Review by wchillman - Location: Gig Harbor, Pierce, WA, USA
- Cost: $50 per month
Performance STARTER is all that a cord-cutter needs. It is still overpriced but customer service is improving. The cheapest internet speed tier that will stream video in HD plus a Netflix subscription is all we need. Saves a ton of money.
| Pre Sales information: Install Co-ordination: Connection Reliability: Tech Support: Services: Value for money: (ratings match consensus)
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The most common complaints in the Comcast forums fall into these areas: overpriced plans, continual price increases, unclear contractual obligations, and poor customer service. Our way to deal with these complaints is to apply the KISS principle and follow three essential cardinal rules: 1. NEVER bundle 2. AVOID all TV packages 3. MINIMIZE what you pay them By keeping things this simple, it is nearly impossible for Comcast to pull any monkey business. This may sound counterintuitive but we now get GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL AS INTERNET and pay Comcast LESS THAN 50 BUCKS A MONTH with NO JUNK FEES! Not only that, we watch it in high definition without renting any Comcast cable box or paying any stupid HD Technology Fee, Broadcast TV Fee, or Sports Entertainment Fee! It really affords a value proposition that Comcast just can't match. Read on if you are interested. You may not know this but in 2012, Comcast was ordered by the FCC to offer a stand-alone broadband service with a download speed of at least 6 Mbps at a price no greater than $49.95 per month. This speed tier is called Performance STARTER. As recent retirees on a fixed income, we opted for this service as the monthly charge has remained at $49.95 WITH NO TAXES, FEES, OR CHARGES. Although the order has since expired, as far as I know Comcast continues to offer this speed tier at the stated price. However, the price for this service is neither just nor reasonable but that will have to be a conversation for another day. So, we only have Comcast's Performance Starter internet service with NO subscription to Xfinity TV, Voice, or Home, NO Bundle, NO Comcast Cable Box, and NO Contract. Here's a list of JUNK FEES WE DON'T PAY and you can avoid them too: � HD DVR Rental Fees � HD DVR Service Fees � HD Technology Fees � Digital Adaptor Fees � Digital Outlet Fees � Digital Access Fees � Digital Converter Fees � Additional Outlet Fees � Anyroom DVR Service Fees � Broadcast TV Fees � Community TV Fees � Network Support Fees � Sports Entertainment Fees � CHSI Transfer/Restart Fees � Regional Sports Fees � Franchise Costs � Blast or Boost Fees � Converter Fees � Modem Fees � Premium Channel Fees � On Demand Fees � Pay-Per-View Fees � Streampix Fees � CableCard Fees � Remote Control Fees � Regulatory Recovery Fees � FCC Fees � PEG Access Fees � I-Net Fees � Public Access Fees � Network Support Fees � City Amusement Fees � Franchise Fees � State Assessment Fees � Convenience Fees � User Fees � 911 Fees � Electronic Change Fees � Electronic Charge Fees � Transaction Fees � Enrollment Fees � Reactivation Fees � Early Termination Fees � Protection Plan Fees � Rights of Way Use Fees � Voice/Data Modem Rental Fees � Voicemail Fees � Wireless Gateway Fees � State Cost Recovery Charges � State, City, & County Sales Tax � Universal Connectivity Charges � Federal Excise Taxes � Gross Receipts Taxes � Utility or Communications Services Taxes Whew! I was blown away when I sat down and compiled this list from posts in the Comcast forums. Looks to me like Comcast conjured up ridiculous fees just to pad their bottom line. Nothing like being nickeled and dimed to death! Not only did we want to avoid these junk fees but we were really sick of paying triple-digit monthly bills as well as suffering through commercials that were taking up nearly 1/3 of every viewing hour. We now access all our entertainment over the internet utilizing Comcast's Performance Starter which is sufficient to stream video in HD. Using Comcast in this way (as a dumb pipe) turns out to be the most cost effective way of utilizing their service. It allows us a FAR SUPERIOR VIEWING EXPERIENCE than we ever had with Comcast TV at a fraction of what we paid in the past. As cord-cutters, we use a streaming device (Apple TV, Google's Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon's Fire Stick are some of the more popular ones) for all of our TV viewing including news, TV shows, and movies as well as music. These streaming devices render Comcast's Cable Box obsolete as well as their TV offerings and I have fond memories of dumping off their box at our local Comcast service center - much to their displeasure. The news we watch now is far better than anything we ever had on Comcast TV and, thanks to Netflix and Amazon, we can now watch commercial-free TV and movies. There are now many other OTT internet options like Sling TV, HBO Now, Hulu, and PlayStation Vue (and undoubtedly more to come) but we found them unnecessary given the extensive catalog from Netflix plus content accessible using these streaming devices. We will never return to cable TV's appointment viewing packed with commercials. I should say, however, that it took some time to adjust to this as we had been so conditioned to think that it really wasn't "TV" unless you are continually bombarded by commercials. If you cannot do without basic network TV, you could install an OTA antenna and possibly get many HD channels for free depending on your position relative to the broadcast towers. Even though we receive basic network TV for free, we never watch it, primarily because of the commercials (it's been years since we've watched any) but also because the streaming alternatives are just far superior. We used to watch Comcast's On Demand movies but when we cross-checked them against IMDb, we found that they rated quite poorly, whereas Netflix and Amazon have amazing