dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
2175

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

Lame to say the least...

Only expanding to 400,000 homes over the next three years across their entire franchise areas? That is crap!!!

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er

Member

it will be much higher then that....but whther or not 400,000 subs are gained from adding the passings is another story
Chubbysumo
join:2009-12-01
Duluth, MN
Ubee E31U2V1
(Software) pfSense
Netgear WNR3500L

Chubbysumo to ropeguru

Member

to ropeguru
actually, it makes no mention that these have to be now hook ups, so it could be just adding 400000 subscribers within their service areas, regardless of if they are new hookups or not, would finish that. They probably go thru 400k total hookups of new, and returning customers every 2 to 3 years, so this is one of those "already gets filled regardless" requirements. The $10 dollar broadband is gonna not be tru broadband, at less than 4mbps down and less than 1 up, but hey, the FCC has no power to regulate, and the FTC is owned by the stockholders anyways.
jupiter837
join:2010-11-26
Golden, MS

jupiter837

Member

I also wonder how many under 20k a year households have computers. I was once in that position and I didn't have one, or a smartphone, sometimes not even a phone. That's like being offered a free stove when you don't have anything to cook, and then being told well you don't need the stove then do you?

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to Chubbysumo

Member

to Chubbysumo
said by Chubbysumo:

actually, it makes no mention that these have to be now hook ups, so it could be just adding 400000 subscribers within their service areas, regardless of if they are new hookups or not, would finish that. They probably go thru 400k total hookups of new, and returning customers every 2 to 3 years, so this is one of those "already gets filled regardless" requirements. The $10 dollar broadband is gonna not be tru broadband, at less than 4mbps down and less than 1 up, but hey, the FCC has no power to regulate, and the FTC is owned by the stockholders anyways.

Have you even read the letter? Didn't think so. They are adding an estimated 400k homes by adding 1500 miles of plant per year:

Comcast will expand its existing network by at least 1,500 miles per year for the next
three years (2011, 2012, and 2013), making broadband Internet available to an estimated
400,000 additional homes;
fifty nine

fifty nine to jupiter837

Member

to jupiter837
Comcast plans to offer low cost computers ($150) to low income households.
jupiter837
join:2010-11-26
Golden, MS

jupiter837

Member

That is a good deal. Never mind the $10 broadband thing. They can get free wifi at a lot of places. So that would help them a lot.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

They also got pretty specific as to what it would be:


Under this Comcast Broadband Opportunity Program (“CBOP”), each eligible
participating family will:

1. Receive the Economy version of our High-Speed Internet Service for $9.95 a month –
a rate for which the household will qualify so long as it meets the “eligibility
criteria” below;
2. Pay no installation or modem charges or fees (although we may use our self-install
program);
3. Be eligible for one piece of pre-configured, quality computer equipment (which may
include rebuilt PCs, netbooks, or other devices
) for less than $150 (the equipment
will be sold to the customer by a third-party vendor-partner of Comcast’s, with
Comcast providing any subsidy required to bring the equipment cost below $150).
4. Have access to web-based, print, and classroom-based training programs, provided
in partnership with One Economy and other current and future Comcast community
partners in our digital literacy efforts, including Boys and Girls Clubs, and Urban
League and National Council of La Raza affiliate organizations. Comcast will create
and fund these programs (although we may seek Foundation and other funds to
defray these costs).


