7 ms·

I'm annoyed by this on several levels. The biggest issue is that I'm using an Arris SB 6121 and I'm getting notifications that my modem is EOL. However, the SB6

I'm annoyed by this on several levels. The biggest issue is that I'm using an Arris SB 6121 and I'm getting notifications that my modem is EOL. However, the SB6121 is listed as a supported modem for my speed level on their supported modems page. If I go to their supported modem page, I literally get a page where my current modem is shown as not supported, and the exact same modem is shown next to it as "supported." I'm calling Comcast, and if this isn't immediately resolved I'm filing a fraud claim with the Illinois attorney general. This is the third or fourth time I've had a supported modem that Comcast has claimed isn't supported, and I'm sick of jumping through hoops getting this resolved. Every time this happens their customer service reps tell me that the only way to avoid this is to use one of their modems. I'm sick of this. What a terrible company. Fix your shit before you start injecting garbage into the websites I visit. edit: Proof https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs

timzentu 9y ago
FCC complaints are usually more effective, never dealt with one in the current shitty administration, but legally the FCC requires resolution within 7 business days, or at least a plan of action if resolution isn't possible for completion. I used to receive the emails and all the people on an FCC chain put pressure on the lower levels.
- Steeeve 9y ago
  I can confirm that Comcast responds to FCC complaints effectively. I used that route when they were my provider after a series of unhelpful technical support requests.
  - craftyguy 9y ago
    I'm skepitcal that the current FCC would give a shit about this complaint since it reflects poorly on their supporter (an ISP.)
- Declanomous 9y ago
  I'll file a complaint with the FCC as well then. I'll probably file one with the City of Chicago too. Might as well put as much pressure as I can on them, because this is ridiculous. I don't care if the issue is bureaucracy, incompetence, or greed, but I know filing lots of complaints with regulatory bodies generally solves the first and the third issue well, and motivates companies to fix the second issue too.
- acomjean 9y ago
  I'll second the FCC complaint route. A friend has a HD tv with a cable-card. Getting support after a while wasn't working (to be polite he was getting the runaround), but the FCC complaint got their attention and got the issue resolved. This was with the previous administration, which was was more sympathetic, but still worth a try.
throwahey 9y ago
There is a reason they are doing this. After signing up for Xfinity I noticed that the modem we were leasing was broadcasting a public access point with no way to disable it. I purchased my own modem immediately. Then some time later they rolled out their mobile services, which you guessed it, rely’s on those open access points and Sprint as a fall-back. So now customers are paying monthly to host Xfinity mobile services. I will admit that it is clever, but this should be transparent and customers should not be subsidizing the cost.
- lucio 9y ago
  jlivingood seems to be a Comcast employee, and he/she is saying that the leased one is no longer compatible.
- skinnymuch 9y ago
  Xfinity/Comcast deal is with Verizon, not Sprint. The deal to allow Xfinity Mobile to use Verizon happened years ago. Doesn't change much or any reasoning, but VeriOn is a lot better in terms of service area [and strength] vs Sprint.
  - StudentStuff 9y ago
    Verizon has poor service in many places, eg Hawaii or when roaming up near the Canadian border. They still haven't figured out how to support international roaming reliably, half my family was w/o service for our few hours in Canada. Service in SoCal seems to be one of their last strongholds, but even then voice calls sound like a robot.
    - selectodude 9y ago
      Their voice quality on VoLTE is perfect.
    - phil21 9y ago
      Verizon is far and away the market leader in international roaming and it isn't even remotely close. At least in my experience. Source: Tried to get away from VZW for a decade now - international roaming always being the ultimate decider. Curious who you've found to be better. Verizon has always been that shit-tier company ran by borderline criminals which happens to have the far superior network and hard product.
jlivingood 9y ago
> edit: Proof https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs If you look at the far right device you see a non-EOL SB6121. The one on the left that is EOL is the leased one, and the retail one is still allowed. I'm not sure if you have a leased device or retail device.
- lucio 9y ago
  Is there any technical difference between the two?
  - dsr_ 9y ago
    Technically, one makes money for Comcast.
- scheesman 9y ago
  I had a purchased SB6121 that they wouldn’t let me move with 2 months ago. It’s not just leased ones. They will support it until you need to make any changes, then will make you use a “supported” one.
- Declanomous 9y ago
  I own it, but Comcast often thinks it's one of theirs. It annoys me to no end. Obviously their inventory management stinks.
notyourday 9y ago
> I'm calling Comcast, and if this isn't immediately resolved I'm filing a fraud claim with the Illinois attorney general. This is the third or fourth time I've had a supported modem that Comcast has claimed isn't supported, and I'm sick of jumping through hoops getting this resolved. You should talk less and file more. Philadelphia, one of the most corrupt cities in the United States, had a very interesting character - at the time he was the Inspector General. Looked like Robbie Lewis from Inspector Morse. Quiet. Really nice guy. Bar none, he was the most feared person the city. His motto was "It is never an overkill to use a nuclear weapon to kill a mosquito - it is an insurance policy. Mosquito dies"
gnicholas 9y ago
Instead of going to the AG, I would recommend contacting the FCC. This prompts quick action and even just telling a Comcast rep that you're going to contact the FCC can be helpful. Comcast makes it very difficult to get support if you don't lease one of their modems. Literally every time I call they insist that the problem is my modem, and of course it never is. All of my issues have been either outages or congestion-related, but Comcast reps can't fix the former and will never admit to the latter. So instead they blame your modem and ask for 10 bucks a month to lease a modem from them.
exabrial 9y ago
Switch isps?
jetti 9y ago
I had Comcast for a few years at my old house and bought my own modem. It was a no brainer, $80 for a modem vs $10/month to rent theirs. Well after about 2 years I got a bill saying that I owed them for rental of the modem. I called and fought with them. Even when I cancelled my service they kept asking for their modem back. Luckily, my new house is in an area that has Metronet fiber internet. I've switched and use them for internet and TV and love it. I've had zero issues so far (though it has only been 7 months)

timzentu 9y ago

FCC complaints are usually more effective, never dealt with one in the current shitty administration, but legally the FCC requires resolution within 7 business days, or at least a plan of action if resolution isn't possible for completion. I used to receive the emails and all the people on an FCC chain put pressure on the lower levels.

