said by Quaoar :

Well, let me cogitate for a minute...

OK, here is the FACT of Docsis 3.0., IMO: Most of Comcast's network cannot support Docsis 3.0.

said by Der_Idiot :

I'll agree though, it's hard to provide docsis3 speeds to everyone, but be honest, could you build a network to provide bandwidth in excess of 50megabits to millions of subscribers, and operate it for a price that is anywhere near reasonable? I know I couldn't, not something that huge.

said by Quaoar :

Well, let me cogitate for a minute...

OK, here is the FACT of Docsis 3.0., IMO: Most of Comcast's network cannot support Docsis 3.0. Comcast can barely support user demands for downloads of video, music, etc., even though their users pay for say 8Mbps down and 768kbps up. Comcast is burdened by supplying minimal levels of HDTV content, and HSI is also way behind the demand curve. Comcast's infrastructure is good for 1980, but for 2008, it is a dead end. No way, no how, can Comcast demonstrate to any user that Comcast is providing the contracted up/down speeds at every second of every day. Comcast's network, in general, will not allow Comcast to generate a proof-positive guarantee of network performance since the network, overall, is a dead end without several billions of dollars of improvements.

Comcast, like every other broadband service, is doing a charade, a hand-waving exercise on its users to show that something is like or near what the users are paying for. But, there is no proof positive, because the proof will show that the paid-for tier performance in most areas cannot be obtained.

If Comcast has a reputable method for each and every subscriber to validate that Comcast is providing up/down speeds as advertised and paid for, then Comcast should step up to the plate and bat that proof ball out of the park.

It will not happen. Every high speed internet provider is doing the same smoke-and-mirrors slight-of-hand on up/down speed tiers while they winkey-winkey have services that prevent users from accessing their paid-for speeds. These secret speed limiting services are necessary because the overall networks cannot support the contracted speeds.

I know this, we know this, the only thing that makes this Comcast practice work is that we users do not unite and demonstrate that we are being hood-winked about our paid-for tier price for performance.

Comcast's network, cobbled up from many older cable TV systems, is at its limit. I believe that 99% of HSI users will never see Docsis 3.0 unless they are in the same area that Verizon is installing FIOS. Comcast will go balls to the wall to compete with FIOS, but Verizon has already demonstrated to the world at large that FIOS will be deployed to only the wealthiest of areas and not the world at large.

The evolution of internet access for downloading HD movies, etc., will demonstrate that Comcast has NOT provided for what they advertise and what we are paying for when our download speeds become a fraction of what we pay for in a year or two.

The charade is coming to an end. Comcast will have to own up to the fact that they have been selling us snake oil, and most of us have bought it. Myself included.

Docsis 3.0 is a figment of everyone's imagination, except in those areas that Comcast must counter Verizon's FIOS. 50 HDTV channels is a lost dream on Comcast's network, since Docsis3 and HDTV require much the same capital structure, and Comcast cannot provide the required improvements, except where FIOS magically appears.

Q