US Cable Support > Comcast HSI > Comcast is really pushing their gateways

Comcast is really pushing their gateways

That's pretty lame. I use pfSense and will continue to do so until they pull it from my cold dead fingers.

reply to IowaCowboy
From the ISP's point of view, a gateway box that they totally control is an understandable preference. Such a device greatly reduces the training needed for CSRs; they only have to learn about one box, and they can be easily reset to Comcast's default settings to troubleshoot connection problems. And it is not just cable ISPs who are doing this; AT&T and other DSL providers have been exclusively providing gateway "modems" for years.

While probably most members of this site would prefer to keep control of their network in their own hands, the great unwashed masses who are now overrunning the Internet don't have a clue how to setup a router, and letting their ISP do it for them is the only practical way to do it (and the ISP is not going to train their CSRs to support a large number of different modems and routers, and provide free support for them).

It boils down to you either accept what the ISP offers, or you spend money to use what you want (and at least Comcast still allows that option). And if you keep using the service for a year or more, the initial expenditure is recovered by not paying the $7.00+taxes rental fee every month. The cost of my SB6121 will be recovered in 10 months; and while I did recently purchase a D-Link DIR655 because I liked some of its IPv6 support features, I could have just continued to use the free Comcast supplied Netgear WNR1000v2 router (in fact I do still use it for a guest router).
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And you'll still have to pay the $7 per month modem rental if you have their voice offering (I'm a triple play subscriber) but they quit selling them. They briefly sold Arris TM722 modems at Best Buy (mine quit working) so you have to buy phone modems from questionable sources (many times they are stolen Comcast inventory and I don't want to end up in the slammer for receiving stolen property). The only place I'd buy a modem is Best Buy. I have an SB6120 sitting around but why use it when I have their phone and have to pay the fee anyways. Time Warner and Mediacom charge for the phone modem if you use it for HSI in addition to Voice.

Too bad the regulations that apply to landline telephones don't apply to broadband (service provider responsibility ends at the demarc).

And none of this has solved any problems for the carriers in terms of security issues. Had a customer that had a Comcast tech (not contractor) come in to set up the new wireless gateway and configure it for the home. Guy set it up as WEP. Seriously? I guess you just can't cure stupid.

Comcast is wasting a lot of money on improper training and all it does is just cause more problems down the line. You CANNOT take someone who turns a screwdriver and expect them to properly configure your network. I'm sorry, but these techs they train and release need to spend more time learning to do it properly instead of just winging it. This isn't fast food people!

Agreed although, of course it is still $7 a month for a gateway, just an extra $2.95 if you want the "wireless networking support" from their "Signature Support Service" which they push at every opportunity.

reply to not
And if people were willing to pay up to a couple hundred dollars for an install so that a tech could do the wiring, plus a certified network "expert" could come do the network setup/education visit then that would be a reasonable expectation.
The advantage of the remotely managed gateway's is a cable tech or even a customer can attach it and the remote network techs can configure it as needed including fixing end user adjustments that don't meet security or usability needs.
Getting people to pay for preventing the attack/outage that didn't happen can be a hard thing to explain, let alone sell them on it.

reply to IowaCowboy
I Agree no Data only modem but it does show under the Xfinity Internet Heading that you can purchase a Voice/Data Modem DOCSIS 3.0 Kit (For Purchase, One Time Charge) for 99.00.

I guess when Best Buy stopped selling now it is available from Comcast at a cheaper price.

reply to tshirt
As a former cable tech I've been on a number of service calls when in fact the cable modem was working but the customers computer or the network they've installed with the router/modem they bought themselves wasn't. You average home has a number of items that need to be connected to a network (computers, video game consoles, tablets, VOIP adapters etc.) Comcast isn't responsible for equipment that isn't theirs so they are offering or pushing the gateways to save on truck rolls. If someone calls into customer or tech support then the rep can remotely access the network and determine if the problem is Comcast's or the customers. This saves on truck rolls which in turn saves money for the company. Plus it generates $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for the company

At $2.95 a month, I doubt it's intended to be a big money maker, at least not directly, but I agree extending Comcast's remote diagnostics into the home will save a fortune on tech visits and (if handled well) create user satisfaction for those that don't know/don't want to know much about computers, they just want/need them to work.

reply to nrobot80
And how many times has Comcast played the "blame customer equipment" game. I had a CSR try to blame my computer when in fact there was known problems with the network. I even had a truck roll around that time where my neighbors came out and approached the Comcast technician that was servicing my house saying they were having problems with the Internet so it was clearly a Comcast issue.

As for networking equipment, they should make it clear in bold print that Comcast's responsibility ends at the demarc (customer owned modems) or the modem (Comcast rental modems) and that the customer would be charged an hourly rate for troubleshooting beyond that point.

As for their gateways, the Comcast gateways have inferior processing capabilities and poor Wi-Fi range. It's like comparing public transportation to a Corvette in terms of quality when it comes to CC gateways vs an Apple AirPort Extreme router.

reply to IowaCowboy
I agree with you 1000% IowaCowboy, keep in mind if Comcast charged an hourly rate to diagnosis a problem with a customers equipment then that's additional money need to train and certify the techs. When I first started as a tech in training class they showed us how to install/replace NIC cards in desktop computers. They told told us to stop doing that and just install USB drivers if that was the problem because so many techs were opening computers and frying motherboards. This also voided the warranties of most desktop computers. As I stated before most people that called in weren't tech savy. I once went to a home where the customer fried his brand new computer after he spilled water all over it. He said the cupholder (CD-ROM drive) went back into the machine. I swapped modems, billed the customer and was on my way to the next job. In an instance like that the customer should be billed just out of stupidity.

reply to IowaCowboy

reply to egeek84
Guess it all depends on which market area you are in. On my Jan rate sheet, the gateway is still $7 and not lumped together with the "wireless network service" That has a sign up fee of $39 and then $5.95 a month!

reply to nrobot80

reply to GSTEXEC1
I have that too on the price list, but when I asked about it they told me I had to get it at best buy still... told them best buy doesn't carry them anymore and they told me "they are the only authorized retailer, we do not sell directly to customers ourselves"... then why do you have a price for it?!

reply to NetFixer

reply to neufuse
Training is a two way street. My current job requires me to go through intense training from an instructor who is a contractor, not an actual company employee. He doesn't have much knowledge of the product because the service isn't offered in his area, so he goes by what the book says and forms his own opinion about how to use and install the product, basically he is here to collect a paycheck. I have experience in this field so most of this training is a complete bore for me. On the other hand you have the student/employee who is there to collect a check, gets through class because no one fails. The end result is poor customer service, multiple trucks rolls, and higher prices. You can't stop that snowball once it starts rolling.