Skip to main content

The Xfinity Prosumer: Internet Price and Performance

We all read the ads and have seen "reviews" about Internet service provider costs and performance, but it is 99.99% advertising and affiliate link disinformation.

The Speed You Need

Most people think they need a gigabit download performance for great Internet performance.  This is nonsense.  Most people are restricted by upload speeds, not download speeds. Why?  Because upload speed is almost always the bottleneck.

Some examples of where upload speed is critical:

  • Zoom and other video calling technology
  • VoIP telephone calling
  • Online real-time gaming

Some examples where download speed is just not important

  • The number of devices you own
  • Streaming video 
  • Streaming audio

All these technologies have a need for timely packet delivery, and with upload speeds being relatively slow, this is where nearly 100% of bottlenecks occur.  If your video call or game isn't behaving well, you've almost certainly saturated your Upload performance.

So let's take a look at the Comcast Xfinity plans from the most important perspective of Upload performance:

  • 10 Mbit/sec: Connect, Connect More, Fast
  • 20 Mbit/sec: SuperFast, Gigabit
  • 35 Mbit/sec: Gigabit Extra

So as you can see, there are really only three upload speed plans.

My advice is to start with the cheapest plan, which is the least expensive at $65*** per month.  If that doesn't work, go to Superfast at $107*** per month.  

Great Bundles and Deals!

Be aware that bundles that include Cable TV or Telephone services frequently have extraordinarily expensive hidden "fees" that do not appear in the special price. These hidden expenses can easily exceed $600 dollars per year.  Once you calculate your real out of pocket costs, it becomes obvious that these "special deals" are a slimy way to do business.  Are they legal?  Yes, they have teams of lawyers and lobbyists that are payed millions to make this legal.  Blame the dummy members of Congress for allowing this trashy way to run a business.

A stern warning about Xfinity's special bundles

NEVER SIGN UP FOR A BUNDLE UNLESS YOU CONSIDER ALL OF THE HIDDEN FEES.

On my sibling's "Super+ special bundle for $149.99", Gigabit Internet + TV, here is the actual cost:

  • Discount Plan Marking Price: $149.99
  • The Fee portion of "Taxes and Fees": $53.52
  • The Tax portion of "Taxes and Fees": $0.05

Yes, this plan costs 136% of the advertised price! For what?  The fees are for things like "installing wires on the street for service" and "paying employees to do their job" and "paying for programming" and "a single TV cable tuner"... but they use buzzwords to hide these very sad realities. 

The actual cost for the "$149.99" plan: $203.56.

But what's worse than a plan that costs 136% of the advertised price?

The customer is under contract and cannot leave without more fees.  The costs are due to go up by $40.00 a month once the "bundle special" expires.  And the plans and fees increase significantly at least once per year.

Could it get more scammy than this?  YES!  Although your new contract may permit you to cancel service within 30 days, your full bill may not show your all your the monthly charges until after 30 days of service. Many thanks again to the dummies you elected to Congress.

*** = These so-called monthly plan fees do not include rental equipment fees or other fees that Comcast reserves the right to add at their discretion, and may increase your costs by 35% or more.


Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Installing the Eve Smart MotionBlind Upgrade with my Large Roller Shade

I have a large window in the front of my house and a roller shade was just the right window treatment for it.  But I also wanted to automate it. My MotionBlind Upgrade kit and my new roller shade I looked around to buy something that I was comfortable with, but simple non-automated roller blinds can be expensive, especially when they're larger than 6 ft x 6 ft.   This is disappointing, as a roller blind is just a tube with a small amount of synthetic cloth but can easily cost hundreds of dollars. Plus, since I wanted a smarthome blind, we're talking $500 or more from the "service oriented shops". I'm a tech guy.  I think can do better. After thinking about DIY and creative solutions, I decided to try out the Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade (MBU) kit.  This kit transforms an ordinary roller blind into a smart blind.  The MotionBlinds mechanism is basically consists of a small motor and battery in a long metal tube.  This motor tube slides into a roller blind ...
Read more

