[SOLVED] Can I buy my own modem other than the one i am renting from my ISP

[clem82]

Hi,

I live in Canada, My ISP is Fido, and I have been renting their modem for the last 8 years or so (I haven't had any upgrade, it is the original modem for 8 years ago) I thought by renting it, i will get every 4 or 5 years a new model, but no. So If I knew that I would have purchased it. Anyway, with more and more equipment working in wifi, the other day i started experiencing some issues with my Blink camera system, loosing basically the wifi connection. I started removing useless equipment using wifi (such as my stove, I know who need a wifi stove), and after I removed it, my Blink camera went back up. All that to say my 8 years modem/router from Fido, is struggling with the amount of device connected to it.
I started googling if i could return the modem, stop paying the rental fee, and buy my own one. Every search was from Fido tech forum/department. Saying basically you can not, you must have their modem. I am suspicious, and I think this is BS. I tried to look on the CRTC website which is the organisation regulating Phone, internet service companies in Canada, but I didn't find any answer.

So I am just looking at whether I can or can not have my own modem/router? and say enough to that rental (which I probably paid already 3-4 times the cost of this piece of junk)

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[bill001g]

A ISP can pretty much do whatever they want. ATT pretty much requires you to have their modem and pay the extra fee, make it harder to compare costs I guess.

So I would search the ISP site and see if they have a page that talks about which modem/routers are supported on their system. That generally would mean they allow you to buy your own.

In the end the "fix" is to buy whatever router you want and then hook it to theirs. You can likely turn off the wifi radios in the ISP router. It would be best if you could set the ISP router to bridge mode but speed wise it will be about the same either way. Most modern routers can pass close to 1gbit of traffic wan/lan.

In effect you are just pretending that their router does not exist even though you will still have the monthly bill to remind you that is not true.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Not sure how things stand up North, but here in the US, while you can purchase your own modem, your ISP still has to agree to activate it. For me and Comcast/XFinity, it wasn't an issue and they activated it right off. However, if Fido is telling you, "No", then I wouldn't expect them to change that stance.

-Wolf sends

 

[kanewolf]

You can sometimes buy from the ISP rather than renting. Verizon FIOS does that.

 

[emitfudd]

I have a friend who has had the same internet and tv equipment provided to him over 10 years ago. He recently called them about something and they literally told him he was paying too much for his service and his equipment was way outdated. He now has blazing fast internet, all new modems/routers and a lower bill. Might be worth asking.

 

[Bob.B]

Hi,

I live in Canada, My ISP is Fido, and I have been renting their modem for the last 8 years or so (I haven't had any upgrade, it is the original modem for 8 years ago) I thought by renting it, i will get every 4 or 5 years a new model, but no. So If I knew that I would have purchased it. Anyway, with more and more equipment working in wifi, the other day i started experiencing some issues with my Blink camera system, loosing basically the wifi connection. I started removing useless equipment using wifi (such as my stove, I know who need a wifi stove), and after I removed it, my Blink camera went back up. All that to say my 8 years modem/router from Fido, is struggling with the amount of device connected to it.
I started googling if i could return the modem, stop paying the rental fee, and buy my own one. Every search was from Fido tech forum/department. Saying basically you can not, you must have their modem. I am suspicious, and I think this is BS. I tried to look on the CRTC website which is the organisation regulating Phone, internet service companies in Canada, but I didn't find any answer.

So I am just looking at whether I can or can not have my own modem/router? and say enough to that rental (which I probably paid already 3-4 times the cost of this piece of junk)

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Call your isp and ask them.
Each isp sets their own rules.

If their modem has a problem it's their problem let them fix it.