried you’re going to miss awards season now that it’s finally here?

It’s okay, we’ve got you covered.

After a delay due to COVID-19, awards season’s two biggest nights are right around the corner, and you can stream it all. Consider this your ultimate how-to guide.

Academy Awards (a.k.a. The Oscars)
March 27

This will be the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 94th award ceremony. Colloquially known as the Oscars — after the statuette given to winners — the preeminent Hollywood award show will broadcast live on ABC.

Award Show at a Glance

  • Broadcast live on ABC
  • Airing Sunday, March 27, 8 p.m.-11 p.m. EST
  • Hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes
  • Requires a live TV streaming subscription to stream.
  • Find award categories and nominees at oscars.org.

How to Stream It

The 94th Academy Awards will require a live TV streaming service. YouTube TV, Sling TV Blue, and Hulu Plus Live TV are the current best of the bunch, but other services like DirectTV Stream, Philo or Fubo TV will work, too.

Expect to pay anywhere between $45 and $75 a month depending on the service and package. However, each service comes with cloud DVR so you can record every moment — from the red-carpet entrances to the after parties.

The Grammys
April 3

Originally slated for Los Angeles on January 31, 2021, the Grammys will now take place on April 3 in Las Vegas. The who’s who of the American music industry will broadcast live on CBS & Paramount Plus. 

Award Show at a Glance

  • Broadcast live on CBS & Paramount Plus
  • Airing Sunday, April 3, 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m. EST
  • Hosted by Trevor Noah
  • Requires a subscription to Paramount Plus to stream.
  • Find award categories and nominees at grammy.com.

How to Stream It

The Grammys does not require a live TV streaming service (although that will certainly get the job done).

Instead, all you need is a subscription to Paramount Plus which will provide a live stream of your local CBS television station, on-demand original programming, and a catalog of movies from … yep, you guessed it, Paramount. Paramount Plus is $4.99 a month.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan that will tune in from red carpet to post-show programming or you’ll just catch the best clips the next morning on your phone, you’ll need a connection that’s built for buffer-free streaming. That’s where we can help.

With GoNetspeed’s high-speed fiber Internet, you’ll be ready to catch the film and music industries’ biggest moments.

Check your address or get in touch with our super-friendly Customer Service team at 855-891-7291 to get started today.

Become a GoNetspeed Brand Ambassador

Do you bring up GoNetspeed in casual conversation? Have you gotten your friends and family to switch? You might have what it takes to become a Brand Ambassador.

You’re probably already talking everyone’s ear off about GoNetspeed — a reward in itself, we know — but what about getting gift cards, social media mentions, and exclusive updates for spreading the word? It’s customers like you that make us … well … us, and we want to make it easy for you to tell everyone you know (and maybe even people you don’t know) about GoNetspeed.

Become a Brand Ambassador and start reaping some rewards — we’ll even send you a yard sign if you want one.

It’s as Easy as 1-2-3

Ready to get started? Here’s how.

  1. Share on Social.
    Share GoNetspeed’s posts — Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn — and tag us. We’ll track your tags as entries for exclusive giveaways. If you set your account to public, we’ll be able to see the love and shout you back!
  2. Join the Brand Ambassadors Facebook Group.
    Yep, we have a fan page on FB. It’s exclusive to Brand Ambassadors. You and our other Brand Ambassadors can brainstorm ways to get the word out while getting special updates and information only available to the group. Isn’t it awesome being a VIP?
  3. Download the Flyer.
    Make sure to print a few copies of our super informative flyer and put them up in your favorite haunts — the local coffee shop, the community center, wherever the cool kids are hanging out these days. Don’t forget to take a selfie with your perfectly placed poster, upload it to social, and then tag us. We’ll repost, for sure.

Something Worth Talking About

You wouldn’t talk us up if you didn’t think we had something worth talking about – and we do.

GoNetspeed provides blazing-fast fiber to the home which means you can surf, play, work, and learn with buffering, data caps, or expensive contracts. With great service, symmetrical speeds, a free router & installation, and three great plans to choose from, why wouldn’t you be a Brand Ambassador?

Visit us online to join the club and get started today.

