JL
@comcast.net
|  Good extras too
The Internet service is fast and it comes with a bunch of great extras. I was going to renew my Symantec anti-virus and found that you get McAfee for free, which saved me probably $30 or so this year.
And I use OE to POP my email and just downloaded this free Cloudmark anti-spam / anti-phishing plug-in for free -- this does not look like a standing offer as with McAfee - just some kind of limited time free deal which helps cut down on the spam I still get in my Comcast email account »www.cloudmark.com/comcast/. I became a POP user though because I just could not tolerate their webmail interface - bad stuff - which needs an overhaul.
My Vonage service has worked fine over it but the quality seems to be declining, and I have heard similar complaints from other users. May switch to SunRocket or maybe try Comcast VoIP since I may save some money on cable TV with their triple play special prices. |
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My experience
@comcast.net
 from:
TKJunkMail 
| As an actual Comcast customer
I would have to disagree with a few points made in the above spotlight.
For starters, it lists the tiers above as generally being 6000/384k or 8000/768k.
Recently, it appears that my tier here in Ct. has gone to about 6000/440k.
The upper limits of powerboost is also not 12Mb as described in the story, I regularly see 20Mb or even a bit more at times.
UL powerboost is also being rolled out in the state now as I write this, with several areas now beginning to report having it, and receiving UL PB speeds of up to 2Mb ul speeds as well.
The article above also incorrectly states the price at the end of the article.
Service with cable is generally priced at 42.95 for the 6Mb tier, and 52.95 for the 8Mb tier. Not the price as quoted when compared to Verizon fios at the end of the article.
My experience with customer service and tech support has overall, been favorable. While perhaps there could be some more training of the personnel at level 1, they are quick to try and help and even in one case, sent out a tech here when I didn't even ask for it, or know it was going to happen.
After phoning in an issue, I was surprised to receive a phone call from a Comcast worker who said he was outside on my street looking into things for me. I call that real service.
While some say that cable HSI service is expensive compared to telco's offerings..I overall have to disagree with that.
I think you get what you pay for.
The telco's create this "low priced" appearance by pricing their "specials" at 15~20.00. What people forget is it's just that..a special..and often times doesn't even come with in 25% of delivering the kinds of speeds that comcast does.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I get more, I'm willing to pay more.
Also, one must price in the cost of a landline that many cable customers now don't even want or use.
Is telco really cheaper considering all that? I sure don't think so.
I'd also like to close by saying that Comcast is CONTINUALLY giving we customers more for the money. Powerboost download speeds..no cost upgrade. Powerboost upload increases..no price increase. My recent speed increase on the ul side to about 440k..no cost.
They give us the full mcafee suite..free. And, what i think anyway..is a very good comcast.net portal that is the FIRST ISP page that I've ever actually decided to make my homepage. ..because it's a good one.
I would also note that all the above comes to me and others with NO COMPETITION around. Comcast, just has decided to do it all for us..to deliver what I think is a great internet experience.
Am I a Comcast "fanboy". I guess I am. But what I am really is a very satisfied customer.
And that says a lot about this company. |
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Mactron
el camino Real
Premium
join:2001-12-16
CM94sv
1 edit | Pretty good...
Pretty good and accurate Product Spotlight overall. 
Only picky point would be the HSI pricing for Non-current customers. It's ~$10-15 more ($57.95) here at *my* Comcast franchise. 
Other than that, well done.
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If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well.  |
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swintec
Premium
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME |  Way to...
Way to leave Maine out of the mix when it comes to listing the states where Comcast is available.
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Alarm Clocks Kill Dreams |
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agrall
join:2000-09-29
Tucson, AZ | AZ too
Arizona too - they are in Tucson. |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·DSL EXTREME
1 edit | reply to Mactron
Re: Pretty good...
That's what it was here too (before they sold to TWC).
Their pricing (even with TV) was a little on the steep side.
I'd take a 3Mbps connection for say $35 vs. a 6Mbps for $45 (note: their pricing doesn't include the modem rental fee).
The 384kbps 'economy' is a slap.
TV was some of the most expensive as well. It was $50.40 for analog, and $60.10 for the cheapest digital package (1 set), not including rental fees or programming charges, or installation (required). |
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mglunt
join:2001-09-10
Fredericksburg, VA | reply to Mactron
I agree. The amounts for Internet only customers are way off.
The performance lite package is $57.95 without TV service from Comcast. I just called a couple weeks ago. |
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halfband
Premium
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL | reply to agrall
Re: AZ too
And chunks of Alabama |
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Slow56kDeath
join:2006-07-12
Pegram, TN
| ComCast is full of it
Heh...I spoke with Comcast Engineering on Tuesday July 3.
For the 4th year in a row, they have told me their budget does not provide for upgrading my cable system in my area.
It only can get 45 channels, and no HSI. They bought the system in 2001, but refuse to upgrade anything.
It was built in 1979.
Someone ought to sue them for false advertising, as I constantly see on TV ads that claim for $99 I can get HSI, Digital Cable, and VOIP, yet in reality I can get none of them.
Sorry bastids. |
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johndoe303
join:2003-01-01
Boca Raton, FL
| Comcrap is Craptastic.
The title says it all, read the reviews over the last few months.. The ratio of unhappy to happy customers is about 5:1. I'm not even going to get into the usual discussion, we all know who they are, and what little they provide.
