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Switching To Dryden Fiber

20 February 2025 / Comments

Switching to Dryden Fiber: A Step-by-Step Guide, with Options for Phone and TV Services 

Switching to Dryden Fiber for home internet can offer faster speeds, greater reliability, and better customer service. If you're making this transition, however, you'll also need to consider how to handle other services that may have been bundled with your other provider's internet plan, particularly phone and local television options. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you smoothly switch to Dryden Fiber while ensuring you stay connected for phone and TV. We recommend keeping your current provider until your Dryden Fiber service is installed. 

1. Evaluate Your Current Services 

Before making the switch, it’s essential to take stock of the services you currently use with your current internet provider. Many customers bundle their internet, cable TV, and home phone together, so you need to identify what’s essential: 

  • Internet: This is the primary service you’ll be replacing with Dryden Fiber’s faster, fiber-optic connection. 
  • Phone: If you have phone service through your current internet provider, you’ll need to decide whether to transfer it or explore alternatives. 
  • Television: Some internet providers offer a wide range of TV packages, so you’ll need to think about how you’ll watch local channels, news, and other content once you cancel. 

2. Switching Your Internet to Dryden Fiber 

The first step is to set up your Dryden Fiber internet service. Fiber-optic internet provides significantly faster speeds than other technology, and often more reliable service. Here’s what you’ll need to do: 

  • Check Availability: Confirm that Dryden Fiber is available in your area and choose the appropriate internet plan based on your household’s needs (streaming, gaming, working from home, etc.). View the Dryden Fiber Service Areas map and use the Request Service form to schedule your installation. 
  • Schedule Installation: Fiber installation may require some setup, including running fiber lines directly to your home. For customers in the green zone, we most often install within 2 weeks. 
  • Test the Service: Once installed, run a speed test to ensure that you’re getting the promised speeds and that everything is working as expected. https://fiber.google.com/speedtest/  

3. Decide What to Do About Your Phone Service 

If you’ve been using your current internet provider’s home telephone service, you’ll need to either transfer the number or switch to an alternative. Here are a couple options: 

  • Switch to a Standalone VoIP Service: You can explore third-party VoIP services like Ooma, Vonage, or Google Voice, which offer affordable plans for home phone service. These services work over your new fiber internet connection and may offer additional features such as voicemail, call forwarding, and mobile apps. 
  • Go Mobile-Only: If your household primarily uses mobile phones, this might be an ideal time to cut the cord on home phone service altogether. You can forward your landline number to a mobile phone during the transition if you’re not ready to lose it immediately. 

4. Determine and Decide on Email Service

Some internet providers provide an email address with their service. Dryden Fiber does not provide email services. If you have an email address or email addresses specific to your service provider, you should get your own email from a service like gmail.com or outlook.com.  

5. Managing Local TV Options After Canceling Your Prior Internet Service

Losing access to your prior internet provider’s TV service doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite local channels and shows. Here are a few alternatives, but not meant to be a complete list as providers and offers change frequently: 

  • Over-the-Air Antenna: Local television channels (such as ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS) can be accessed for free using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Today’s digital antennas are inexpensive and can pick up local stations in high definition. If you’re primarily interested in local news, sports, and network TV, this might be the simplest solution. Some areas of Dryden have limited reception due to terrain. To assess the viability of OTA channels you may receive, check the FCC DTV site for your location: https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps  
  • Streaming TV Services: There are various streaming services that offer access to live TV, including local channels. Some popular options include: 
  • YouTube TV: Offers live local channels, news, and sports, along with a cloud DVR. This can closely replicate the experience of traditional cable. 
  • Hulu + Live TV: Another great option for live TV, including local networks, sports, and entertainment. If ABC is the primary local channel you watch, Hulu+ may offer live streaming of ABC news along with other content.
  • Sling TV: Depending on your location, Sling TV may offer local channels, or you can pair it with an OTA antenna for access to local programming. 
  • Paramount+: If CBS is the primary local channel you watch, Paramount+ offers live streaming of CBS along with other content. 
  • Peacock: If NBC is the primary local channel you watch, Peacock offers live streaming of NBC along with other content.
  • TV Apps and Networks: Many local TV stations offer their content through apps or websites, where you can stream live broadcasts or catch up on recent news segments. 

6. Canceling Internet Services 

Once your Dryden Fiber internet and new phone or TV services are set up, you can proceed to cancel your prior internet subscription. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth cancellation: 

  • Return Equipment: If you’re using your internet provider’s modem, router, or cable boxes, make sure to return them to avoid equipment fees. A cable internet provider typically requires you to return these within a specific time frame. 
  • Cancel Over the Phone: Contact your internet provider’s customer service to cancel your account. Make sure to ask for a confirmation number and verify any final billing or early termination fees (if applicable). 

7. Final Steps 

  • Update Your Information: Once you’ve completed the switch, make sure to update your contact information with important services, such as banks and utilities, especially if your phone number or email has changed during the transition. 
  • Test Everything: Ensure your new internet connection, phone service, and TV options are working as expected. It’s a good idea to run through all services to verify that the transition has been smooth and that you’re not missing any essential functionality. 

Conclusion 

Switching to Dryden Fiber is a straightforward process that can result in faster, more reliable internet. By carefully considering your options for phone and TV services, you can make a seamless transition without losing access to the connectivity or entertainment you rely on. Whether you opt for VoIP phone services, an antenna for local TV, or a streaming solution, you’ll find plenty of ways to stay connected and entertained after making the switch to fiber. 

About Dryden Fiber 

Dryden Fiber is a Municipal Internet Service Provider operated by the Town of Dryden, New York. Our Mission is to provide reliable, affordable, high-speed, fiber-based internet access. We offer state-of-the-art technology and unmatched customer service. Launched in the spring of 2023, Dryden Fiber is now constructing the network across the Towns of Dryden and Caroline by adding new homes and businesses customers to the platform every day. Customers have no long-term contract and will find speeds to be 5x to 10x of other providers. For more information, visit www.drydenfiber.com.