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• Comcast is offering special pricing for all new Comcast cable and accounts. For one TV, the first month is free as is installation. Additional TV's are extra. And they are offering free installation a first month free on internet access. After that, they are offering the following pricing: $35 for high speed internet; $49.99 for digital cable with Encore and HBO or Stars; $85 for both internet and cable access. For more information, contact Tony Ho at (510)243-3103 Office, (510)455-6833 Cell or at Tony_Ho@cable.comcast.com (February, 2005)

   

• The Brickyard complex should keep a communal log of signal interruption and collectively demand/request an adjustment on all of our Comcast bills with a higher deduction for weekends.
   
  We had interrupted service on Friday afternoon and no signal Sunday pm through Monday am.
   
  It seems every time there is a service call at Brickyard, we have an interruption and/or loss of signal.
   
  ComCast should change their name to NonCast. (July, 2004)

• When I called Comcast yesterday with my daily complaint, the guy told me I didn't have to call every day--that they'd give me credit on my account when the outage was over with if I called then. (July, 2004)

• I've truly had it with Comcast, not only their outages, but the fuzzy reception. I have friends in El Cerrito receiving the same fuzzy reception (the worst at the lower TV channels, better at higher channels) that Comcast just can't seem to get fixed. I had a Comcast guy come out to fix the fuzzy reception recently. He moved me to a different "port" in the garage (I observed him do it) and I had crystal clear reception which lasted for all of four days, then back to fuzzy reception. Since many of us are experiencing this fuzzy reception, there is a commonly-shared suspicion that Comcast is doing this on purpose in order to motivate us into subscribing to the more expensive high resolution service, although we might not even own high resolution TVs.

  I do agree that it's important Comcast receive 250 phone calls every time there is an outage. This will impact their call volume and "call times" (a frustratingly longer wait time for people calling in so do take the time to

  "hold") and require employee assistance. Most companies will respond with "we've gotta get this fixed" if the problem begins to impact Them as well as their customers.

  I've been told SBC Internet service is very good and costs less than Comcast. As SBC hooks into a phone jack, one isn't left with the task of hiding Comcast's big, black and ugly cabling. SBC provides a dual outlet so one can use that phone jack for a telephone as well as Internet connection. It is my plan to switch to SBC. Because I have a patio, I'm going to look into disk TV. The only thing that Comcast is going to understand is that they DO, in fact, have competition. I believe that is where their arrogance stems from. When customers start going out the back door instead of coming in through the front, only then will customers see a difference.

  I intend to take the time to put my intentions into writing for Comcast. Perhaps if BYL residents write or email Comcast that they intend to move to SBC and disk TV (even though they do not intend to), Comcast will respond accordingly. It's possibly worth a try. (July, 2004)

   

• Ida - My $.02 on the Comcast outages... I work from home and call Comcast the second that the service goes down. I called twice today. During my last call, I talked to a great support guy, he said that the entire State of California was highlighted as having service problems, and yes, we are in one of the main maintenance areas. The Comcast web site has a Network Problem note that says that there is a Nationwide problem.When I complain to Comcast and the outage has been more than 12 hours, I can normally get them to credit me a day's service fee. One item to note, after a Comcast service outage, a network reconnection does not happen quickly. About once every hour during an outage, I unplug, wait, and plug the power back into the modem. My service can appear to be down, but a power cycle brings it back even when Comcast Support says that there is still an outage.I still maintain a cheap dialup service for use during Comcast outages and to have a 800# dialup service when I travel. (July, 2004)

• For All - I am absolutely ready to go to DSL, if it is finally available out here. The Comcast upgrade outside my door yesterday has killed my router. I am now able to connect only one computer at a time (directly to the cable modem) and the speed is much less than it was before. I have repeatedly quizzed the Comcast techs, but they swear they have not changed the protocols or anything that would cause my router to suddenly fail. I think the timing is too precise to be coincidental. Part of the trouble here is that internet service is still legally considered entertainment, rather than a utility (unless it is carrying voice over IP). This means that Comcast can let their system fail without penalty, whereas the phone company is fined if it doesn't provide service. So the phone company builds in redundancy and Comcast doesn't even bother to monitor their own network. That's why they rely on customer complaints to know when there is an outage. This is an issue we need to push our congress people to fix, IMHO. (July, 2004)

• comcast users

  the problem is a lack of communication on both sides. comcast should provide a contact person for those situations when the problem with tv reception or broadband is across the complex or across brickyard cove (all comcast service to the cove comes over one set of lines up on the hill behind us). however, our homeowners' association also needs a point person who is willing to be responsible for fielding "network" complaints from residents and determining at what point the problem seems to be more than an individual issue within someone's own equipment. our rep and comcast's rep could then talk as needed and skip the problem of the multiple uncoordinated call ins (or lack of call ins from those folks who have just given up), which aren't seen as connected and indicative of a complex wide or neighborhood wide problem.

