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Review by DprssdIsntFn 
member for 8 years, 645 visits, last login: a few hours ago
lodged 5 days ago
 Lakeland,Polk,FL
 $80 per month "Internet and IP Phone service almost always available." "Mediocre tech service." "Decent (but pricey) service."
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We've been with Brighthouse for several years. Originally, service was limited to Internet service only. Currently we have Internet and IP phone service. Service is almost always available. i.e. outages are rare even though mid-Florida is known for it's high number of thunderstorm days (over 90 thunderstorm days/year) and number of local lightning strikes.
Recurring issue 1: Brighthouse provided DNS can be problematical. This can significantly slow down or disrupt website access. I find I need to switch DNS providers fairly often. Alternative DNS providers I use include Google {8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4} and OpenDNS {208.67.222.222}.
Recurring issue 2: Problems requiring a visit from a Brighthouse tech have yet to be resolved on the first visit.
Example - The latest problem was alleged to involve an unannounced remotely installed firmware upgrade to our cable modem. The sequence of events was:
1) Multiple calls to Brighthouse support because IP phone service stopped working. Symptoms: Phone had dialtone. All attempted calls resulted in busy signals. Calls to tech support would result in a remote reset of cable modem. After 4th such remote reset, tech was sent out.
2) First tech visit: Tech claimed signal strength on line was -53db. Claimed IP phone service cutoff was -55db. Tech removed leftover {Brighthouse installed} splitter from when we had triple play service. I never saw tech actually connect and measure anything. Implied that a drop in signal resulted in a latched fail mode. Tech did not mention remotely applied firmware update.
3) Second tech visit: Tech claimed remotely applied firmware upgrade was buggy. He further claimed he had called in and had the 'fixed' firmware upgrade remotely applied before his arrival. His tale of the buggy remotely applied firmware was believable and corresponded with service issues {Internet access reliability} I had already noticed in other areas. Once again, I observed no equipment being pulled out and attached to cable modem to confirm any of this.
4) Third tech visit: At this point, tech support was called and told unconditionally to replace the cable modem with a new one. Tech arrived and confirmed the 'buggy firmware' issue. Tech replaced old cable modem with different brand new cable modem. All phone and Internet access issues resolved.
The good - the problems were successfully resolved.
The bad - the problems took two weeks to resolve and involved multiple phone calls and multiple tech visits.
Score - mediocre at best.
Overall score - decent, usually reliable service. When problems do crop up, resolving them requires patience and constant follow up.
Comment - if there was indeed a firmware upgrade involved, then tech support already knew about the possible problem before our first phone call. If that was so, then we should have been told of the upgrade on the first call and a replacement cable modem should have been provided either through a visiting tech or by asking us to pick one up. Every call after the first one and every tech visit after the first one was wasteful of Brighthouse resources and extremely aggravating to experience.
Note - The firmware upgrade story may or may not be true. I did independently observe IP number assignment range changes at the cable modem when I was first looking into Internet service issues several weeks before the IP phone service started acting up. These IP number range changes also correlated with apparent routing changes observed with traceroute. I'm fairly confident BH/rr recently performed an equipment upgrade in our area. So a remotely applied 'buggy firmware' issue is believable.
I wouldn't have gone one so long about this example but, as noted above, no problem requiring a visit from a BH tech has ever been resolved on the first visit. For the most part, I don't consider this a 'tech' issue. Rather, I strongly suspect that BH doesn't provide enough resources to resolve everyone's problem the first time. Hence the need for repeat visits.
We've had BH provided service at this location since 2003.
Comments:
  BHNtechXpertPremium
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL
kudos:26
 ·Clearwire Wireless
| I'm here to help... Hi there,
I work for Bright House Networks and lets see what we can do about getting those unresolved issues taken care of. Please open a thread in our new Direct Forums and I will be in contact shortly. If you have problems locating them here is the link...