Steeeve 9y ago
I can confirm that Comcast responds to FCC complaints effectively. I used that route when they were my provider after a series of unhelpful technical support requests.
- craftyguy 9y ago
  I'm skepitcal that the current FCC would give a shit about this complaint since it reflects poorly on their supporter (an ISP.)
Declanomous 9y ago
I'll file a complaint with the FCC as well then. I'll probably file one with the City of Chicago too. Might as well put as much pressure as I can on them, because this is ridiculous. I don't care if the issue is bureaucracy, incompetence, or greed, but I know filing lots of complaints with regulatory bodies generally solves the first and the third issue well, and motivates companies to fix the second issue too.
acomjean 9y ago
I'll second the FCC complaint route. A friend has a HD tv with a cable-card. Getting support after a while wasn't working (to be polite he was getting the runaround), but the FCC complaint got their attention and got the issue resolved. This was with the previous administration, which was was more sympathetic, but still worth a try.

throwahey 9y ago

There is a reason they are doing this. After signing up for Xfinity I noticed that the modem we were leasing was broadcasting a public access point with no way to disable it. I purchased my own modem immediately. Then some time later they rolled out their mobile services, which you guessed it, rely’s on those open access points and Sprint as a fall-back. So now customers are paying monthly to host Xfinity mobile services. I will admit that it is clever, but this should be transparent and customers should not be subsidizing the cost.

lucio 9y ago
jlivingood seems to be a Comcast employee, and he/she is saying that the leased one is no longer compatible.
skinnymuch 9y ago
Xfinity/Comcast deal is with Verizon, not Sprint. The deal to allow Xfinity Mobile to use Verizon happened years ago. Doesn't change much or any reasoning, but VeriOn is a lot better in terms of service area [and strength] vs Sprint.
- StudentStuff 9y ago
  Verizon has poor service in many places, eg Hawaii or when roaming up near the Canadian border. They still haven't figured out how to support international roaming reliably, half my family was w/o service for our few hours in Canada. Service in SoCal seems to be one of their last strongholds, but even then voice calls sound like a robot.
  - selectodude 9y ago
    Their voice quality on VoLTE is perfect.
  - phil21 9y ago
    Verizon is far and away the market leader in international roaming and it isn't even remotely close. At least in my experience. Source: Tried to get away from VZW for a decade now - international roaming always being the ultimate decider. Curious who you've found to be better. Verizon has always been that shit-tier company ran by borderline criminals which happens to have the far superior network and hard product.

jlivingood 9y ago

> edit: Proof https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs https://imgur.com/lzKBkMs If you look at the far right device you see a non-EOL SB6121. The one on the left that is EOL is the leased one, and the retail one is still allowed. I'm not sure if you have a leased device or retail device.

lucio 9y ago
Is there any technical difference between the two?
- dsr_ 9y ago
  Technically, one makes money for Comcast.
scheesman 9y ago
I had a purchased SB6121 that they wouldn’t let me move with 2 months ago. It’s not just leased ones. They will support it until you need to make any changes, then will make you use a “supported” one.
Declanomous 9y ago
I own it, but Comcast often thinks it's one of theirs. It annoys me to no end. Obviously their inventory management stinks.

notyourday 9y ago

> I'm calling Comcast, and if this isn't immediately resolved I'm filing a fraud claim with the Illinois attorney general. This is the third or fourth time I've had a supported modem that Comcast has claimed isn't supported, and I'm sick of jumping through hoops getting this resolved. You should talk less and file more. Philadelphia, one of the most corrupt cities in the United States, had a very interesting character - at the time he was the Inspector General. Looked like Robbie Lewis from Inspector Morse. Quiet. Really nice guy. Bar none, he was the most feared person the city. His motto was "It is never an overkill to use a nuclear weapon to kill a mosquito - it is an insurance policy. Mosquito dies"

gnicholas 9y ago

Instead of going to the AG, I would recommend contacting the FCC. This prompts quick action and even just telling a Comcast rep that you're going to contact the FCC can be helpful. Comcast makes it very difficult to get support if you don't lease one of their modems. Literally every time I call they insist that the problem is my modem, and of course it never is. All of my issues have been either outages or congestion-related, but Comcast reps can't fix the former and will never admit to the latter. So instead they blame your modem and ask for 10 bucks a month to lease a modem from them.

exabrial 9y ago

Switch isps?

jetti 9y ago

I had Comcast for a few years at my old house and bought my own modem. It was a no brainer, $80 for a modem vs $10/month to rent theirs. Well after about 2 years I got a bill saying that I owed them for rental of the modem. I called and fought with them. Even when I cancelled my service they kept asking for their modem back. Luckily, my new house is in an area that has Metronet fiber internet. I've switched and use them for internet and TV and love it. I've had zero issues so far (though it has only been 7 months)