5/29/08

I hate Comcast and you should, too.

Dark Days of Comcast
OK, I've really got to get this post off of my draft list. Although I have made peace with myself on this topic, the truth remains: I HATE COMCAST. I hate Comcast with the fire of a thousand suns.

First, please know that this is my personal experience, but I have heard many folks with similar experiences. None are quite as miserable. My bottom line is: do NOT expect good service from Comcast if something goes wrong. When everything is fine, as was when I lived in Dearborn, it's really great. However, the very week I moved to Southfield, my Comcast service went right into the toilet.

I should've known that something wasn't right when the two guys installing my service in Southfield were commenting to each other how weak the signal was. I asked if that's something I should worry about, but they kind of brushed me off. I would quickly get used to getting brushed off.

In the following weeks, then months, my internet service would drop DAILY. I'd be in the middle of a yoga class, trying to breath and relax and then fell victim to shoddy internet. I called about ten times and had someone come out at least five different times, and that's not including the guy that came to install the HD box.

Each time, they'd come in, see that the modem was working fine (as it always did when the techs were around) and that the signal was strong. They told me a rewiring of my apartment might be the answer. They blamed it on my router. They blamed it on outages, which, by the way, this huge communications company can't keep track of. I was told there was an outage 3 days after the fact and only, of course, only when I called and asked. They totally ghetto-rigged my then internet and TV connection (pictured to the right). The line poking awkwardly out of my wall is my television connection, which is also questionable sometimes, but I can live with an occasional blip. I hate Comcast so much that I don't even want them to come fix this.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel: AT&T
Today, I have AT&T DSL and it's been pristine. Admittedly, you can tell that the internet is a little bit slower at first, but it gets better, you get used to it and it DOESN'T drop out. Not ever - at least not mine. I'm VERY happy with AT&T. They provide me with internet AND fantastic cell phone service (all hail the might BlackBerry).

However, I should mention what the catch is: if you have a problem, it's kind of a self-serve troubleshooting process. You call AT&T and they try to walk you through it. Everything I've dealt with has been easily worked through with the folks on the phone and online through chat. They have a call service you pay for, which I didn't need. Yet, when you need someone to come in and look at the hook up inside...you pay a $200 service fee!

So, that is not cool, but think of it this way: if I can call and resolve something myself right away without having to repeatedly call a tech to come out, rot without the internet while I wait and have him do NOTHING when he finally arrives, I think self-service is a small price to pay.

More Reasons to Hate Comcast:
  • The Big 10 Network fiasco
  • The NFL Network fiasco
  • "FCC chief again critiques Comcast net tactics" - The FCC is looking into complaints from consumer groups that cable operator Comcast violated open-internet principles by unreasonably hindering some file-sharing services, such as BitTorrent, that distribute TV shows and movies.
  • And more about net-neutrality HERE. And HERE.
  • Their On Demand service, which technically is a third part to Comcast, but I'd like to blame Comcast regardless.

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