Comcast begins to rollout 50 Mbps High-Speed Internet Service
In a bid to compete with Verizon’s FIOS service, Comcast has just announced that it will begin the roll out of their DOCSIS 3.0 network starting with residential homes and businesses in parts of New England, including the Boston Metropolitan region and Southern New Hampshire. Also included in the roll out are areas of Philadelphia, New Jersey, and the Twin Cities where the wide-band service was launched earlier this year. Hey New Englanders, stop crying about the Bosox and go check your modem logs as it has reportedly gone live in some locations! Comcast has also introduced two new speed tiers for their high-speed service and doubled the speeds for current customers at no extra charge. The speeds and pricing of Comcast’s residential plans are now as follows:
- Extreme 50 : offering up to 50 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 10 Mbps of upstream speed at $139.95/month. (new)
- Ultra : offering up to 22 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 5 Mbps of upstream speed at $62.95/month. (new)
- Performance Plus : offering download speeds to up to 16 Mbps and up to 2 Mbps of upload speed at $52.95/month. (existing plan that was upgraded)
- Performance : offering download speeds to up to 12 Mbps and up to 2 Mbps of upload speed at $42.95/month. (existing plan that was upgraded)
Businesses will be eligible for similar wide-band plans (Deluxe 50/10 Mbps for $189.95/month and 22/5 Mbps for $99.95/month) and complimentary speed increases on existing plans as well. Comcast expects to expand the service to 10 major markets and nearly 10 million homes and businesses over the next several months. With faster speeds now available, we wonder what will happen to Comcast’s 250GB bandwidth cap and new network throttling plan. The press release says “With Extreme 50, Comcast customers, for example, will be able to download a high-def movie (6 GB) in about 16 minutes”. Hmm, one HD movie a day for month will use up about 180GB of the 250GB allotment. What about the online games, web browsing, you tube video watching, etc that also uses up some of the precious 250GB? Looks like there may be a lot more customers pushing that 250GB limit. Special honors will go to the first BGR reader to get an overlimit warning from Comcast. We’re rooting for you!
[via DSL Reports]
Tags: 50MPS, Comcast, High speed, internet, new england, New Jersey, Philiadelphia, Twin Cities, wideband
Problem with Cable is yes you get 50mbps if no one else in your street is using their cable internet service at the same time - unlikely. You never get the advertised bandwidth rates. At least with Fios technology you get what they advertise as the bandwidth. I will be going with Fios once it comes to my area.
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Agreed.
Just like DSL V.S. Cable of years past. Cable isn’t dedicated. Sure, that 1.5Mbps DSL connection was close in comparison to your neighbor’s 10Mbps cable, but just wait until the weekend! See-ya.
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Well Fios is already dead in my area and it’s not even available yet, why i say that? Optimum online gives us 2Mbps up and 15Mbps down for a flat rate of $49.99 with tax included, if you want the 5Mbps up and 30Mbps down, it’s just $15 extra although you might never see the entire 30Mbps but i have see something like 28Mbps from them, Verizon fios gives you 15Mbps down and 2Mbps up for $57.99+ some crazy tax that they have that’s like $10 Extra so that’s why am declaring it dead already
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Agreed. Not worth $140 a month if it’s not dedicated bandwidth. Try your cable modem after 3pm on the weekdays when the kiddies get home from school.
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Maybe it’s just my area but my Comcast connection always sits at it’s max speed down. This includes 4 different residences I have lived in. My DSL on the other hand could not be more erratic. I went with a business account due to having my service shut off once already due to over usage. Opps!
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Not worth it simply because it’s Comcast. Who throttles BTorrent and Extreme usage which they say is more then 250 or so GB a month. So whats the point of having that true speed if you can’t use it to download our favorite movies/games/software? Screw Comcast. They are the only reason I’m happy to have my TimeWarner 5 down and 2up. I’m sitting tight for verizon to come to Old Orchard Beach Maine. Then I will be all over FIOS.
