Ditching the ComCast
So today (while I was at home, helping Carolyn since she got sick last night) I decided I had enough of ComCast and their lousy service and ordered myself a ‘Dry Loop’ (thanks for the jargon Erik) DSL from AT&T. Basically this is a DSL line WITHOUT a phone line. Pretty slick, eh?
I’m getting rid of ComCast. Why? Well, they have lousy service (as stated), poor tech support and they use Sandvine.
What is Sandvine?
It’s a service that bottlenecks information packets to your computer based on what you’re doing. They call it a good service, I call it borderline invasion of privacy and down-right crap.
Sandvine’s award-winning solutions identify the types and behaviours of traffic on networks enabling service providers to improve customer satisfaction, reduce operational costs and increase profitability.
Service providers can better understand subscriber behavior, recognize and address network threats like worms and spam Trojans, classify applications running on your network (for example, voice over IP, gaming, video streams), guarantee service levels and create profitable tiers for multiple broadband services.
Basically they see what you’re doing, where you’re browsing and filter your connection according to whatever they plan. For instance, I use Torrents to download things. Such as Linux distributions, game updates and so on. Before they put my account under Sandvine I was downloading lightning speeds. I have a 4Mb line, so it should go nice and smooth. The DAY they put me under their Sandvine junk my connection dropped horrifically. I was downloading as slow as I would on Dialup.
Any complaints go unheard. Blaming everything from internet traffic to my computer. It is all lies and deceat.
So, as of March 12th I will have a nice 6mb DSL line. Fast, free and good. Thanks to Paula and to Erik for getting me on this boat!
So, goodbye Comcrap, hello AT&T Yahoo! DSL. Who ever thought I would be pleased with a Yahoo! service?
Tags: AT&T, Behaviours, Bottlenecks, Comcast, Customer Satisfaction, Dry Loop, DSL, Dsl Line, Game Updates, Information Packets, Internet Traffic, Invasion Of Privacy, Lightning Speeds, Linux Distributions, Lousy Service, Network Threats, Operational Costs, Sandvine, Video Streams, Winning Solutions, yahoo, Yahoo Dsl, Yahoo Service
Hi very impressive. I too have had to leave the loving embrace of Comcast. And I too do a little downloading… But I didn’t have any speed issue, just price. THIS time-in the past I did have issues. But now I’m on ATT DSL and just writing a 2 parter on getting better service, but I had never heard of this Dry Loop. I’ve got a low cost dial tone only but can you elaborate?
‘Dry Loop’ is where they give you DSL without an actual phone service. So you only have the DSL line. This is great since my wife and I use our cell phones and/or Skype for phone calls and such. So who needs the actual land line?!
I got the Elite package and ONLY pay for that. I’m excited. I get it installed today and I’m ready to roll!
Hi, did a lot more research, wrote a whole more more blog content about DSL from ATT, and ordered the “Dry Loop.” Installation on Monday. I ordered Elite too at $29. I was told that until Feb 16th it was selling for $23—–
Myself, mother, grandfather, uncle, girlfriend and even EX girlfriend I came back to Chicago to marry, all use Vonage-so the land line aspect of DSL has been the burden. But my ex had kids, so the land line 911 vs. the cell phone style/Vonage 911 service made me feel more secure. But now; no woman with kids so no 911 worries anymore.
I have Skype and cell phones for my communication to the outside world. Once my Skype account ends I’ll be getting MagicJack I think – looks really good. (Which I found via your site)