Comcast thinks it ok to install public wifi in your house

Mark Andrews marka at isc.org
Thu Dec 11 22:44:39 UTC 2014


In message <ximss-380907 at mail.ropeguru.com>, "Robert Webb" writes:
> Many read, but what choice do they have. In many cases Comcast is the only 
> game in town and it is either agree, or have no "real" internet access at 
> all.
> 
> I am one that has opposed the auto opt-in of this setup. The main reason is 
> that Comcast wants up to foot the bill for power

A couple of cents a year on top of what you are paying to run the WiFi
modem for yourself.

> and space for their benefit.

What space?  It is the WiFi modem you are already using.  Unless
it requires a seperate external aerial I don't see any extra space.
Even if it does require a seperate external aerial it is highly
unlikely that you would be using the space the aerial occupies
anyway.

> While, yes, it is very minimal, what's good for the goose is good 
> for the gander. By that I mean why shouldn't we be able to nickel and dime 
> them like they do to us. We pay for internet access and they want to charge 
> us for access AND to lease equipment. Yeah, sure, if you are a residential 
> user or a business class user without a static ip, then you can go out and 
> purchase your own device. But if you have BCI with static IP's then you are 
> screwed. I have the 50/10 BCI with 5 static IP's and then I have to pay an 
> additional $12.95 per month just for the crappy SMC device. If I remember 
> correctly, residential pays $8.95 per month.
> 
> Equipment should be included in the cost of the service, and always was in 
> the past. But yet, Comcast has decided to nickel and dime us to death for 
> everything, not just modem rentals.
> 
> Robert
> 
> On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 08:17:19 -0500
>   Scott Helms <khelms at zcorum.com> wrote:
> > Not a law, it's in their updated terms and conditions that no one 
> >reads.
> > On Dec 11, 2014 8:12 AM, "William Herrin" <bill at herrin.us> wrote:
> > 
> >> On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 9:35 PM, Jeroen van Aart <jeroen at mompl.net> 
> >>wrote:
> >> > Whose fault would it be if your comcast installed public wifi 
> >>would be
> >> > abused to download illegal material or launch a botnet, to name 
> >>some
> >> random
> >> > fun one could have on your behalf. :-/
> >>
> >> Doesn't work that way. Separate authenticated channel. Presents
> >> differently from you with a different IP address out on the 
> >>Internet.
> >>
> >> What Comcast is stealing is electricity. Pennies per customer times 
> >>a
> >> boatload of customers.
> >>
> >> theft n. the generic term for all crimes in which a person
> >> intentionally and fraudulently takes personal property of another
> >> without permission or consent and with the intent to convert it to 
> >>the
> >> taker's use (including potential sale). In many states, if the value
> >> of the property taken is low (for example, less than $500) the crime
> >> is "petty theft,"
> >>
> >> Unless of course the knucklehead jurisdiction passed a law to allow
> >> it. I'm betting they didn't.
> >>
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >> Bill Herrin
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> William Herrin ................ herrin at dirtside.com  bill at herrin.us
> >> Owner, Dirtside Systems ......... Web: <http://www.dirtside.com/>
> >> May I solve your unusual networking challenges?
> >>
> 
> 
-- 
Mark Andrews, ISC
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org



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