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| Useless Comcast customer service calls… (182603) | |
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Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007 This is a vent!I have Comcast internet service which, when it works, works very well! But when something goes wrong, it’s like pulling teeth to find out what the problem is. Tonight, about half an hour ago, I had a power glitch, not enough to take my PCs down, and not enough immediately to stop internet connectivity, but after about a minute or so, things stopped working. My cable modem (which I own, it’s not Comcast’s) had a funny set of status lights, to I recycled it. I could then talk to it and get status (it has a built-in web server). I also recycled my router and it was able to acquire network addresses. However I couldn’t ping the Comcast gateway. Scratched head. So, I thought, the cable plant including the head-end modem was OK, but something behind had a problem. So I called Comcast. I spoke with the less-than-knowledgable Ramone unfortunately. The first problem was that Ramone had a script to follow and couldn’t deviate from it. Moreover, he couldn’t put me in contact with anyone who could deviate from it and actually help find out what was wrong. He had one tool: he could discover whether a given modem was online, given its MAC (hardware) address. But he couldn’t understand that I could ask the modem what its hardware address was (go look at the sticker). He also couldn’t process any of the symptoms I was complaining about, and asked me to connect my PC to the modem and ping the comcast.net web server. Of course it didn’t work, but he didn’t understand that the problem was that I couldn’t resolve the address but I knew that wouldn’t work because I couldn’t reach the gateway. But Ramone didn’t! All he could do was say that he would schedule a service call! Now poor Ramone has a job to do, and I’m sure he was following corporate policy. But surely, it has to be cheaper to have someone who knows what they’re talking about call knowledgeable customers. If nothing else, it might provide insight into what is wrong with the network. Magically, service was restored, but of course, no-one at Comcast can tell me that there was a problem, still less what it was. This information was from Ramone, who called me (on my Vonage service) apparently exactly when the service came back. Ramone promised me a call from a supervisor, about 20 minutes ago. Still waiting. PS: If there is anyone from Comcast out there, please send me an e-mail. I would love to talk to you about how you can improve your first level customer diagnosis scripts and maybe even find out what is wrong! That is, if you care. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by Kriston Lewis on Sat Jan 6 23:16:28 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by Dan Lawrence on Sat Jan 6 23:39:33 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. I'm in Baltimore, and have Comcast cable/internet service.I've never had a problem with either the cable customer service or the internet customer service. I suspect it's because when they pull up my profle, they realize I've been a customer from Day 1 - with United Cable of Baltimore City in 1983 when they went live. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Sat Jan 6 23:42:04 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. While I can remember Verizon's customer service to be a bit better than your experience (I've only had to call them once), Verizon's internet service generally stinks. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by AEM-7AC #901 on Sun Jan 7 00:10:41 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by The Port of Authority on Sat Jan 6 23:42:04 2007. While I can remember Verizon's customer service to be a bit better than your experience (I've only had to call them once), Verizon's internet service generally stinks.FiOS has been nearly flawless for me. It's been considerably more reliable than my old DSL service, and that was because I lived past the serviceable limits for DSL at 18200 feet. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by Olog-hai on Sun Jan 7 00:15:03 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. This is a vent!So is this.  I do pity you over having to deal with Komkast, though. I've heard losts bad things about them . . . |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by SelkirkTMO on Sun Jan 7 07:15:15 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. Heh. They're "COMCASTIC!" Heh. Fer what it's worth, COMSPASTIC is the LARGEST host of worms and other wrigglies in the US ... we TRACE the sources of worms, and they account for nearly 10% which is absolutely INSANE given that nearly 70% of the world's hijacked computers are in CHINA, BRASIL and KOREA. That's where all those "pill ads" originate though they plant SPAMBOTS on Uhmerican's machines to relay 'em.COMCASTIC harbors the LARGEST majority of "bots" and yet they don't even NOTICE. *Imagine* how much better yer "breadband" would be were it not for all those "pwn3d" machines probably on your OWN 'party line' cable modem. :( CABLE modems are cool and all, but as someone in the security "biz" myself, the whole idea of even ALLOWING a "cable modem" to connect to "my computer" scares the CHIT outta me. COMCAST? :( |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by TransitChuckG