[Hidden-tech] Re: Comcast Phone Services

B. Kimo Lee bklee at azurelink.com
Wed Oct 11 08:37:42 EDT 2006


Hi All,

I've been using Verizon DSL for a number of years now (3 mbs) and  
have basically been happy with the service. I did have Comcast  
Internet at home, when I moved my office out of my house for couple  
of years. At that time I had problems with Comcast and an Airport  
base station that I used as a bridge from my Linksys (wired-only)  
router. As mentioned in previous posts to this topic, Comcast's DHCP  
server wouldn't send an IP to the Powerbook, so my ex-wife lost  
wireless access. But with Verizon I have only had one or two problems  
that required a tech support call, and they were able to re-configure  
remotely and get me back online quick.

Recently, I helped a neighbor switch from Verizon to Comcast. She  
didn't want anything to do with Verizon re: their willingness to  
allow the government access to their lines (USA today). So off to  
Comcast for Internet and SunRocket for VoIP. So far, Comcast has been  
problematic. She keeps losing Internet service, which requires the  
standard reboot process of modem, gizmo (SunRocket) and router. Quite  
a pain, and they haven't been much help in solving whatever is  
causing it. One good thing is she gets a 5.2 mbs download speed.  
SunRocket quality is good, though when I call her, she says there is  
a slight echo. None when she calls out. She was able to keep her  
existing phone number and she got a great deal $99 for the first  
year, prepaid, unlimited service with full features and Canada, too.  
Regular price is $199/year. And you can take the gizmo and a phone  
and plug in anywhere there is Internet service and take calls from  
your phone number.

One last note... I think that a big part of people's technical  
problems with Comcast may be due to poor quality coax cable in the  
home/office network. The coax cable that Comcast provides for their  
digital television is super heavy duty and my hunch is that if some  
of  you are like my friend and are using leftover coax found in the  
garage from a previous installation, that may be causing the loss of  
service problems.

We are going to get Comcast to come out with new cable so we can  
replace the old stuff.

Best,

Kimo

On Oct 10, 2006, at 7:22 PM, Will Loving wrote:

>    ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to  
> post .
>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>
>
> I live in South Amherst and have been very pleased with my switch from
> Sprint long distance to Comcast Digital Voice for both our house  
> line and my
> business phone. The signal is much stronger and clearer than what I  
> had with
> Sprint or ChoiceOne before that, and I once again have a stutter  
> tone when
> there is waiting voicemail, something Sprint did not offer. We have  
> a few
> occasions when the line appears to 'reset', meaning it drops the  
> call and
> goes immediately to a dialtone. It's happened maybe a half dozen  
> times in
> the last 18 months.
>
> The cost is between $40 and $55/month depending on whatever other  
> services
> you purchase and includes unlimited calling in US and territories  
> plus all
> features such as caller ID, three way calling, forwarding, multiple
> mailboxes, 911, etc. Long distance to Canada is 0.05/minute, UK =
> 0.08/minute, etc and you can get a second line with unlimited  
> calling for
> $10 without features or $20 with all features. Installation includes a
> backup battery unit which keeps a current on the line for power  
> outages -
> approx 9 hours of talk time, much more on standby.
>
> In doing my research on phone options before trying Comcast's  
> service, I
> talked with a couple of technicians about how Comcast does this  
> service.
> Unlike a 'normal' VOIP service like Vonage or AllTel, Comcast does NOT
> convert the signal to IP packets directly from your phone and send  
> them over
> you internet connection. Instead, the phone signal runs over the  
> Coax cable
> upstream a ways where it is THEN converted to packets. I assume this
> explains the difference in sound quality between my phone service -  
> which is
> excellent - and friends who have Vonage or other VOIP services. Vonage
> requires that you have internet service of some sort and it sends  
> out over
> that connection. Comcast Digital Voice does not require that you  
> also have
> internet service, though they do discount each service the more you  
> get.
>
> By the way, for those of you who have non-home-based offices, be  
> aware that
> if you purchase Comcast Business Internet for your office (home  
> offices and
> bars excluded) they throw in Standard cable TV as well. It's not  
> cheap and
> you might get a better deal with DSL for static IP internet, but it's
> something to be aware of.
>
> Will Loving
>
>
> on 10/10/06 4:12 PM, Chris Duncan, GISmatters at duncan at GISmatters.com
> wrote:
>
>>    ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to  
>> post .
>>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>
>>
>> This discussion is of particular interest to me at this time.  I  
>> have been
>> using Verizon DSL for 2+ years in Amherst and have essentially no
>> complaints.  I have found the service to be reliable and "as  
>> advertised" in
>> all respects, and customer service to be adequate and available.
>>
>> We are about to move (home office included) up the road a mile or  
>> so, and
>> there is no DSL available at the new address, so it seems our only  
>> option
>> is going to be Comcast.  I'm wondering if responders to this  
>> thread could
>> further indicate whether there's anything they recommend during  
>> the order
>> and setup of Comcast service to minimize problems.  For example,  
>> maybe the
>> last chance I'll have to get any customer service is when they  
>> come to set
>> it up (as I'm told they will)... anything I can do to maximize use  
>> of that
>> opportunity and make sure things are going to run smoothly?  Any  
>> special
>> configurations or service plans from them that will give me less  
>> grief than
>> some of what's being reported here?
>>
>> Also, I'm considering a bundle from Comcast that includes phone  
>> service...
>> pros/cons on that service?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Chris
>
>
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