Slow Internet from Optimum?

There is nothing worse than having a slow internet when you have a ton of work to do. Well, maybe internet lagging while trying to watch your favorite series is worse, but you get the drift. Having a bad internet connection sucks! However, you don’t need to just put up with your slow wifi; you can take steps to resolve this issue. 

Below we will walk you through the different angles for finding out about your slow download speed and your overall slow internet. Sometimes the solution can be simple, and other times you might have to fight for what needs to be done on Optimum’s side.  

Reason’s you might be experiencing slow internet: 

• Need To Speed Test – Everybody should be performing an occasional speed test to see if their internet speeds are up to par. There are plenty of resources for doing this for free, and it will only take you a few minutes to see if you’re getting what you think your paying for. Below are some suggestions for doing a free speed test. 

• Check Your Connection – If you’re not using a wired Ethernet cord for connection, you might not be getting everything your internet has to offer. When you connect a direct line from your router to your computer, you’ll be able to access its full potential. 

• How Old Is Your Router – Many folks have routers that they’ve been using for ten or more years and aren’t up to standards for today’s internet speeds. If your router is older and you think it might be the problem, we suggest buying a new one that will work better with your internet service. 

• Does Your Plan Add Up – Every service plan comes with a suggested maximum internet speed when you have a subscription with an internet provider. After running that speed test, check to see if your numbers match your plan. If they don’t, you need to call them and determine why you’re not getting the service you’re paying for.   

• Know Your Power – Find out what your Mbps, and then see if the power your receiving is enough to support all the devices your using. Sometimes people don’t realize how much power they need when they have multiple family members all using the internet simultaneously. 

Test Your Internet Speed 

Performing some regular self-checks of your internet can give you the details you need to know about how fast your connection actually is or whether or not your setup is experiencing some type of issue that’s preventing you from surfing the net at the blazing speeds your provider promised.

Start a Claim Against Optimum

Once you’ve done your speed test and you discover your download speeds are pretty much the same as what your plan states, jot down those numbers and put them in a safe place. You want to do that so that each week you can run the same test and compare your numbers. If all of a sudden you notice a considerable drop in your internet speed, it’s time to contact Optimum. 

Here are our top picks for free services that will perform speed tests on your internet. These are reliable services that even some providers recommend using:

• SPEED CHECK
• FAST (Powered by Netflix)
• OOKLA

Optimum will probably also want to run a speed test using their software, which you can find on their website when you have a plan with them. But, we prefer to use one of the free services above in addition to Optimum’s so that we have a broader idea of what our actual internet speed is by using more than one test.  

Compare Your Speed with Your Optimum Contract

After obtaining your internet speed connection rates, you should compare them to your contract with Optimum. Some of the plans come with lightning-fast speeds, whereas other plans do not offer the same speeds as their best plans. Optimum offers cable speeds from 200 up to 1,000 Mbps (download) and 35 to 40 for the Mbps upload speeds.  

Be sure to run your speed tests before contacting Optimum’s customer service department so that you know how far off your actual speeds are when compared to what your plan says you should be receiving. 

Troubleshoot with Optimum Customer Service

If you discover that your slow internet has nothing to do with your equipment or some of the other steps you went through to solve your issue, then you should contact Optimum’s customer service at 855-267-8468. Be sure to ask about why your internet is slow and what you can do to improve the connection or internet lagging. 

However, you should know upfront that you will be asked to do a little troubleshooting with the customer service agent to see if they can resolve your internet problem. They might ask about the different types of devices you are using to connect to the internet and if any are wireless. They will want to perform a variety of tests that involves testing your Optimum equipment. 

This might include:

• Checking the Lights on Your Router or Modem
• Restarting Your Equipment   
• Verifying the Connections and Cords 
• Running Some Tests, Including the Speed Test 

You will want to cooperate as much as possible to improve your slow internet connection and slow download speed. Keep in mind that the customer service agent is there to help you solve your slow internet issue, and they will do whatever is possible to find the perfect solution. 

File an Official Complaint and Get Compensated

Once you have exhausted every avenue possible to resolve your slow internet with Optimum, you may not have any other choice but to take further action. Just be sure that you followed all of the steps Optimum recommended to fix the issue before proceeding with your official complaint.

If standard troubleshooting with customer service failed, Optimum might try to sell you additional repeaters or upgrades to improve your service. However, before agreeing to any additional costs, you should submit a dispute through FairShake to get compensated for what Optimum owes you.