» Bright House Networks Direct
--
~All truth goes through three phases. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident. - Arthur Schopenhauer ~
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| | Reviews:
 ·Bright House
| Re: I'm here to help... I appreciate the offer of getting 'unresolved issues taken care of'. However, we currently don't have any unresolved issues. The new cable modem resolved the IP phone service issue and the unreliable Internet service issue (site time out).
I wrote this as a review of our experiences as a long time BH customer. I didn't write this as a complaint of an on-going problem. As a review, people interested in purchasing BH service have a right to know the ups and downs of said service.
Generally speaking, the service itself is usually reliable.
However: This latest experience with getting an issue requiring a site visit for resolution has reminded us strongly of all our previous experiences with other issues requiring site visits. Every single such episode we've experienced over the years has followed the same pattern of multiple visits. If you read between the lines, you can also see that we often have no assurance of what the actual problem is.
In this latest example, I'm guessing the first and second tech visits were done as placebos and neither tech had a replacement cable modem available.
Now, whether the placebo visits are consciously done with the foreknowledge of management or done simply because the techs are looking to avoid being yelled at by customers because they're not provided with sufficient spares doesn't matter.
This is strictly a management problem pure and simple. I don't blame the techs at all. I _am_ disappointed with BH because, after all these years, I would have thought their tech management practices would have changed. They haven't.
Speaking as an ex outside Management Consultant/Business Practices Analyst, improving customer support and experiences is not rocket science.
Thank you for the offer of help, but the remaining real 'issue' needing to be addressed lies elsewhere. | |
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Review by sambowomble
member for 2.2 years, 193 visits, last login: 11 days ago
lodged 11 days ago
- Lakeland,Polk,FL
- $150 per month
- "Excellent service with little to no downtime"
- "Cost"
- "BHN is a great company but the cost is up there a little"
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I have enjoyed BHN for a long time and have everything they have to offer. I do feel their field techs need to be a little more nicer and stop walking around acting better than their customers. But overall a good service.
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Review by viper8
member for 71 days, 46 visits, last login: 1 days ago
updated 53 days ago
- Livonia,Wayne,MI
- $130 per month
- "Very reliable service, blazing fast internet connection, tons of HD channels"
- "No whole house DVR, only dual tuner DVRs available"
- "Great service at a price that they will stick to for 2 years!"
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I had Bright House for 5 years, then wanted to give AT&T UVerse a try. That was a mistake! So, I went back to trusty ole Bright House and don't plan on leaving unless they hike the prices. The cable TV is great - a lot of HD channels to choose from. The Internet service (Turbo) is very fast, I get 20+Mbit/s download consistently. Also, the 2Mbit/s upload speed is great when the need to send large files arises. One of the biggest positives about Bright House is their customer service - unlike AT&T, where when you call, you are transferred between 6-8 different people just to get any help, with Bright House usually the first person can help. If you have any hardware issues, they send someone out right away. One time I needed a new DVR box and I was able to drive a few miles down to the office and pick one up. Very convenient!
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 Review by X Digital X
member for 75 days, 34 visits, last login: 53 days ago
updated 65 days ago
- Saint Petersburg,Pinellas,FL
- $90 per month
- "Good Online Tech Support"
- "Uneducated Techs that actually come to house"
- "The Bandwidth is Solid for downloading the world and want to p2p"
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The good is that there are good techs such as our local tech gary here on this forum and certain techs that come out the house, the bad is that a lot of the techs are not very knowledgable and try to pull the wool over your eyes, if they dont know exactly what is going on.
The bad there is alot of p2p on this network, which sucks... torrent people ugh... torrent ppl tend to saturate the lines.
For the price you can't beat it, you can download the world, if your into that type of stuff. Also like i said they provide good online support, and some of their techs are pretty knowledgable... they will work with you till the problem is resolved. The Latency and ping times are not as stable as some of the other networks or as equal to their basic package when I have Lightning. (but they are working on getting this fixed) so i will update this once that happens.
