Comcast vs. Vonage

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 2

I spoke with both Comcast and Vonage at length today regarding service issues (Parties I am speaking with complain about "choppy" voice quality; ongoing disconnection problems).

Comcast's position, per a Customer Service manager/supervisor: "Vonage is using our lines and they are not allowed to do so. If you have service problems take it up with them."

Vonage's position, per an Advanced Tech Support Agent: "Comcast is toying with the packetization and/or bandwidth in order to disrupt Vonage service" She had me run a couple of Tracert's and forward her the info via email.

OK, so where does that leave me? I could call Comcast and tell them I'm cancelling their service because they're a bunch of #@*$&^@*#^$s but then I'll be stuck with finding a service provider for TV and Internet. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....

Posts: 409 · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject:

Same situation here I finally broke down and called both Companies Tech support ....NO solutions were given.. I cannot keep a three minute phone call going.........i give up

Posts: 26 · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:30 pm Post subject: canceling service

I'm with you on this one, I am ready to cancel my service for both vonage and comcast, except last time I check dsl was not available in at my house.

As for cable tv, I found the direct tv is much better anyway, (provided you are not in an apartment and can mount a satellite), cheaper too.

the one thing you can bet on, I will never never every get comcast telephone services no matter what they charge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posts: 274 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 274

shido, being in an apartment is not much of a detriment to having DirecTV, trust me. Don't let landlords get away with what the FCC offers you in terms of your ability to mount a dish.

Posts: 44 · Full Forum Member Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 44

raudi77 wrote:

Comcast's position, per a Customer Service manager/supervisor: "Vonage is using our lines and they are not allowed to do so. If you have service problems take it up with them."

I honestly think this is the crux of it but I'm surprised a Comcast rep would say such a thing. I think a more accurate view is that the end customers (us) are paying for a service, and for whatever reason bandwidth that is fine to other sites is not fine to Vonage.

Posts: 409 · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:45 pm Post subject:

:?crap crap crap im so angry i could spit like a man........ If any vonage rep tech worker anyone can give me tips on changing my router settings to compensate for whatever comcast is doing please contact me. I NEED my phone!!!!

Its to the point of when i call vonage cs they have a pre recored message for comcast users in the midwest to call comcast instead then your call is ended.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 2

I encourage you guys to call Comcast and ask for their official position on the issue. I was told, VERBATIM "Vonage should not be using our lines."

It is clear to me that they are maliciously attempting to create service disruptions for Vonage customers since they will be rolling out their own product in Chicago shortly.

Vonage tech support has been EXTREMELY helpful (once I got past the first guy that is). I spoke with an engineer for about 15 minutes running tests with phone calls from my Vonage line, to my Vonage line, etc. They are trying to isolate a pattern and are theorizing that it is a problem with Comcast screwing with outgoing calls that are routed through their NEW YORK call center. They don't seem to be having the same issue with calls that go through their CALIFORNIA router. The engineer shifted all of my outgoing calls to the CALIFORNIA center and I've had no issues since.

*fingers crossed*

In any event, you should all be focusing your anger at the source - Comcast. They are the epitome of poor service and shady business practices and when it comes down to it *YOU* are paying to use their bandwidth, not Vonage. It has nothing to do with Vonage and everything to do with Comcast screwing with the way that YOU use YOUR bandwidth that YOU pay for.

Posts: 274 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 274

How many Midwest Comcast customers are affected? As I stated earlier, I am having no problems, knock on wood. I'm 30 miles due west of Chicago and have good service so far.

Now my father, who is 18 miles due east of me but is NOT yet a Vonage customer, does have Comcast and is pissed over ISP issues. He claims Comcast admitted the problem is on their end but that they can't do anything about it. His Internet connection goes "on and off" several times each day, and when it's up, it's unusually slow.

Strangely, the problems he's having all began when he replaced his old Netgear wireless router with a new Linksys wireless G/B router that some teenager at Best Buy recommended.

He tells me this is the single reason he has not yet signed up with Vonage.

Posts: 44 · Full Forum Member Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 44

maryjane wrote:

crap crap crap im so angry i could spit like a man........ If any vonage rep tech worker anyone can give me tips on changing my router settings to compensate for whatever comcast is doing please contact me. I NEED my phone!!!!

Its to the point of when i call vonage cs they have a pre recored message for comcast users in the midwest to call comcast instead then your call is ended.

I'm not yet 100% convinced that this is a Comcast issue. I also don't think that this is a router settings issue. The problem is much too widespread. That said, I would not be surpised to find out that the AT&T bandwidth is being exhausted during the day and that home users and VoIP specifically is being limited for higher priority customers. It could even be a bandwidth limitation caused directly by contractual arrangements.

Note: I can't yet prove any of this!

I honestly don't know how the push for FTTH and increased bandwidth demands are going to be resolved if the providers cannot supply the bandwidth and play nice together.

This is not the first time telecom battles have been waged. Is it possible that AT&T is paying both ends against the middle for the use the THEIR lines?

Posts: 26 · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:09 pm Post subject:

1. It looks like somebody predicted this problem. see

http://www.vonage.com/corporate/press_reviews.php?PR=2003_01_06_2

2. vonage has a new service announcement. seems like there is a problem getting e-mail of voice messages. I don't see how this could be a "comcast" problem.