 
MikeStammer
No prison can hold me
Premium
join:2002-12-26
Aurora, IL
| Comcast...no thanks Comcast...thank God i dropped them and went with SBC. No comparison as far as uptime, stability and reliability. SBC kicks the crap out of Comcast 7 days a week and twice on Sunday. I am no SBC fanboy either. The proof is in the pudding. Check out the Ameritech forum here. The techs there WANT you to get a hold of them so they can fix your problem. They listen to you if you have tried certain things and don't want to just follow some cookbook guide in front of them. These are SBC sanctioned people to boot. Comcast has never gone to these lengths. This, along with all the trouble in the entire Chicagoland area, is why I switched. If SBC DSL is available in your area, check it out. You wont be sorry.
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Mike Stammer | |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
 ·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: Comcast...no thanks Check out Wideopenwest too, if available. At least for now, they've been doing a good job in listening and satisfying their customers.
How long they will remain that way, with Comcast leading the way to shittiness, I don't know. But, I had at one time thought about switching to Comcast from WOW a few weeks ago, and no longer consider it an option.
Really, the term Commycast is the appropriate one -- we can't tell you what the rules are, but just follow them or be banished.
Good business model . . . | |
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| kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL
clubs: 
| The Chicagoland market has simply pummeled Comcast. In my area and many other densely populated areas of Chicagoland, distance and equipment limitations rule out DSL. The result is (according to my installer) every home in my neighborhood has Comcast HSI. Comcast had no idea what they were getting into.
This is certainly not an excuse for Comcast, and as a former SBC DSL customer, DSL is a better option if you are within reach of the RT or CO to get decent speeds. Next year, who knows..... | |
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devrandom
I got a pot, full of random stuff here
Premium
join:2003-06-28
| I can vouch for the people here on DSLR that are SBC DSL techs. They do a fine job at fixing and tracking problems.
I don't think I could ask for more.. For those SBC customers who have not had a chance to stop by the forums, pop in and see what they do there.
The SBC DSL techs are very friendly, and want to rather be your friend than another hang you up customer support person.
So check it out if you have time (telco support is all the way at the bottom of the forum list)..its worth your time.
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If it can be smoked, its prolly not going to be good for you. | |
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Mellow
Premium
join:2001-11-16
Salisbury, MD | comcast small business pro package anyone had any problems with caps using the business package yet? | |
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SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX
| Re: comcast small business pro package I would think the business services would have specific and definable limits, if any. Telling Joe Broadband he is using too much bandwidth and not being specific is one thing. Joe is just a residential customer after all. However businesses need to know what they are getting for their bandwidth dollars and will go to the provider that tells them. If Comcast has any sense whatsoever I would think things are a lot different with their business customers.
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Love Science Fiction? www.spacestationzoom.com | |
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JPuppy
Java Heathen
Premium
join:2002-11-24
Honesdale, PA
clubs:
| Re: comcast small business pro package You know, everybody keeps talking like there really are defined limits, and Comcast is just not telling us. Has anybody given thought to the idea that perhaps they just target the highest percentile of users? Perhaps they take the top 0.5%, and mark them as 'excessive'.
Just a thought.
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-In a bad mood since 1824 | |
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JPuppy
Java Heathen
Premium
join:2002-11-24
Honesdale, PA
clubs: | Re: comcast small business pro package Excellent questions for which I have no answers.
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-In a bad mood since 1824 | |
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downstreamer
join:2001-12-18
Paron, AR
| Who determines need? "We make whatever bandwidth they need available to them."
Does Comcast determine what each customer needs and anything over..well, tough stuff? Hail the all knowing Comcast. I just hate it when some want to decide what others need.
Why don't they be up front and give their customers some rules. Is that asking too much?
I use DirecPC for my "broadband?" but we encounter the same type of problem with the FAP (Fair Access Policy). The provider knows the limits but he's not telling. | |
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IgorKane
@140.192.x.x | Re: Who determines need? Err, I think that quote was actually from SBC's representative, not Comcast. | |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs: | Re: Who determines need? Yeah that was the quote from the SBC guy. | |
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| moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| Comcast, more than likely, looks at overall traffic and says, "This person is using too much, lets send him a notice." If they overload a node, then they need a way of making people use less and this is a great way to do it. No known limits, arbitrary penalties......can I have this job at Comcast?  | |
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joebear29
join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL
| Advantage DSL? If the other Cable Providers follow Comcast and the DSL Providers follow SBC, and DSL has no limits, I could see that as a major marketing tool for the DSL firms.