catalogs of great content. Although Comcast recently suspended their 250 monthly GB bandwidth cap, they are in the process of raising it to 300 GB/month in selected service areas. We will typically use near 300 GB/month but live in an area where caps have not been enforced. I should note here, however, that we have a 4k TV set at "High" resolution but are a single video stream household. While it doesn't affect us, if you are running multiple video streams simultaneously within your household, you could experience some congestion and might be subject to a $10 charge for every 50 GB you exceed the 300 GB cap. Essentially, this is just a money grab by Comcast but even with any overages this may still cost less than Comcast's standard TV packages. Also, NEVER EVER rent a cable modem from Comcast if you can avoid it. Purchasing one can pay for itself in less than a year. Last but not least, if you have a bundle that includes Xfinity Voice, try Republic Wireless for your phone and drop Xfinity Voice as well as your landline. The smartphone we have with Republic Wireless (Moto X) costs us $10/month (unlimited talk and text) with an option to purchase cell data for $15/GB; however, we hardly use any of that. Anyway, what cell data isn't used at the end of the month's billing period is refunded back to us as a credit on the next bill. Dumping Verizon was another one of my fondest memories. In the past when we bundled services, it was easy for Comcast to bamboozle us with their underhanded pricing shenanigans and junk fees but not anymore. Bundling Comcast services, it turns out, is probably not in your best interest particularly when you consider other options like the one I mentioned above. We found Comcast's Performance Starter single play to be a simple way to lower your bill, improve your viewing experience, and manage the cost of their service. It is really like a double play (since you can get TV entertainment as well as internet) but you only pay for a single play and it is not just for new subscribers - everyone is eligible! By using a streaming device with Comcast's Performance Starter it is quite easy to drop Comcast TV with its obnoxious commercials and ridiculous pricing. It's certainly a welcome change now for us to be able to watch what we want, when we want, where we want, on our TV or whatever other device we want, rather being constrained by Comcast's TV schedule and limited by their offerings. Recently another poster on this forum confirmed the usefulness of this approach and wrote "...We have the Performance Starter just like wchillman, and it is perfect for our family of 5. It consistently tests at 7.1/1.3 and can display 720p HD streams from Netflix on a pair of devices simultaneously and still allow us to surf on our laptops. I do have an AC router with custom Linux based firmware that sets per client bandwidth, so it automatically throttles certain devices when others are streaming. Just another way to implement QoS. We have 20 devices connected on WiFi including Rokus, Firesticks, game consoles, HTPC, and several computers, cell phones and tablets. No problems or issues and everything runs smoothly, simultaneously. With careful planning you can accomplish a great deal with a less expensive internet package if you don't need to download huge files constantly." Comcast, however, will do just about anything to keep you from reducing your services. Initially, they will tell you that Performance Starter is not fast enough to stream video in HD but don't believe them - it is more than adequate for all our HD viewing as well as VoIP and general internet use. Next, they will try to upsell you with a promotional offer for additional unnecessary overpriced services. Be very careful here as you can get locked into a two-year contract wherein the reduced price is only guaranteed for the first year - to say nothing of being shell-shocked when prices revert back to normal. You will have to pay the full retail price for the second year or else forfeit any benefit you received from the first year. Comcast's latest scheme is to say that internet alone would cost more than internet and TV together. Be extremely wary of this ploy as you need to factor in ALL APPLICABLE JUNK FEES noted above in order to really determine if it is, in fact, a better deal. I'd also be leery of Comcast's VISA gift card sales tactic as there are a ton of complaints about it in the forums. Lastly, they may even send you to their retention department to dissuade you from reducing your services but just stand firm and insist on Performance Starter and NOTHING MORE. They will try to upsell you with their "deals" so let me say it again: N-O-T-H-I-N-G M-O-R-E. We automatically pay the bill each month with our credit card and so rarely need to contact the company (it's been years). This makes life easier as reports in the Comcast forums indicate that customer service is an absolute nightmare. Not only that, reducing your contacts with Comcast will eliminate opportunities for them to dupe you into an upsell. Their typical pitch starts with, "I just want to check to see if you are getting the best value for your money" and that's the beginning of the upsell. Their proposal may sound like a good deal over the phone but when you get your next bill you will probably think otherwise. This is primarily due to all the undisclosed ancillary charges and junk fees that they will tack on to your bill. If your household is similar to ours or you are not a power user, why overspend on internet service? Is it just for bragging rights? Certainly, you could consider a promotion that bests this price but only a FOOL would pay Comcast more money than they need to. Our monthly bill for Comcast and Netflix totals less than $60 and it has been fixed at this amount for many years. Prior to this, we were paying Comcast more than twice this amount for what was, in retrospect, a vastly inferior package. It seems that