Comcast XFINITY → Re: [Business] Commercial Users.. Beware Comcast's hidden contra

I agree, always get it in writing. Just goes to show you can't really take anyone at their word. What really stinks is that most people assume that if you get the Business Class service you have a guaranteed level of service. From that contract it doesn't sound like it.

Although from my perspective, I was once a Business Class customer with TW, which Comcast now runs in Houston. When I was a customer with TW I always had 24 hours support (and not the level one support you get with consumer class service).

One time I had an issue and I called in to regular support. My line had major issues and I was getting horrible latency and pings. This happened to be on a Friday night around 7pm. The rep told me she would schedule a tech to come out next week, maybe by Wednesday she said.

I was like whoa! That is when I told her I was a business class customer and she said oh okay well let me get you over to business support and see if they can do any better. So I got transferred over and within about 2 minutes they had scheduled a tech to come out that night to fix the issue. I told them I could wait until the morning and by the next morning the tech came out and fixed the problem.

So I think the contract is there just for them to have an out. Even though it is totally one sided. I work for a Fortune Top 100 company and it is nice when I have to get deals for that job because we have lawyers too, and a company that size, and with that much potential future business, other companies are more willing to make adjustments like those you proposed.

Anyhow just thought I would share my two cents.

Not that I want to get in on your rant, but for what you are paying for Business class, NO PROVIDER is going to promise you 100% of anything for that price point, it just doesn't work out. Comcasts business prices are dirt cheap bandwidth. If you need that high of a reliability for whatever reason, co-locate your server or invest in a triple 9's connection.

Edit: Replied to wrong person, supposed to be for OP.

I didn't ask for 100%.. I asked for just 50% to be available 90% of the time on a very long term average(30 days). I.E. They could be completely down for almost 3 days straight every month, and still meet that specific performance metric.

Note: Comcast contract has an out for failure to provide Specific Performance. But they never define SP, so the clause is meaningless.

I gave Comcast very flexible terms to meet using their existing network. But over the many years, I've seen just too much ISP evilness to leave it up to their good graces.

But in the end, Comcast's answer to my simple amendment was no.

I sent them one last email. Indicating that at some point in time Comcast business services must pick some sort of
measurable deliverable they can live with.

Maybe if they get enough flack from people reading my post, it might inspire Comcast senior management to rewrite their contract into something more balanced.

Well they already have plenty of folks signing up..I wouldn't count on them changing it because your not happy that it isn't enough in your favor.

Fact is you should not have any problems assuming the install is good. Your under the impression their going to leave you with a Dial up speed to your business and that just is not going to happen. Typically they take pretty good care of their business accounts.

My uptime with them has been.... hm. Lemme calculate that.

Installed 4/2009
Downtime* since install: 2 hours
Uptime @ rated speed: .999%

I think you would have been OK.

*misnomer. I noted poor performance, called business class support @5pm (weeknight) Tech arrived at 6:30pm modem swapped and service restored to full speed by 7pm.

Let us know who you find who will agree to your terms at less than $60/mo. Seriously.

.999% huh? I would call and complain... :P

yep, 99.999 - the first two are pretty important.

Show me any service provider that would provide that kind of promise for what you are paying..

You won't find one.