This is kind of a rant but if anyone has an idea of who we bug to make this happen please respond. And I know in the grand scheme of things this is ‘only tv’, but it’s been bugging me for a while.

I get Comcast digital cable and pay the $60+ a month for it. Along with a lot of coastsiders it’s my only option because of the trees or mountains blocking over the air broadcasts and satellite signals. I’m actually ok having that as my option even though I know Comcast has issues.

What really bugs me is I’m paying the same $60+ a month that the people in San Mateo do but for a far less product. We get the same digital channels, but none of the extra offerings such as OnDemand, DVR or HDTV. Why should we be paying the same $60+ for less?

I have heard that Comcast is waiting for an environmental study to be done before the ‘new’ signal can be sent through an already existing cable line over the hill (Which on the surface seems ridiculous to me). Is this something that can be pushed to the top of the to-do list?

So who do we have to bug to make this happen sooner than later? City government? Comcast? Who? It seems like our city government could do something to make this happen and better serve the coastside.

thanks for listening.

Phil, don’t know how true this is but my wife was told @ the Comcast office that Comcast is waiting for the tunnel to be built so a fiber optic line can be put through before we sad coastsiders can be up to par with our over the hill Comcast subscribers. HDTV, DVR, ONDemand etc. like you say in the scheme of things it,s only TV but be nice to recieve what other’s are getting for the same money. My inlaws in Folsom have Comcast for what im paying & getting all the bell’s & whistles. But watch it youll be told to move! & that’s a lot of help!.
Take care from a 37 year coastsider.

Thanks for the response. Wow, I had not heard about waiting for the tunnel for the comcast line. That would definitely be a downer if we would have to wait 5+ years for HDTV or OnDemand. I think at the very least Comcast should give us a cut rate, but I guess they have us up against the wall on this one so I don’t see why they would.

Yeah I definitely didn’t want to get the “move” speech just because I’m complaining about TV service. I love living on the coast and don’t have really any issues (even this is a mild one at best), but it would just be nice to get the product we are all paying for. Is there really no type of pressure the local goverment could put on them or at least anyone who could give us the real answer or status about the Comcast line?

Hello,
I got some notoriety in my neighborhood recently. I had my letter published in the Review - asking what has caused Comcast to get so bad - gone to “crap.”.

Yes, it is proven that Comcast will try to get away with as bad as service as possible here on the coast. The only problem is that the alternatives are more expensive and may not be any better. I would like to know who is happy with internet service here.

Here are a few things I learned
-Comcast will blame your equipment for everything. They will want to schedule an appointment with you - even if they have a switch problem elsewhere. It’s a scam.

They *can* check all the routers in the line from your computer to the help center if they want to do so. It’s called “route check” - or something like that. It took me several calls to the help center before I got a technician who knew what was going on. I have not found that tech since that call - they probably fired him. What he did find is that there was - in fact a router in my area that was performing at 10% - that means 90% of the data was lost. I wonder why Comcast did not believe me when I first called about this problems months ago?

So if this topic stays alive, it could be interesting to see how many people feel Comcast owes them for lost service and other issues.

Do you remember when the Raiders were in the Super Bowl? Comcast lost service on the Super-channel a little more than an hour before the game. Luckily they were able to fix it that time.

Good luck with your TV and internet,
John

In response to the last post (sorry, now I’m on the “post” page and I can’t see the previous posts, or the name of the last poster), you can add me to the list of folks <u>unhappy</u> with Comcast internet service.  I’m also unhappy with the lack of alternatives to Comcast internet, but I suppose that’s an issue for another time.

Maybe I have just been lucky, but in the last few cities I’ve lived in, I didn’t have to think about my internet service.  It worked consistently, all the time, and came at a reasonable price.  With Comcast, the internet service is not particularly reliable, and $60 a month for such service is outrageous.  Sure, Comcast deserves to make a profit, but they are charging too much.

If you’re in El Granada, please vote in my poll here:  http://coastsider.com/index.php/townhall/viewthread/26/

I’m also looking for ideas on which questions I should have in a new poll that I want to set up for those who can get DSL.  Check the above poll for the concept.

Comcast is a monopoly.  They have no incentive to provide decent service.  When the franchise was renewed recently, the franchising authorities (County and cities) could have included service level requirements in the contract.  As far as I know, they ignored this issue.  In fact, some sort of Joint Powers Authority (JPA) was set up, responsibility was delegated to staff, and the whole thing was done out of the public eye, with no opportunity for the public to provide input.

I believe that the only way to get Comcast’s attention would be for a mass exodus to DSL and satellite, but for those of us in El Granada that’s not possible.

Other than these forums, there is no “list of folks unhappy with Comcast internet service.”  You could call your elected officials (either HMB city council members or County Supervisors, depending on where you live) and express your displeasure.  They could have fixed this and chose not to.  All they had to was include stiff penalties for service outages.  Instead they set up a process for contract renewal to avoid public input.

Finally gave up on Comcast, the wife [she who must be obeyed] has been moaning & groaning about Comcast reception for years. Had Dish installed Friday & what a differance in reception everything is brighter & we now have HD. Local channels 2 & 3 were bad with Comcast had lines, wavering etc. than lately 5 would go black on us would have to go to another channel & back to restore 5 weird. Although not sure if it’s the Dish or new wiring for the improvements.. I could have cared less she said i cant see anyway! Been married to her for 40 years & never been right! but still love her as no one else would put up with my BS. But so far Dish is great now i get “i told you so” from the wife. Hope Dish stays good others have it in the neighborhood & havent heard any complaints.

For as long as we have had cable service on the coastside, we users have received what we deserve. That’s because we keep electing and re-electing the same kinds of people to our City Council (if in HMB) and Board of Supervisors (if in the unincorporated areas) who make the monopoly deals with the cable provider. We don’t hold our representatives’ feet to the fire and they don’t hold the cable provider’s feet to the fire in their sweetheart contracts and enforcement of the contracts. Like so many other problems on the midcoast, it is unlikely cable service will get better until the office holders and bureaucrats are made to serve the interests of the people rather than their special-interest supporters.

Big, faceless conglomerate corporations will almost always do the least they can to keep the money coming in; that’s a given. Making sure that “least” is adequate is our responsibility through our direct action and through our elected government. The corporations love it when people dissipate their frustration and anger by griping among themselves, allowing business as usual to continue. Because it’s unlikely the unfocussed electorate will ever get its act together on quality of life issues hereabouts, it’s past time for those who are actually disturbed by cable TV service to call the local electronics store and get a dish installed.

Carl May

For everyone who has lousy reception i suggest try changing your TV cable in the house from RG 59 to RG 6 the Sat Dish people wouldnt use the RG59 said would give lousy reception had RG59 75 ohm cable for years. Home Depot in Foster City only had RG 6, RG 59 must be phased out. Any of you electronic guys out there please enlighten me.
Thanks
Sam