Comcast Launch New Modem Tax

[GhostShip]

Just when you thought these companies couldn't get any greedier 

http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/02/technology/comcast-time-warner-cable-modem/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Comcast and Time Warner Cable have just hiked the monthly rates they charge customers for leasing their modems -- a somewhat hidden charge that most people don't even think about.
The price hikes are significant: Time Warner Cable's fee is leaping from $5.99 to $8, and Comcast's fee is jumping from $8 to $10.
That's a surprise 25% to 33% price surge. In the case of Time Warner Cable, this is the second fee increase in just over a year. Some Comcast Xfinity customers weren't notified until mid-December that prices would be raised on Jan. 1.

Time Warner Cable noted that the fee pays for "guaranteed full support and maintenance." Comcast did not return calls for comment.

The modems don't cost then a cent once they are installed in the customers homes and they gain a massive discount by purchasing in bulk, so these ISP's turn a one off cost to themselves into a major cash grabbing exercise and then they want more for something that's already been paid for many times over, what a joke.

[silicon_toad2000]

can people just supply their own modems with these companies?

[White Stripes]

usually cable companies use proprietary firmware so a regular docsis 3 modem may not be accepted... however our isp just sold us the modem when we signed up... renting it was an option but they are only around 100$ so we bought ours....

[silicon_toad2000]

isnt there an antitrust issue there?

[White Stripes]

these are technically regular modems ... motorola surfboard was the first our company used now we use some cisco router/modem combo... the firmware is still written by the original manufacturer but its customized by the isp... like cell phones... 

sites for the good isps will list products that will be accepted (compatibility) on their service if you dont want to use the isps modem...

however comcasts website needs a 'sniff' tho since i dont know of their policies... i dont know if comcast forces rental....

[silicon_toad2000]

they have to make their money somehow, if its not there, they'll get their money somewhere else

[White Stripes]

http://mynewmodem.comcast.net/  -- apparently you can purchase... and from quite the grab bag... um... i dunno why there arent more purchases instead of rentals... buying outright is just a one time charge and you're done till the next advent in cable modem tech (docsis 3 is here to stay for a while)... or a well placed lightning strike....

[silicon_toad2000]

i guess, why does anyone rent anything...

[GhostShip]

Modems / Routers second hand are very cheap here, 100 dollars seems a lot more than these things are worth on ebay.