Comcast Upselling Cable Modems

            Despite its commitment to improving its customer service, Comcast keeps writing and robocalling me  with an offer I can refuse.  In a rather alarmist tone, Comcast wants subscribers to infer that their modem soon will no longer work.

            At some future date Comcast may refuse to provide broadband service to modems using the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification 2.0.  Right now Comcast wants to migrate “bring your own modem” subscribers to the rental camp now charged $10 a month.

            Comcast does not want you to know that the new rented modem will not provide any faster service unless you subscriber to a triple digit, high end service tier. 

            My Motorola DOCSIS 2.0 compliant modem works just fine and it cost me a princely $5 at a garage sale.  Comcast knows what modem subscribers use.  You have to call a customer service representative to activate service and he or she may try to dissuade you from using your own modem and surely will try to upsell you other services.  The company also knows that a DOCSIS 3.0 modem will not provide any faster bit transmission speed to me.

            In other words, Comcast is using a rather cheeky sales tactic.  It’s much like the current television advertisement suggesting that every adult get an expensive shingles inoculation, because the virus “is already inside you.”

            Caveat emptor.