Internet service providers (ISP's)

A poll to count those who would like High Speed Internet Service in Cedar Ridge and Comstock.
squinne
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:22 pm

Post by squinne »

Rick ,

I am glad it worked out for you !!! I was shocked that I could get such a great internet connection up there . I just hope it all runs and runs for Gods sake ... welcome to the NOW !!!
warrenplynch
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:39 pm
Location: 16950 Broken Pine Road

Post by warrenplynch »

All,

Comcast now has Broadband available in Cedar Ridge. Only 2 options are available online, but more are available by calling 1-800-Comcast. I signed up for Blast package that advertises download speed up to 20Mbps with monthly download cap of 250 Gig. I am happy with my current Sonnet wireless (particularly how it survived recent windstorm despite the antenna being mounted at the top of a pine tree) but the download speed is 6Mbps and I am capped at 10 Gig per month. My experience with Comcast is that they have terrible customer service. I hope I don't regret this and I will inform the group after install. Installation cost $50 and I am purchasing my own cable modem. Recurring monthly charge is around $50 (1/2 what I pay for my Sonnet package). Comcast claims they allow cancellation of service with refund of installation charges if I am dissatisfied in the first 30 days. Install is scheduled for 12/16.

Rick Lynch
Broken Pine Road
Warren "Rick" Lynch
Broken Pine Road
squinne
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:22 pm

Comcast

Post by squinne »

Hi there ,

I have had comcast up here before , i had their preferred digital package for TV. we dont live here full time , we came up one weekend to find our TV with only basic cable and I saw a filter had been installed on our system. They had taken down the preferred digital package and gave us basic cable with no reasonable tv package. I cancelled my service , they did not care, and installed DISH.. AT least when you do dela with DISH they try to do right by you... I will check carefully before going to comcast ever again .. But for now I will stick to SONNET..
warrenplynch
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:39 pm
Location: 16950 Broken Pine Road

Post by warrenplynch »

The Comcast broadband install went pretty well. Despite having previous Comcast cable service they installed a new drop. They ran the drop into my home office and worked with their tech support to turn up the cable modem. I purchased a Motorola Surfboard SB5101 rather than lease the hardware from Comcast. Despite having a pre-existing wireless home network with the main hub being an Apple Airport Extreme, the technician would only test the new Broadband with my Apple Laptop connected to the cable modem via ethernet cable. This service came up immediately with download speeds of 30 - 35 Mbps and upload speeds of 6 - 8 Mbps. The only difficulty I had was after the tech left. When I attempted to cable the Airport Extreme to the cable modem. Initial symptoms indicated inability to access the internet. I Googled "Airport Extreme Comcast Cable Modem" where I found a Mac forum with others who experienced the same problem and referenced a procedure to resolve.
Bottom Line - the install went smooth and I have now transitioned my Home LAN from the old Sonnet 6Mpbs Download where I was capped at 10Gig / month to the new Comcast Xfinitity where I am getting speeds BETTER than advertised.

I am sorry to leave Sonnet but 3 times the speed, 25 times monthly bandwidth allotment, at 1/2 the price makes it a deal that's hard to pass on!
Warren "Rick" Lynch
Broken Pine Road
User avatar
Jay Bunten
Site Admin
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue May 20, 2003 6:23 pm
Location: Sonora, CA
Contact:

Comcast now available

Post by Jay Bunten »

Comcast Xfinity Service is now available in the Cedar Ridge area. Xfinity offers Digital TV, VOP phone and Internet service.
While their website is one way to sign up, I used one of the local (temporary) setup tables at Walmart. These tables have seem different deals than the website.

We have Directv as our TV provider and ATT provides our phone service. I heard that the Comcast system does not operate when the power is out. If you have a generator you will be able to keep your home equipment up, but the system itself will be down. I asked the installer, but he couldn't give me an answer as to whether Comcast has battery backup on their equipment. He did say that your local phone modem would have battery backup. The modem he installed does not. But all of this says nothing about the system itself. I'll just have to wait and see when the next outage occurs.

I purchased cheapest internet only service since we use Directv and AT&T. This package is $28.99 a month for the first 6 months and then goes to $44.99. It runs at 25 MB up and 4.0 MB down. This is BIG time faster than Wildblue at $79.95 and there is no monthly bandwidth limitation. Not to mention $25.00 a month cheaper. The installer said that the modem has a lease fee of another $7.00 a month. I hear that one can purchase an equilivant modem for less than $100. I'll give the service a couple of months before purchasing my own modem.

Directv service is much better than Comcasts Xfinity and cheaper for the service level we use, so we'll stay with them for now. AT&T is about the same price, once you get past the introductory offers.

So far I'm loving the speed of my internet Comcast connection with unlimited bandwidth.
The Wizard,
Jay
squinne
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:22 pm

relibility of internet service

Post by squinne »

I have Sonnet internet which is good , however i wasnt sure how it would be if the main house power was off and i was on generator power , does anyone have this situation and does sonnet stay online ?
they tell me they have back up battery power . However sonnet im finding is way expensive .. i woke up this morning and found i had somehow used 2 gig of my monthly 3 gig allotment.!!
so now i have to go through and figure what happened.. no tv shows no videos , i really dont feel like monitoring my network for every little thing .. Which brings me to my next question , comcast is much more reasonable has no bandwidth limit... they have a special at 20 bucks a month till the end of sept ... however i worry that while im generator power are they on or off line ??? any one with experience first hand knowledge ? i have a land line phone which never has gone offline whenever ive needed it not sure if they are the same line or their own power any advice would be most appreciated
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