Comcast customer surprised to learn new router is also public hotspot

[n2doc]

Routers broadcast public Wi-Fi signals, unless you ask Comcast to turn it off.

by Jon Brodkin

Comcast customer Ronaldo Boschulte didn't know exactly what he was getting when the company swapped his malfunctioning modem for a new one. The cable modem doubles as a Wi-Fi router—that much he was expecting. But he didn't realize the router would, by default, broadcast a public Wi-Fi network that anyone with a Comcast account could connect to.

“I didn't know it had a hotspot," Boschulte told the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota.

Comcast started adding the public hotspot to its modems by default in mid-2013, as we reported at the time. Customers can turn the second signal off if they choose, but it's definitely an opt-out program rather than opt-in.

In an FAQ, Comcast doesn't provide instructions for turning it off manually. You have to call Comcast for that. "You will always have the ability to disable the XFINITY Wi-Fi feature on your Wireless Gateway by calling 1-800-XFINITY," the company says. Presumably, a customer service representative will try to talk you out of disabling it.

more

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/02/comcast-customer-surprised-to-learn-new-router-is-also-public-hotspot/

[hunter]

1. And?

That's not the worst thing COMCAST is doing to him, and he's paying for it.

[doc03]

2. I pick up three of my neighbors WiFi modems on my tablet,

if I knew their password I wouldn't need cable. The SOBs just raised the rate another $9
this month. They used to add a couple useless channels when they increased rates now they just increase rates every few months. How does $191 a month sound for cable/phone and internet?

[madville]

3. Damn

I pay $41 a month for 5mb DSL Internet, no TV or phone service, I do get about 12 HD over the air channels on the antenna though if I want to watch something.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. dunno where you are

but in ca. 8 years ago they were raising our rates twice a year!
AND were the only cable company.
back then for a mid-sized package, we were paying 69.00 or so..just cable.

Much as I snarl about the somewhat slow dsl here in my corner of Al. it very cheap and no limits on useage.
And thanks to the Internet, no need for tv, which is good, cause I swore off cable forever when I moved out here.

[doc03]

10. Comcast has no competition here except for satellite and they

are just as bad. Satellite TV makes a great offer for a year but when you get a microscope
and read the fine print it is just as high as Comcast after a year. The telephone company doesn't offer DSL the fiber optic ends at the bank a half mile up the road.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. I found out you can lower the bill by negotitating

esp. if you are a long time customer.
They will knock off 10-15 a month.
I got DISH for 49.00 a month instead of 69.00 by calling and telling them my husband wanted to switch to cable to save money,but I wanted to stay with DISH, how could we solve the problem?
same with telephone dsl...
They had no way to know I wasn't going to switch, and I had fun playing the role.
There are a couple of websites that tell you how to do it, with suggested talking points.

Then when we dumped DISH for real a year later, I called them and again told them HE wanted to dump it, but we had agreed to a trial period of no tv and would be re-connecting down the road if I couild talk him into it.
I did that because DISH has a nasty habit of saying the equipment you sent arrived damaged or did not arrive at all, and billing you 200.00 or more, and I wanted to be in good standing when I sent the shit back.
but as a maybe return customer, they want me to be happy.
So we cut the cord, sent the boxes back, and all I have to contend with is happy perky junk mail from them every other month.

[doc03]

14. That's what they if you threaten to cancel they give you a better deal, what if they call your bluff

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. If they call my bluff, I am no worse off.

since this is a call about lowering the price, not a call about quitting their service.
I never threaten to quit..I hint I may have to.
And if they say no, I thank them and say I need to explore my options and hang up politely.
Never never never negotiate in terms of either/or, yes or no.

[davidpdx]

6. Holy shit

That is beyond highway robbery. What kind of cable package do you have?

[doc03]

11. I got what they call HD Digital Classic with no premium channels

telephone and internet for $190.49. That is more than I pay per month for total electric.

[davidpdx]

12. We pay about $45 here in Korea for internet, phone, and cable

We only have a basic cable package, and the phone uses the internet. I can call to the US and it doesn't cost a lot.

I remember when I lived in Oregon the bill was pretty high. Can't remember what it was as that was over 10 years ago.

[DebJ]

8. 188.18 a month for same here.

They jacked it up $50 above that; I called to downgrade; they dropped the price to $188,
which would be the same price for only having the most basic cable, but we have almost
all of the channels. There is another premium package level above ours, but its sports and the like.
So we can't downgrade. There is no competition in south central Pa to speak of...DirectTV and
whatever other satellite tv there is, is unreliable....hey, a big storm locks you inside, and no tv...not a deal.

[Egalitarian Thug]

9. Do you live in a traditional neighborhood? City or suburb kind of place?

We've been tossing an idea round about just this issue. We've got, at the moment, 10 neighbors paying for their WiFi connection, and since this is America we are subject to a duopoly (Cox or Centurylink) we know that each of them is paying at least $30 p/mo and probably closer to $60.

We can bring in a symmetrical 1Gb fiber-optic for less than we are collectively paying, set up a router for about $200 and get much, much faster and more reliable service than either the cable or phone companies can provide. So, if you know, trust, and like your neighbors, maybe you should look into it where you are.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

4. Neighbors should cablepool.

[xfundy]

7. There's got to be a way for neighbors to pay a fraction of the monthly fees

and band together to share access. We're getting ripped off.