Sodastream Carbonator Leakage, Usage, and Weight

SodaStream 60L "Carbonator" CO2 cylinders have a specific weight when empty, plus about 410 or so grams for the CO2 they should have when they're "full".  A little while ago I went to buy a replacement Carbonator from my local hardware store. The dealer pulled a new Carbonator out of the box and sensed it was lighter than usual.  He put the "light" Carbonator in the "empty" pile and sold me a different one.  At that moment I concluded that it would be smart of me to weigh both new and empty SodaStream carbonators.  Here are the results. Weighing a SodaStream Carbonator - for both Science and Consumer Protection.       The dealer told me that sometimes the carbonators leak after they leave the SodaStream filling facility.  That means there could be an opportunity for customers like me to get ripped off! The SodaStream cylinders I buy claim to have a net product weight of 410 grams - and that means that a full Soda Stream Carbonator shou...
Read more

My iPhone is being remotely controlled by a hacker! (and how to fix it)

Who is remotely controlling my iPhone??? This is a personal story that scared the hell out of me. On Monday I was awoken by my iPhone alarm telling me that it was time to get up to go to work.   I picked up the phone and looked at the day's calendar.  Ug.  I put it back down in its dock for a couple more Z's. Seconds later, I heard it clicking. I looked at my phone, and it looked like someone was typing on it!  Click.  Then a swipe.  And then more clicks.  One of my business apps was being operated, but NO ONE was touching my iPhone!  I was sure that a Hacker was remotely operating my iPhone, digging around for my private data! This was shocking.  My phone stores a lot of good stuff - my email, photos, finances, passwords and all sorts of other goodies.  If someone compromised my phone they could know  where  I am.  They could operate the cameras, the microphones - in short, they could know almost  everyth...
Read more

Hot (and Cold) Attic Tempertures and Electronic Equipment

An unfinished attic can be an extreme environment for electronic equipment, with conditions that are very unlike what is experienced inside normal living spaces. What's the deal with installing electronic equipment in an unfinished and uninsulated attic?   I wanted to install a standard WiFi router in my attic to function as a Wireless ISP (WISP) gateway. My attic is a fantastic location from a radio signal perspective, but it is an uncomfortable place for both people and electronic gear. Although the attic is well insulated, that insulation is on the floor, designed to keep the living space of my home at moderate temperatures. As a WISP gateway, my WiFi router is best mounted above the insulation and close to the roof, where the only protection from weather extremes is the wood of the roof and a layer of asphalt shingles. Equipment Specifications and Extremes Almost all electronic equipment has a set of specifications regarding operating environment. These specifications state the...
Read more

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, part 1: Disassembly Guide

I've had my SodaStream Jet for years, and once in a while something has gone wrong. Disassembly is the first step to repair.  Start with this article to see how to disassemble the SodaStream, and then once you have that down, scroll through my other articles to see how I repaired specfic SodaStream problems. SodaStream Jet Disassembly Guide Tools Required Flat head screwdriver Phillips head screwdriver 1. Remove the Carbonator.  Duh. 2. Remove the black panel lever The front big black tilt lever needs to be removed first. Removing this panel is tricky, but it isn't impossible. Looking up at the bottom of the black panel, there are two tabs, one on the left and one on the right. These tabs fully secure the panel in place. The trick is to use a flat-head screwdriver under the plastic to gently lever the tabs out of the way.  Note in the pictures how I approach these tabs with my screwdriver.  I usually release the left side first, and then I release ...
Read more

Repairing a MagSafe Charger's Cord

Here is how to repair the cord of Apple MacSafe power adapters. There are three common failure modes of a magsafe wire: The base of the cord becomes frayed where the wire enters the power brick.  This is usually caused by repeatedly wrapping the cord far too tightly around the brick's "ears". The head of the magsafe connector becomes frayed.  This is usually caused by repeatedly removing the magsafe magnet by yanking on the cord. Chewed up cord.  This is where a pet or other pinching device weakens the cord. These types of failure are usually repairable at home using the technique described here. Tools Required: A beginner's Soldering kit, like this one, including a low-wattage soldering iron, rosin-core Solder, and wire strippers. Heat shrink tubing .   Any color works, but these days I use white to repair a MagSafe cord. One Soldering Sleeve, appropriate for 22 or 24 AWG wire Heat gun (optional.) Process:   The general process is t...
Read more

Other Posts

Show more