Xfinity - The new "C" word

So, Comcast announced earlier in the month that they are changing the name of the company. The highfalutin term for the whole process is 're-branding' which translates loosely into 'who gives a flying ...'

I happen to have a unique perspective on the new change, because I was recently lucky enough to become a former employee of the company. After toiling for 14 months, and generally rotting away in a cubicle in one of their call centers, I freed myself from their grind.

Comcast or Xfinity?

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See, the call centers are inundated with calls from people who are sick and tired of Comcast's holier than thou attitude towards troubleshooting customer issues.There was a time when Comcast ruled the roost, so to speak, but now they have serious competition from companies like Verizon FIOS, Dish and Directv, with Verizon being the most notable.

So why the name change? Even Comcast knows a sinking ship when they see one, so they're taking the opportunity to change the name as the company also moves forward with speed boosts to their high speed internet infrastructure. Say what you will about Comcast, their internet is second to none. Their cable tv is a bit above average, but their phone service(CDV)... Is a joke!

After troubleshooting the phone service(CDV - Comcast Digital Voice) with customers for over a year, I feel qualified to judge the service as a whole. Comcast's phone service utilizes VOIP technology, without ever transmitting a customer's information over the internet. So far, so good. However, the entire system runs off an internet modem, meaning that it will rarely work with existing, older phone lines in the residence. What results is a static'y, unreliable mess of a phone system that drives the customers crazy.

Having said that, it is still noteworthy that Comcast's CDV phone service is still the standard when it comes to VoIP Telephone Systems. As a rep with the company I came across many people who were using other providers like Vonage for their phone service. Vonage is a mess, and quite expensive to boot. Their customer service leaves much to be desired. Vonage is definitely a 'buyer beware' scenario.

Where else has Comcast failed? Well, they did take the initiative to move all call center activities locally, meaning no more calls to New Delhi for troubleshooting help from a rep who barely speaks your native language. But, they also have cut back considerably in certain departments, dropping inhuman workloads on existing local reps. Example: A rep trained to help you with the technical difficulties of internet and modem issues must also be able to help dissect your billing questions, troubleshoot the phone service platforms, fix your router, answer Video On Demand questions while also discovering why channel 125 only shows up on 2 of your 6 television sets. It's all a bit overwhelming, resulting in longer call times and longer wait times between callers.

Like I said, a mess. This is just one man's opinion. When I heard about the name change to Xfinity and saw the commercials to confirm the move, I guess that just pushed me over the edge. On a pettier note, I'm still upset that it took months to get my free Comcast services set up through human resources, but only a matter of days to have them canceled after I quit the dead-end job...

The advertisement above just serves to drive home, for me anyway, just how freakin' special Comcast thinks they are. But, if they are so special, if their products truly are the industry standard, then why are they scrambling to "re-brand' themselves as Xfinity?!

Seems a bit scare-dee-cat for a company who believes their scat don't stink. Keeping up with the Joneses, or in this case the Fios'es, is no doubt gonna cost Comcast a significant chunk of change. I wonder if it's worth it...

On another note related to Comcast/Xfinity internet service, Comcast virus protection is available for free with every level of service through McAfee. McAfee is similar to Norton Antivirus in that it's well known, but that's where the comparisons end. McAfee will not slow down your computer or prevent your browser from running, a plus on both counts.

Just thought I'd mention it, only seems fair, but I did mention that Comcast's internet service takes a backseat to nobody! McAfee only takes minutes to download and will never cost an active Comcast internet subscriber a penny. Norton by Symantec will charge you $50/ year for basic coverage and still affect your PC in negative ways.

Comcast virus protection

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Once again, this is one man's opinion, so no need for a Comcast henchman to contact me thru this or any other avenue. Nothing that is written here is based on anything but my opinion, formed over a 14-month stint in a call center. Some of the links located on this page are indeed affiliate links thru Google Adsense, which I fully intend to make money from...

In my honest opinion, the Comcast virus protection is still the best in the market, especially when you consider that it is a free service offered to any and all customers that subscribe to any level of Comcast's high-speed internet.

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