Suddenlink offers a great value for the bucks you have been paying them as their services are unmatched in terms of network quality, speed, and data packages gave the budget you are staying on. However, there are tons of additional charges that you might see on the bill if you look closely and that is not being widely appreciated by the consumers given this is supposed to be a budget service provider.
What is Suddenlink Network Enhancement Fee?
The network Enhancement fee was started by them last year to be a part of your bill. They call it a special service as your network is being enhanced by Suddenlink constantly and you need to pay the fee every month.
But isn’t that what they are supposed to do as you are already paying them? Yes, many people believe that this is a fee that is being vaguely charged by Suddenlink to rip off their subscribers as it makes no point at all. However, if you don’t have a choice, you are a contract, or you cannot afford any other service, you cannot choose to have this eliminated from your bill and it is going to be there every month.
How much?
When last year they started to charge the Network Enhancement fee, it was $2.50 initially. Most people didn’t even notice it to be there, some people did protest a bit, but it is not much you can do as a subscriber. The network enhancement fee is now increased to $3.50 a month and you must pay it as a part of your bill each month if you wish to continue your services.
What does it entail?
If you are wondering, what this service charge is for, and if you are going to get something extra by paying this charge each month, there is no such thing. They are offering the same line to every subscriber that is using their service with the difference of speed limit according to their individual packages.
According to Suddenlink, this fee is being charged to enhance the overall network performance for optimized speed, connectivity, and signal strength but for many consumers that does not make any sense at all. Network services are included in your whole home plan, and you should not be charged for them separately.
Is it worth it?
Well, if you ask our opinion, it is not worth to pay for a service that you are already entitled to. This might be just a marketing stunt as they have already reduced the prices for their packages and they are almost unbeatable among the competitors out there. Or, if you are under a contract, you are bound to pay these charges and there is nothing for you to stop them from charging the fee. However, if you want to switch, there are also tons of other options out there that can provide you internet, telephone and TV services on a budget.
1. The Network Enhancement Fee is intended to help offset the cost of fiber optic conversions Suddenlink has undertaken.
2. In my neighborhood you have two choices (1) Shoddy link or (2) satellite. No real choice, actually, as sat service is mucho dinero.
Have they actually upgraded to fiber optic to the home anywhere? I am on Docis 3.
I agree. I didn’t up for 400 for life supposedly won’t increase. They added 19.99 fee for ‘iinternet’ but obviously the original billing included internet since that’s the only service i bought. I’ve never gotten anywhere near 100, usually lucky if i don’t have too reboot more than 50 times a day. There won’t be fiber in this rural area for years. I had to purchase my own docsis 3.0 even though 3.1 is backwards compatible, as SL wouldn’t provision one. I would have even rented their equipment just to get past the “must be your modem that’s the problem” but they refused to disable the wireless router in their combo modem, even though there were security risks with that. Haven’t seen a single reported outage on their website even when there are reported ones in the area.