most people find change difficult and prefer to stay with the devil they know (Cable TV) rather than change to the devil they don't (Internet TV). When you overcome your reluctance, you will find that all of this is really not that hard to implement or acclimate to and will pay off in spades. Downgrading your Comcast services to only the cheapest internet connection speed tier that can adequately stream video in HD plus a Netflix subscription is all that is needed. If you have a question or find anything in this review helpful, please post a note in the comment section that follows or pass it on to others who could benefit from it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- UPDATE 10.10.2015. Two things. I now recommend when you are considering changing your service plan that you send a private message to one of their Official Employees (listed in RED in the forums) and inquire as to whether you are eligible for any contracts or promotions in your area. I found the service they provide to be of excellent quality particularly if you have a pretty good idea of what you want. This also has the added benefit of bypassing the language barrier you can encounter when calling their CSRs as well as providing written documentation of their offer. Last but not least, Comcast has increased the speed of their Performance Starter tier from 6/1 to 10/2 with no increase in price. They are definitely moving in the right direction but still overpriced. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- UPDATE 04.27.2016. Good news and bad. Comcast has raised their data cap from 300GB to 1 terabyte which is more than ample for the vast majority of households. However, in looking deeper into the cost of internet service I found the following site. It ranks the prices charged by over 100 countries in the world for UNLIMITED 10 Mbps internet service... » www.numbeo.com/cost-of-l ··· temId=33As you can see from the link above, UNLIMITED 10 Mbps service in the United States prices out around $50/month (slight changes can occur as this site regularly updates its prices). Comcast's current subscription fee for Performance Starter 10 is $49.95/month but they would like to get away with charging us an extra $50/month for UNLIMITED data. So, when you this include extra fee, the total cost for Comcast's Performance Starter 10 UNLIMITED would be $99.95/month. Not only does this place Comcast's monthly subscription fee for UNLIMITED 10 Mbps above the vast majority of countries in the world, it is nearly double the average cost for UNLIMITED 10 Mbps service HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. If you think we are being fleeced, write the FCC and the FTC and make your thoughts heard... » consumercomplaints.fcc.g ··· hc/en-us» www.ftc.gov/faq/consumer ··· aint-ftc---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- UPDATE 08.01.2016. Washington State is suing Comcast! » Washington State Sues Comcast For Deceptive Business Practices [30] comments---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- UPDATE 01.02.2017. Another way to contact Comcast is through Twitter and it has the same advantages as those noted above. I think Comcast is still in a state of denial when it comes to the breadth and depth of this cord cutting revolution. It will be interesting to see what the new year brings. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- UPDATE 05.04.2017. Republic Wireless’ plan that I refer to above is no longer available for new subscribers nor is it an option for current subscribers when their current phone dies. The only exception to this is if you are able to acquire an old phone that works with their 2.0 plan but all new phones purchased through Republic Wireless must be used with their new plan. Republic Wireless’ current plan 3.0 (1gb of data) is now $20/month. Still not bad but best to shop around. I’ll be able to keep my current plan as long as my phone holds up. I’m sure it’s obvious that my approach to dealing with Comcast is to pay them the absolute minimum I can get away with and still get great news and entertainment. When I first cut the cable TV cord six or so years ago, people asked me how I was going to access sports. Well, it was easy in that I have no interest in sports! However, now there are subscriptions services that can be purchased for those of you who are die hard sports fans. Personally, I’ll never support overpaid athletes. With this crazy 2016 presidential election and the advent of “fake news”, it should be obvious that the mainstream media is just corporate driven propaganda. Alternative/independent forms of media (usually accessed through YouTube) are a far superior way to access news. Now, as for live TV, I refuse to wait until the appointed time and then to suffer through commercials just to see a current episode of a show. Binge-watching shows as introduced by Netflix is the future of entertainment. There are now many sources of TV entertainment like Netflix such as HBO Now, Showtime, Starz, Amazon, etc. and it’s easy to unsubscribe from one and subscribe to another. Rotating services like this is the best way to keep costs down. The future of TV is here and it's the internet. The internet has afforded us the opportunity to reevaluate exactly what video services we really need/want and avoid being forced into one of Comcast’s TV packages. Comcast's cable TV’s business model is in a world of hurt. member for 12.3 years, 2214 visits, last login: 3.4 years ago updated 6.8 years ago
1 recommendation |
jlatimer
Anon
2013-Apr-21 8:50 am
Competition is necessaryWhile I agree that competition is necessary, Comcast is not at fault in this regard. Building and maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support telecommunications is not cheap, if it were, you would see a lot more competition out there. Just like you don't see car manufacturers popping up every day, you don't see telecom providers popping up.
