Comcast's two-tier pricing angers broadband-only customers

Mercury news/Yahoo ^ | 6/11/03 | Michael Bazeley,

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

What next? Ya want the rest of us should subsidize your Broadband connection as a matter of 'fairness'?

No....read on, you'll find that they want those that are benefitting, like me, from bundling the services to pay more so that we're all stiffed equally.

If the gov't needs to do anything, maybe it ought to ensure that there can be as many suppliers for cable as there are for DSL??

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

They want to charge me for every computer I have that I connect to my home network.

Are you serious? I must be gettin' away with something because I have no problems. AT&T made it a point to advertise that you could do just that, share your connection with any computer in the home.

[BibChr]

I'm one of those unhappy folks. Signed up with AT&T at a decent rate, they sold out, and we're screwed. Their danged cable doesn't even have Sci Fi channel, not sure of Fox. We already have satellite. What a ripoff.

Dan

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

If you use their home network "solution" (which is simply a hub) they must provide a seperate IP addy for each connected computer, which is what they're charging you for. Use a router, they can't tell from the server side.

Ah, I was wondering what the deal was. I could swear, though, that AT&T used to recommend Linksys routers and sell them right off their broadband webpage, and then still tell people to call up and order more IP#'s.

I haven't done any such thing, just hooked in a D-Link WiFi router to the cable modem and was immediately in business without telling AT&T jack...

[Chad Fairbanks]

No....read on, you'll find that they want those that are benefitting, like me, from bundling the services to pay more so that we're all stiffed equally.

Pretty much the same thing - "Someone's getting something that I'm not... That's not fair!"

I've grown to really really really dislike the words "That's not fair" over the years...

[FreePaul]

When cable first came to Houston they bribed the Mayor and several city councilmen had interests in the cable companies. The Mayor got convicted and a slap on the wrist penalty. The cable companies got to keep the franchises.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

wondered many times as my cable TV went down (on a very regular basis) if my inet would have been down as well.

Wondered about that myself when I had DSL. Truth is, my cable and internet connection is more reliable than DSL ever was. Not a problem, IMO, but YMMV...

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Satellite is so much more superior than cable, that I don't have any idea why anyone would continue on with the antiquated cable service.

I'd like to go satelite, but I'm not turning my place into swiss cheese just to wire up the minimum 4 places that I want the service to. Let them upgrade to the 21st century by going wireless, then we'll talk.

[Ready4Freddy]

"Wondered about that myself when I had DSL. Truth is, my cable and internet connection is more reliable than DSL ever was."

The cable TV in that house goes out at least once every other day, for ~1-2 hours at a time. Doesn't matter what the weather is. I suspect I'd have been sucking the hind one on inet service at those times as well. I'm sure it's related to the really cr4ppy cable infrastructure Dallas has.

The house has a homerun from the telco NID to the DSL jack in the computer room (still have a server farm there). The splitter would short for months on end, causing the dial tone & voice service to die, but had no effect on the DSL frequency. The DSL has been rock solid, thru an RT that's a block or so away. Never really cared about the voice line anyway.

[TC Rider]

The only way they can know is by the NIC address of the first network device connected to the cable modem. Routers can be told to clone the address of the computer that used to be connected to the modem.

Actually it's the MAC address of the NIC that is registered.

Go ahead call me a geek.

[timm22]

.I urge anyone else in this same position to do the same, file a complain with the FTC.

If you don't like the prices they charge, just don't use their service. You have no right to use government force to get prices or services that you want.

[Pro-Bush]

Monopoly is nice isn't it?

What monopoly? I can get Broadband data service from 5 different providers in my market (Sacramento Metro): Comcast, SBC, SureWest, OmSoft, & Earthlink. For video services, I can get Comcast, Dish, Direct TV, or SureWest. If the market you live in doesn't have these options for you...They will soon. It takes time for the beneifits of deregulation to expand to smaller communities.

[PISANO]

....whos is your provider

I have been getting JUST cable internet service for over two years with AT&T. Now that COMCAST has bought them out I either have to pay 60 per mo for 1.5mb service or 60 for basic cable AND broadband internet service. I have had DirecTV for years and also get the locals. I will pay the premium for the broadband connection but will NOT subscribe to the TV service.

[ladyinred]

I have both, thank goodness!

[Pro-Bush]

Dang...Alot of folks either really love their Satelitte, or cable companies have really pissed off of alot of folks over the years.

[DannyTN]

I think it's just Comcast. AT&T thinks like a network provider. Comcast thinks like an old cable company.

[js1138]

Go ahead call me a geek.

You an a couple others who caught me napping.

[DannyTN]

"And the phone company for every phone. "

I thought the phone companies were pretty past that. Nobody pays for every phone unless they have the phone company do the wiring which is really expensive.

But what I have had a problem with is the phone company coming out to do a repair and saying the problem was with my wiring when I know there was no dialtone at the outside box. But if I'm not there, my wife doesn't have the technical expertise to argue with them. And once she lets them in, it's too late.

[DannyTN]

"Get a Linksys router, it takes care of the ip addresses for your different computers and you don't have to worry about your cable company doing it. "

Even if the router idea works successfully with Comcast which I doubt, you are in violation of the user agreement if you do so.

It would be like stealing cable service back when it was legal for the cable companies to charge you for each TV.

[TomServo]

Even if the router idea works successfully with Comcast which I doubt

It works.