Cable/Internet Providers

[jwm2k3]

Why's that?

When it rains, you have no TV.

[G21forme]

I've had good luck with direct TV, I don't lose a signal when it rains but I do during severe snow storms. That being said when I had comcast I would lose it just as much during storms but ymmv.

[gadget]

I have had DirecTV for more than a few years.
The newer antennas look at two different satellites in different elevations so the effect from weather is greatly reduced, not like it was just a couple years ago.

I still loose the signal for a minute or so when severe storms pass to the South but not nearly so much that you would even notice.

It is nice to have when you loose power...just plug the receiver and TV into the generator...I assume you can do the same with Comcast but when I had it, I was never happy.

DirecTV's customer service in MUCH better than Comcast.

[jwm2k3]

Ya, well during the Bruins playoff run this year watching at the local establishment the direct tv was out....then back, then out. Not acceptable to me...

[G21forme]

I have had DirecTV for more than a few years.
The newer antennas look at two different satellites in different elevations so the effect from weather is greatly reduced, not like it was just a couple years ago.

I still loose the signal for a minute or so when severe storms pass to the South but not nearly so much that you would even notice.

It is nice to have when you loose power...just plug the receiver and TV into the generator...I assume you can do the same with Comcast but when I had it, I was never happy.

DirecTV's customer service in MUCH better than Comcast.

Agreed on the customer service but if you have comcast when the power goes out so does service. I'm not sure how it works but they need power at the poles, you might not remember or saw them but during the ice storm a few years ago comcast chained generators to poles to power up whatever needed power to get users a signal. I'm sure I didn't explain that right but you get the jist.

[jwm2k3]

Fios for me.

[G21forme]

Obama!

[Roland]

I have a digital antenna (got mines on line but you can get them from Walmart for 100$ pr less) that gives me like 80 channels free. All local news, abc, NBC CBS PBS and the likes. For movies I have Netflix and Hulu. I pay 18$ a month for Netflix and Hulu and nothing for regular tv. The digital antenna is just as clear or clearer than any provider. For certain sports I have to order subscription to via Apple TV or use Roku. I for me this way has saved me a ton of money and I don't miss cable or Satellite at all. I have everything I want. Nothing I don't need and a 18$ a month bill.

Also check out something called G-Box. This gives you live tv via Internet completely free using XBMC

[BMMCBR]

I've had comcast for ~11 years and have been overall extremely happy with them.

In total I've contacted them on 2 issues.

1. I was trying to do "something" to my wife's Comcast account. Change some sort of setting on the account (I'm our comcast admin). I'm not a complete idiot, but the thing I needed to change I couldn't fine. Searched through all of the documentation and found where it was... Went to my version of that same screen and it wasn't there. Just wasn't there. Call them... Person on the phone, who is nice enough, is bound and determined to teach me how to fish rather than giving me a fish, when I really, really, want a fish. I explain I've read, I've found, not there. They have me log out, close browser, log in, navigate to the page and tell me where it should be. Nope. Not there. They don't believe me. I end up giving them my password so that they can try it as me (I'd already tried from multiple devices and browsers). After about an hour on the phone, they finally just change the damn setting for me.

2. A few years ago I moved. I moved to a new construction home. I had, before hand, scheduled the move with comcast using their "move scheduler thingy". I'll have TV / Phone / Internet on the day of the move... Yea, right. Turns out Comcast didn't yet have authorization from PSNH to use the poles to string cable lines (which of course really isn't any more than a formality). No install that day. No install about 3 weeks later. We're on the phone at least 3 times a week trying to get someone to tell us when this might happen. In the mean time, because I was moving, I was told by comcast to simply take all of my equipment to the new house (as it would be reused), I get a bill for ~$1500 for all of the comcast equipment that I have not returned. Did I mention that I have 2 teens in the house, with no TV or internet (fortunately we were still on VZW Unlimited at the time) No phone call this time. I drive to the Comcast office in Concord. I explain the situation to the lady, hand her the bill. She actually rips it up for me while shaking her head. She then calls the "field guy" who will be stringing the cable to my house (which is different from the install guy that will wire the house) to investigate status. She finds out that the authorization is in place and that I'm on his schedule in something like ~10 days. She says nope, I'm scheduled for tomorrow. She tells the guy that she's giving me his cell number, and that I'm to call him if when I come home from work tomorrow if there isn't a cable run to my house, because the wire the house guy is set to show up the following day. Wire the house guy was great. Set everything up where I wanted it.

Service has been extremely reliable. I can't think of more than a handful of times in 11 years when I've not had TV and / or internet and had power. I do boot the modem and router every once in a while. Digital boxes will misbehave every once in a while. Nothing rebooting ever hasn't fixed.

This has pretty much been my experience with them. Stupid situations, but they rectify them.

[Billy]

Had comcast for years. The second FIOS became available, I switched and have NEVER looked back. I've never had an issue with internet or TV. I've had a couple of issues in the past with my set top box/DVR but it was more of a device issue verses a service issue.