Review by cbrain 
UPDATED: 188 days ago
member for 8.4 years, 3307 visits, last login: 2 days ago
 Silver Spring,Montgomery,MD
 $54 per month (month by month)
 about 14 days
 "General availability at a fair price – capacity for great service - promo pricing."
 "Unpredictable installation, poor tech support, no accountability or follow-through - billing dept. is worse"
 "Customer service nightmare - Montgomery County deserves better"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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******* 4-07-2008 *****************************************
Service was good for the past year. The only interaction I had was Comcast's ongoing efforts to sell additional services. I preferred another provider and moved on.
******* 3-14-2007 *****************************************
I recently had a problem with DirectTV and discovered a Comcast switch from dish promo. For 12 months the cost will be about half the DTV price for 2 DVR’s, most channels I had plus On Demand. DirectTV agreed to suspend my service for 2 months at no cost so I gave it a try. The service is excellent. DVR’s are good but their not Tivo(DTV no longer offers TiVo).
My install was scheduled between 1 & 5 PM. At 4:45 I called for a status and was told tech would be there in 10 minutes. At 5:10 Comcast called and said it would be another 10 minutes. At 6:10 I called and cancelled. At 7 the tech showed. I let him go ahead. All inside and outside wiring was done so he needed only to screw in 2 DVR’s, connect the TV’s and connect to Comcast. He didn’t have any advanced cables so he used coax. He had some signal problem so he played outside then asked for a signature. I tested a few things and noticed several problems. I asked how to swap tuners. He told me these were single tuner units and I had to call to arrange a swap. As I dialed the number he insisted on getting my sig so he could leave. I told him I wouldn’t accept single tuner and asked him wait. He left. Comcast phone support told me they didn’t have enough dual tuner DVRs, to call back tomorrow and see if they can get me 1. I told him to cancel this install and call me when 2 were available. Without missing a beat or checking with anyone, he scheduled a tech to deliver the DVRs the morning after tomorrow and promised component video cables. I tried a few channels and had a pixilation problem. The tech had added a splitter between the main drop and ground block but left an open leg. I removed the splitter and changed the 2 way splitter in the basement to 4 way. This resolved the problem. The follow up tech looked sloppy, didn’t speak well but knew his business and did a great job.
Same Comcast, different year.
******* 11-2-2005 *****************************************
In canceling, I allowed for service overlap during my transition. After both internet and video were installed I called Comcast and scheduled a disconnect on the last day of my billing cycle. Comcast handled this call very well. They asked what they could do to keep my business, who I was replacing them with and tried to convince me they were better without pressure. Comcast agreed to discontinue billing on the requested date and cut service the following week. I got one more Comcast call confirming I wanted to disconnect. I was favorably impressed. Then I got the bill. Comcast charged me $50 for the modem I own and a few other unexplained items. I confirmed there were no other charges and that I owned the modem when I cancelled. It only took about a dozen calls to get things fixed.
******* 03-28-2005 *****************************************
Last week I discontinued both Comcast internet and video. My services have been reliable since my 4-2003 review. Comcast's retention department had me on an good price promotion, less that the services I replaced them with. I simply grew weary of dealing with Comcast. Every encounter is like buying a car. I needed to "negotiate" a proper install, needed repairs, price plan and Comcast was always trying to add something extra to my bill. Comcast techs will hook up a customer and leave regardless of resulting quality, then repeatedly make excuses and avoid proper repair if service is sub par. I suspect this is a part of the mentality that comes from negotiating with content providers, franchise authorities and takeover targets. It took me 18 months to get my services right. I did eventually get credit for the frequent overcharges but the time it took far outweighed the value of the credit. Comcast lost 3 members of my family for the same reasons. Verizon FiOS is now available to my mom so I suspect she will follow.
Considering the great network Comcast currently has, I hope they can come to grips with these issues and learn to deal with their real customers, end users. At the very least, if they do learn, they may provide competition to help keep Verizon on its toes.
»Comcast 3rd attempt @ $3/mo for owned modems!
******* 04-04-2003 *****************************************
My connection has been reliable for months. A good value for the price. Video is finally good, my bill was correct 2 times in 26 months and I am now a citizen activist. An interesting odyssey for a lifelong pro business Republican. I’ve made lots of new friends, met with council members, testified before the county council, worked with the press and experienced how our Montgomery County Government works; or fails to.
Montgomery County deserves a better franchise.
I’ll fill in the details as I get time. Take a look at the Comcast forum here at Broadbandreports. »Comcast HSI
******** 02-2002 ********************************************************
I had 18 months of Covad DSL service prior to my 11 month Comcast@home service. @home was unusable for the first month(free trial period), then good until November 2001 when it became very slow every evening. Installation was on the day promised but then consistently unable to coordinate fixing problems. I needed tech help only in December when they altered my settings without notice. Resolved while on my first call. Overall I was very satisfied with both cable and DSL inet connections.
Since the transition to Comcast.net 3 weeks ago things are bad. I use dial up connection every evening. Connection is very slow, intermittent or dead every day starting about 5PM to about 2 AM. Needed a Comcast reset 2 times and am on my 3rd IP in 3 weeks. Have at times been able to force a connection by bypassing the DHCP server and using the assigned IP as static.
Gave them a week then started calling when connection is down. After long waiting on hold, tech support requires you to go through mandatory resetting of modem and computer, then going over all settings before they look at network problems. They don't log this info, or records of equipment, and are unable to access my local Comcast office database or to dispatch techs. When I call the local office they tell me to call the 800 number. When I explain that I was referred, I have twice been transferred to a queue that ends with voicemail.
Last night I stayed on tech over 2 hours and several transfers. My connection came live while holding but problem was still a packet loss of 40 to 50%, incoming and outgoing, within their network. They promised to have a local tech call me today. I added my cell # to the message. No call.
I feel Comcast is not being honest about the current situation. I expect some transition problems but have lost trust in Comcast's word and in turn their willingness or ability to resolve these issues. I hope they can get back to the @home service level but I'm here at DSLR looking at options.
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After 18 days of being unable to diagnose my consistent evening outages, Comcast was finally able to make contact with the local office and schedule an onsite tech visit.
That tech will be at my site in a prompt, speedy 16 days!
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Comcast contractors showed up and rewired everything from the pole. Fast, professional and seemed competent. DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM! Current speculation…SW radio interference… no answer as to how they would track this down or resolve.
Over a 3 weeks period, Comcast personnel beyond call center never returned and most never reachable on incoming calls until I called Montgomery County. I now can make contact. Will update.
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Worked my way up to the field supervisor. He told me the problem was short wave radio interference. I questioned him in detail on all aspects of this then told him I would get the 4H SW Club to track down the problem for him. What equipment should I have them bring. He responded “let me go to the node.” From that evening on the multi hour outages stopped. First time since transition. I guess the SWR interference coincidently stopped that night. He now wouldn't take or return calls.
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Attended a CCAC meeting and met the Comcast Gov't rep. The only person from Comcast to return calls. She got on this field supervisor. He got me in my car and told me he was trying to look at my connection but my firewall was preventing him access and implied me at fault. I again gave him a good quizzing, then said my firewall is on the lan side of the modem so can’t possibly block your access to the modem. I can be at a computer in 10 minutes where I can access my gateway, look at the logs, look at the modem, reset anything, look at BBR ping report and verify your statements. He hung up on me.
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