Review by phantom6294 
UPDATED: 114 days ago
member for 7.7 years, 1767 visits, last login: 2 days ago
 Abingdon,Harford,MD
 $43 per month
 "Rock solid speeds, when properly configured"
 "Piss poor phone support, and I mean complete idiots"
 "Don't waste time calling Comcast, just use the Comcast Direct Foroum"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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Initial Sign-up: I originally signed up for Comcast when I moved from New Jersey to Maryland. The Comcast website was less than useful in attempting to sign up for the Triple Play. The actual install was pretty good with the technician (a Comcast contractor) arriving at 9AM for a 8-12 appointment. My only complaint with the install was the technician installed software on my computer without informing me. Initial speeds were unimpressive to me, coming from 30/5 OOL Boost service for a cheaper price in New Jersey.
1-Year Later: After my Triple Play period expired my price went up as expected, no biggie. However, a couple of months later my bill went up again. When looking at the bill, I was getting a 'bundling' discount for having all three services. When I called support they kept hammering I no longer had Triple Play. I had to get a little testy to get my point across I was NOT talking about losing the Triple Play price. It finally clicked with the CSR but she stated she couldn't fix it and someone would call me back. Surprise, surprise... no one ever did. I eventually called Comcast back and ran through the same 'you no longer have Triple Play' spiel and was finally handed off to a supervisor who apologized for the problems and offered to re-bundle me under a Triple Play deal, add some movie channels all for a cheaper price.
A few months later, my speeds just started going all over the place. For nearly a year, my speeds were rock solid. Even after being upgraded to Blast! 16/2 speeds, I would see initial PowerBoost speeds in the high 20Mbps range with springs into the 30 Mbps. Once PowerBoost was over, I could see a sustained 16Mbps through an entire download (even huge, multi-GB ISOs) assuming the server could push it. So, when suddenly I can't get those speeds, I start wondering. I finally called support who continually told me that Blast! in my area was 8/1 and not 16/2. Then, I was told Blast! wasn't available in my area despite Comcast having been billing me for "Blast!" for several months. It finally took a Comcast Employee BBR member to gets things sorted out and eventually my speeds returned to normal.
Latest Update: Just when I thought Comcast support couldn't get any worse, it does. At the beginning of July, I returned home from a trip to find I had not internet and no dial tone on my CDV. I called Comcast Support (my first mistake) and the CSR kept mumbling about trying this and that and finally said he would have to escalate the ticket to the next tier who would fix it within an hour and call me. Admittedly, I missed the call back but my service was not fixed. I called Comcast as was on hold for over an hour (no kidding) and I finally gave up. I left for another trip that evening and returned a few days later still having no internet or dial tone. Once again, I waded through the CSR trying to reboot my modem over and over and over and over and over again. Finally, it was again escalated to the next tier and promised it would be fixed. When called back... nope can't be fixed we're rolling a truck.
So, technician shows up the next day and (pointlessly) replaces a splitter and tried resetting the cable modem. Then, he basically calls Comcast Support and waits on hold. The first person who answers also tried resetting the cable modem and after about 5 minutes of being unable to fix it, HANGS UP ON THE TECHNICIAN. I kid you not. The CSR said to the technician 'I've got other things to do..." and hung up on the technician. Wonderful. Finally, the cable modem is replaced and I get back online and get a dial tone.
Oh, the support story gets worse. My re-bundled Triple Play was set to expire at the end of July. But, Comcast, very nicely, was offering to extend the price for an additional 6-Months (recession and all). However, my next bill was increased by ~$35. My bill indicated I had removed internet service at $33 and added internet service at $42.95 (among other random changes to my bill). Well, I did no such thing and can only imagine some moron screwed up my account when they replaced my cable modem. I mean, what idiot voluntarily adds the exact same service at a higher price???? It took some effort to get Comcast to honor their extension to my previous price.
Another problem that occurred was that in the mix up, my modem got provisioned for the wrong speeds -- back to 12/2 when it should have been 16/2. I tested for a few weeks and finally opened a ticket on the Comcast Direct Forum here at BBR. Quite easily, I have been re-provisioned for the correct speeds. Thanks ComcastSteve!
Bottom line: I am been thoroughly impressed with the rock solid speeds I see, assuming my cable modem is actually provisioned correctly. However, the phone CSRs are just complete idiots and frequently know less than I do and frequently cause more problems than they solve.
Followup comments:  
jeffhambone
Peace, through superior firepower
join:2002-02-02
Manassas, VA
 ·Comcast
| Different IP address for router? What IP address are you pulling when you're connected via the router vs. connected straight to the modem? If it's from a different netblock, the router address might be in a block DISA is filtering for some reason. Try cloning your PC MAC to the router and see if that helps.
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Son, there's only one thing you need to know: HEMI | |
|  | phantom6294
join:2002-02-27
Abingdon, MD | Re: Different IP address for router? Well I'll be, it worked! Thanks!!!
Now... if I only I knew what the underlying cause was... | |
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jeffhambone
Peace, through superior firepower
join:2002-02-02
Manassas, VA
·Comcast
| Re: Different IP address for router? It's how Comcast does DHCP assignments. As I understand it, they run some kind of hash on your MAC address, then use that to assign an IP address out of one of their assigned address spaces. This process is also location dependent, but CRAN has something to do with that, too. In the time I've been with Comcast, I think I've had addresses from two (possibly three, it's been awhile and I've moved once) different Class A address spaces.
Changing your IP address, if you changed to a different part of the address space, probably got you past a temporary (or permanent, who knows) DISA routing filter or access list.
--
Son, there's only one thing you need to know: HEMI | |
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