[colug-432] Comcast and connectivity alternatives

[Rob Funk]

Angelo McComis wrote:
> As for Linux-friendly, I would never ask a customer service rep a network
> question about something past their equipment. I guess that means that all
> network handoffs are Linux friendly to me. But they're also VMware friendly,
> Windows friendly, iOS friendly, Android friendly, Wii friendly, X-Box
> friendly, Network-attached printer, and Blue-Ray player friendly...  because
> I have all of that behind my connection and everything is nice and happy.

True, I just don't like it when support assumes I have Windows or Mac,
and won't deal me if I don't. But in the past year that I've had T-W
they've been OK about that.

> http://www.cablemover.com/   Type in your address only (not email!), and it
> will search and scan and tell you what is available in your area.  This
> assumes you're expecting to bundle cable and internet service.  As a
> standalone service, DSL is really the only other option, and it's never
> above 5-10mbps, which you might as well sign up for a 4G LTE hotspot and
> call it a day.

Heh, that site just confirmed that T-W is my only cable option. I like
the concept though. It just needs to expand to other transport media.

> Keep in mind, Comcast is not going to come in and pull out all of TWC's
> finished work, fire all their people, and replace with their own. (yes, some
> of that will happen in the spirit of "economy of scale" like in HR, Finance,
> management... goes without saying)  They're likely to keep the @x.rr.com
> domains because people don't know how to migrate their emails, they're
> likely to keep all the set top and modems and such will all stay the same. 
> 
> I believe (and I hope I'm correct) that all we current customers will see is
> just a new name on the envelope for sending the bill to each month.  At
> least for the first 3 or so years after the deal closes.

I'm more concerned about corporate policy, particularly in slowing or
blocking things they don't like or things that compete with their
products. If we can persuade the FCC to reclassify them as telecom
services then I won't be too concerned, but until then I can't trust
them.

And yes I have the same concerns with T-W, but less so because T-W is
smaller (less powerful) and doesn't also own a huge media company.