MattG
@cogentco.com
|  Want to use my own modem - which one and where to buy?
I currently have the Comcast "triple play" package (TV, digital voice and high speed internet). I live in the Northwest Chicago suburbs.
I'm currently paying $3/month to rent a combination cable modem and VOIP/telephony modem (an Arris TM402P).
I'd like to buy my own modem to avoid the rental fee. However, I'm not entirely sure which one I need. The Motorola SBV5220 looks like it would work; the latest Arris model appears to be the TM502G. However, I can't find either of these for sale.
I haven't tried calling Comcast to see if they'd sell me one, but I have a strong feeling they would over-charge.
I guess a second option is to get two units, one for the digital voice service and one for the high speed internet. But I haven't been able to find any info on this approach either.
Anyone else manage to get away from the $3/month Comcast fee?
Thanks! |
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JahsDisciple
Living my life like it's golden
Premium
join:2007-07-07
Baltimore, MD
 ·Comcast
| in this case you'll end up paying comcast a rental fee any way you look at it. lol. you have to use their emta for either phone or both. and if you get a separate modem of your own, you'll still have to rent the emta. if you get a separate modem from them, you'll end up renting that device while the emta will become free. hope this helps.
-the only way to get passed the monthly fee that i know of is to have internet only and your own modem. or some sort of promo.
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"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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tcg
join:2008-08-04
Hermitage, TN | That is exactly right |
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beerbum
Premium
join:2000-05-06
Reading, PA
clubs: | yup.. if you want phone service, you MUST use one of their EMTA's (Arris or Motorola currently).. no way around it..
Comcast does not sell those to customers.. rental only. |
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MattG
@cogentco.com
| reply to MattG
Well, I went for it anyway. I found a Motorola SBV5220 on ebay and bought it.
I spent nearly three hours on the phone with Comcast trying to get it to work. We got the HSI service working... we were having problems getting the digital voice working. In trying to get voice to work, the Internet also stopped working.
Basically, there are two MAC addresses for these VOIP+Internet modems (one for each service). The person I was speaking to had these numbers switched. I thought she would just switch them back and try again, but instead she put me on hold to contact her internal support.
She came back and started asking questions about my modem, in particular, where did I buy it. I said ebay. She went on to say that Comcast is the sole buyer for the Motorola SBV5220 modems, and that they do not sell them. Before I could continue trying to use the modem, they would have to conduct an "equipment research".
Now, I understand that this modem could effectively be stolen (i.e. someone did not return it, and turned around and sold it on ebay). However, shouldn't this issue be between Comcast and whoever doesn't return their equipment? I.e., either bill that person, send a collection agency after him or even sue him?
What really annoys me is (1) I think I could have got this working had they not swapped MAC addresses (which resulted in the internal support call) and, even worse, (2) it appears that there is no way to avoid the modem rental fee. |
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fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium
join:2005-07-01
Atlanta, GA
| reply to MattG
Given the fact that there is no way to avoid the rental fee with Comcast's phone service, I opted to have my own cablemodem for internet service and use the new T-Mobile @Home service for my home phone. I bought the T-Mobile supplied Linksys router for $50 and it provides the phone connection (have a DECT 6.0 multi-handset system connected to it) and it works beautifully. For $9.95 per month added to my T-Mobile cellphone plan. And the equipment is all mine, no rental fees.
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***************
I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.
- Stephen Hawking |
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JahsDisciple
Living my life like it's golden
Premium
join:2007-07-07
Baltimore, MD
·Comcast
| reply to MattG
said by MattG :
Well, I went for it anyway. I found a Motorola SBV5220 on ebay and bought it.
you cannot use an emta for cdv that's not supplied by comcast. this is normal procedure. bad buy.
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"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to MattG
said by MattG :
However, shouldn't this issue be between Comcast and whoever doesn't return their equipment? I.e., either bill that person, send a collection agency after him or even sue him?
Yes, the issue is between Comcast and whoever doesn't return their equipment. But now it's your issue - you just bought stolen property. Comcast won't activate their property that was stolen.. and here's the kicker.. if they do .. they will start charging you a monthly rate. Since it's *still* their equipment - even if you have proof of purchase. |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| reply to MattG
Modem, use any one of the newer available cable modems from places like Best Buy/Circuit City/Fry's/???
For CDV, you have to use Comcast equipment.
Whether or not you get charged depends on the agreement you happen to get.
When I got CDV(coming from CDP when it was being discontinued), I was asked if I owned my own modem. I do! Moto SB5100 going on 5 years now.
The salesperson/CSR stated "Ok, then we won't charge you rental". 
*I* don't pay rent for any equipment.
Even if you have to go the rental route from Comcast, the most you should have to pay for rental is $3.00 per month - even if you ask for a modem and the CDV eMTA.
Talk to them, see what they will offer you.
Lose that thing you bought! Nothing but a headache. 
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
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PGHammer
join:2003-06-09
Accokeek, MD
clubs:
·Comcast
| Also, the current-model ARRIS eMTA isn't a *bad* item; it just takes getting used to if you previously had a single PC using HSI (the eMTA connects more like a router, but acts like a standalone modem from the PC end). I know someone that recently got one (I migrated them to Vista from XP after a hardware upgrade) because they came back to Comcast from Verizon DSL (and added CDV; they were previously a cable-TV/HSI-only customer), and the ARRIS performs no worse than a standalone HSI modem; it's even compatible with Blast. |
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Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ
| reply to MattG
Just remember with an EMTA please do not unplug and remove the battery to reset. there is a tiny hole on the back of an Arris(usually by the ethernet port) that makes it reboot. the latest ARRIS is the TM602g, thankfully Arris in all models post 402g got rid of the pointless standby button.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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EG
The wings of love
Premium
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ
| said by Kearnstd  :Just remember with an EMTA please do not unplug and remove the battery to reset. I'll add that doing this WILL indeed work as a last resort if there happens to be some sort of a hardware malfunction with the reset button itself or its associated circuitry.
