Utilities and Services – Everything You Need To Know About Moving to Cincinnati

Moving to a new city can be overwhelming.  So many new services to set up, account numbers to keep track of, and bills to pay.  If you’re moving to Cincinnati then we hope you’ll find this article helpful as we provide an overview of utility services and different providers for everything from gas and electricity to home internet.

Gas & Electricity

Some cities have separate companies for gas and electricity.  Cincinnati makes things simple in that way as Duke Energy provides both services to the Cincinnati area. Setup and manage your account online, you can schedule automatic payments so you never have an interruption in service or late fees.

There are some other things you should be aware of. First,  companies like Dynegy Energy offer lower rates in Cincinnati as an electric aggregation. Local news WCPO covers this with the pros and cons of switching to Dynegy. There are other electric aggregations and some may switch you without your consent. Second, you should be very careful who you give your Duke Energy account number.  Some customers have been scammed into giving out their account numbers and been subscribed to an aggregate provider without their consent. Finally, some scammers have been calling customers and demanding immediate payment over the phone.  For more details see the coverage from local news Fox19.

For a more comprehensive list of utility, scams visit the Money Crasher’s article on 7 Homes Utility Company Scamps to Be Aware Of.

Water & Sewage

As a tenant, most landlords will provide water, sewage, and heat. However, it is still good to be aware of the service provider.  In this case, it is Greater Cincinnati Waterworks. You should review your lease to see what, if any, obligations you have for water and sewage and whether you’ll need to open an account with GCWW.

Waste & Recycling

Both waste and recycling are provided by Rumpke. Trash collection varies by address, so you’ll want to visit their website for the schedule. Rumpke provides cans for trash and recycling to all customers so you won’t need to worry about that.  For recycling, acceptable items vary from city to city and state to state.  Please be sure to review the list of acceptable items in order to keep waste out of the recycling. Also, check the proper method of recycling.  For instance, Rumpke asks that you placed recyclables directly in the can rather than putting them in a plastic bag.

Home Internet

Home internet is essential with streaming services, work-from-home, and every other facet of modern life. If you’re relocating to Cincinnati then you’ll want to get your internet up and running as soon as possible.  Here are the providers for Cincinnati:

Cincinnati Bell Fiberoptics – Free installation and prices starting as low as $45 per month for a fiberoptic connection make Cincinnati Bell a good option for many renters. They also offer bundle deals for tv packages.  Be advised that if you’re building has never had a fiberoptic connection before then installation could take 3-4 hours and you will need consent from the building owner.

Spectrum – Free installation and internet prices as low as $45 when bundled. Spectrum is also widely available in the Cincinnati area and runs through the cable line that is pre-existing in most area homes and buildings.

HughesNet – Offers Satellite internet available to most of Cincinnati.  Satellite internet is particularly popular in rural areas that are less likely to have hard-line connections, but it may still be worth a comparison. Prices are only available by contacting them through their website.

Viasat – Another Satelite internet competitor that bundles with DirectTV as low as $35 per month.  They cover the entire Cincinnati area and also offer home phone service.

T-Mobile Home Internet – As of December 2021, they cover about half of the Cincinnati market but are continually growing. You must enter your address for pricing and availability, but bundle prices with cell phone service can make this a lucrative option for high-speed internet at home.