Buying cable modem instead of renting (in the US)

I would say that *if* it's financially advantageous to buy your own modem, buy one the same model as your ISP is currently renting out. Otherwise if you have any problem, they can blame your "non-standard" modem.

And, even if you buy one the same as the ISP is curently supplying, supposing they decide to do an upgrade of service that requires a new type of modem, the one you purchased will become a paperweight.

Perce

"Antoine Bruguier" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:

I'm with Adelphia and purchased my own modem. Costco ususlly has them for under $70.00. Just check the cable company for their list of compatible modems.

bdog

As long as it meets the DOCSIS 2.0 standard, that isn't going to happen for a long time.

All Comcast is interested in is that it is DOCSIS 2.0 compliant. Setup is easy, and you just call Tech Support to tell them the serial no. on the new modem which will identify your modem on their network. It's probably the same at Adelphia. I bought the Motorola SB5120 and I'm happy with it. Walmart is selling them now for $57.57.

And if you see a rebate offer for a modem at Circuit City, buy the modem only if you can live with NOT receiving the rebate. By the time you've jumped through all the hoops to get the rebate, you'll have spent an inordinate amount of time and you'll have an ulcer. What they do amounts to fraud.

Also if there is a problem, you're at their mercy. May not be an issue with your cable company but it has been with some in the past.

And lastly, if you're in a lightning prone area, I'd let the cable company keep replacing them when they get fried instead of you.

Antoine Wrote: " I am currently with Adelphia, but if I move and have to switch to, say, Comcast will it still work? "

Yes, both companies use DOCSIS 2.0 systems. As long as you get one at a retail store (or the same model # on e-bay), you will be fine.

Interesting that you mention Adelphia to Comcast... That's going to happen soon, maybe as soon as next month. However, they most likely won't merge the networks and provisioning systems for a few months.

I've owned mine for 6 years. I've never had a problem with Comcast blaming my modem. For me, providing my own modem has been a smart decision financially.

In article , Timothy Daniels wrote: :"Antoine Bruguier" wrote: :> I live in California and I am currently renting a cable modem to :> connect to the internet. Is it possible to buy one instead of renting? :> My main concern is compatibility between providers. I am currently with :> Adelphia, but if I move and have to switch to, say, Comcast will it :> still work? : : : All Comcast is interested in is that it is DOCSIS 2.0 :compliant. Setup is easy, and you just call Tech Support to :tell them the serial no. on the new modem which will identify :your modem on their network. It's probably the same at :Adelphia. I bought the Motorola SB5120 and I'm happy with :it. Walmart is selling them now for $57.57.

The modem still needs to be a model that your provider is prepared to support with configuration data and future firmware upgrades. If Adlephia can't configure your modem, it's not going to work on their system. They should have a list of supported model numbers somewhere.

: And if you see a rebate offer for a modem at Circuit City, :buy the modem only if you can live with NOT receiving the :rebate. By the time you've jumped through all the hoops to :get the rebate, you'll have spent an inordinate amount of :time and you'll have an ulcer. What they do amounts to :fraud.

All the rebates came through just fine for me. $20 manufacturer's rebate from Motorola, $50 new subscriber rebate from Comcast, $50 merchandise card from Circuit City. Not bad for a modem with a $70 price at the store.

Not all Adelphia is going Comcast, some is going RR.

When I called Comcast, the rep couldn't find the Motorola SB5120 listed. All he could find was the 5100. But he said that if it was DOCSIS 2.0 compliant it would be OK. And if it's 2.0 compliant, it's 1.1 compliant - which is all that's needed right now, anyway.

Your rebate for the modem was not from Circuit City, then. I had $40 in rebates coming from Circuit City itself and I had med all the written and spoken requirements to a T., but the rebate dept. still denied them. I had to practicaly wrestle with the local store manager to get them to credit the $40 to my credit card, but the Circuit City rebate department is still sending me decline notices for various trumped up reasons. The Circuit City rebate mechanism (as opposed to a manaufacturer rebate) is a marketing FRAUD.

The singular issue, as I and other friends and family have found, is that it is *much* easier to get CSR attention to problems that might involve the modem if it is rented from the ISP. For Comcast, the rental fee is $3 per month, a bargain when CSR attention is needed.

That hasn't been the case in my experience. I can't tell that the ownership of the modem makes any difference at all. I've owned my modem for about 6 years and have used CSR many times with MediaOne, AT&T Broadband and now Comcast. If I thought I was being treated different because of it, I'd quickly be calling someone higher than CSR. And at $3/mo. I've saved enough to pay for my modem about 4 times. To me, it's a no brainer.

many times with MediaOne,

about 4 times. To me, it's a no brainer.

I think that an ISP's tech reps ask for modem make and model (if they do at all) because they don't expect the customer to have ever heard of "DOCSIS 2.0" and wouldn't know what it implies if the customer *has* heard of it. With my experience with Comcast (né AT&T, né MedianOne), the rep seemed relieved when I said "It's DOCSIS 2.0 certified", and that ended all his questions about the modem. For those future Comcast customers who still want more approval, here's Comcast's current list of approved modems (it's a long list):

In article , Dave wrote: :I've owned mine for 6 years. I've never had a problem with Comcast blaming :my modem. For me, providing my own modem has been a smart decision :financially.

The closest Comcast ever came to blaming my modem was making the quite legitimate suggestion that my modem might be causing the problem I was having, and that if a technician came out and found the problem was indeed my modem then I would have to pay a service charge, _unless_ (nudge nudge, wink wink) I had the technician switch me to a rental modem, in which case I could avoid the service charge. (My modem seems to have magically fixed itself about an hour later.)

In article , Timothy Daniels wrote: :"Robert Nichols" wrote: :> :> All the rebates came through just fine for me. $20 manufacturer's :> rebate from Motorola, $50 new subscriber rebate from Comcast, :> $50 merchandise card from Circuit City. Not bad for a modem :> with a $70 price at the store. : : : Your rebate for the modem was not from Circuit City, then. :I had $40 in rebates coming from Circuit City itself and I had :med all the written and spoken requirements to a T., but the :rebate dept. still denied them. I had to practicaly wrestle with :the local store manager to get them to credit the $40 to my :credit card, but the Circuit City rebate department is still sending :me decline notices for various trumped up reasons. The :Circuit City rebate mechanism (as opposed to a manaufacturer :rebate) is a marketing FRAUD.

True. Only the $50 merchandise rebate was from Circuit City. The cash rebates were from others.

lars wrote: "Not all Adelphia is going Comcast, some is going RR. "

Good point. Same story thougth. I doubt they'll be able to integrate the networks and provisioning systems overnight. Heck, it took Comcast YEARS to get rid of all the AT&T broadband systems.