This has been a summer similar to the last few years. Just wondering if anyone has seen more issues with systems that use cable tv vs. fios vs. direct tv.

Myself, I seem t have more issues with equipment failure in projects that are connected to cable tv (comcast here) than I do with Fios and Direct TV clients.

Thats all I have, you've been a wonderful audience.

My wife!!!



Oh, wait.... I'm stealing someone's response!!

I had few issues with DirecTV, but when they showed up, it was kind of a PITA to deal with tier 1 support. I have dealt with a lot more crap on TW systems.

Non with DirecTV because I sub all sat work to a local contractor and they deal with it. And even then I dont think I have seen anything beyond a basic set up headache or service pause when the client left the country for 6 months.

DirecTV all the way.

Though my clients witha second residence on the west coast always have good things to say about Fios.

Several times a month we go through some sort of time wasting Comcast adventure.

Monday we were replacing two Comcast cable boxes that died. We went to the local office, picked up the replacement boxes and on return one lit up, but did not work and the other created a shower of sparks and tripped the breaker when we plugged it in.

While it required almost three hours, I had a little better luck installing a replacement Comcast triple play box that the customer received in the mail. The box was not working and the tier 1 script reader was no help, but finally transferred me to a level two, native English speaking fellow, who did know what he was doing and appreciated that I knew what I was doing. Evidently, the wrong firmware was installed in the unit. Even then, we could not get the phone service going because he did not have the tools to access the phone section. All he could do was submit a ticket.

While I can't say that FIOS is perfect, other than needing to neutralizing that awful router that they supply, I don't have much trouble with FIOS. Customer support is much better than Comcast.

Comcast Internet speeds can burst higher than many of the FIOS installations that I see, but FIOS service is more consistent across the day. Comcast PING times are all over the map.

With both services, one should throw a 3rd party DNS server into the mix.

Time Warner Cable, by a L-O-N-G shot. I feel like it's all I do these days...

Comcrap. Hands down.

I lost a great client over their continual box failures.

Comcast. Dealing with them right now on a new house. Service date comes for them to run line from pole. They never show up, they canceled appointment without notifying anyone. Aparently owner owed like 60 on the account. He pays and reschedules.

Next appointment comes up. Guy says no cable at pole, says needs to run from pole towards back of house. Pole is 2 inches behind fence on neighbors house. Refuses to do any work and leaves.

3rd appointment comes along. Guy refuses to do any work because there's a few twigs by pole.

4th appointment comes along. Guy comes and runs wire from pole and leaves out by the dmarc. Doesn't run it through pipe left for them with pull string, doesn't connect to coax labeled "cable feed" and didn't install modem. Says they don't do "installations"

This is no other company that doesn't care about their customers like this. They have no competition and they act like it.

Comcast is down there with Dish Network on the TV level...junk...service is the same...junk.

I tell my clients to get Comcast Business class at home for internet...the best..customer service is still difficult, but the internet is screaming fast.

DirecTV is tops for TV...difficult sometimes...just hang up and call right back...and get Sally from the Valley and botta bing, she takes care of you no problem. It really depends on who answers.

my nickel, (probably a dime by now, since this current president has doubled the deficit in 6 1/2 years...get what you pay for, I guess)

8^/

Fins?


J/K, J/K!!!

This process is normal for service to a new home. Typically good installers. Always failed project management.

So the "good installer" that tried stuffing the coax up under the vinyl siding on my beach house was not the problem?

The same dipshit that didn't know to have a drip loop in the line was a "good installer"?


Yeah, that kind of crap is all about bad project management....

Oops, you ordered the "double play. "

Apparently....


Boy was REALLY pissed when I called the company, after he told me "Don't tell me how to do my f'ing job.", then said he was going to leave and file a complaint about me. Got in his truck and made a call. Presumably to his boss,

While he was pouting in his truck, I called the office, and afterwards he got back out of his truck, did the final connection, asking me how I wanted it done, and then quietly went about his business.


I guess he thought he was the "all knowing, all seeing" cable guy. Had probably snowed a bunch of people with his uber intelligence, while he make a mess of things.

I guess I shouldn't complain about T-W, if that's what Comcrap has. One of my clients went back to T-W and they sent someone out to do something, but it sure wasn't to remove the trap on the pole. I was told it was ready to go, so I went there to disconnect the antenna and re-connected the cable feed. Nothing. I connected my 7" TV that I use for setting up cameras & testing video and found that I had several channels coming through, but the box couldn't finish the configuration, so I called tech support. They said everything looked good, but they needed to send a tech out. Next day, I went back and just after I got there, the tech showed up and I showed him what I was experiencing- he tested and found that no digital info was coming in and that he needed a longer ladder to reach the splitter that had the trap. By this time, it had started raining, so I did some other things while he waited for a ladder to arrive. I needed to go upstairs and when I looked out, I saw him on his ladder, at the pole, removing the trap. I thought he was just waiting in the truck, but he was out there in weather I wouldn't have worked in. Kudos to him!