on Sun Jan 7 07:43:08 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by AEM-7AC #901 on Sun Jan 7 00:10:41 2007. FiOS has been nearly flawless for meSame here, FiOS has been good for me. When the power goes out, the battery back up keeps it running for 4 hours, but it doesn't matter, my computer is down! |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 09:58:37 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by SelkirkTMO on Sun Jan 7 07:15:15 2007. They seem to run a network in spite of themselves. Why they wouldn’t care about malware, especially when it would be easy for them to identify the spambots and tell the users to clean up their PCs.When FIOS arrives in my neighborhood, I’ll be first in line for the service. Until then, I have my router with all the ports closed between me and the rest of the world! |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by American Pig on Sun Jan 7 10:12:53 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. spoke with the less-than-knowledgable Ramone unfortunately.Which one? Joey, Dee Dee or Johnny? |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by Dan Lawrence on Sun Jan 7 10:46:20 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 09:58:37 2007. As do I.Do you ever get the occaisional problem where the modem and router get out of sync with each other? |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by orange blossom special on Sun Jan 7 11:12:08 2007, in response to Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sat Jan 6 22:53:08 2007. Wasn't a story posted on this board about Comcast taking over adelphia? I remember reading something about people's cable modems were out for weeks and they couldn't figure it out! During the changeover.At least you didn't get one of the foul mouthed technicians that'll cuss at you if you need them to move their truck so you can go to work. I'm happy that I live in a BrightHouse. *Ramone promised me a call from a supervisor, about 20 minutes ago. Still waiting.* I've had this with credit cards. They don't call back, and when you do, they pretend there's no record of you calling. And that's if the bank doesn't just hang up on you after illegally changing your address and billing you! But that's another vent. :) I don't think you're covering unchartered waters in their cust service. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Sun Jan 7 12:46:24 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by American Pig on Sun Jan 7 10:12:53 2007. But they're dead! |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 15:35:34 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by Dan Lawrence on Sun Jan 7 10:46:20 2007. Every once in a while. The modem seems to go haywire and I can’t connect to it without power cycling it. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 15:36:54 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by The Port of Authority on Sun Jan 7 12:46:24 2007. They might be more useful dead…and I might be more grateful! |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Sun Jan 7 15:44:48 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 15:36:54 2007. I'll pretend I didn't hear that. :-) |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by Dan Lawrence on Sun Jan 7 16:42:23 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by JohnL on Sun Jan 7 15:35:34 2007. What Comcast's network people told me to do was to power off both the modem and router. Shut down the computer(s).Repower both the modem and router and restart the computer(s). Nobody know why the out-of-sync problem occurs and it affects both wired and wireless routers and cable and DSL modems. The problem manifests itself when you can't get to the internet or you are on it and nothing responds. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Mon Jan 8 19:24:26 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by Dan Lawrence on Sun Jan 7 16:42:23 2007. What Comcast's network people told me to do was to power off both the modem and router. Shut down the computer(s).Reasonable. Repower both the modem and router and restart the computer(s). Why not try: ipconfig /release * ipconfig /renew first? Or even just try and ping the router when you have been through the power sequence. In my experience routers are back in service pretty quickly, but cable modems can take a while. Have you ever tried to do a status check on your cable modem. Try looking at http://192.168.100.1, which is the address of all the cable modems I have dealt with. (This address is non-routable, and the modem picks it off before the request hits the internet). You might find some useful information about your cable connection. Unfortunately Comcast won’t do anything with it as it’s not in the customer service rep’s script. |
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Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls… |
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Posted by JohnL on Mon Jan 8 19:25:57 2007, in response to Re: Useless Comcast customer service calls…, posted by orange blossom special on Sun Jan 7 11:12:08 2007. I'm happy that I live in a BrightHouse.??? I don't think you're covering unchartered waters in their cust service. Unfortunately not. However, isn’t there an oxymoron when the three words Comcast, customer and service appear together in the same sentence? |
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