I have 40/5 connection, with a surfboard docsis
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| | Hate or have?? Did you mean to say "have" the 40/5 connection insead of hate? | |
| | | | Re: Hate or have?? good looking out, its suppose to be have.. | |
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BHNtechXpertPremium
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL
kudos:26 Reviews:
·Clearwire Wireless
| Just to clarify... Just to clarify things there is no way for your neighbor's p2p habits to impact your experience on our network. There is ample bandiwidth for everyone and the likelyhood that collective p2p users are impacting you is little to none. The issues you have been having are directly related to the repair issue ongoing which should be resolved shortly. | |
| | Reviews:
·Bright House
·RoadRunner Cable
4 edits | Re: Just to clarify... Well seems to me since the Xbox 360 is pulling another IP from from the modem, the subnet has changed from a 255.255.248.0 to a 255.255.252.0, I dont know where it gets this IP, but its up and its stable, the only problem is that will it be on the same subnet / ip range when i wake up in the morning... Seems to me that the smaller the subnet the less of a collision domain and less hosts the game doesnt have to search through 2,042 possible hosts compared to 512 possible hosts. Only thing is this ip that is pull is not pingable...
But i am happy right now, am able to get into 10 lobbies under 50ms compared to a few days ago when i could barely find one... but was also on a larger subnet. Just hope the ip doesnt change when i power off the xbox at night :\
Do i hear a Static DHCP - Static routes for the win! :P I dont know if BHN, but if they did i greatly appreciate it, if they didnt and its just a fluke, well then we will be back to square one, or the xbox just grabbed it randomly...
But right now im considering it fixed cause my whole complaint was latency issues, ping times, and server time outs.... and havent had any of those... | |
| | | Reviews:
·Bright House
·RoadRunner Cable
4 edits | Re: Just to clarify... So after my nice discussion with our friendly gary (BHNXPERT) ive come to learn that surfboards have 2 different access, one which is basic, and probably a root/supeuser - But they will not allow you to gain access to this portion of the modem, because its in violation of their tos, but I also find it in violation of my privacy, espically if its past their DEMARC point, I believe that the customers should have full access to modem. If its in their house, they should be able to access ever part of the modem, they also state that customers can not deploy their own equipment, how do we really know what is going on behind the scenes? are we just suppose to take BHN's word for it? I was always taught to never trust no one and that trust is earned never given.. Espicially with as many techs that have came out and failed miserably now with CIQ being well known, how do we as the customers can ensure our privacy to without having full access to the modem? How can we ensure that a rootkit isnt installed on the modem?
So I have lost all faith in BHN, i have been lied to to many times from there field techs... Which probably makes people like gary look bad because when he says anything im just like yep sure... whatever... like im going to believe it... I will believe it when I see it.
Trust is earned via 2 ways in my book:
1) Via testing
2) Via Asking Questions and Getting Consistent Answers.
Going on day 6 (and still no answers):
1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.2.1
2 * * * Request timed out.
Tracing route to rr.com [24.28.199.168]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 Digital-PC [192.168.2.13]
1 192.168.2.1
2 * * *
Computing statistics for 25 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 Digital-PC [192.168.2.13]
0/ 100 = 0% |
1 1ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 192.168.2.1 *
Remind you this modem is suppose to be bridged. Yet i can still access it from the 192.168.0.1 .... hmm interesting... No firewall blocking anything cause I can login to it...
--
"Im going to set out who I was meant to be, for all those that stand in my way, im tearing down ya'lls balcony"....
Nothing is impossible, Just Improbable.
"trust no one at first, trust is earned... never given" | |
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 Review by kdwycha
member for 9 years, 1918 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 68 days ago
- Riverview,Hillsborough,FL
- $150 per month
 about 5 days- "Download Speed, Low Latency, Same Day Service Calls..."