Beginner’s Guide to Mesh Networks (and Why You Might Need Them)

The size, shape, and material of your home can drastically affect the range of your WiFi and create dead zones where signal strength is weak and Internet performance is poor. Thankfully, there’s a fix to this particular problem: mesh network setups.

If the WiFi signal is dropping out in certain areas of your home, or you’re experiencing buffering or stuttering when streaming content in specific rooms it might be time for this solution. We can help you get started.

Mesh Networks

Unlike WiFi extenders, mesh networks don’t simply boost the network, they are the network. A mesh network setup is like a hive mind of WiFi goodness.

How They Work

In a mesh network, the router and all subsequent wireless “nodes” act as one larger-than-average, intelligent, adaptive wireless network. Behind the scenes, the nodes are doing the same things as WiFi extenders, but they are doing them faster, smarter and more efficiently. That means that signal degradation is limited, and roaming is encouraged — as long as you’re in range of the router or any of the nodes you will stay connected to the same network. 

At GoNetspeed, we provide our customers with a Nokia Beacon WiFi 6 router. The Nokia Beacon is a mesh router that can be paired with multiple mesh nodes — what we call Mesh Extenders — to create a large WiFi footprint. 

Placing Your Device 

In any network, the placement of your router, your WiFi extenders, or your mesh nodes are vital to the success of the system.

  • Starting with your router, you want to make sure it is as centralized as possible — middle floor equidistant from your connected devices.
  • With WiFi extenders and mesh nodes, you want to make sure you are placing them halfway between the dead zone and the router, no more than two rooms away or about 30 feet.

When setting up the Nokia Beacon WiFi 6 router and the optional mesh nodes, the ring light on top of the devices will actually tell you if they are in optimal range or not — blue is in range, red is out of range. 

Other Options for Extending Your Coverage

There are a few other options besides mesh networks on the market, but none of them offer the same performance and value of mesh networks.

Be on the lookout for gimmicky language surrounding coverage extension and know the facts about these alternatives that you may see. 

  • WiFi Repeaters and Signal Boosters: A WiFi repeater is a first-generation WiFi extender that is slower and less efficient. You also might encounter a device called a “signal booster” — this is a misleading, catch-all term used to describe anything that is meant to extend coverage. Be sure you know what the signal booster is doing as the actual name of the product often doesn’t mean anything. 
  • Powerline Adapters: Powerline adapters and Powerline WiFi extenders use the electrical wiring in your house to deliver data from the router to any electrical outlet in your home — simply plug in an adapter to a wall outlet. While Powerline extenders can be ideal solutions in certain situations, they tend to be more expensive than WiFi extenders and will perform poorly with old or poorly maintained electrical wiring.
  • Running Ethernet: Installing ethernet throughout your home just like electrical wiring, phone lines, or coaxial cable is the most expensive and intrusive solution but will yield the best results. If your home is already wired with ethernet, however, WiFi extenders are a great option as most models have a built-in access point. An access point is an ethernet port that allows you to “hardwire” the extender and turn it into a miniature wireless router that performs almost as well as the real thing anywhere you have ethernet access. 

The bottom line? Getting the best connectivity for your device-packed home can be more complicated than just your Internet speed.

At GoNetspeed, we’ve done the hard work for you by selecting top-of-the-line technology to help you take full advantage of our fast fiber Internet. Check your address or get in touch with our super-friendly Customer Service team to get started today.

Symmetrical Speeds: What Are They and Why You Need Them

There’s a lot to love about fiber Internet, but one of its biggest advantages isn’t always well understood – symmetrical speeds. Symmetrical upload and download speeds aren’t all that common, especially among the big broadband cable providers.

But what are symmetrical speeds, and why are they so important?

In a nutshell, “symmetrical speeds” means that your download bandwidth and your upload bandwidth is the same. On our fastest Gigabit plan, that means you get 1,000 Mbps up and 1,000 Mbps down. In comparison, the nation’s biggest broadband provider only doles out a paltry 35 Mbps up on their Gigabit plan.

Providers typically advertise their download speeds, and it’s easy to see why. Most devices and applications are pulling things down from the Internet to support your applications and devices. Installing and running apps and games, streaming movies and music, surfing the Internet — all these things depend on good download speeds to dr information online to your device.
Some things, though, require pushing data up to the Internet.

Ever sat and waited … and waited … for a batch of photos to upload to a shared folder or a printing service?

