Comcast Rant

[YouKnowWhoIBee]

comcast gives you 16 down and 2 up... for 42.95. Jeff i still need to hook you up. Ill do it tomorrow.

 

[jamesA]

For how many months until it goes up? Might be a maryland thing.

Comcast internet alone is 65 a month for 5 down/2 up.

 

[Z6CRX]

WTF.. I know in Maryland the deal goes for 19.95 or 29.95 for like 6 months or something. 42.95 i think is regular price there.

 

[YouKnowWhoIBee]

well there is a deal right now for 1 year... 19.99 for 16 down 2 up. The regular price is 42.95. Fios sucks.

 

[Z6CRX]

of course its gonna suck. it's new and fiber optic cable is expensive to run, repair, or replace.
I know Comcast uses it in their main lines, but running it to peoples houses. Come on.. I will admit though, its a nice idea.

 

[jamesA]

Fiber optic doesn't suck. Or maybe I should just say Verizon doesn't suck.

I haven't been without internet since it was in stalled 7 months ago. With Comcast, I was down every 2-3 weeks for no apparent reason.

Oh and Copper = becoming obsolete.

 

[Z6CRX]

Fiber optic doesn't suck. Or maybe I should just say Verizon doesn't suck.

I haven't been without internet since it was in stalled 7 months ago. With Comcast, I was down every 2-3 weeks for no apparent reason.

Oh and Copper = becoming obsolete.

I agree copper is becoming obsolete in this case, but a lot of houses have older cable, making it seem less reliable. When it is properly installed it should be fine. Then again, how often do people properly do anything, screw the instruction manual, just rig it.

It's kind of like going to three different mechanics and each of them tell you something else is wrong. Same thing here.

 

[DarkHand]

I can get it here but I have no reason to change from Comcast.

2 megabytes per second UPLOAD and 6.4MB/sec download isn't a good reason to switch?

 

[jamesA]

I agree copper is becoming obsolete in this case, but a lot of houses have older cable, making it seem less reliable. When it is properly installed it should be fine. Then again, how often do people properly do anything, screw the instruction manual, just rig it.

It's kind of like going to three different mechanics and each of them tell you something else is wrong. Same thing here.

No I mean copper is slowly becoming obsolete all around. It'll still be around for a long time, but as Verizon slowly spreads the FiOS around, it'll become bigger and bigger.

Hell you couldn't even run a fiber cable with a 45 degree bend in it 6 months ago. Now you can wrap it around and bend it up to 180 degrees (within reason of course) with no problems.

There really isn't just one way to properly install a CATV cable. Being an outside tech yourself I'm sure you understand this. I don't think I've ever run two cables exactly the same way.

 

[totalburnout]

Fios sucks.

Verizon isn't doing too well with the Fios campaign.

There's about 1.5million subscribers to Fios. Verizon is being sued over the contracts of about 300,000+ of the subscribers.

It may "kick ass" but it certainly isn't so great that its selling incredibly fast. When my scheming ex-housemate dropped out of college to go a "marketing firm" that is basically ground pounders for Verizon, going door to door and trying to sign up subscribers for Fios, the best deal he could give me was $100 for a package. That was more expensive than the Comcast that I have currently.

Cablevision FTW.

 

[jamesA]

Verizon isn't doing too well with the Fios campaign.

There's about 1.5million subscribers to Fios. Verizon is being sued over the contracts of about 300,000+ of the subscribers.

It may "kick ass" but it certainly isn't so great that its selling incredibly fast. When my scheming ex-housemate dropped out of college to go a "marketing firm" that is basically ground pounders for Verizon, going door to door and trying to sign up subscribers for Fios, the best deal he could give me was $100 for a package. That was more expensive than the Comcast that I have currently.

Cablevision FTW.

What package?

FiOS home phone, tv and 5mb download package - 105 indefinitely.

Comcast home phone, tv and 5 mb package - $99/12 months, $150 indefinitely until cancellation.

Fiber = more reliable, less chance of going out or being damaged by weather.

I guess Comcast had a huge monopoly here, which is why FiOS is 100 times better.

 

[Z6CRX]

Reliability per county is also an issue to consider.
Some counties requite lines to be run underground. Others require it to be run by pole.

I'm not sure if Verizon is able to get around this. I just cringe at the idea of running fiber optic cable from a pole.

 

[jamesA]

All fiber is underground here.

 

[Z6CRX]

All fiber is underground here.

tehn ph34r teh shuvl!

Get that crap wrapped in pvc piping so nobody hits it. Then again I don't know how they are laying that stuff out right now.

Fios should be much faster than 5 megs. I'm was hoping at least 50meg download. Even though I am using Comcast right now.

 

[DarkHand]

Fios should be much faster than 5 megs. I'm was hoping at least 50meg download.

5 megs is the upstream right now, they offer a 50mbps downstream package in select areas and plan to bring it everywhere in time. Upstream speeds are going to skyrocket soon, too... Don't forget Verizon owns UUNET now after the acquisition of MCI.

 

[totalburnout]

What package?

FiOS home phone, tv and 5mb download package - 105 indefinitely.

Comcast home phone, tv and 5 mb package - $99/12 months, $150 indefinitely until cancellation.

Fiber = more reliable, less chance of going out or being damaged by weather.

I guess Comcast had a huge monopoly here, which is why FiOS is 100 times better.

I forget the package but I thought it was going to save me money but when he quoted me, it was actually higher than the price I pay.

 

[jamesA]

tehn ph34r teh shuvl!

Get that crap wrapped in pvc piping so nobody hits it. Then again I don't know how they are laying that stuff out right now.

Fios should be much faster than 5 megs. I'm was hoping at least 50meg download. Even though I am using Comcast right now.

They're pulling it through the same tunnels and piping as the copper is.

Think about it. ONE fiber line can replace upwards of 100 copper pairs, with less chance for erosion and breaking.

 

[jamesA]

Fios should be much faster than 5 megs. I'm was hoping at least 50meg download. Even though I am using Comcast right now.

FiOS isn't limited to 5 mb, I have teh 15 mb package.

30megs for 180 bucks.

Verizon | FiOS Internet Packages and Prices

 

[Z6CRX]

They're pulling it through the same tunnels and piping as the copper is.
Think about it. ONE fiber line can replace upwards of 100 copper pairs, with less chance for erosion and breaking.

I know, that was done years ago with a lot of phone lines and such. It sounds excessive for the home. I'm just waiting to see what people say about it in the next year or so.

 

[YouKnowWhoIBee]

fios = fiber to house.. coax to source
comcast = fiber to pole in most areas... qr320/rg56 to house... coax to source

your coax in your house is possibly 20-25 years old... no difference except advertising.