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WRTSL54GS v2 + WRT54G v2 |
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Mactron
el camino Real
Premium
join:2001-12-16
CM94sv
| reply to Slow56kDeath
Re: ComCast is full of it
said by Slow56kDeath :It only can get 45 channels, and no HSI. They bought the system in 2001, but refuse to upgrade anything. It was built in 1979. All Comcast franchises are not equal. Mine just installed and offered HSI ~1-2 years ago after promising it years and years.
Funny they had the $ for new head end facility and new line Amps when they went "Digital" on the old 40 channel analog system here 6-8 years ago. They really dragged their feet on HSI. If your franchise follows mines pattern, I think you have a long wait.
Sorry
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If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well. |
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ztmike
Mark for moderation
Premium
join:2001-08-02
Michigan City, IN | UL
All i know is im getting sick of their slow ass upload speed, Powerboost speeds are useless. |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
3 edits | As a former customer, Comcast is teh suk
I would say in my area Comcast was HORRIBLE. Here their service was more than abysmal. 500ms latency and evening slowdowns to 400kbps were the norm along with the 30% "how dare you not have CATV" penalties they levied on me after they bought out ATTB. And when the service actually was half way decent there were the nastygrams for excessive use. I was told I was abusing the service yet they wouldn't define what constituted abuse. You all know the Comcast phantom cap drill. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with their TOS/AUP which stated that they get to define what constitutes abuse...but how about passing on that little bit of info so I know what to do? Jerks.
Oh well, thankfully Comcast recently traded our local cable system to Time Warner and overnight my bill dropped 33%. In addition, over the following few months speeds quadrupled to a rock solid 15000/2000 10ms and despite downloading many hundreds of gigabytes per month and hosting a server I never hear a peep from Time Warner. I'm also unaware of anyone being cancelled for excessive use on Roadrunner.
Good riddance to the jerkoffs at Comcast. Brian Roberts' low mileage leased BMW was a broken down pile of crap; a lemon's lemon.
Before ANYONE considers Comcast they should ignore all the reviews here as one area may be decent and the next (like mine) suck royal. Talk to your neighbors and see how they like their service. It may be okay so long as you don't actually use it.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to JL
Re: Good extras too
said by JL :
The Internet service is fast and it comes with a bunch of great extras. I was going to renew my Symantec anti-virus and found that you get McAfee for free, which saved me probably $30 or so this year.
I wouldn't touch McAfee with Symantec's barge pole. I use Avil's "Avast"; and have set up friends with Grisoft's "AVG". Both are free, and you can use them with any ISP.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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slovokia
join:2005-01-31
Belmont, CA
| Hidden traffic limits placed on P2P activity
Another thing your review might have mentioned is that Comcast actively interferes with P2P activity on its network. It prevents bittorrent users from acting as seeders for example. It does this silently without any explicit announced well defined policies. This is not just a matter of de-prioritizing P2P TCP packets in their network. It involves injecting TCP packets that shut down the P2P TCP connections - a man in the middle attack on P2P traffic.
I don't think this is reasonable. |
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Gragnor
@pacbell.net
| I work for a Comcast contractor in tech support and never heard anything about it. I also get my internet service from my neighbor who uses Comcast. (I don't get free internet from the Co.) I use his wireless signal (with his knowledge).
I understand a lot of torrent trackers block the default port (6669?) that bit torrent runs on because some ISPs do block that port, and most law enforcement/traffic monitoring by software license compliance companies still use those ports. (Cause they're always behind the curve.)
If you change your port and either manually forward ports to your PC, or use UPnP or zeroconf (for airport users) on your router along with a UPnP/zeroconf compatible client you should have no problems. I don't have any problems.
Is there any chance you're using a router without any type of port forwarding? Bit torrent has a heck of a time working behind NAT without it. |
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slovokia
join:2005-01-31
Belmont, CA
|
I understand a lot of torrent trackers block the default port (6669?) that bit torrent runs on because some ISPs do block that port, and most law enforcement/traffic monitoring by software license compliance companies still use those ports. (Cause they're always behind the curve.)
What I describe is not altered by changing the port used.
If you change your port and either manually forward ports to your PC, or use UPnP or zeroconf (for airport users) on your router along with a UPnP/zeroconf compatible client you should have no problems. I don't have any problems.
You may not have problems because Comcast may not be regulating P2P at your node [yet]. Many other folks report problems like those I have decribed.
Is there any chance you're using a router without any type of port forwarding? Bit torrent has a heck of a time working behind NAT without it.
Other bittorrent clients have no problem connecting to my client. I am not using a router. The issue is that Comcast is forcibly closing P2P connections.
I don't think you fully understand what I described or what is going on. - perhaps you should reread about it at these links:
»[Connectivity] Comcast appears to be limiting bittorrent seeding |
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Sterling
IP Support Tier III
Premium
join:2003-05-30
Pittsburgh, PA
| reply to en102
Re: Pretty good...
Just to clear things up a little, your area wasn't sold to Time warner. What happened is that Comcast and TW entered into an joint agreement to acquire Adelphia's assets, part of that agreement included the trading of cable systems and call centers(I believe, at the least buildings and personnel were traded) in order to have areas closer to regional areas, for example comcast took over the adelphia area in Pittsburgh because it was part of the three rivers region. |
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