Ever struggled through a meeting via videoconferencing when your boss or your customer is a glitchy, garbled mess?
Your upload speed was likely to blame.

If you’re working or going to school from home or sharing files and photos, upload speeds are critical. They boost video conferencing quality, reduce the time to upload files, and improve cloud-based applications and backup services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud.

Every time you share or send information over the Internet or use a cloud-based application, upload speeds are involved. The faster the upload speeds, the less time it takes to send that data. Beyond that, upload speeds are an essential part of your smart home security.

Take, for example, cloud-based technology like wireless smart home security cameras. They’re small, capable of 4K resolution, inexpensive, easy to set up, and they’re quickly becoming ubiquitous — but they’re also upload speed hogs. A popular feature of these devices is the ability to stream what they capture so you can watch while you’re away from home, which requires … upload speeds. The most popular brands on the market (Nest, Wyze, Ring, Arlo, Blink) all have hefty minimum upload speed requirements, and that’s just for standard definition (SD) streaming. If you want to stream a camera feed in high definition (HD) or 4K, those requirements only increase.

With GoNetspeed’s fast fiber Internet, even our basic tier of service (150 Mbps) is going to crush the requirements for the neediest smart home security camera. The same can’t be said for the nation’s biggest broadband provider — their first three plans offer 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up, 100 Mbps down/5 Mbps up, and 200 Mbps down/5 Mbps up. That barely covers the minimum upload speed requirement for SD streaming no matter what wireless smart home security camera you choose. And forget about HD. Oh, and good luck finding the upload speeds for that broadband provider we’ve been talking about. They bury that information because they know those speeds are terrible. Entire articles have been written on the subterfuge.

That’s the beautiful thing about symmetrical speeds – they are transparent. You know what you’re getting, and you know what you’re getting is good, especially when you pair it with a mesh WiFi system like the Nokia Beacon that GoNetspeed uses. With a mesh WiFi system, you can increase your WiFi footprint, create a larger coverage area in your home and take advantage of the top speeds – download and upload – that fiber Internet can provide.

For faster file sharing, better videoconferencing and all the online gaming and streaming in between, check your address or get in touch with our super-friendly Customer Service team to get started today.

GoNetspeed prepares for expansion of Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) Internet to thousands of suburban Buffalo locations

January 24, 2022, ROCHESTER, NY – GoNetspeed plans to invest $50 Million to expand its FTTP service to thousands of locations in the Buffalo vicinity.

The project, which is already under way, will culminate with approximately 300 miles of new fiber infrastructure.  The company has recently signed a lease for office space in Cheektowaga and expects to employ as many as 65 people in the region over the next three years.

GoNetspeed will construct the project in phases and make service available as each area is complete.  The first phase of construction will begin in the village of Depew. FTTP construction in Cheektowaga will be in a later phase of the overall project.  Cheektowaga Supervisor, Diane Benczkowski is excited to learn more about the build, noting, “We welcome GoNetspeed and appreciate the benefits they are bringing to Cheektowaga. Not only will they be providing another option to our residents for high-speed internet service, GoNetspeed will be creating 65 jobs in the Depew/Cheektowaga area. This network of the future will help foster additional growth and economic development for the area.”

Fiber optic Internet offers faster, more stable, symmetrical speeds (same upload and download) than either cable or DSL can.  GoNetspeed’s Gigabit service will top the ticket of residential offerings, and the company will also offer 150 Mbps and 500 Mbps options. For businesses, GoNetspeed will offer customizable speeds beyond Gigabit should a customer need it.

Area residents can visit https://ny.gonetspeed.com/buffalo/ to see coverage areas and are encouraged to sign up now for priority access when service becomes available.

Richard Clark, GoNetspeed President and CEO commented, “Fast reliable connectivity is more important than ever, and having a choice in providers is even more important.  We are so excited to bring our service and the GoNetspeed brand of customer care to the residents and businesses in towns surrounding Buffalo.”    

Paul Griswold GoNetspeed SVP of Operations and General Manager for New York noted that GoNetspeed has its construction plans mapped out and citizens can check availability and sign up for priority installation by visiting https://ny.gonetspeed.com/buffalo/ . Mr. Griswold said that, “Even those who may not be eligible for service should complete the submission form because we look for areas of high interest to help us determine where future builds might be.”

