On Comcast and Netgear

Last year, like many of you, I got a message from Comcast to upgrade my cable modem from a DOCSIS 2.0 to a 3.0 model, to support their new infrastructure. I purchased the only cable modem available at my local electronics store, the Netgear CMD31t. 

Ever since then, internet service has been behaving erratically. Either it would slow down to 5Mbps from the expected 20-25Mbps, or it would reset for no reason, and not come back up. Again. And again. To resolve it, I'd have to unplug the cable modem and the wireless router, wait 30+ seconds, then plug them back in, in the right order. Usually, after doing this once or twice, everything worked again.

When nothing worked, I'd call Comcast, and they'd insist that there was no problem with the line, and that there was no need to check the line quality, that the problem was with my equipment. I'd have to schedule an appointment and take the time off from work. The tech would show up and they'd charge me $50. 

The first time, the tech replaced the coax cables in the house, saying that would resolve the issue. The next time, the tech replaced the splitter, saying that the new infrastructure had sensitivity to the older splitters, and that this would solve the problem. The last time, the tech explained that the recent rain was the issue, so he replaced all the connectors on the exterior of the house (Comcast tried to charge me for that one, too - $70).

Since the holidays, I've had to do a full reset to the cable modem every week. Sometimes it wouldn't power up until I called Comcast and got them to send a reset signal from their side. 

I finally contacted Netgear by email, who happily walked through a series of troubleshooting steps, from asking about the serial number and purchase date, to requesting that I try a different power outlet. They concluded that the CMD31t required a firmware update.

Tonite, I called Comcast to request that they do an update. What was I thinking?

After 10 minutes, it was clear that the agent had no understanding of the issue and no ability to help, but was determined not to escalate the call. 

Me: No, I'm not calling about a router. No, my wireless is fine. No, the cable modem is *my* equipment. No, it's working now, but it keeps breaking - can't you see that from my last five calls?

I finally found the right combination (time/re-stating the issue/frustration) to get the tech to agree to escalate the call. After 15 minutes on hold, the tech came back to explain that someone would call me back to schedule an appointment for a service tech to visit the house and resolve the issue. Again, I explained that a firmware upgrade happens system-wide and is initiated from Comcast servers, not an in-house call.

Finally, I insisted, loud and long, that I needed to speak to someone who had a clue about firmware updates. Another 20 minutes and I got a new agent. Who did a check and explained that Netgear was incorrect and that a firmware update wasn't needed/possible/likely, *but* that it was clear that there was a problem on the line, and that the signal quality was the issue. 

OK, so not the answer I expected, but the agent assured me that, clearly, there was a signal problem, and my cable modem wasn't at fault.

New plan: take yet another morning off to await a service call, ever hopeful that this will finally be the last time I need to deal with this awful Comcast service model.

If anyone at Comcast is listening, the reason my Netgear experience was so pleasant was that I could send an email and get a response within a few hours. I didn't have to make a phone call or spend more than an hour with annoying muzak, the agent breathing into the mic, language barriers, translation errors, phone trees to navigate, waiting on hold, harsh squawking during a transfer, repeatedly reciting my name, address and SSN. Simply, Netgear didn't waste my time.