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View Full Version : @home folding tommorrow, now what?



aglio412
11-29-2001, 01:19 PM
anybody know more about this?

sucks, i can't get dsl b/c i have no home phoneline...

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Dear Comcast @Home Customer,

As you may know, Excite@Home, the Internet service provider for Comcast @Home, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of September 2001. During this process, we are committed to keeping you informed about any new developments and to providing you with the best high-speed Internet service.

This month, Excite@Home petitioned the Bankruptcy Court for permission to terminate agreements with its cable affiliates - including Comcast, Cox and AT&T - on November 30, 2001. If the Court grants Excite@Home's request, there could be a temporary disruption in the services Excite provides to the more than four million customers served by its North American affiliates.

Please be assured that we value your business and are doing everything possible to ensure that there will be no interruption of your Comcast @Home service. Additionally, we have taken the following steps to minimize any inconvenience should a temporary service disruption occur as a result of the Court's ruling:

* Toll-free Customer Information Hotline (1-888-433-6963): you can call in for the latest updates as we work to quickly resolve any issues.
* Web Site Message Center at www.comcastonline.com/info.htm: we will provide online updates and an FAQ section to answer your questions.
* Automatic Account Credits: we will credit your account automatically, so you will be properly reimbursed for any time you are without service.

We also have been working to develop a Comcast-managed network that will provide you the always-on cable-powered, high-speed Internet service you've come to enjoy. We will make this new service available as quickly as possible and will provide you with more details in future correspondence.

Five years ago, Comcast became one of the first cable companies to offer customers high-speed Internet service. We remain committed to providing you with high quality service both now and in the future and thank you for choosing Comcast.

Sincerely,


David Juliano
Sr. Vice President & General Manager




COMCAST @HOME FAQS


How can I connect to the Internet if my service is interrupted?
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We recommend that you take advantage of Comcast's Connection Backup Program to obtain free dial-up and e-mail service as a temporary alternative. Visit www.comcastonline.com/info.htm today to sign up for service. (This service requires that you have a phone modem.)


What will happen to my personal Web page ?
------------------------------------------
As a safety precaution, you should always backup your personal Web page to a CD or hard drive. For detailed instructions, please visit www.comcastonline.com/info.htm.


What should I be doing right now?
---------------------------------
1. Back up your personal Web page.
2. Check your @Home e-mail daily. Opened messages will be saved automatically to your hard drive.
3. Take advantage of Comcast's Connection Backup Program.


What will happen to any e-mail sent to me if my service is interrupted?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
We are hopeful that Excite@Home would store and hold your @Home e-mail until the service is restored. However, we cannot guarantee that this will happen as Excite@Home controls the e-mail servers.


What should I do with my Comcast cable modem?
---------------------------------------------
In the unlikely event of a service interruption, you should leave your modem connected to your computer until service is restored. If you lease your modem from Comcast, we would automatically issue a credit for both service and equipment rental during any service interruption.


What should I do if there is a temporary service interruption?
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. Call the Comcast toll-free hotline at 1-888-433-6963 for regular status updates.
2. Connect to the Web through Comcast's Connection Backup Program and visit www.comcastonline.com/info.htm for Web updates.

SpeedEng
11-29-2001, 01:23 PM
u have no phoneline?!? :eek:

attgig
11-29-2001, 01:27 PM
http://www.gotapex.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35015

they mentioned that...
apex posted the link to the article in that thread...

aglio412
11-29-2001, 01:39 PM
Originally posted by SpeedEng
u have no phoneline?!? :eek:

who needs a phoneline these days? i got a killer cell phone plan...

sho.gun
11-29-2001, 01:44 PM
Got|PublicLibrary?

aglio412
11-29-2001, 01:48 PM
Originally posted by sho.gun
Got|PublicLibrary?

well, i guess i should have expected all of this...damn smartasses :D

mebbe it's time to get a phoneline.

got|dialup?

Markel
11-29-2001, 01:50 PM
When I was switched over from MediaOne to AT&T/home.com (AT&T bought MediaOne cable access), all the browsers they supplied were "Excite" branded. I'm not sure what the connection is between Excite and AT&T. Anybody have any information? (Maybe I'll have some email waiting for me when I get home.)