Even if only 1 percent of users ever hit the fuzzy limits, to Joe Consumer "unlimited broadband" sounds a lot better than limited broadband. Of course, if they did that the DSL providers best not then limit their bandwidth in the future. It will be interesting to see what happens. | |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs:
| Re: Advantage DSL? Yeah, I switched to SBC partly due to capping, even though roadrunner hadn't started yet in my area. SBC has such good deals for the speeds now that I jumped ship before caps came to my area. I'm happier anyway, I get better speed, latency, and reliability now, even if I am paying more since I have the 6Mbit package.
Just say NO to caps! | |
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Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: Advantage DSL? $80.00 a month is a little too rich for my blood. But, if I thought I could get the 6 Mbps speed, I'd maybe go for it. Unfortunately, I'm 11500 feet from the CO and I don't know/am not convinced I would get the 6 Mbps.
But, I'll go SBC in a heartbeat if I drop WOW and the only other option besides SBC is Comcast. | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA | Re: Advantage DSL? $80 is a deal...try $95 for 3.5Mb with Comcast. | |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs: | Yeah the 6Mbit speed isn't for everyone, but it's nice to have as an option at a reasonable price, if you are close enough. Of course that brings up DSLs biggest setback: distance. | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Verizon has the same limitations
said by »www.verizon.net/policies/vzcom/tos_popup.asp :
(n) to generate excessive amounts (as determined by Verizon in its sole discretion) of Internet traffic,
SBC also has similar limits
said by »sbc.yahoo.com/terms/ :
Inappropriate uses of the Service include but are not limited to...continuous and sustained excessive account activity...
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports | |
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| | joebear29
join:2003-07-20
Alabaster, AL
| Re: Advantage DSL? No advantage with SBC said by oliphant5  :
Verizon has the same limitations
said by »www.verizon.net/policies/vzcom/tos_popup.asp :
(n) to generate excessive amounts (as determined by Verizon in its sole discretion) of Internet traffic,
SBC also has similar limits
said by »sbc.yahoo.com/terms/ :
Inappropriate uses of the Service include but are not limited to...continuous and sustained excessive account activity...
But Verizon's not enforcing it. | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Re: Advantage DSL? No advantage with SBC Comcast didn't either...so we all thought. And in the VAST majority of markets Comcast still isn't enforcing it.
[text was edited by author 2003-09-22 12:34:43] | |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs:
| Yeah, technically SBC does put that in their TOS, but so do most ISPs. It doesn't necessarily mean it is strictly enforced, they just use it for safety. I've done about 80-100 gigs a month the past few months and haven't had a problem.
Edit: Just wanted to add that the TOS says "continuous" usage. I don't actually download 24x7 so I don't think it's much of a problem. I may do 100 gigs in a given month, but most of that downloading is done all at once, maybe 6-7 days of overnight downloading during the month. Now if I was downloading/uploading 24x7, maxing out my bandwidth during the day it would most likely be a problem much faster.
Anyway, the story is pretty contradictory to what the TOS actually says...
[text was edited by author 2003-09-22 12:49:45] | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Re: Advantage DSL? Those with Comcast running that amount of downloads haven't either. I run typically 60GB/mo and have never gotten a notice. In this example »exessive use of service ----WHAT I DID TO GET IT! the guy didn't get a letter 'till after 250GB (minimally as this was only 1 of his 2 PCs using the service)...2-3 times what your usage is. Who is to say that if you tripled your useage you wouldn't get a notice?
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports | |
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Brianv5
Low Level Functionary
Premium
join:2001-01-20
Keyser, WV
|  Competing markets
When they own a market, they can do whatever they want, where are you going to go?
Its nice to have choices!