If you want to see more competition start at the source, the manufacturers of fiber and network communication equipment, and the content owners such as ESPN and others charging an arm and a leg for their service and requiring it to be on basic tiers of service. | |
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2 recommendations |
Re: Competition is necessaryI overpay these clowns for sub-par speeds while the executives collect their multi-million dollar salaries. Comcast in particular and the cable monopoly in general is at fault. Here is the solution: » billmoyers.com/segment/s ··· -unfair/ | |
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Beck38 join:2014-05-12 Centralia, WA
1 recommendation |
Beck38
Member
2014-May-13 10:06 am
Look to the East (in Washington State)PUD (Public Utility District) built fiber, with multiple TV/Phone/Internet providers (gee, sounds like what the FCC originally tried to do with telco years back) is going gangbusters in eastern Washington State. Speeds to Gigabit, no caps, pricing half or better than either Comcast OR Frontier FIOS, and with regulated electric rates 1/3rd that of us in the 'western' half (no Enron and FERC controlling it there) and no hyper-inflated housing market on top of all that.
I'm out as soon as I can get all the ducks in order (sell the house, etc), but I'm retired so have the option. | |
| newviewEx .. Ex .. Exactly Premium Member join:2001-10-01 Parsonsburg, MD |
newview
Premium Member
2014-May-19 10:32 am
Tell the FCCsaid by wchillman:"We need to reclassify them as a common carrier." quote: The FCC has asked for public comment on new rules about net neutrality. Use this form to submit a comment to the FCC - »dearfcc.org/
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Eastern Washington StateBeck 38 - You are absolutely right! The 509 is the way to go. Spokane electric rates and communications are still similar to Seattle, but Central Washington has got it all. The Grand Coulee dam (one of the biggest hydroelectric generation stations in the world) is bordered on both Grant and Douglas counties. The Grand Coulee along with many other dams are owned by the utilities themselves, which enables them to provide cheap power, as they do not need to go through the federal government. Google and Yahoo have migrated there for their server farms, bringing the speed along with them.
Across the Columbia from East Wenatchee - Chelan County - has their own fiber - to - house lines. Unlike 'FIOS', these are NOT owned by a corporation - but the power company, meaning you have the freedom to choose any provider you want.
My friend has Local Tel - Probably the most efficient, well priced, and awesome broadband provider I've seen. The internet is run straight Ethernet to the ONT, it uses PPPoE so make sure you keep your login and password if you need to configure your router. The phone is connected like a regular POTS directly to the ONT. And finally, the TV coax is not used by 'cable modems' like FIOS, allowing STELLAR quality TV, and, since the ONT is addressed not the box, many channels can be received with the TV's built-in tuner, allowing a much less cluttered entertainment system. Long live LocalTel! | |
| | Beck38 join:2014-05-12 Centralia, WA
1 recommendation |
Beck38
Member
2014-May-31 7:44 pm
Re: Eastern Washington Statesaid by filter4ever1:Grand Coulee dam (one of the biggest hydroelectric generation stations in the world) is bordered on both Grant and Douglas counties. The Grand Coulee along with many other dams are owned by the utilities Actually, no, the Grand Coulee is a Federal Dam, part of the BPA (Bonneville Power Administration). Those county PUD's in eastern Washington actually DO own their own dams (for instance, Chelan PUD owns Rocky Reach as well as another I don't recall off the top of my head) which is why they are so low. Other PUD's in Wash. St. that rely on the BPA too much (Snohomish is a good example which gets 90% of it's power from the BPA) are at the beck and call of Enron (and which initiated the original investigations of Enron) . Seattle City Light also owns a sizable part of it's own generating capacity, most notably the Boundary Dam on the Pend Oreille River in northeastern Washington state. But it all comes down to FERC, which is packed with Republicans and which refuses to go after the Enron contracts. | |
| | | hortnutHuh? join:2005-09-25 PDX Metro |
This should be a post to wchillmansaid by wchillman: ...»Review of Comcast XFINITY by wchillman HD DVR Rental and Service Fees HD Technology Fees Digital Adaptor Fees Digital Outlet Fees Digital Access Fees Additional Outlet Fees Anyroom DVR Service Fees Broadcast TV Fees Sports Entertainment Fees Blast or Boost Fees Converter Fees Premium Channel Fees On Demand Fees Pay-Per-View Fees Streampix Fees CableCard Fees Remote Control Fees Regulatory Recovery Fees FCC Fees CHSI Transfer/Restart Fees PEG Access Fees I-Net Fees Public Access Fees Network Support Fees City Amusement Fees Franchise Fees State Assessment Fees Convenience Fees Electronic Change Fees Electronic Charge Fees Transaction Fees Enrollment Fees Reactivation Fees Early Termination Fees Protection Plan Fees Rights of Way Use Fees Voice/Data Modem Rental Fees Wireless Gateway Fees State Cost Recovery Charges State, City, & County Sales Tax Universal Connectivity Charges Federal Excise Taxes Gross Receipts Taxes Utility or Communications Services Taxes... To make it easier to visualize your list, I have done the following above. Unfortunately I am on the other side of the Bridge and sit in a hole and have thick cedar and other trees in the way of the antennae on the roof. Using » www.antennaweb.org/ and » www.tvfool.com, and a quality compass set to the correct angle of declination, still cannot get OTA after the conversion, was able to get some stations prior to the