So I'm guessing that they may partner with some recycling firm and offer older PCs or maybe get low cost netbooks for low income households. It really isn't hard to get a basic $150 computer even if it is a couple of years old. A pentium 4 or older core 2 duo running Linux is plenty for basic websurfing and email.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream to fifty nine

MVM

to fifty nine
Oh man, I hope they expand into my neighborhood. I moved about 2 miles from their end of line. It would be nice if they could be added as competition to Service Electric. Plus SECV doesn't have Remote DVR programming or an iphone/ipad app, or HD VOD (or such an extensive on demand library for that matter).
Chubbysumo
join:2009-12-01
Duluth, MN
Ubee E31U2V1
(Software) pfSense
Netgear WNR3500L

Chubbysumo to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
Where in that does it say they have to be all NEW subscribers? It simply says they will add 400k subs by the end of a 3 year period. Sure some of them will come from the minuscule 1500 mile per year expansion that they already meet or exceed now, but they can and will probably count returning customers as new subs, contract extensions of existing customers as new subs, and any and all connections that didn't exist to their network(meaning those that had no Internet, that's a "new" sub, and those that reconnect after shutoff, that's a "new" sub, see my point?). I'm gonna guess that if you counted all the people that could be considered "new" subs under that logic for the last 3 years, it probably exceeded 400k easily. Concert lost some, and gained some. See my point, it's a non goal. It's a "goal" that looks good on paper, but is already reached by using twisted logic(you know comcast will), so comcast doesn't really have to change what they are ALREADY doing. Any more stupid questions? This is concert we are talking about.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

Comcast will expand its existing network by at least 1,500 miles per year for the next
three years (2011, 2012, and 2013), making broadband Internet available to an estimated
400,000 additional homes;


Note the highlights.

They didn't commit to 400k new homes being served. They only committed to the 1500 miles of new plant per year for 3 years which they estimate will bring in 400k additional subscribers during that period.
fifty nine

fifty nine to cypherstream

Member

to cypherstream
said by cypherstream:

Oh man, I hope they expand into my neighborhood. I moved about 2 miles from their end of line. It would be nice if they could be added as competition to Service Electric. Plus SECV doesn't have Remote DVR programming or an iphone/ipad app, or HD VOD (or such an extensive on demand library for that matter).

You could get a tivo or media center to do all of those things. Seriously, I am never using a crappy cable DVR ever again.

Really
@comcast.net

Really to fifty nine

Anon

to fifty nine
If Comcast is planning on offering low cost computers....then they didn't mention that to the service techs that will be dealing with those. Rumors are based on speculation and hearsay you know.
Each tech site will do their own community involvement for potential new customers.
Even if there is a low cost option for internet access, 1MB service is still better than the 756k for DSL that ATT already offers, which is also having union issues, yet again.
With the recent merger, some of us service techs can't keep the service working correctly since everything went digital and Motorola is having a hard time keeping up with the demand for new DVR's, so now service is lacking and a lot of fringe benefits for the holidays are now gone, because of merger.
I am beginning to question the direction of the cable part of the company and how we can't advance within the company to strict performance standards to keep those in their current positions or bring in a big wave of new hires to perform like they want them to be. just saying......

skuv
@rr.com

skuv

Anon

said by Really :

If Comcast is planning on offering low cost computers....then they didn't mention that to the service techs that will be dealing with those. Rumors are based on speculation and hearsay you know.

It's not speculation or hearsay, it's from Comcast's own proposal to the FCC.

Do you really think they would have told the service techs their plan before releasing it to the FCC?

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to Really

Member

to Really
said by Really :

If Comcast is planning on offering low cost computers....then they didn't mention that to the service techs that will be dealing with those. Rumors are based on speculation and hearsay you know.

They are going to do the computer part of it with a third party partner, not Comcast techs. They are also going to use charity orgs and community groups to provide training:

Be eligible for one piece of pre-configured, quality computer equipment (which may
include rebuilt PCs, netbooks, or other devices) for less than $150 (the equipment
will be sold to the customer by a third-party vendor-partner of Comcast’s, with
Comcast providing any subsidy required to bring the equipment cost below $150
).
4. Have access to web-based, print, and classroom-based training programs, provided
in partnership with One Economy and other current and future Comcast community
partners in our digital literacy efforts, including Boys and Girls Clubs, and Urban
League and National Council of La Raza affiliate organizations.
Comcast will create
and fund these programs (although we may seek Foundation and other funds to
defray these costs).