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Anything can be tweaked! | |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs: | Re: Competing markets Exactly. I was stuck using roadrunner for 6 years and the quality/value of the service dropped every year since 1997. Finally this year DSL became available and I couldn't be happier now. It's nice to have choices. | |
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gballard
join:2001-11-07
Saltillo, MS
| It's a matter of availability for me... I am quite content with Comcast HSI at this point. Have only had one minor 20 minute downtime so far. Living here in the "technological blackhole" also known as Northeast Mississippi...we don't have a lot of options. I have been using dialup since 1995 and had been praying for broadband. There are some parts of town that can get DSL from BellSouth...but BellSouth doesn't seem to be in a big hurry to make it widely available. I was one of the test installs for Comcast HSI when it became available and I have been extremely happy with it so far. If other options were available I might consider it...but I will take what I can get at the moment. | |
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93254336
Weapons Of Masturbation
Premium
join:2001-10-20
| Goodbye Comcast, Hello Verizon DSL... Awhile ago, I convinced my sister to switch from Comcast (which gave her nothing but grief) to Verizon ADSL. She now has a reliable 1500/128 connection which suits her needs, and at $29.95/month (as part of a bundled package), the price is certainly right.
This "fuzzy cap" concept is bullshit; if it's advertised as "unlimited use," then that's what should be provided.
- Dan
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"Be Queen of Canada for a day -- Ask me how!" | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Re: Goodbye Comcast, Hello Verizon DSL... Uh, Verizon has the same language in their TOS/AUP.
said by »www.verizon.net/policies/vzcom/tos_popup.asp :
(n) to generate excessive amounts (as determined by Verizon in its sole discretion) of Internet traffic,
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports | |
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93254336
Weapons Of Masturbation
Premium
join:2001-10-20
| Re: Goodbye Comcast, Hello Verizon DSL... In contrast to Comcast, how many people have you heard of who have been suspended by Verizon Online for "excessive amounts of Internet traffic?"
- Dan
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"Be Queen of Canada for a day -- Ask me how!" | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Re: Goodbye Comcast, Hello Verizon DSL... Of the 3.3 million Comcast HSI customers, how many have we heard of getting their accounts suspended? Two? Three?
[text was edited by author 2003-09-22 12:37:06] | |
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93254336
Weapons Of Masturbation
Premium
join:2001-10-20 | That's two or three more than for VOL.
- Dan | |
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viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL
·Bright House
| Comcast should be out of buisness I am glad Comcast is not in my area. A buisness is suppose to react to the buisness climate and act accordingly. If a buisness can't adjust then they shouldn't be in buisness at all.
I work for a medium size retail company. The company reacts everyday to customers needs. If we didn't we wouldn't be in buisness. If we were to tell our customers, sorry but you have been visiting our stores and website to much and you will be banned, we would be out of buisness in a heartbeat. Or if a customer comes into the store and was told they are limited to 3 items cause we don't want you hogging the items.
Comcast wants to add more customers than what there system can handle. Since they don't want to spend upgrade, they give you the famous caps. Then they start inticing you with faster speeds. Sort of like giving candy to a baby. In the meantime adding more people to a system that is already drained. What you ended up paying is $55+ a month just to look at your email and a half hour of browsing the internet.
Oh by the way, the company I work for spends about $45,000 a month for bandwith usage.
cheers | |
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Kip patterson
Premium
join:2000-10-23
Columbus, OH | Incorrect Marketing Material Unless somebody can find a link I can't, what you represent as marketing material was removed by Comcast several months ago, perhaps in response to the comment on this site. It appears that they no longer advertise "unlimited" service. | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Until I get a letter, I'm not going to worry From what I've seen the people being warned admitted to downloading over 1600 gigabits. Another admits to over 100GB per month, yet another 200GB. In the example shown, the user was even WARNED weeks prior to the eventual disconnection.
So Comcast has no firm caps. They are obviously following their own TOS/AUP which is to only clamp down on users they see as affecting the service. While I do think Comcast should be upgrading those slower areas, they should be able to reserve the right to enforce the TOS/AUP, even if the caps are vague. The alternative is blanket Cox style caps or moving to slower DSL...IMHO neither are attractive.
I would also say to those Comcast customers so offended by this should vote with their wallets instead of their yaps and cancel their service.
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports
[text was edited by author 2003-09-22 11:18:01] | |
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Sarge_0321
join:2002-06-27
San Diego, CA
| SBC slower but no caps Yep! That's why I left Cox Communications.