conversion. Being in a HOA can't move the antenna on the roof. In the house or attic do not work. Prior to 2009 and and the digital conversion requiring a box [Govt. gave out 2 - $40.00 coupons per household to buy the OTA adapters]. I was able to get some OTA. Have 4 different types of boxes and none work here, but do elsewhere. Scanning on an HDTV, gives nothing. I even built my own antenna. I do have CenturyLink available. And Click! TV and HSI that is through the Click! Network which is an operating section of Tacoma Power, a multi-service broadband telecommunications provider within the electric companys service area., » www.clickcabletv.com/. They offer it through 3 ISP's. Pricing and speeds are competitive. Problem with CL is all the charges added. Have to have a Landline here, and its base price is around $15.00. After all the Taxes and fees it is in the $32.00 range. Neighbors are getting the 40/10 meg package for $29.95 for 12 months from CenturyLink. And have other deals for longer periods. Have neighbors who have it and have no issues. In our area, the homes are spread out and very few Apartments. And CL has made improvements. I have shaved the cord before, where I just kept HSI. Since HSI without a TV package is $15.00 more in that area, added Basic TV. Cost was the same, with or without. | |
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Re: This should be a post to wchillmanThanks for your suggestion, hortnut. I will update my review and list the fees vertically so they can be seen more easily. You indicated that after you shaved the cord, the "Cost was the same, with or without." In your comparison, did you include the cost of the cable box rental, HD Technology fee, TV Broadcast fee, and what ever other junk fees they add for the TV service? | |
| | | | | hortnutHuh? join:2005-09-25 PDX Metro |
Re: This should be a post to wchillmansaid by wchillman:Thanks for your suggestion, hortnut. I will update my review and list the fees vertically so they can be seen more easily. You indicated that after you shaved the cord, the "Cost was the same, with or without." In your comparison, did you include the cost of the cable box rental, HD Technology fee, TV Broadcast fee, and what ever other junk fees they add for the TV service? . No when I shaved all I kept was HSI. HSI alone in my area at the time was $15.00 more, the Basic TV with Franchise Fee and Taxes equaled very close or less than a $1.00 per month. At the time they had Digitalized Channels 2 to 30, so no need for a box or other junk fees. Where I was in PDX, could not use OTA. So I paid the same for HSI and Basic TV than if I just had bare HSI. | |
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Comcast / XFinity TroubleshootingAs this is a rather long post, many of the following procedures are in-depth and require some technical knowledge and tools - proceed at your own risk! As a 10 year customer, I know Comcast is one of the best services you can get, in terms of speed, latency, technology, and quality of service. I do not watch much TV, and have a Cell phone, but their internet is second only to LocalTel - a small internet provider in Wenatchee, WA and central Washington over PUD owned fiber lines. I do however, have extensive knowledge of how their system works, and how to troubleshoot it. I am neutral as I am not a sales person trying to push service, I am only telling my experience. Now a days, Comcast is mostly doing SIK (Self Install Kits), where you simply plug in the equipment. They will even ship the equipment out to you, which makes it convenient. Without a tech though, you, and the rep on the phone, have no way of knowing whether there is even cable signal to the house, or if the cable there is from 1983 when CATV was first deployed in your area. At that time they never dreamed of Internet and hence did not design the system for such services. I have seen friends that were trying to hook up cable, and there wasn't even cable going to the outlet they were trying to hook up. Remember, the service will only work if it is installed RIGHT. I will tell you a few tips on how to troubleshoot your own cable, so you can have the service that you pay for. If your TV breaks up into little squares, this is caused by interference, or ingress. This is the root of many problems with all 3 services, TV, Internet, and Telephone. First, turn the box off and press "OK", this will bring you to a blue menu. Check the "OOB", make sure SNR is 'GOOD' (over 20dB). Next check "Inband Status" - This will show the quality of the channel you are on. Make sure the SNR is 'GOOD' (over 34 and not many errors), and "Upstream Status" - make sure it's not over 60dB. If OnDemand doesn't work, check "Interactive Status", make sure it has an IP address. If it does not, wait a few minutes. If these are all 'OK', call Comcast (1-800-Comcast), and tell them to send a 'HIT' to your box. If you aren't even getting the guide, ask for an 'INT HIT', which will refresh the EEPROM on the box. If you aren't getting anything at all, there is most likely no connection between the box and the tap (up on the pole or in the ground). Check the cable going to the wall make sure it's not of low quality and loose. If it's not, take the plate off (if you can, on most internally wired houses. Externally you cant). Often somewhere you will find a 'crappy looking' connection. There's your problem. If there is nothing connected to it at all, well, there's your problem. If there is a bad connection or no cable, call for a tech install and tell them what's wrong. This work CAN be done yourself, but you need special strippers, crimpers, and fittings. Make sure they are of the COMPRESSION type and the splitters are rated at 1GHz. Also, make sure the cable you use is of the RG-6 type, and the fittings are put on properly (there should be no braid hanging