I upgraded my internet from Verizon DSL to Comcast today--
the Comcast tech was pleasant and efficient, the install
went great, and the Comcast service is very fast.
We also switched our landline to Comcast digital voice.
I'm not sure about the misc Comcast software--I had
the service installed on our downstairs computer which
by the end of the day had bogged down, but I didn't
really surf on that PC. Instead, I plugged our other PC into
the device (an RCA ?Cable modem) and web surfing seemed maybe
twice as fast--and our download speeds will probably a lot
faster, maybe be ten times as fast, possibly 40 times as
fast according to the tech, but I haven't tested it yet.
I had intended to keep my Verizon DSL on 'naked DSL' for
awhile, but that wasn't what the technician had in mind
for the install--no problem. I thought maybe the
tech would have a wireless device for internet, and
we would just plug our phone in close to a coax, but
the tech does cut the old service and splice in the
home phone lines into the new service, fine. We kept
our old phone number.
The phone service seems to work fine, you have to
wait maybe an extra second or two for the dial tone.
Haven't really made many calls yet to evaluate the quality,
but a local call sounded fine.
I spent quite awhile on the Verizon phone trees and went
thru no less than four I_will_transfer_you_to_another_dept
--just trying to find out where to return my DSL modem
and the filters, finally an account rep just said not to
bother sending them back. The Verizon rep wouldn't offer me
a downgrade to keep my email--so I'll be paying full price
for a month or two for just webmail, not too cool.
Verizon: If I had been able to keep my email going the
chance of getting me back someday on even faster internet
(via FiOS) would have been greater. But that is much
less likely after all my contacts have my new email address.
Comcast gets an A today, Verizon a D.
One of the quirky things about changing your internet
provider, is that there is an overlap period: I will actually
be accessing my Verizon email (using outlook express) but
with my Comcast connection. When all my mail finally is
going to the Comcast webmail, then I'll set up OE to access
the Comcast mail server.
The tech recommended Firefox/Thunderbird, that obviously
would be a good way to migrate email from Verizon/OE
over to Comcast/Firefox.
just thinking out loud, and wanted to give Comcast a good
grade for the install today. --Mike |