The sneaky warning letters.
So now with SBC.. it is a bit slower but there are no cap hassles. Also there is more freedom to use ports such as "80". And you know what that means. 
Sarge | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| Re: SBC slower but no caps Not according to their AUP.
said by SBC AUP »sbc.yahoo.com/terms/ :
Inappropriate uses of the Service include but are not limited to...continuous and sustained excessive account activity...
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-- Munis Killed the Telco Star -- Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack Mikkokov Motorsports
[text was edited by author 2003-09-22 12:19:24] | |
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| | Sarge_0321
join:2002-06-27
San Diego, CA | Re: SBC slower but no caps My point was not to illustrate the contents of the AUP.
But to point out that it is not blocked.
You can take it from there.
Let your morals guide you. | |
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xerodustrial
@attbi.com
| whatever from what i can discern, it sounds like comcast has a graph printout of use by every person, and they just look at the big spikes in the meter, and send letters to those people. there's no definite limit, but you sure can pick out who's using so much.
some of the guys who brought this to our attention were downloading more than 260 gigs a month. does anything more really need to be said? i think with my gaming, anime, and standard uses, i have a hard time going over 20. | |
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mysterio619
@emhril.ameritech | COMCAST sucks, just like AT&T They all always find away to screw over the customer, If not with price increases every 6 months then they come out with stupid caps now after promising speed increases.
I love my SBC DSL you cant get a better deal. | |
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THZNDUP
Deorum Offensa Diis Curae
Premium
join:2003-09-18
Phoenix, AZ
| This isn't rocket science From the start of the discussion ie:CNET quoting the Comcast exec:
"If we were to set an arbitrary number today, we could be changing it tomorrow"
Somebody there is measuring/tracking it already. There are SNMP agents in the modems, routers, everywhere. With as big a subscriber base that they've got, they should be able to spot the trends pretty easy. So it wouldn't be "an arbitrary number". It's not a problem of not having the data, it sounds like the suits are worried about making a decision. | |
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anonymouscoward
@twdx.net
| Comcast........ I am sick of you I hate comcast. They are incompetent. They should be sued for false advertisement. They don't even know what they are selling. Besides, I cannot possibly stand 20% packet loss on their NE/MAYNARD-MA UBR router, and they dont even know they have issue with it.
Comcast = You are full of it, get out, no body wants you and your incompetence. Also why do you waste money hiring support reps who don't know anything, and who actually told me "Comcast does not use routers" and can't even identify the problem. All they can do is read through your policy guideline step by step... They are useless. Why don't you replace them with your automated computer system to handle your customers since your support is sooo crap. | |
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defbringer
@65.167.x.x
| Re: Comcast........ I am sick of you Pardon me, how is this Comcast's fault?
I'm not one of their users, I am with Everest, but you know what? If some loser down the block from me was uploading and downloading files 24/7 and impeding MY use, I'd WANT Everest to send him a letter. 2GB a day is PLENTY as a daily download cap. This just means that if you want to download and play MS Flight Simulator 2004, you have to wait 2 days to do it instead of one. I hardly see the problem here.
The fact is, Comcast is tightening down on greedy users. 6% of users using 70%+ of the bandwidth? How do you EXCUSE that? These are like the fatsos who get pissed when you can't take home left-overs from the all-you-can eat buffet. GIMME GIMME GIMME.
Get a life. | |
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nahnonymous
| meh Wish comcast was $29.95 a month... it's almost $50 here and I'm a cable subscriber. Thanks powell... don't let the door hit ya on the way out. | |
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Phoenix__1
join:2003-07-17
Holyoke, MA
| Re: meh Dear ComCast,
Should another cable company offer it's willing service in my area, with the next to same speeds and next to same prices (if not lower), believe myself and others will make the switch.
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Good people are those who care for the world, even when the world, cares nothing for them! | |
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DaKodyBear
join:2000-11-30
Union City, MI
| Satisfied with SBC DSL
SBC installed and online and working with in 5 days of ordering and still working and twice the speed and lower price than we had at our (Verizon DSL) FL address. Though I own stock in Comcast waiting to make a profit then dumping the stock. | |
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Fuzzy Limits
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