  while i agree with the note in a recent cove call stating that it is not the association's responsiblity to have the maintenance department standby for service installations or disconnects (access to the garages and the lockbox combination for those installers who are newer and don't know it), it should be the association's responsibility for common wiring issues (it is, afterall, external wall wiring) when it is determined that the problem affects the whole complex or at least one building (since there are connection closets and amplifiers associated with each building). this is especially true since we don't give comcast the master key for the garage entry.

  what i suggest is that when a person has a problem with comcast, they should call comcast and work with the agent to ascertain (as far as possible) that it is not their own equipment (if the problem is happening on all your outlets, it's most likely not your equipment). arrange for a service call (you can always cancel it); and then call the BYL managers office and report the nature of the problem and the time of the appointment you've set. if we all do that (and it is essential that folks DO pick up the phone and call comcast and set an appointment) and the BYL office receives more than a half dozen calls about similar comcast problems (not service

  installations/disconnects) over a two to three day period, that is when the BYL office (or whoever is designated) should call the comcast area network rep and arrange to meet him (or a network service guy) here to diagnose the issue. while waiting for the network rep, the BYL office could put a notice in each building explaining that the problem is complex wide and that help is on the way along with an estimated time of repair.

  does this mean a lot of work for the maintenance crew? no! in two years, we've had only two major comcast network issues, the flooded amplifiers up on the hill two christmases ago and the recent upgrade work in the area.

  after network folks (i arranged for) finally came out here over the past few days, you should notice significant improvement in tv reception (though it still needs a tweak to have the analog stations [2-70] come closer to the quality of the digital station [120-938].i've called the weekend network supervisor and left a message and hope that he'll arrange for that final tweak today or soon thereafter.

  once the homeowners association gets its act together and identifies one person who is willing to be responsible (and by responsible, i mean actually understanding what constitutes a good signal [not overdriven or underdriven] and having a good TV set in good working order so as to be able to make the triage diagnosis), i would be willing to consider putting that person in contact with the folks it took me more than a week of persistent calls and constructive complaining to finally reach.

  by writing this, i know that some folks will suggest that i be the BYL rep. the answer is no and i would be very unhappy if folks start calling me with their comcast problems. we pay for complex wide service and complex wide wiring issues (pg&e or sbc or comcast) should be covered by those dues. (July, 2004)

• Hi Ida,
   
  I spoke with Comcast this evening about the outages we've been experiencing and here is what I got from the conversation.
   
  Based on my conversation with a supervisor at Comcast today, I think we should all call every time the cable goes out.  I got the impression that until a certain number of people in a particular area call they don't log it as a real outage ... they just schedule individual appointments.  I work via the internet all day so when the cable goes down I know it immediately.  Sadly, since it happens so often lately I've stopped calling ... I just switch over to my slow but trusty dial up connection.  However, from this point forward I will call every time it goes out.
   
  I also think it might be better to pick the "TV" option on the automated voice menu when you call (not the internet option).  To my surprise more people had reported TV outages than Internet outages and the calls don't all seem to go to the same place so the guy I talked to said there was no reported Internet outage but when I spoke to his supervisor she told me there was a reported Video (TV) outage.  Also, if you pick the "Internet" option they ask you stupid questions about your modem even after you told them your TV is out too.  So today I was just rude and told him that questions about the modem are so ridiculous that I refuse to answer since I just told them that the TV is out too.
   
  I also have been keeping a log of all the times I've experienced outages and I told the supervisor I wanted my bill adjusted.  I was offered $14 per month off for the next 6 months.  I accepted that offer but if it continues to be a problem I will call and ask for more.
   
  I have 20 documented partial and/or full days of outage since mid to late June until now.  Mine is worse that the typical outage days because I was out for 7 consecutive days after the upgrade before they finally figured out they had my service hooked up to someone else's unit ... oh duhhhh.
   
  Please feel free to pass part or all of this along to our neighbors.  I would really like for more people to know that it might make a difference if we all call to report an outage every time we notice it.  I plan to place 2 calls from now on ... one to report the TV Cable is out and another to report the Internet Cable is out. (July, 2004)

Telephone

(510) 234-6060

 

Postal address

Brickyard Realty

         1201 Brickyard Way, #301

Point Richmond, CA 94801

 

Electronic mail

staff@BrickyardRealty.com
 

Brickyard Realty is not affiliated with Brickyard Landing Owners Association.