out of the back, and the white (dielectric) should be FLUSH with the front of the fitting. Look up how to put a fitting on Google should be of some help. Make sure that you do not split one signal of another, off another (daisy chain). This will degrade the signal by half every time you split. If you are prewiring your house for remodel, consider putting in a Leviton 'Smart Panel', running all your outlets to a central location and splitting/amplifying them there. Above all, DO NOT splice a cable behind drywall where it cannot be accessed. This will make it impossible for a Comcast tech or yourself to troubleshoot in the future. For internet problems, the number one problem is your router not receiving the correct IP address, most likely due to activation on a wired computer and then plugging in a WiFi router. Remember to unplug the cable modem, plug it back in, wait for it to synchronize (Power, Downstream, Upstream, and Online lights all solid). For other signal problems such as getting kicked up randomly and slow service, make sure your modem is hooked up and go to » 192.168.100.1 and go to 'Signal'. Look at the 'Downstream Status' - should be between -10dB and 10dB. Next 'Upstream Status' - should be between 20 and 54dB. Finally, look at the downstream 'SNR', this should be 33dB and above. The best speed test for the internet I use is » www.speedtest.net. The main problems I've seen with a phone is when you plug a fax machine in, line 1 is shorted to line 2. Make sure to use a cable that has only 2 gold contacts (1 pair) to connect to the EMTA. Other than that, the problems with the telephone are with the same equipment as the internet. Unfortunately, there is a lot of miscommunication between the customer and the rep which causes a lot of negative feelings towards Comcast. If you need any work done, such as a 'drop' (line from the street to your house) run, additional outlets installed, through a brick house etc. make sure you provide the rep with as much details as possible, as they schedule the amount of time the tech has with you based on what you order. After that allotted slot, he/she will have another job in the same slot (8-10 AM for example). It is also usually one person who comes out, unless they can get help from other techs on a large job or one that requires special equipment. I do not watch TV, only the local channels. If you are getting internet, I recommend getting "Limited Cable" along with it (if you are not getting phone), as you get a $10 discount for having multiple services, so the net cost is about $5/mo with the box and all that. Their internet is very fast, as they have their own "backbone" which minimizes latency (i.e. if you do a tracert, you will see it hop through Comcast's network to the least busy node and to Google, etc). The download and upload speeds in my area are excellent, 25 MBPS down and 6MBPS up. No other service, DSL or other, can get closer than 1/4 that speed. Their telephone service is of excellent quality, I know because I hooked up a dial-up modem to CDV and it locked at 52.6KBPS (The maximum allowable dial-up speed), over VOIP. Hopefully this will help many perplexed customers, some procedures will require tech-savvy knowledge. I am not affiliated with Comcast, and am not responsible for anything that may arise. If in doubt call Comcast and provide them with as much as you know, is my best advice. | |
| | filter4ever1 |
Re: Comcast / XFinity TroubleshootingA couple things I forgot to mention. When hooking up a router: unplug the cable modem first (from power, plug the Ethernet to the router in, plug the cable modem power back in with the Coax and Ethernet connected), wait for all 4 lights to be solid, and then plug in your router. If you have phone, there is a little hole on the back of the EMTA (combo VOIP modem) that says "RESET". If you plug in the router without resetting, it will get the 192.xxx.xxx.xxx private IP from the offline modem, and you will not be able to get online. If the modem gets stuck at the "Upstream" light, chances are there is a filter on the line that they used to put on in order to keep noise from entering the network. If you find one around on your line, it needs to be removed. If you are not receiving all your channels there also may be a filter on the line. You may find one around your house but chances are they will be on the pole or lockbox. However, there is another type of filter that is used if you have an Anyroom or MoCa DVR. Call Comcast and have them swing by and take it off. This is an easy fix and will save you the trouble of having to stay home for service, and you may not even have to pay a fee. Finally, I recommend purchasing your own modem or EMTA. Look under » mydeviceinfo.comcast.net for compatible equipment. In my area the rental fees are $8/mo (for a modem) plus tax. A $100 modem will pay for itself in a year. An EMTA costs around $160. These are very particular, make sure you get the compatible model number. | |
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adiletante
Anon
2014-Oct-17 4:42 pm
Performance StarterI can't find anything about this locally (Oregon) -- is this still in effect. PS Comcast is the only game in town for high speed internet. | |
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Re: Performance StarterComcast is the only viable option for high speed internet in our area too (Gig Harbor, WA). The FCC has required them to provide this 6/1 internet tier (Performance Starter) in ALL markets at a price point no greater than $49.95/month. If you can do better on a promotion, then you might want to consider that. They ABSOLUTELY have to provide it in Oregon too. | |
| | | Devious Premium Member join:2002-08-22 Seattle, WA |
Devious
Premium Member
2015-Jan-7 2:49 pm
Re: Performance StarterI am not on any promotion and only pay 53.95 for performance 50/5.
