geekIT:

 

antonknee:

 

It sounds like they've ordered a fibre installation for her (good thing). She should continue with this IMO.

 

They've also signed her up for their rental modem, which isn't necessarily a good thing. If your friend doesn't want a smartphone, then I would strongly suggest she gets in touch with Slingshot and cancels the rental modem. You can then purchase a more basic modem (or have Slingshot send one) which won't have the $5/month rental, won't require a smartphone, but will allow her to use a computer or other wireless device. If you want it, I have a totally spare suitable modem she can just have.

 

Slingshot don't currently offer fixed wireless broadband of the type Oblivian describes.

 

 

Thanks for that. The section of your tip that I've bolded -this would require her to have fibre installed, wouldn't it? Plus, she's already been a Slingshot broadband customer for some time, so she already has a modem. Will that one not work with fibre?

 

Yes it will require fibre to be installed - she will eventually need to have this or another option, it is a superior product to DSL broadband via copper (what she will have now), it's a nice to have should she sell or move out of her property, and the install is currently free; so there is no downside IMO.

It's possible her current modem could be configured to work with fibre, but it's also likely it wouldn't work. It depends on the model. It would be a good idea to get a new device*; whether that is the rental Orbi supplied by Slingshot, a more basic router supplied from Slingshot's ugly modem program or a more basic router purchased/acquired elsewhere.

So in that vein, the question is really does she want the rental Orbi & a smartphone, or another router & keep her current phone? 😀

*Note, I technically misspoke in my first post. For fibre, she doesn't actually need a modem, she needs a router (but modem is a commonly misused term for these anyway).