Speaking of FIOS You would think that it would be more capable then DOCSIS 3.0? anyway. good looking out.
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Notify. Sorry
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I can live with the 250GB cap. I don’t think I go over that even though I sometimes download quite a bit.
How do I circumvent bandwidth throttling? Pick up the phone and call ‘em? Why do they throttle torrents. Duh, yes, piracy, but there a plenty of legitimate usage applications for it, and even the best super duper high-speed does me no good when they throttle my TYPE of usage. Do I smell censorship?
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I have Verizon and I only pay $42.99 for 15Mbps down and 2Mbps up. How is Comsucks competitive? That and a 250GB cap? True, Verizon has a “unofficial” 500GB cap. But, #1 its twice comcraps and #2 they don’t enforce it unless your really screwing up their network and they usually just send you a nice letter asking you to cut down a little during peak hours.
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Verizon’s offering 20/5 for $52.99 here in Baltimore and 20/20 for $65. Dropped Comcast for FiOS as soon as it came to my neighborhood … even had Comcast’s 16Mb service at the time. My only real gripe for FiOS is Verizon’s DNS is slow. Otherwise, they rock.
Do folks not think with all the fiber Verizon has that they couldn’t just ratchet the speed up to be competitive with Comcast? Verizon has a lot more freedom to do that without massive upgrades.
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I knew something was up, was getting 30mbps down since the 17th in Epping NH
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@Jayrodathome
You will not see Verizon for anything beyond wireless. No more FIOS, you are now Fair Point who has no desire to maintain the existing FIOS installs (in my town) nevermind expand it. Fair Point is all about the copper, DSL, satellite tv and telephone.
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Hey if I hit that 250 gig Comcast cap I’m gonna need more then “special honors” how about a prize. My FIOS install is scheduled for next Tuesday I have no doubt I could hit it that Comcast cap with a little help from the good Ol’ Usenet.
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Ditto-ditto. Comcast cannot ever deliver what they advertise on a consistent basis, which regardless of the speed cannot match QoS performance of even DSL at 768!
Don”t believe it? Then why do they have a totally seperte route for their VoIP? It’s true, and they know it!
Comcast wants you to believe that advertising the “up to” will get many to bite, but the real problem is that FiOS is just not available in the more densely populated areas, so we don’t have any other viable option!
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While their customer service is horrible, billing causes nightmares, and service techs that will not take accountability for damage to property, FiOS has never once gone down in the three years I’ve had them. Love the 20/20mbs connection. I’m sure there are months I’ve exceeded the 500gb cap while seeding Ubuntu ISOs, but nothing has ever been said to me about it. I believe its because their set top boxes interface with the router for certain functionality and I know certain HD channels use massive bandwidth to deliver the picture to you.
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Any word as to when we’ll get FIOS in California? SoCal?
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Heheheh Silly people, I get 80Mbps
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What the hell is downstream speed. comcast says they have like 10 mbps already in my house, and they say my modem is pulling 3mbps in as i was talking to them, but i have NEVER pulled more than 300kbps download. ever. Comcast are a bunch of liars who pull random numbers out of a bingo roller and say thats the speed.
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“DOCSIS 3.0″? What is this, 1995?
The name should be Comcast SuperFast™.
At least they know how to name their data plans…
Performance (ooh, sounds good!)
Performance Plus (ah, the plus means better!)
Ultra (ultra… wow!)
Extreme 50 (better than ultra?!)
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now only if my neighbor will bite the bullet!
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(…AngryOldMan enters room. Sits on a mat with legs crossed, arms to his sides, closes his eyes and chants..)
XOOOHHHMMMMMMMM…
XOOOHHHMMMMMMMM…
XOOOHHHMMMMMMMM…
(..thankya, thankyaverymuch…)
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comcast is beginning to learn the hard way what hppens when you team up with the **IAA’s of the world
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