ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| Comcast's Plans To Combat Qwest In Oregon?
This is a bit of an unusual thread, but has anyone heard what (if anything) Comcast will be doing to combat Qwest in Oregon? Qwest finally completed the first bits of its major ADSL2+ overhaul here in Western Oregon, one of their reps was canvassing the neighborhood today putting up notices, which is how I found out about it.
They're offering (and I've confirmed I can get) packages up to 20Mb in this neighborhood, including a 12/896 package and a 7/896 package priced right at Comcast's 8/2 and 6/1 packages respectively. Since I'm already on the 8/2 package, I can switch out for Qwest's 12/896 package and get 50% more downstream in exchange for 50% less upstream; I have to admit it's a tempting offer. 
With that said it took Qwest until now to offer something better than a 1.5Mbps service out here, so compared to the otherwise great Comcast service out here I don't particularly trust them. This is why I'm curious if Comcast is going to up the ante or not; Verizon has been deploying FIOS in the non-Qwest areas and then there's Qwest, with both now offering faster services. I'd like to get an idea if Comcast will be deploying faster tiers (i.e. Blast) in Oregon before I seriously consider Qwest's latest offer.
So with that said, does anyone know what Comcast's future plans are for Oregon? I'm hoping it's going to be Blast, and they aren't just going to stop with the recent boost to upload speeds. |
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CUBS_FAN
Next Year Again..
join:2005-04-28
Chicago, IL
 ·Comcast
 ·Vonage
1 edit | said by ViRGEdx  : so compared to the otherwise great Comcast service out here I don't particularly trust them. If it aint broken don't fix it. If your internet with Comcast is working just fine leave it alone. There could be a chance your service may get even better because of Quest's advertisments may convince other Comcast subscribers to jump ship leaving one less person to consume the shared bandwidth of Comcast. In other words, your boat will travel faster when everyone jumps off to the other boat sinking it 
EDIT: If Quest does succeed and Comcast see's a drop in subscribers there is a good chance Comcast would counter and be forced to compete with the rollout of Blast in your area. |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| said by CUBS_FAN :If it aint broken don't fix it. If your internet with Comcast is working just fine leave it alone. There could be a chance your service may get even better because of Quest's advertisments may convince other Comcast subscribers to jump ship leaving one less person to consume the shared bandwidth of Comcast. In other words, your boat will travel faster when everyone jumps off to the other boat sinking it EDIT: If Quest does succeed and Comcast see's a drop in subscribers there is a good chance Comcast would counter and be forced to compete with the rollout of Blast in your area. In this case I'm not bandwidth contested; the only way I gain anything is switching to Qwest or Comcast provisioning more bandwidth. But it's a nice thought. |
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CT3
@comcast.net
| reply to ViRGEdx
My guess they will put blast, 18 MB/2MB in there initially, then when docsis 3 is ready, good bye qwest. Qwest is making a smart business move of getting their slower DSL future service out first so power hungry users will jump ship and hey cable has no contracts so you can do that.
Just watch yourself on the return trip, qwest likes the 2 year contract deals cell phone carriers lock you into. Course you can always call the FCC to complain they are not delivering what they said, even if they are, and once the corporate office gets the little "6 months to fix this or we mediate a trail" letter, they'll call you up begging you to disconnect at no cost.  |
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CT3
@comcast.net | I think the front page would love for you to get the prices though and report them.  |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
 ·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to ViRGEdx
Hmmm. Comcast offered my sister an upgrade beyond the 8M service she is currently getting. Albany, Oregon. She thought it was too much to pay for the upgrade, though.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
| reply to CT3
said by CT3 :I think the front page would love for you to get the prices though and report them. What exactly do they need and how do I report it to them? |
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B_Top
join:2007-07-17
| reply to ViRGEdx
I live in the Minneapolis\St. Paul area and as of friday July 25th I am switching to qwest dsl 12\896 service. I currently have the 8\2 package and I figured it out that I would save about $20.00 per month by switiching. Comcast has no competition here and they as far as I know have no plans on offerening the Blast package here.I am tired of sharing my bandwidth and also the invisible caps that comcast say don't have. |
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baineschile
2600
Premium
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI | reply to ViRGEdx
Comcast is added a 16/2 tier city by city, and docsis 3.0 (aka 50/5, with a 50/50 on the horizon) should hit most comcast major competitive markets by next year. |
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CUBS_FAN
Next Year Again..