BrewMaster
11-29-2001, 02:27 PM
Originally posted by aglio412
anybody know more about this?

sucks, i can't get dsl b/c i have no home phoneline...


looks liek you don't need to get a new service. there might be a temporary interruption b/c the company that they contract out to is going under, but they'll switch to a new contract probably.



Originally posted by Markel
I'm not sure what the connection is between Excite and AT&T. Anybody have any information? ...


I think AT&T subcontracts out to Excite@Home. It's sort of in the body of the email that he posted:

This month, Excite@Home petitioned the Bankruptcy Court for permission to terminate agreements with its cable affiliates - including Comcast, Cox and AT&T - on November 30, 2001.

Nanotech9
11-29-2001, 02:53 PM
same problem here - ive got COX, a killer cellphone, and no phone at home turned on. oh, and i'm buying my cable modem on a 12 month plan.

Markel
11-29-2001, 02:59 PM
Well, it might be an interesting weekend. But I sure don't feel like trying to call them to ask what will happen. If calling AT&T is anything like it was to call MediaOne, there was a typical 30 minute wait to get connected with a live person. And with all this going on, I would expect that time to go WAY higher. :mad:

mojo
11-29-2001, 06:23 PM
if you have cox, it says very little
http://www.cox.com/moreinfo/

although i remember them saying something in past emails about providing uninterrupted service, blah blah blah

phredd
11-29-2001, 06:43 PM
I'm using Comcast@Home, and I never got this particular e-mail. Hmm....

EdtheSped
11-29-2001, 06:56 PM
Got|Work??

I'm really bumming about this. I'm home alone till Sunday and I won't be able to play if @home cuts my service.

I guess I'll have to go out and get drunk.

EdtheSped
11-29-2001, 07:20 PM
DF at least you can still get DSL. I have a DSL modem from my old house but service isn't available in my area. I'll be stuck on dial-up, :heh: :heh: :heh: :heh: :heh:

EdtheSped
11-29-2001, 07:23 PM
If my service is cut, I guess I can pack up my kleenex and hand lotion and go to the office. I just hope no one else comes in and busts me.

I can see it now.

Friday night, hoardes of @home customers, boxes of kleenex in hand, all offering to stay late and work.

mojo
11-29-2001, 07:23 PM
well, i did the live chat with a cox rep about this. here it is:

"COX live technical support: Your COX Technical Support Rep, Michael, has arrived.
COX live technical support: Welcome to COX live technical support, mojo!
Michael: Hi. You are having some concerns about the future of @home.
mojo: yes i am
mojo: do you have any news
Michael: The media incorrectly reported that we will be shutting down service tomorrow. I do not have any new news today, though.
mojo: it said that is a possibility...
mojo: as did the @home site
Michael: Correct. We have a legal team working to resolve this issue, and hope to avoid losing our service.
mojo: oh, ok. so it wont be tomorrow but it could be before june...(the expected rollout of the cox service)
Michael: Well, we will have a better idea about the resolution by tomorrow. I do not know any specifics about any change in our status between tomorrow and this summer.
mojo: how much notice could i expect, and would that come from cox?
Michael: In a very worst case scenario, our service would not be available tomorrow. Most likely, though, we will be able to work some sort of a resolution out while keeping in mind our subscriber base.
mojo: well, i just dont want any "surprises"
Michael: Correct. I can understand that. Unfortunately, I do not have any updated information about this issue at this time.
mojo: so we will basically all find out tomorrow
Michael: I believe so, but I feel as though many aspects of the case will have to go very wrong for service to actually be shut down tomorrow.
mojo: ok. thanks for your time
Michael: You're welcome.
Michael: Good Night."

so basically they are pulling the bit where they aren't worried too much, blah blah blah...it will be fine...blah blah blah. they have confidence...blah blah blah.

nice knowing you, too, df :bawl:

mojo
11-29-2001, 07:27 PM
Originally posted by EdtheSped
If my service is cut, I guess I can pack up my kleenex and hand lotion and go to the office. I just hope no one else comes in and busts me.

I can see it now.

Friday night, hoardes of @home customers, boxes of kleenex in hand, all offering to stay late and work.

hand lotion, huh :dodgy:

EdtheSped
11-29-2001, 07:43 PM
Lubriderm