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To: Mighty Mizzou who wrote (56378)	10/22/1998 1:55:00 PM
From: Mighty Mizzou	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 61433

OT - Cable Modem Problems Cable modem users find snags Some early adopters of cable modems, the new superfast Internet connections, are getting hit with service problems and, perhaps soon, higher rates. Companies are considering rate hikes for subscribers who stay on line for long periods. But some customers complain they often get busy signals when they try to log onto the Web. Once on, they say they are frequently disconnected. The targets of consumer frustration are the two national providers of Internet service for cable companies - Time Warner's Road Runner and @Home Network, whose partners include Cox, Comcast and Tele-Communications Inc. Both providers downplay reports of problems with the services, which offer Internet connections at speeds up to 100 times that of regular phone modems. But reports of glitches as cable modems roll out to select markets is a blot on the image of a technology sometimes touted for its superiority over high-speed phone lines. Some of the more than 250,000 U.S. customers that @Home and Road Runner now serve are livid. They pay $40 and up for monthly service. Patrick Moon, 23, of Fortuna, Calif., says his cable modem provided by Cox@Home frequently locks up, stops downloading during transmissions and redials even after a connection is made. "It's a major frustration," Moon says. Comcast@Home user Nick Griffin, 47, of Towson, Md., says his service drops out "almost daily.'' Michael Beeler, 47, of Columbus, Ohio, had his Road Runner service disconnected last month after several run-ins with customer service. @Home Network, which has 126,000 customers, says problems with its service are rare. "We have technological problems from time to time, but none are systematic," says @Home's Dean Gilbert. But executives at Cox, which offers @Home under its own brand, admit there are problems with its cable operations and @Home's service. TCI and Comcast say they aren't experiencing such problems. "We're offering a new product. You run into bumps in the road," says Chuck McElroy, Cox@Home's vice president of new service support. Road Runner's Stephen Van Beaver, says his company is retraining its technicians and hiring. It has more than 120,000 customers. "Things are still in progress. But we're five times better than before," he says. Part of customer frustration with cable modems - digital boxes that attach to the back of PCs and deliver TV-like audio and video - is that the service isn't cheap. Companies charge $40 and up for the high-speed service. And the cost could go higher. McElroy says he expects a hike to come next year. Despite the drawbacks, most users agree the speedy benefits of cable modems outweigh the negatives. "Nothing comes close to these when they're working perfectly," says Cox@Home customer Adam Ringler, 43, of Vista, Calif.