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EG
The wings of love
Premium
join:2006-11-18
Union, NJ
| reply to PGHammer
said by PGHammer :Also, the current-model ARRIS eMTA isn't a *bad* item; it just takes getting used to if you previously had a single PC using HSI (the eMTA connects more like a router, but acts like a standalone modem from the PC end). I believe that the O.P. was looking to purchase a cable modem ?
[OFF Topic]
How does the eMTA "connect more like a router" ? |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| reply to PGHammer
said by PGHammer :Also, the current-model ARRIS eMTA isn't a *bad* item; it just takes getting used to if you previously had a single PC using HSI (the eMTA connects more like a router, but acts like a standalone modem from the PC end). I know someone that recently got one (I migrated them to Vista from XP after a hardware upgrade) because they came back to Comcast from Verizon DSL (and added CDV; they were previously a cable-TV/HSI-only customer), and the ARRIS performs no worse than a standalone HSI modem; it's even compatible with Blast. Compatible with Blast - Maybe, sort of, kinda.
Downstream, sure! No problem!
Upload, not so much.
With my Motorola modem, I get PowerBoost to 3.5mbps on uploads and then it settle to 2.2mbps.
With the ARRIS, I get no PowerBoost on uploads and it maxes at 1.8mbps. 
*FOR ME* the ARRIS eMTA gets relegated to CDV only.
The Moto gets to handle HSI.
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera |
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dscrap
join:2006-12-13
Vineland, NJ
| I don't know why everyone is saying you have to rent the modem just for phone... This is not true. If you own your own modem, you do not have to pay a rental for the phone modem as long as your bill says customer owned modem. I set this up for myself as well as both parents and my Aunt. I purchased four Motorola SB5101's for about $20 on sale at Circuit City a few months ago... This was without rebates and service. Anyway, the Moto modems are great. I think the difference between the 5101 and the 5120 is the inclusion of a USB port on the 5101. Check the Moto site for exact specs. |
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daveinpoway
Premium
join:2006-07-03
Poway, CA
| The 5120 has a USB port, also (I have one here). The 5120 uses a Texas Instruments chipset, while the 5101 uses a Broadcom one. Not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure the 5120 is no longer being made (some stores may still have them in stock, though). |
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AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL
| reply to dscrap
said by dscrap :I don't know why everyone is saying you have to rent the modem just for phone... This is not true. For just HSI (Internet) service you have the choice of renting a modem from the provider or purchasing a modem such as you did. With Comcast Voice telephone service with or without HSI service you still must rent the eMTA (modem) from Comcast. Hopefully this is a situation that will be corrected in the near future to allow for customer purchased equipment. |
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dscrap
join:2006-12-13
Vineland, NJ
2 edits | Not true... Only way to settle would be to call Comcast. I have set up 4 different HSI systems in the last 6 months for myself and family. All of which have the triple play. All of which have customer owned modems. The EMTA modem that is used for voice is required for the service. They will not charge you for the voice modem if you have your own modem for HSI. If they do charge a rental, call them and ask why and they will refund the rental price since you have your own modem and theirs is required for the service. If they still want to charge a rental, tell them to cancel the voice service. The voice modem again, is required for the service to work. The can't charge you for the modem if it is required. It is not like a cable box that isn't required at the moment for service. The cable box gives you added features like on demand. Once the new digital law goes into effect, people can probably do the same with the rental fee for the cable box since it willbe required then. |
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JTC
Always Mount A Scratch Monkey
join:2002-01-09
USA
·Comcast Workplace
 ·Integra Telecom
| said by dscrap :Once the new digital law goes into effect, people can probably do the same with the rental fee for the cable box since it willbe required then. What digital law?
If you are talking about the digital broadcast mandate from the FCC, that does not apply to cable companies, just broadcast television stations.
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All hardware sucks, all software sucks, some just suck more than others |
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MattG
@cogentco.com
| reply to MattG
An update FYI... Comcast did the "equipment research" and came back and said that it's not one of their modems, so it won't work with their system. They wouldn't give me any technical reason why it won't work, other than "it's not one of ours". On the other hand, I was under the impression that if it was one of their modems, they'd want it back and/or charge me a rental fee for it. That's just an assumption though.
Anyway, the conclusion I came to is that you can't win. dscrap's account above is encouraging. Although I took it a step further: I'm totally dumping Comcast Digital Voice, and am instead going with a SIP VOIP service. I bought a dial-in telephone number to use with my VOIP service.
In general, you can do just about anything you can imagine with VOIP and the multitude of services available. I opted for a pay-as-you-go barebones (read: super cheap) service. The big pitfall, obviously, is that if your Internet service goes down, so does the VOIP. But I use my cellphone as my primary telephone. I only need a local landline for use with the "buzzer" system in my apartment building. (My cellphone is in a different area code than the apartment's system, so I get long distance bills from the apartment owners if I try to use my cell phone.)
As I mentioned, my cell phone is my primary telephone, and I used the Comcast digital voice line very infrequently. Despite this lack of use, I found the phone service to be down about 35% of the time. It just seems to me that, with as little as I used the service AND how much of a percentage of that time the service didn't work, it suggests that their digital voice system isn't well implemented and/or maintained. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Their high speed internet has been pretty reliable though. I'll give them that. And that's something I use a lot.
Thanks to all for the suggestions, help and ideas! Much appreciated. |
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