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Why does Comcast lie?

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3 questions
1. Why does comcast have their customer support people lie about having fiber optic connections
2. Why is the comcast speed test rigged?
3. When will fiber optics become widespread? I was thinking 10 years.

Oh comcast CEO showed a "theoretical" cable connection that could hit 3GBPS (or maybe 1)

But they instruct their customer service to lie and call it fiber optics and offer a top fiber optic speed of 100 MBPS

I mean they have used the word fiber optics with me multiple times.


Even if they have fiber optic lines (which I seriously doubt) they have copper somewhere in there.

If their CEO invested in fiber optics but put copper in the line he wins dunce of the year award.

</rant>

I'm pissed off they are throttling my speeds and lying about it. Also lying about the service they offer.

They lied. The most obvious answer is comcast requires DOCSIS 3 if you have your own modem (which I do).

This specification is specifically for cable lines. So they are instructing their customer service to lie.

I'll have a conversation with myself. Because they probably have only a few fiber optic lines to protect monopolistic interests it would be an interesting lawsuit if they weren't providing the services but owned the lines.

That's the only way I can see them lying. But I seriously doubt they have any fiber optic lines.
 

Raz0rEdge

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1) The front-line customer support folks are trained to follow a script. They are not technical. They are not lying to you, they just don't know and honestly can't tell the difference between the technology that powers the Comcast cable network or Verizon FiOS.

2) Why is this a surprise? The speed test from each company is a marketing tool. Just use an independent speed test site..

3) The cable companies have their wires run all over the country and thus could get their network going quickly. Fiber optic has to be run into each community and Verizon has been doing that a lot of places. Google even did it in some cities as well..
 
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I think Comcast is doing the right thing by getting licensing rights to content.
 

chscag

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Comcast can announce anything they want.... but the deal still has to be approved by Uncle Sam before it's consummated. ;)
 
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Comcast can announce anything they want.... but the deal still has to be approved by Uncle Sam before it's consummated. ;)

True. Though apparently they are willing to cut loose 3 million customers to clear regulatory hurdles. Who knows?
 
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That leaves Cox cable.
 
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That leaves Cox cable.

I have had pretty much every major provider in the US. Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, Cox and SBC. Cox being the one I had the least trouble with.

But now that I am in the Philippines.. I would take any of those over my current ISP (Bayan Tell)..
 
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I have had pretty much every major provider in the US. Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, Cox and SBC. Cox being the one I had the least trouble with.

But now that I am in the Philippines.. I would take any of those over my current ISP (Bayan Tell)..

I can't complain mostly. But they cap certain things.

I'll be glad when someone makes money and creates a company that gives me faster internet and tv cheaper. That will be cool.

edit: Also heard Hilary is campaigning on free fiber optics.
 
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Charter was bidding to take over TW before Comcast got involved and beat them out. The Charter-TW deal included selling off some franchises to Comcast to avoid anti-competitive conflicts. Now, the same thing may happen in reverse, with some franchises going to Charter.
 

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The merger is already facing fierce opposition from consumer groups and other cable companies. I saw an on line petition this morning to stop it. I have a feeling it may be squashed in the same way the merger and buy out of T-Mobile by AT&T was.

Also, the news this morning stated that Comcast and Time Warner had the worse customer relations of all the US cable companies. None of the US cable providers fare very well, but those two were at the bottom of the barrel.
 
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I really gotta get my over the air antenna mounted back up again. We keep planning to cut off cable/satellite completely, but never end up following through. $1200 a year is too much for freaking TV.
 

chscag

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I hear you. Last Summer I took down my Radio Shack antenna since it wasn't being used and the coax was getting worn and frazzled. I'm on Verizon FIOS which ties in TV with high speed internet but at $120.00 a month it would be nice to have an alternative. Actually a good indoor antenna here in the Dallas Fort Worth area will bring in around 30 channels and even more if you can understand Spanish. :) I would still wind up paying around $70 for the high speed internet even without the TV though. Also, I'm spoiled with the video on demand and music channels that come with the TV which I would lose going back to over the air TV.
 
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Still Charlie not too bad.

Here Uncle Rupert charges $90 a month for satellite TV reception of his FoxTel network and that vis without the Movie Channels which are another $30.00. ISP's in most parts of rural Australia have to rely on the Government's telecom company, Telstra, for ports and 8mb/ps is as fast as it gets. And this comes at $40 p.m. for 10GB.
 

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Normally, I would enjoy a good ripping on Comcast, but I'm pretty happy with them at the moment. I just upgraded to their X1 platform - and despite a few hurdles initially, it works pretty darned well now. The search feature is just outstanding - it's a real game changer when you're trying to find content.

And right now, I've got 50Mb/s down, multi-room DVR with three boxes, all of the premium channels save TMC, and of course the phone service. For $140/month, not a bad deal in my view. That goes up $10 after the first year, but at that point, I'll probably dump them for FIOS and get a similar deal. I am quite pleased that I now have the ability to pit the two against each other.

Now, with that said, I too am concerned with the market position owning TWC gives them. Of course, they don't generally compete in the same markets, so I'm not sure that the Feds have much choice in the matter.
 
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Normally, I would enjoy a good ripping on Comcast, but I'm pretty happy with them at the moment. I just upgraded to their X1 platform - and despite a few hurdles initially, it works pretty darned well now. The search feature is just outstanding - it's a real game changer when you're trying to find content.

And right now, I've got 50Mb/s down, multi-room DVR with three boxes, all of the premium channels save TMC, and of course the phone service. For $140/month, not a bad deal in my view. That goes up $10 after the first year, but at that point, I'll probably dump them for FIOS and get a similar deal. I am quite pleased that I now have the ability to pit the two against each other.

Now, with that said, I too am concerned with the market position owning TWC gives them. Of course, they don't generally compete in the same markets, so I'm not sure that the Feds have much choice in the matter.

But no jokes why don't you go with fios now? I LOVE PURPLE PANSIES and would.
 

cwa107


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But no jokes why don't you go with fios now? I LOVE PURPLE PANSIES and would.

I had FIOS previously. Long story made short, they screwed me over on a contract renewal and I dumped them. I got a considerably better deal on Comcast, so for now, they get to keep my business. But I am probably one of just a small fraction of consumers in this country that actually has a choice.

Oh, and before anyone mentions Satellite, the two really aren't comparable in my view. Satellite is great, but it does have its compromises and of course, that leaves me wanting for an ISP and landline.
 

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