cindy19335
join:2005-09-14
Downingtown, PA
| Bait and Switch by Comcast???
Someone please tell me I am wrong.....
I have comcast, have had it since it became available. Prices have risen and competition has moved in. We now have FIOS available.
Anyway, FIOS offered me a price of 29.99/month. They are trying to get our development to sign up. I called Comcast and told them I was happy with them but their pricing was too high, I could get it from FIOS for less and FIOS was faster and no slowing of speeds. Comcast lowered their price from 40 something to $34 a month for 6 months.
When they made the immediate adjustment, my internet speed increased unbelievably. My wireless laptop speed increased 100%.
Now, its been over 7 months, my rates went back up and my speed is so so.
Fios comes knocking at my door. Again offers 29.99 month and free installation for a year.
I again call Comcast, they lowered my rate again to $34 for 6 months. They did an immediate adjustment but kicked me off the internet. Somehow I got put in someplace called the "garden". (Their software was down)
Turns out, they recycle your modem, and put you in as a new customer. I have again noticed a 100% increase in speeds for the laptop and other wireless computers.
So my question is, do they give new customers something better in the beginning, then switch them to some kind of lower signal(?) after you have been with them for awhile?
There is truly a difference in speed for my wireless computers. This is the second time this has happened. In fact, because my speed had decreased so much, I went out and bought all new cards and modems thinking they were the problem.
Anyone know if they do this to all customers? |
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rdstoll
join:2000-10-25
Des Plaines, IL
 ·Vonage
| That's the schtick, isn't it? When I moved, I signed up for Comcast HSI only - was going to cost something like $50/month. Since I have DirecTV and am happy with it, saw no reason to get cable, but Comcast called me up shortly after I signed up for HSI and told me I could get cable AND HSI for $10 less than HSI alone! Of course, for six months only. I don't use the cable at all, but most certainly, they will jack me in a few months. That's just the game these guys play.
As far as the speeds, that's a bit different. Not sure what they do with that but can't count anything out when dealing with Comcast in my opinion.
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"Gone are the days when the lady said please" Grateful Dead--Brown-eyed Women |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA
2 edits | reply to cindy19335
they send the same file to your modem. alot of people here verify what boot file they get. if your getting better speeds its simply because of your power cycle. i assume you know you only use one modem and modems was a typo. |
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prestonlewis
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-13
Sacramento, CA
·VoiceStick
| reply to cindy19335
Personally, I'd go with FIOS since it's cheaper than Comcast's special pricing. However, if you do like Comcast, they will continue to give you special pricing as long as you call every 6 months and threaten to leave them. I had 2 cable modems in my home and ordered a WISP service that was fantastic (4,000/4,000) that wasn't much more than Comcast. Comcast offered me $29/month for a year (one HSI line only) not to go with the WISP and I accepted. I ended up going with the WISP and dropping the Comcast HSI that wasn't priced at $29! They'll do pretty much anything to keep you as a customer. The variable is which sales rep you talk to. One might offer you $29 or whatever for 3 months, another rep 6 months, and another rep 1 year.
Still, if I could get FIOS for $29 vs. Comcast for $34, I'd run to the FIOS. Good luck. |
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cindy19335
join:2005-09-14
Downingtown, PA
| reply to rody_44
Roddy, What do you mean by power cycle?
They did explain to me that I was stuck in "Garden", which is where new accounts are put, something about having to do that in order to lower my rates.
I cross my heart, hope to die, 3 other (wireless) computers had increased speed......my direct connect computer had its proper speed. |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA
 ·Comcast
| reply to cindy19335
well i would go with fios also. but the point was whether or not comcast gave higher speeds to new subs. i can say that the answer is no. by power cycle i mean when you unplug your modem. but in this case they are doing it remotely. most people that i have talked to tho that switched to fiber doesnt even notice any changes. comcast sends a file to your modem telling it what speeds to operate at. if comcast sends 2 seperate files. sites like this would pick it up in a heartbeat. |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA | reply to cindy19335
if your stuck in walled garden call 1800comcast and they should be able to get you back up. have you tryed to download the software off the walled garden. |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA | reply to cindy19335
on second thought i wouldnt get fios. i would do just what your doing and use it for leverage. fios is nice but unless you use a ton of bandwidth there is no advantage. |
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cindy19335
join:2005-09-14
Downingtown, PA | reply to cindy19335
Hey thanks Rody! |
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