You are paying 49.95 for 6/1.
I have always had my own modems going back to 1999.
I have no dvr rental fees or HD tech fee as I have a Tivo Premiere XL4. | |
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1 recommendation |
Re: Performance StarterThanks for responding, KevTech. When I looked this up in our area, it did say Performance internet [50 down] for $53.95 but it "Requires subscription to Xfinity TV or Voice", neither of which I am interested in. So, I'm assuming that you also have a subscription to either Xfinity TV or Voice (or both) at a substantially higher price than the one you quote. The "standalone " price of Performance internet in our area is $66.95. Now, since Performance Starter @6/1 is sufficient to stream video in HD, what's the point in paying more for internet? | |
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CHERBY B
Anon
2015-Feb-2 10:40 am
Internet Only with ComcastThis is interesting as I am desperately trying to get my "Internet Only" bill down with Comcast. The lowest I could get it was $81 and now it just went up to $91 (why I don't know). Comcast, I'm sure you know is notorious for figuring out ways to get more money out of you. I'm going to brave up this week and inquiry as to the reason for the increase and ask about the $50 package (which I've never been able to get). I just want to make sure....this was $50 as recent as 2014...correct? | |
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Re: Internet Only with ComcastYes. We'll, actually it's $49.95/month and it's called Performance STARTER. They also offer just the Performance tier but that was more than we needed. They have been ORDERED by the FCC to provide this tier in all the markets they serve through February 21, 2015. I don't know what will happen after that date but I've received no indications that this would change in any way. | |
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lladnew
Anon
2015-Feb-7 8:20 pm
life saver... thank you!This was a life saver... thanks so very much. I found the link on the FCC site: » www.fcc.gov/document/com ··· roadband I'd been fighting with Comcast and losing as you might expect the past 3 days. I found this and called again armed with an ace in the hole. The representative couldn't find a package at that price... it was 59.95 for 10Mbps... then I said I had understood there was supposed to be a performance starter of 6Mbps at $49.95. She "reloaded" and wallah there it was. How about that! I ended up with the 10Mbps for $49.95... hopefully they don't jack it next month when the FCC order expires. I recorded the convo just in case. | |
| | IanLee join:2014-11-24 Woodland, WA |
IanLee
Member
2015-Mar-30 11:01 pm
Re: life saver... thank you!Shoot. I was getting real excited at the thought of getting something real good here in Washington State (at least within a 60 minute drive from my town) since I grew up and live here. I remain stuck with the current DSL package.
My sister has Comcast Xfinity HSI (and has been good according to some gaming sessions I've done as well as some speed tests) but she lives two hours away. Anyone know if places like Walla Walla, Washington are getting anything good? | |
| | IanLee |
to lladnew
I live somewhat close to Vancouver (about a 20 minute drive) but from what I understand Comcast is the dominant provider there. Now based on what I heard from the poster above (Comcast second to Local Tel) it's one of the fastest services you can get. Don't know how fast the speeds are there since I've only went to their local college. | |
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Dczar
Anon
2015-Jun-11 12:36 pm
Comcast andIt's license to print money. I live in Oak Park, just west of Chicago. Comcast bought out AT&T some years back and to date our village does not have a contract with Comcast. Last year we took down the HD TV and DirecTV to renovate the LR/DR. When done, the electrician put everything back up. I had Comcast's "Limited Basic", the local channels only, for when the DirecTV went down in a bad rain or snowstorm. Well, a bad rain came and I went to Comcast since the satellite was down. What did I get? NOTHING! no comcast. I thought the electrician had perhaps miswired something. While waiting for the electrician which would take a while, I came across a thread about Comcast and the Limited Basic. It seems they encrypted this lowest tier service but, they offered two, that's TWO FREE decoders and remotes. For me, that would make FIVE Remotes! I won't buy a Harmony remote, and my SO has enough to do with the DirecTV remote which is to her, a mystery sometimes. Is there a catch? Yup! It seems the FREE boxes are low-res only. If I want HD, I have to rent an HD box for $10-12/month so comcast has reached into my pocket for an extra $120-144 bucks a year! It's a license to print money! Without a contract what can the village do? Our bureaucracy doesn't seem to care or know of stuff like this. Folks have said,"Quit comcast and go to the competition you fool!" There isn't competition for all I might be able to get with 1930 AT&T wires in our alley, is DSL and that's not anywhere near cable modem speed parity. So there is no effective alternative and comcast knows it. They're just evil. | |
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Re: Comcast andLOTAS YOU CAN do ! First get to know your local Mayor, City Council and Complain (in writing-emails). Second, write your paper or online paper and complain. Third, email your State and Fed. Senators and Representatives and complain about the cost and crap speeds. Publish this on the paper/online paper -- only when you can get other people who like you are fed up AND ACT ON IT then the more will know and there is power in numbers as then the Mayor of Oak Park and City COuncil will know you have this issue with 100000 of your fellow citizens. Research. Know the alternatives and keep at it as this is a marathon, NOT A SPRINT and it needs ongoing consistent pressure to get the Politicians not to sell you out or they lose elections. | |
| | crk2h join:2003-03-19 Murfreesboro, TN |
to Dczar
Actually you can get DTA boxes that do HD. All of my DTA's not only do HD now they also have a guide built into them. I am not paying anything for them and I get the same channels that I get on my digital boxes that I have to pay for.. | |
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to Dczar
That close to Chicago I'm sure you could pick up all your local channels in even better quality than Comcast provides using an antenna.