join:2005-04-28
Chicago, IL
·Comcast
·Vonage
| reply to B_Top
said by B_Top :I am tired of sharing my bandwidth and also the invisible caps that comcast say don't have. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the bandwidth of DSL get shared at the C.O? |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| said by CUBS_FAN :Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the bandwidth of DSL get shared at the C.O? Actually, at the DSLAM, which is not always located in a CO. The DSLAM inherently has sufficient capacity (as deployed by AT&T; who knows with Qwest). Where things get dicey will be the first router past the DSLAM (known as the aggregation router). I've been on an "exhausted" aggregation router. It is not pleasant to see your modem hold synch at the advertised speed, yet only see 50% of your potential maximum download speed. Or less.
Hop 1 is my DSL modem (~6 cable feet away from the computer).
Hop 2 is the aggregation router for my circuit (~27 wire miles from the modem).
The DSLAM is just 9,156 feet out; but it does not show up as a Layer 3 device (no IP address).
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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EG
The wings of love
Premium
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ
| reply to CUBS_FAN
said by CUBS_FAN :Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the bandwidth of DSL get shared at the C.O? Hmmm... This from one who always brings up the fact (in sort of a negative way ?) that Comcast bandwidth is always shared at the node and the fact that DSL isn't (in sort of a positive way ?). So what, if any, is your point ? A mere question ? A contradiction on your part perhaps ? |
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MadMANN
Premium
join:2005-08-19
·Comcast
| reply to ViRGEdx
said by ViRGEdx :12/896 package and a 7/896 package priced right at Comcast's 8/2 and 6/1 packages respectively. You would just as much if not more up and down with powerboost anyway. Qwest's packages can only work if you live close enough to their CO and you would be capped right at the limit. |
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CUBS_FAN
Next Year Again..
join:2005-04-28
Chicago, IL
·Comcast
·Vonage
| reply to EG
said by EG :A contradiction on your part perhaps ? As NormanS has made things more clearly it was a contradiction. |
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EG
The wings of love
Premium
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ
| said by CUBS_FAN : As NormanS has made things more clearly it was a contradiction. Yea right... Innocence is bliss ??  |
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CUBS_FAN
Next Year Again..
join:2005-04-28
Chicago, IL
·Comcast
·Vonage
| said by EG :said by CUBS_FAN : As NormanS has made things more clearly it was a contradiction. Yea right... Innocence is bliss ?? Whatever you say my friend.  |
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ztmike
Mark for moderation
Premium
join:2001-08-02
Michigan City, IN | reply to ViRGEdx
If it was me, I'd stick with Comcast because of the upload speed. But you ever get the "call" from Comcast about using to much bandwidth and they end up canceling you, then go with Quest.
My .002
--
WhY sO SeRiOUs!? |
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ViRGEdx
join:2002-10-25
4 edits | reply to ViRGEdx
Prices for those interested:
7Mb comes with a free modem, 12Mb and 20Mb come with an "advanced networking modem" (router+modem).
The introduction price is the price they advertise with. You get it only for the first year with no contract, or "for life" with a 2 year contract. :hmm:
These prices all also make the implicit assumption that you already have a telephone service with them, but since Comcast does the same thing I'm listing them as-is. They apparently knock another $5 off for each additional phone service.
So it's a better deal than Comcast, but only for a year or if you do a 2 year contract. There just had to be a catch...
* Business-class package, I believe you're also stuck ordering a phone line with it and it's a 2 year contract |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to MadMANN
said by MadMANN :Qwest's packages can only work if you live close enough to their CO and you would be capped right at the limit. Not all DSLAMs are in COs. And Qwest has been installing RTs to take the DSLAMs closer to the subscribers than the CO.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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