Why You Can Trust CNET Get a Zoom 5341J DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem for $69.97
Stop paying your cable provider a monthly rental fee!
Cable bills only go up, right? Here's your chance to bring it down.
See, most folks pay a monthly lease/rental charge for the modem supplied by their cable Internet provider (Comcast, Time Warner, etc.). Typically this is $6-$8, which works out to as much as $96 per year. But guess what? Many providers will let you use your own modem instead, meaning you can do away with that monthly fee.
So here's some easy math: Amazon has the Zoom 5341J DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem for $69.97 shipped. Even if you're paying just $6 per month to rent your existing modem, you'd recoup your investment in less than a year -- then pocket that $6 every month thereafter. It adds up!
First things first: This is just a modem; it's not a router. If your existing modem is also responsible for delivering Wi-Fi throughout your house, you'll need to BYO router to this equation -- and that will require some extra expense and setup.
Second, the 5341J is a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, meaning it's capable of delivering lightning-fast data both upstream and downstream. I was originally going to feature this Cisco modem for $39.99, but it's a DOCSIS 2.0 model. That standard is literally 13 years old, and while it would work fine if you're subscribing to a mid- or low-tier Internet service plan, my thinking is it makes sense to have the latest technology powering your connection.
The Zoom 5341J is certified to work with pretty much every North American cable provider. Better still, the 600-plus user reviews average out to 4.5 stars, which tells the whole story: The modem is fast, easy to set up and reliable.
It's not the least expensive modem I've seen, but it's definitely worth considering if you want to pay your cable company a little less every month. Wouldn't that be nice for a change!
Bonus deal: If I had to rank my all-time favorite deals, this would definitely be in the top 10. DailySteals is once again offering the House of Marley in-ear headset for $10 shipped.
I've grabbed maybe half a dozen of these in recent months; they're awesome. In-line microphone, play/pause control button (not three-button like the description says), fabric cord, right-angle connector and, most important, great sound.
As of this morning, only the white "mint" style is left; grab one (or five) while you can.!