Tavares, FL Jan. 4, 2014
Comcast users in Lake County: This article indicates Comcast is raising rental modem rates
- did you get such a notice if you rent their modem. Rates are supposed to be going up from $8/month to $10/month, including some Florida markets.
I am not sure if rates are going up nationally or just in the Denver market. I have my own modem, so I don't rent from them. They raised my internet only connection $15 recently to $40/month (no TV). The Denver Fox report above recommends BUYING your modem if you are renting. I did that 3 years ago, and have the modem they discuss, the Motorola SB 6121. It costs about $70 at Office Depot and you have to install it yourself Motorola and Comcast instructions.
However, I did have an earlier Motorola modem and it overheated and dropped connections so I replaced it after some troubleshooting to isolate that problem was the modem and not Comcast. The current modem works find, and I unplug it and my separare wifi router every night to reduce the heat effects.
My understanding is Comcast is now renting "modems" combined with a router, made by a FRENCH firm in the US (ARRIS?). My recollection is that they modem allows outsiders to connect via your modem wifi (since the router portion is a wifi unit also) for free wifi.
Thus if you have one of those rental modems, ask Comcast. I don't think they use your account, but a separate one, but they USE your bandwidth and other Comcast customers can connect. So, if you don't want all that, you need to buy a good modem and a separate router that provides wifi if you need it.
This article explains how to replace your Comcast rental modem. (written in 2012)
HERE is another article about the rental modem fee hikes. Nothing like having a monopoly.
Here is another article how a techie replaced his Comcast rental modem. <<< However, I would only buy a new modem, not a used one.
vj