- "Goes Out Often During The Day (When Working) For Hours At A Time"
- "I used to have FiOS but moved to an area that is Bright House exclusive. Guess I have no choice."
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When it works it works well. I have the 40/5 package and seem to get constant speed. My only issue is area wide outages usually during work hours. I work from home and end up having to call into work due to outages ranging from 20 minutes to 4 hours 2 times a month.
TV service is well...cable. It pixelates at random times and stutters just like any other cable operator.
Phone service is okay. Often when I dial a number it can take up to 10 seconds for it to actually dial. Phone service goes out when internet goes out bimonthly.
Comments:
BHNtechXpertPremium
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL
kudos:26 | Let's get this fixed... Hi there,
You should not have any downtime beyond a very rare incident. Please get with me via pm and lets see what we can do about that. | |
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Review by mickeyash
member for 75 days, 1 visits, last login: 74 days ago
lodged 74 days ago
- Clearwater,Pinellas,FL
- $135 per month
- "Great throughput and transfer rates."
- "Spotty packet loss atm."
- "Tech coming in a few days, supposed to fix my signal issues."
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Service has been good, customer service has been great, just having some issues with signal that are causing lag spikes in games and overall internet traffic.
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Review by ewtdsl
member for 11.3 years, 3450 visits, last login: 3 days ago
updated 83 days ago
- Clermont,Lake,FL
- $158 per month
- about 1 days
- "Fast service getting installed. Fast fixing a problem."
- "At this point, I am very satisfied with service and product."
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I have moved from Northern Virginia (Cox cable) and now live just west of Orlando. My ONLY choice was Bright House. We have telephone, internet and of course TV. No complaints on either phone or internet. Have a problem with tiling on one of the two HD tv's we have. Chatted with service and was told to unplug the TV and the box. The box is a DVR. That has not fixed the problem. I have to return the box and see if that fixes the problem. Will update. Only had the service for about three weeks.
Update: I had unbelievable service getting my tiliing fixed. Replaced the DVR and all is well. I am a very happy customer now.
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 Review by Noah Vail
member for 7.1 years, 2502 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 142 days ago
- Port Richey,Pasco,FL
 Business customer- $65 per month
- about 2 days
- "Fairly Priced - Very Reliable - Good oncall techs - Good Cust Svc"
- "Dist new phone #'s to spammers - Won't List Biz Pricing Tiers"
- "I service most local ISPs - BH is one of the best in our market."
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note: the Monthly Cost I listed is for RR Turbo - purchased as an à-la-carte service for my home.
I've had it Turbo for over a year and am satisfied with it's reliability and performance.
I get free phone service included w/ my Turbo.
Although their phone service seems quite reliable, I stopped using it almost immediately.
The volume of Spam Calls on my BH line was too much to deal with. They began the day after it was hooked up.
I opt to pay $15.89/mo for a VoicePulse VoIP phone - so I can have peace and quiet at home.
I've serviced 40 or so BrightHouse accounts (biz & res) since BH (then TimeWarner) took my market over from AT&T (who bought it from TCI 6mos earlier).
This review covers BH Business Class and Residential internet services.
(but not TV)
Summary:
Brighthouse remains an excellent company but I feel they are in somewhat of a decline.
Detail:
BH remains very responsive to outages and service calls. Their network techs are knowledgeable and competent.
note: Every few years we have a 2-4 months of on/off network problems. The rest of the time is bulletproof.
That's a good record.
Brighthouse doesn't throttle or cap their service - Exceptionally Good.
They employ DNS redirection to ad-laden pages. - Bad.
They immediately distribute phone numbers (for new BH phone service) to marketers/spammers. - Bad.
I understand both those actions are industry standards. It's also VERY Unprofessional and causes me to forfeit some trust.
Very Good thing:
When BH (then TimeWarner) took over from TCI/AT&T, they immediately replaced all the VERY bad infrastructure left behind by TCI/AT&T.
