I agree. For awhile, I was having all sorts of trouble with them, but lately, it's all good ... and much faster.

I agree. At my latest speedtest, I am doing 17 down and over 3 up. Things are downloading as fast as I can type.

Yeah, my speedtest has been over 20mbit down and 8-10mbit up for a couple months now. And that's using servers as far away as L.A.
They put all new fiber optics to my neighborhood over the summer.
Now my cable TV though, thats upsetting me at times. I get a black screen with the words "no signal" up in the corner more than ever lately. Usually only for a second or two, but its still annoying.

I'm not feeling it as much as I hoped/expected. Does anyone have a recommendation for a free "speedtest" program?

Jack, where did this month's Portland image come from? It's cool.

Sherwood, here's one of the ones the "agents" at Comcast have customers use when they call in with speed concerns:

http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Why do I know this? Er, no reason.

Wow. That's more than ten times as fast as my DSL (I think it's actually bio-DSL) line. Does it make a real-world difference?

Does anyone else experience audio blackouts on comcast for two to five minutes on one TV channel but ok on others? What is the cause? Is it my LCD-I don't think so.

I've been streaming hi-def video over my XBOX (via a wired Comcast connection) and working via my wireless N router with excellent results, all through the snowstorm. Yes, they can be a pain to deal with - yes the prices are high, but once it's working it's a good connection.

Yes, Lee, I did quite a bit during November and December. I have not noticed it this month.

"Does anyone else experience audio blackouts on comcast for two to five minutes on one TV channel but ok on others?" I get both the audio dropout and the picture drop out several times each week. When I pay for a recent movie I get the picture drop out and sometimes the color goes out, not great service. The internet connection seems to work great though. When I ask the local office about the service interruptions they tell me I have to bring my box in, that it can't possible be their service!

My Comcast Internet has gotten worse and worse (lately it's a little better). And they block ESPN360.

Does anyone have experience with AT&T DSL locally? I could get ESPN360 and drop COMCAST...

JC,

You must be from California. We don't have AT&T (aka SBC, aka Pacific Bell, etc). We have Qwest.

You probably think that you get your natural gas from PGE too.

I just used "http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/" and got all of 3 and 1. I wonder how much of that is the fault of my local network (powerline ethernet). It's quick enough so I won't bother spending time on hold until they decide to charge extra for the new speeds.

Sorry Lexus Libertarian I have ATT and have had for years. So it is available.

Thank you "The Libertarian Guy" - Do you like the service? I'd infer that from your reply.

LexusLibertarian - go to the ATT website and put in your home address and it will tell you whether it is available. Troll much?

Does anyone else experience audio blackouts on comcast for two to five minutes on one TV channel but ok on others?

This happens to us periodically. It usually happens when we are watching KGW Channel 708. The sound comes back on when we change channels using the remote to go up or down one channel then back to 708.

Due to the current economic situation we had to cut back to basic cable and lowest speed internet that Comcast offers. They recently sped up the slowest speed internet and at the price I'm paying, it's a bargain (hint - my combination TV/Internet bill is under $40, actually, it's just a hair over $35).

Thanks for the replies about audio blackouts. Now that I think of it there has been a few times that I've experienced video blackout too. Sometimes without audio but usually with audio but no picture. Why doesn't comcast come out and check the box-we've got the tivo or whatever comcast calls their box?

Sorry for the double. I'm watching the blazer game final minutes. Gosh.

The speedtest I use is:

www.speedtest.net

my combination TV/Internet bill is under $40, actually, it's just a hair over $35

Is that a 6- or 3-month promotional rate? The last time I checked, Comcast's least expensive internet service was $42.95 w/TV, and $52.95 without. Is there a slower speed they don't advertise much, sort of like their basic cable TV package?

J.C. asks " Do you like the service? I'd infer that from your reply."

Not bad. It does have moments as anything does.

TLG

"Is that a 6- or 3-month promotional rate?"

Neither, we had to downgrade to 'meet' expenses. It is not a promotion and is their basic rates for TV and internet (although the lady did the magic on her keyboard, we are still getting lots of cable channels - we've been this way for about 3 months).