...

Several computer training and support options will be offered. At the time of installation,
each participating household will received basic instructional materials and a phone number for
a dedicated support desk. The computer equipment will be pre-configured with a “wizard” to
facilitate e-mail set-ups and the setting of parental controls. Shortcuts to “getting started”
tutorials will appear on the desktop. Each piece of equipment will ship with Norton security preinstalled. Comcast and its partner organizations will offer “training days” at NSLPparticipating schools in Comcast’s service areas, as well as at instruction facilities operated by
our community partners.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:

A pentium 4 or older core 2 duo running Linux is plenty for basic websurfing and email.

Actually, a P4 is rather decent on the 'net and even an older C2D is rather impressive. You can do it with a P3, but you're really pushing it (Flash Content, Java, etc).

Not everyone needs an i3 or newer. A C2D (and even my Pentium E5200) can handle the 'net with ease. My wife's Athlon64 2GHz (single core) doesn't have a problem, either.

I would suggest at least 512MB of Memory and Windows XP, though. That should be easy enough to come up with.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

I think they will be using a Microsoft OS since they are bundling it with Norton.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT

SimbaSeven

Member

Norton? Ewww..

I dumped Norton 4 years ago (ever since it allowed a worm to nail my workstation without stopping it). I switched to ESET IS and haven't had issues since.

Cthen
Premium Member
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI

Cthen to jupiter837

Premium Member

to jupiter837
said by jupiter837:

I also wonder how many under 20k a year households have computers. I was once in that position and I didn't have one, or a smartphone, sometimes not even a phone. That's like being offered a free stove when you don't have anything to cook, and then being told well you don't need the stove then do you?

Your not taking into account that computers don't cost as much as they used to. Even people in that income bracket can afford the $200 - $400 setups for basic needs.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

1 recommendation

rody_44 to cypherstream

Premium Member

to cypherstream
Not going to happen. Comcast will not expand into service electric territory. I can show you where both service and comcast has lines on the same poles. But neither will expand into each others territory.

Eagles1221
join:2009-04-29
Vincentown, NJ

Eagles1221 to SimbaSeven

Member

to SimbaSeven
10 bucks for 384K up and 1.5Mbit down isn't bad either.

IowaMan
Premium Member
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA

IowaMan

Premium Member

Comcast should copy what Medicom has which is 3mb/256 and have it be for $10 well it can be...
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to gar187er

Premium Member

to gar187er
where did you get subscriber GAIN from that initial blog posting?
fiberguy2

fiberguy2 to jupiter837

Premium Member

to jupiter837
Are you kidding? in many cases, someone making 20K a year can most certainly afford a computer, unless they've straddled themselves with too many kids they can't afford and got "we the people" to pay for..

In today's world, in the younger generation's budget, things like having a laptop, or a computer, a smart phone with an un-affordable-to-them service plan, an MP3 player, and other toys are far more important than, I dunno, getting serious and establishing themselves. Besides, its easier to just go 'crash' at a friend's house and float on by.

see, the extreme examples do work both ways, but really, $20K a year does allow for someone to afford a $300 computer if they really made it a priority.
fiberguy2

fiberguy2 to Chubbysumo

Premium Member

to Chubbysumo
There is a difference between homes passed and subscriber growth. The government doesn't give a rats ass for comcast to GAIN customers, just that THE SERVICE is AVAILABLE to an ADDITIONAL 400,000K homes.

Eagles1221
join:2009-04-29
Vincentown, NJ

Eagles1221 to IowaMan

Member

to IowaMan
Time Warner's 128/768 is 34.99 a month.....Suddenly Comcast doesn't look so bad.

JCB2001
@rr.com

JCB2001 to fifty nine

Anon

to fifty nine
Yeah, cuz everyone is willing to utilize Linux RIGHT?, although i think its become d even more user friendly than windows has.