Have you tried? Many people are stunned at how good OTA HD looks and all for a one time cost in most cases of well under $50. | |
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SmilingBob2
Anon
2015-Sep-14 1:49 pm
Great ReviewThanks for using my recent comments about Performance Starter in your review (I am the "another user." you quote), I am also a huge proponent of "down grading" Comcast services to the minimum necessary to get the job done. Performance Starter is indeed way over-priced for the speed tier, especially now that the Performance tier was doubled to 25Mbps for stand-alone for only $68/month. The question for most people is, do you actually NEED more bandwidth for what you do? Chances are good most people do not and you just have to get over the price inflation of the lower level tiers compared to the Performance + tiers. Comcast wants us to spend more $$$, so pricing does not reflect an accurate or realistic model for "economy" internet services since they don't want people on these tiers. One example of this is what is cited in this review about how the FCC fines Comcast $800k for hiding stand-alone broad band.
Like you, we are cord cutters and have streamlined our lives and expenses. So much you can do to save tons of money, from groceries to entertainment - lifestyle choices are tax free raises of your household income. Good stuff, thanks again for the great review. | |
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MikeHolloway
Anon
2016-May-5 12:54 pm
Cable news? PBS?Has anyone figured out streaming options for things like CNN and PBS? We have the bare bones economy package (still too expensive) and the bulk of our viewing is CNN and PBS. Not ready to give that up, so we pay. Broadcast PBS is certainly a possibility, but I can't pull in a signal in my locality with one of the small, plug in, digital antennas. Most likely that means I'd have to invest in a large roof top antenna with no guarantee if it's working. Yes, CNN has a live streaming link, but you need to give your cable login for it, similar to what ABC does with some programs. Does your login still work to get CNN streaming when you're only paying for internet? | |
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Re: Cable news? PBS?On the devices I mentioned, PBS has an app that allows you to stream their content over the internet without any need for cable TV or an antenna. We never watched it much as we found better sources of news that we could also stream over the internet without paying for cable TV. CNN still requires login credentials so you would not be able access them without paying. Like you, we used to watch mainstream media but very quickly discovered alternate sources for news that we find superior to corporate media. The Young Turks (which boasts that they are the largest on-line news source on the internet) has a wealth of content with a progressive bent. Democracy Now! provides a daily M-F news podcast. There are many many others we subscribe to through YouTube that more than satisfies our news appetite. CBSN also has an app that streams news 24/7. There are apps that allow you to get your local news too but we don't watch that much. Dumping Cable TV was one of the best decisions we made. | |
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MikeHolloway
Anon
2016-May-6 9:10 am
Has anyone figured out streaming options for things like CNN and PBS? We have the bare bones economy package (still too expensive) and the bulk of our viewing is CNN and PBS. Not ready to give that up, so we pay. Broadcast PBS is certainly a possibility, but I can't pull in a signal in my locality with one of the small, plug in, digital antennas. Most likely that means I'd have to invest in a large roof top antenna with no guarantee if it's working. Yes, CNN has a live streaming link, but you need to give your cable login for it, similar to what ABC does with some programs. Does your login still work to get CNN streaming when you're only paying for internet? | |
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Anon7e21c
Anon
2017-May-15 11:35 pm
I have had Xfinity "Economy Basic" for years now - 3Mb/1Mb. Fine for Netflix, browsing etc... They don't advertise or list it. You have to ask. $39.96/mo. Don't let them sell you anything more or let them get away with signing you up for anything you didn't order. They will try. | |
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