Letters from the Internet

Hi, we're Ting, and we’ve been talking with your internet.

It’s been trying to reach you. Not just with signals and speeds, but with something more personal. Turns out, your internet has a lot to say, and we thought it was time you heard it.

Because when it’s stuck behind old equipment, buried in a cabinet, or limited by outdated plans, it struggles. And when it struggles, so do you. Buffering. Freezing. Dropped calls. It’s not for lack of trying… It’s just never had the chance to explain.

So we’re sharing its journal. A few honest entries from your connection itself.

Turns out, it’s been waiting to do more for you. And with Ting, it finally can.

Entry #1: It’s dark in here.

You might not know this, but I live in a cabinet. A literal cabinet. Behind a pile of old board games and what might be a modem from 2008.

And still, I try. I try when you're FaceTiming your mom. I try when you're streaming the finale. I even try when three people are on Zoom and the doorbell cam is doing whatever it does.

But I can’t get through walls. Or water tanks. Or three floors of drywall. I hear you when you say, “Why is Netflix freezing again?” And it hurts, because I’m trying so hard.

But I get it, you didn’t know. No one ever told you that placing your router in a central, open spot can make all the difference. Ting did. They gave you the tips. You gave me the chance.

And now? I’m breathing easier.

Maybe one day, everyone will open the door and set their connection free.

—The Internet

Entry #2: I need to say something.

This might be hard to hear. But I think we’re growing apart.

You’ve been blaming me lately, saying I’m too slow, unreliable, and not who I used to be. But the truth is, I’m still me. It’s the gear around me that’s stuck in 2016. That old router you’ve got hidden under the stairs? It just doesn’t have the strength anymore.

I’m doing my best. But I need a little help.

Even a newer model could make all the difference. Or maybe a system that brings me closer to you in every room. (Ting calls it mesh. I call it dreamy.)

I’m not giving up. I just wanted you to know.

—Still buffering, The Internet

Entry #3: Things feel… disconnected.

Something’s off. I can feel it.

I try to show up strong, but sometimes I just… drop out. Or slow down. Or disappear completely.

It’s not that I don’t want to be there. It’s that something between us is broken—literally. Damaged network cables, loose coax connections, maybe even a cable that took one too many chews from a curious pup. It’s the little things. Kinks, twists, frays and tiny scars that mess with the signal.

If I’m feeling shaky, check our connections. Make sure everything’s snug and stress-free.

—A little stronger, The Internet

Entry #4: You need to update your devices.

Okay, I’m just going to say it: It’s not me. It’s your laptop.

Or your phone. Or that one tablet that hasn’t been updated since the “Harlem Shake” era.

I’m fast. Like, fiber fast. But when one of your devices starts slowing down, skipping, or dropping off the network altogether, it might just need an update. Or a restart. Or, you know… retirement.

Next time things feel sluggish, check the device first. Because when you did? Everything started working better. You rebooted, refreshed, updated—and we clicked.

We’re finally in sync.

It’s not perfect. But it’s real progress.

—Streaming smoothly, The Internet

Entry #5: Let’s keep this going.

I’ve gotta say… I like who we’ve become.

You’ve learned where to place me. You’ve swapped out the old gear. You’ve checked the cables, updated the devices. Ting helped you understand what I needed, and you listened.

Now I’m not just working. I’m thriving.

Movies don’t buffer. Calls don’t drop. Playlists don’t skip. The signal flows through your home like a deep, calming breath. And I’m there, in the background, holding it all together.

You didn’t just fix the Wi-Fi. You changed our whole relationship.

And if someone else out there is still struggling—still stuck in the cabinet or tangled in old cords—I hope they’ll hear this and rethink things, too.

Because it can be better. With a little help from Ting, it will be.

Connected, at last,

The Internet