Afterward, their network was far superior to everyone other ISP in my market.
I worked to have BH be the ISP for every customer I had.
Bad thing:
BH closed their regional corporate offices in Maitland (Central FL).
The management in my Tampa office has become somewhat less competent and somewhat more arrogant.
Although I don't get that all the time; I do get it more and more.
I've been forced to call one of the advocates in Syracuse - to resolve issues that have dragged on for weeks.
One thing BH did that was terrific:
They responded to consumer requests and unbundled RR Turbo and Lightning from their TV and Phone Service.
That one choice has maintained me as a residential customer (even though I can get FiOS at home).
Two things BH needs to do:
1) List their Business Class Pricing table on their website.
Their failure to provide this basic consideration has cost me countless hours of trying to manage costs.
2) Become competitive w/ business tier pricing. BH biz-class costs 3x (and more) than as FiOS (in the fastest BH tiers) and has a fraction of the upload speed.
A couple of things I'd like BH to do:
Be more competitive in performance for Residential accounts - increase upload speeds to over 15Mb.
Offer à-la-carte pricing for cable TV channels.
Misc:
BH maintains their corporate focus on responding to consumer/business needs.
I've found them willing to make billing arrangements (not everyone does that).
They accurately identify whether they can provide service to an address (a problem with most ISPs).
When I make call to tech support and say I'm a qualified network tech; they treat me like I know what I'm doing.
Interestingly:
Most of my BH issues are with their Business Class service. They provides better value to their residential customers.
That's unusual for an ISP, but it also reflects the consumer-friendly spirit of the Advance/Newhouse group - that split from TimeWarner to form Brighthouse - a decade ago.
In my Tampa area market - I'm increasingly choosing FiOS for business customers.
Recap:
When compared with ISP's nationwide, BH is a top provider. We could do far worse.
I still recommend Brighthouse with confidence. However, my opinion is slowly changing.
NV
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Review by breddy
member for 9 years, 25 visits, last login: 148 days ago
lodged 187 days ago
- Altamonte Springs,Seminole,FL
- $190 per month
- "Great customer service, friendly and knowledgeable on-site tech"
- "Truck dispatch a complete disaster, 4 delays and still not fully installed"
- "Jury still out but installed services look to be high grade"
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We ordered internet, phone and whole-house DVR from Bright House in Altamonte Springs, FL. As yet, I have only internet installed so I can't review the DVR setup; I'll try to update if I can.
Day of install, the truck never showed in the time slot (1-3pm). Called and they were very helpful; assured arrival between 4:10 and 4:30. Repeat this three more times and a tech finally came at 9:30PM. I told him I'd be happy with simply getting the internet connection up since the whole-house DVR tends to be a longer install. He agreed and began to set up a Ubee modem. I asked him to set it up in bridge mode which required a call to his tech support line to reprovision something. The tech was friendly and happy to oblige, even though the whole system was kinda odd considering there are instructions on the internet on how to switch a Ubee to bridge mode....
All said and done, the service is up and running and quite fast. Too early (24 hours) to tell reliability but I'm happy thus far. Hopefully the whole-house DVR is as good as the 40x5 internet service!
I'll also mention (again) that their customer service is amazing - I even got a response on Twitter (from @BrightHouseCare) when I griped. He followed up via DM and had intimate knowledge of the issue and ability to speak about it. Very well done Bright House.
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Review by stevemahfouz
member for 210 days, 2 visits, last login: 208 days ago
lodged 210 days ago
- Port Orange,Volusia,FL
- $80 per month
- (month by month)
- about 4 days
- "speed is what they promise"
- "too pricey"
- "If you want the fastest possible speed, it's all I can get"
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Not much to say, you get about 38 or 39 mbps download and about 4.9 mbps upload, but the price is too high at $80 a month.
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I can't work on those improvements without looking at specifics related to your post so I'm contacting you via IM. 
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