Optimum Online

It's far from the biggest, fastest, or newest broadband service, but Cablevision's Optimum Online ISP delivers reliable midrange data speeds and the option of getting VoIP telephone service and TV over the same coaxial cable line. The hardware is free and easy to install, and it delivers more than 3Mbps of broadband for as little as $30 per month--but only in a package with other services. Be ready for the monthly bills to jump to as much as $50 a year later. All told, if you live in the metropolitan New York area, where Optimum Online has 1.5 million data customers, it's a viable alternative to SBC Yahoo DSL, EarthLink DSL, and dial-up connections. But for cable Internet, we think Comcast has a better offering, especially with regards to service and support.

If you already get your cable TV from Cablevision, adding data couldn't be easier. In fact, chances are you've received several phone calls and mailings to entice you to do exactly that. After you sign up, the company sends out a starter kit that includes cables, a Motorola SB5100 or Scientific Atlanta 2100 modem, a quick-start manual, a printed reference guide, and a start-up CD. We like that the quick-start card is all most people will need to get online in about 10 minutes. The modem supports a single USB or Ethernet connection for distributing data throughout a home or a small office with a wired or wireless router.

Unlike some competitors, Optimum Online offers no free first month, but it does have a 30-day money-back guarantee for new customers, and it doesn't saddle you with a long-term contract, cancellation fees, or penalties. Just cancel the service and return the equipment, and your monthly bills will come to an end. The basic data service goes for $49.95 per month, although you can get it for as little as $29.95 per month if you get Optimum Online's Now package, which adds VoIP telephone and digital-cable TV programming for $60 more ($30 for each service). This is pricey compared to competitors' plans, which provide similar, though often slower, service for as little as $15 per month.

If you don't currently use Cablevision for TV programming, you'll need to have cable pulled to your home. For most locations, this is free, but in some places it can cost as much as $150. Optimum Online provides a payoff for ordering via its Web site and installing the service yourself: the company usually offers a sign-up gift, such as a Web camera, a Wi-Fi router, or an MP3 player. It all depends on when you sign up. Optimum Online stocks its home page with content that includes news clips, movie trailers, and music videos.