About GoNetspeed
GoNetspeed is a Fiber Optic Internet company located in Rochester, NY.  GoNetspeed subscribers experience fast, reliable, futureproof Internet for whatever they need today and for whatever comes next.  The GoNetspeed family of companies have been constructing Fiber to the Premise for more than 20 years but also boasts more than a century of communication experience and innovation.

With its expansion into upstate New York, GoNetspeed now offers service in 8 states including NY, CT, ME, PA, AL, MO, MA, WV and VT, making it one of the largest providers in the east.  For more information on the company, or to inquire about service to your residence or community, please visit https://ny.gonetspeed.com/buffalo/.

The Pain of Change Is Totally Worth It

These are busy times. Maybe you’re juggling remote work and remote learning, all while keeping up the house, and still trying to make time for yourself and your family. It sure seems like the last thing you would want to do is add switching Internet providers to that list, but we hope this article will help illuminate the benefits of switching to fiber Internet. Here are just a few.

Symmetrical Speeds

Most providers focus on download speed and restrict upload speed with the thinking that the majority of online activities require broader download bandwidth. But having symmetrical speeds ensures that the whole house can Zoom, stream, game, chat and access the cloud seamlessly.

Amazingly Affordable Prices

So many Internet companies don’t offer the full picture of what their pricing looks like when you sign up for service, but we lay it all on the line right from the start. Allow us to break it down. GoNetspeed has three speed packages each at a price point to match any budget. No, really!

Freakishly Friendly Customer Service

Whether you’re dealing with our installation team or our customer service team, GoNetspeed is all about friendly, helpful service to our customers. Installations are quick and professional—no 4- or 8-hour “windows.” And when you need answers about your account—or anything really—you can get in touch with a real, live, happy human 24/7.

If you’re still reading, great! We hope that means we’ve answered some of your burning questions and put you at ease about making the switch.

We’ve also got some super handy information about how you can cut the cord on cable and still access all your favorite programming (while saving *$1,000/year!). And if you’re curious how installation works, one of our customers was so thrilled with his service that he made us this great video.

When you’re ready, hit that “check availability” link at the top of the page. We can’t wait to have you as a customer!

* Estimated cost savings based on average competitor pricing. Actual savings may vary by location. 

Cutting the Cord 101: Gadgets, Streaming and More

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

With so many new toys and gadgets in 2021 and what’s expected in 2022, it can be easy to get overwhelmed! We’ve put together a list of some great gadgets for the whole family and some streaming services that you may not have considered before. Plus, we sniffed out a few things to be excited about in 2022.

Keep reading if you want to learn more about the best gifts for Christmas 2021 and beyond!

Petcube Bites 2

It’s a little on the pricier side, but Fido is worth it! This WiFi-enabled treat dispenser has a camera so while you’re grinding away at work and need two minutes of sheer adorableness, you can get by giving your favorite fur baby a treat right from the office.

Anker Power Bank

You can go to a lot of different stores and get a power bank that’s good for giving your smartphone a little extra juice, but what about your laptop and all your other devices?

The Anker power bank features rapid recharge times so that you can charge and go quicker and has a lot of great reviews.

Disney+

If streaming is what you’re looking for, but you bypassed Disney+ because it’s for kids – think again.
Disney+ has all of the Marvel movies, plus movies that are nostalgic for a lot of adults, like “10 Things I Hate About You,” or the 90’s cartoon “Gargoyles.”

Magellan TV

For folks with an insatiable curiosity about the world, Magellan TV is a great gift subscription.

There are documentaries on every topic here, including the universe, history, politics and even the paranormal. There’s even a free trial and it can be billed monthly, quarterly or annually.

Those are some great Christmas ideas for 2021, but what’s coming in 2022? While we can’t see into the future, here are a few goodies we’ve found that you can look forward to in the coming year:

Google’s Nest Doorbell

This is more of an upgrade rather than a new product. This new, wired version of Google’s very popular Nest Hello doorbell features 24/7 recording – a valuable feature if theft is an issue, or that one guy letting his dog make a mess in your yard.

New Video Games

There are so many great games coming out in 2022, like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl in April (if you like post-apocalyptic games) or Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown (if you have a need for speed and not speeding tickets).

