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Comment by jcfrei | Hacker News Reader

Here in CH virtually everyone receives a modem/router combo for free from their provider (ie. they borrow it to you). They are also usually preconfigured - so you just need to plug them in. Is it the same in the US? I guess at a 199$ price point this will be a tough sell.

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Yes, it's the same in the US. ISPs provide a modem/router combo and charge like $7 a month for it. The disadvantage is that the router portion of the unit is usually very poor. AT&T is still giving out modem/router combos that us 802.11b/g, not even n, much less ac. Purchasing a separate router lets you use better wifi technology as well as enable useful features like QoS settings that aren't available on the ISP-provided hardware.

Why do you get charged $7 for it?

Here in the UK most providers seem to offer the router as a sign up bonus.

The disadvantage is that router is mostly cheap garbage, but it's effectively yours once your contract starts, no rental/need to give back

Here in Germany those offers are similar. And nearly everybody somewhat tech-savvy doesn't get or use them, because most of the time they are pretty crappy. 150€+ routers are a limited market though, I've mostly seen top fritzbox models that come with DECT phone support etc.

Yea, many of the major ISPs lease out a modem that acts as a router by default.

Here in Singapore, some of the providers offer free but crappy router for their 500mbps and up. While other ISP offers S$50 voucher for the routers they sell.

CH = Switzerland?

Oui, ja, si, gea, yes.

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