Bally Sports

Earlier this year Sinclair and Bally reached an agreement that will make it easier for sports fans to watch all their favorite sports in one affordable streaming service.

It’s not out yet, but soon you’ll be covered whether you go wild for the Arizona Diamondbacks or the Atlanta Braves!

Now that you’ve got more stuff to add to your Christmas shopping list and planned purchases in 2022, why not check out our other articles in our Cut the Cord series?

You can learn a lot about how fiber works, what you can do to speed up your home network and even how you can keep watching your favorite news channels without cable!

Thinking about cutting the cord? Check here to see if GoNetspeed is available in your area. 

Smart Home for the Holidays

With the holidays just around the corner, we’re here to help you get a head start on shopping.

This year, we’ve compiled a list of holiday gift ideas to turn any home into a “smart” oasis. From fun to functional, we’ve got recommendations to help everyone on your list stay safe, healthy connected and entertained.

The Fun

Twinkly Smart Light
Price: $199
Where to Buy: Best Buy
 
The indoor/outdoor Twinkly Smart Light features LED lights over 16 million vivid color options to choose from. The light’s included music dongle synchronizes with any music source for the ultimate audio/visual experience. Set timers and dimmers, turn on preprogrammed or customized visual effects, and toggle between multiple strands – all from a smartphone app or smart device like Google Home or Amazon Alexa.
 
Insignia – 58” Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV
Price: $349.99
Where to Buy: Best Buy
 
The Insignia – 58” Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV offers 4K Ultra HD 2160P resolution that’s 4x better than Full HD picture quality. It supports Apple AirPlay and includes an Alexa Voice Remote for TV control using voice commands. This TV comes with a 30-day free trial of FuboTV, a 3-month free trial of Apple TV+, and provides access to Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and thousands of shows with Fire TV.
 
Polarex LED Color Changing Speaker & Ice Bucket
Price: $99
Where to Buy: Walmart
 
This indoor/outdoor, Bluetooth compatible, LED color-changing speaker and ice bucket will be the conversation piece at any party. It is equipped with two 10W speakers, two 5W tweeters, 7 color-changing light settings and 4 light modes (flash, strobe, pulse, fade). The Polarex LED Color Changing Speaker & Ice Bucket is weather/splash-resistant and its micro-USB charge lasts up to 5-10 hours. The cooler can hold 2 wine bottles, up to 8 beers/seltzers, and up to 8 water bottles.
 
Vankyo Leisure 470 Mini WiFi Projector, 250’ Large Screen
Price: $115
Where to Buy: Walmart
 
This mini WiFi projector offers 1280x720P standard resolution, with 1080P capabilities. It’s 80% brighter than other LCD projectors, and it has a lamp life up to 50,000 hours. The projector is rated for indoor/outdoor use and is designed with one built-in hi-fi 3W stereo speaker. It supports connection to external speakers and is compatible with smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV Stick, USB sticks, TF cards (max 32GB), DVD players, PS3, PS4, X-Box One or Wii.
 
Sylvania 10” WiFi Frameo App Control Digital Cloud Picture Frame
Price: $58
Where to Buy: Walmart
 
Relive life’s most beautiful moments with the help of Frameo. This digital cloud picture frame uses the free Frameo app to send photos (with or without captions) directly from your phone to the picture frame. Its 8-gig memory stores up to 10,000 photos, and photos can be uploaded to the frame from anywhere at any time. The frame is designed with a touchscreen that allows you to scroll through and delete files at any time, or pause the slideshow as needed.
 
Vivitar VTI Phoenix Foldable Camera Drone
Price: $217.24
Where to Buy: Walmart
 
This drone offers range of 2,000 ft., a 180° articulated view, 3 speed modes, and flight times over 32 minutes. Its camera captures photos and videos in 2048x1152P image quality. The Vivitar VTI Phoenix Foldable Camera Drone offers several hi-tech features, including auto-take off, auto-landing, app-controlled “follow me” functions, and the ability to lock location and hover at a specified altitude using the drone’s built-in GPS mapping. Two batteries and a hard-sided carrying case are included.
 
Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet
Price: $99.99
Where to Buy: Target
 
The Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet includes a 1-year free trial of Amazon Kids+ (Freetime Unlimited) that offers your child access to 20,000+ apps, games, books, videos, audiobooks and educational content from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney and more. Easy-to-use parental controls allow you to set screen time limits, create educational goals for your little one, and filter content. It’s designed for kids ages 3-7 and includes a Kid-Proof Case and 2-year protection guarantee.

The Functional

SimpliSafe-Shield Home Security System
Price: $269.99
Where to Buy: Best Buy
 
The SimpliSafe-Shield Home Security System offers reliable security features, 24/7 professional monitoring, smart home capabilities, and easy setup. Installing the system requires no drilling or tools – just plug it in. Its battery backups provide continued protection during a power outage. The system is app-controlled (and compatible with Amazon Alexa), so you can arm or disarm the system from anywhere and at any time. Worried about your furry friends tripping the security system? No problem. The system is specifically designed to detect the heat signature of humans, not pets.
 
OKP Life K2 Robot Vacuum Cleaner 1800 MAH, Blue
Price: $124.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
 
The OKP Life K2 Robot Vacuum Cleaner is the perfect solution for cleaning convenience to get through a hectic daily routine. Using the app, you can toggle between different cleaning settings, create a home cleaning schedule and control what direction the robot moves. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The OKP Life K2 Robot Vacuum Cleaner offers four cleaning modes (auto-clean, spot-clean, wall-follow clean and manual clean) and can run up to 100 minutes on a single charge. When the cleaning cycle is complete or if battery charge is running low, the robot will automatically return to its self-charging base.
 
Levoit-TruClean Smart 360 sq. ft. True HEPA Air Purifier
Price: $179.99
Where to Buy: Best Buy
 
After a busy holiday season, breathe easy with the Levoit-TruClean Smart 360 sq. ft. True HEPA Air Purifier. The air purifier’s VeSync app allows you to create a custom schedule that turns your purifier on and off at programmed times. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice command control. The air purifier covers up to 360 square feet and refreshes the air 4.5 times per hour in mid- to large-sized rooms. It’s EnergyStar-certified and uses a three-stage HEPA-approved filter to trap dust, smoke and other airborne contaminants. A light indicator turns on after 6-8 months when the filter needs to be replaced, and the entire unit has a near-silent noise level on Sleep Mode.
 
Enjoy and happy holidays from us here at GoNetspeed!

What Goes Into Installing Fiber?

Once folks learn about fiber, this is one of the most frequent questions we hear:

“Why isn’t fiber in my neighborhood?!”

There is so much that goes into getting fiber installed in neighborhoods, and it’s a process with many moving parts that take time and careful planning. We’re here to shed some light on the process.

Keep reading to learn about how GoNetspeed prioritizes bringing fiber to your community and installing it right from day one so that you’ll get faster, uninterrupted internet for years to come!

Step 1: Establish Interest

The first step to installing fiber in a neighborhood is to make sure that the residents there want it. Fiber is great, but it’s also new and different.

We want to bring connectivity to as many communities as possible. To do that, we need a certain number of residents in the community to be as fired up about faster internet as we are. That’s why it’s important to get your neighbors to sign up. The more people who sign up, the sooner we can get lightning-fast internet into your home. You’ll be able to say goodbye to expensive cable companies and buffering!

Step 2: Develop A Plan

When we’ve established that enough folks want fiber in a community, it’s time to make a construction plan. Every community is unique and different, so we have to look at several factors, see what permits are needed and get a general idea of what needs to be done.

That’s why we take our time to plan how we’ll bring fiber to your community. It may take a little longer, but we promise it’s worth it.

Step 3: Utility Pole Permissions

We need to get permission to utilize utility poles for when fiber has to be installed above ground.

Don’t worry, we try our best to be fast and not disruptive!

Step 4: Construction Begins

Once we’ve planned, everyone is hyped up and we have the go ahead to start construction, we’re ready to go!

As your local fiber provider, we do everything we can to get quality fiber internet to you as fast as possible!

We’re the folks next door, serving neighborhoods here in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. What matters to us isn’t competing with huge companies that take advantage, it’s providing a quality service.

Why? We care about our customers and our communities. You need stable connectivity to live and work, and we want to make sure you get it.

Thinking about fiber and if you can get it? Check your availability to see when we’re hoping to expand into your area by clicking below!