Bright House Road Runner speed increase!

[djkilla]

Changed out some cables today at the local Bright House hub and was told for the second time that starting Nov. 20 there will be an option to get 40mbs internet speed. The catch, there will be a $50 setup charge no matter what you have or who you are and you'll have to pay for the increase in speed. For me, since I have phone, cable and internet (20mbs) with them, I would have to pay the $50 setup fee and $15 more a month to get the 40mbs.

[Jason]

Did they mention how much the upstream speed will be? I also have the triple package with 20 meg data. That $50 setup charge for existing service seems a little steep...I wonder what their rationale is behind that decision?

[FTBoomerIII]

I called today and they will turn on my 40x5 first thing in the morning. No mention of the $50 and they dropped some other cable charges so the net gain is only $10\month

[djkilla]

I called today and they will turn on my 40x5 first thing in the morning. No mention of the $50 and they dropped some other cable charges so the net gain is only $10\month

I'll have to give them a call tomorrow and work my magic on them. Maybe I can get by the $50 setup fee and get a good price on the 40mbs.

[FTBoomerIII]

So it seems I need a new modem for the 40x5 upgrade and they aren't scheduling any until the 30th. They also mentioned then waived the $50.

[Jason]

So it seems I need a new modem for the 40x5 upgrade...

Do you have phone service or just Internet? I'm trying to figure out of the data/phone units are also affected.

[LonghornXP]

I just ordered the service and have an install date of 11/30 between 8-10am. I'm told that they are going to provide as part of the 50 dollar setup fee a wireless router that supports Draft N/G/B/A along with 4 gigabit ethernet ports. This router also has the DOCSIS 3.0 wideband supported cable modem built into it. This is made from a company called SMZ I believe or SMC I'm not sure which one she said. She also said that she is about 95% sure this modem/router "DOES NOT" support BHN phone services. My installation will include running an additional dedicated line just for this modem/router while leaving my existing cable line for voice only using a different voice only modem. So I'm going to have two total modems to have both my BHN phone and internet services. However for those speeds at such a good price I'm happy to have a second box.

I have the triple play bundle with all premiums and the 20/2 Turbo plus service. Besides the 50 buck setup fee my bill will increase 15 bucks a month for the 40MB plan. I also dropped the HDPak to reduce my bill as I've never watched one of those HD channels since they dropped HDNet nor am I interested in those channels.

They also said that this is a public trial test period (service will be reliable they promised) and once the new system is stable and they get past any installation and line quality hurdles they will be increasing the speeds (at no extra charge) to 50Mbps down and 5Mbps up.

Also the current service speeds we will be getting right away after we get installed will be 40Mbps download and 5Mbps upload. Both download and upload speeds will also benefit from PowerBoost. For the first 5-10 seconds of each download PowerBoost will provide speeds close to 60Mbps and uploads will near around 7-10Mbps for 3-5 seconds using PowerBoost.

I'm very excited to get this new service installed and am also looking forward to those 100+ HD channels. I'm for the first time in quite a while starting to feel like I really do live in a Bright House. Good job Bright House and keep these really great improvements and additions coming and I'm not sure if I'll even bother with the hassle of switching to FIOS. I'm very happy with the service quality its only been the internet speeds and TV content (mainly HD content) that has greatly disappointed me.

[Jason]

Let us know what you think. I trust the judgment of the users on this site, so I'll wait for your reviews before I decide to make the move myself. Sounds encouraging, though.

[FTBoomerIII]

I just ordered the service and have an install date of 11/30 between 8-10am. I'm told that they are going to provide as part of the 50 dollar setup fee a wireless router that supports Draft N/G/B/A along with 4 gigabit ethernet ports. This router also has the DOCSIS 3.0 wideband supported cable modem built into it. This is made from a company called SMZ I believe or SMC I'm not sure which one she said. She also said that she is about 95% sure this modem/router "DOES NOT" support BHN phone services. My installation will include running an additional dedicated line just for this modem/router while leaving my existing cable line for voice only using a different voice only modem. So I'm going to have two total modems to have both my BHN phone and internet services. However for those speeds at such a good price I'm happy to have a second box.

I have the triple play bundle with all premiums and the 20/2 Turbo plus service. Besides the 50 buck setup fee my bill will increase 15 bucks a month for the 40MB plan. I also dropped the HDPak to reduce my bill as I've never watched one of those HD channels since they dropped HDNet nor am I interested in those channels.

They also said that this is a public trial test period (service will be reliable they promised) and once the new system is stable and they get past any installation and line quality hurdles they will be increasing the speeds (at no extra charge) to 50Mbps down and 5Mbps up.

Also the current service speeds we will be getting right away after we get installed will be 40Mbps download and 5Mbps upload. Both download and upload speeds will also benefit from PowerBoost. For the first 5-10 seconds of each download PowerBoost will provide speeds close to 60Mbps and uploads will near around 7-10Mbps for 3-5 seconds using PowerBoost.

I'm very excited to get this new service installed and am also looking forward to those 100+ HD channels. I'm for the first time in quite a while starting to feel like I really do live in a Bright House. Good job Bright House and keep these really great improvements and additions coming and I'm not sure if I'll even bother with the hassle of switching to FIOS. I'm very happy with the service quality its only been the internet speeds and TV content (mainly HD content) that has greatly disappointed me.



WOW!! you got a lot more info than I did. I too am slated for the 8-10 am time slot. Didn't know about the dual modem thing but I don't really care. Looking forward to it more than before thanks to you.

Jason, I have the whole thing, phone, cable and internet.

[LonghornXP]

WOW!! you got a lot more info than I did. I too am slated for the 8-10 am time slot. Didn't know about the dual modem thing but I don't really care. Looking forward to it more than before thanks to you.

Jason, I have the whole thing, phone, cable and internet.

I've spent a while waiting for a phone call back and have been told that this new router/modem does indeed support BHN phone services. So it seems that only the new router/modem is needed. We will see who is right on Monday though. Also the install visit is being required because they must check the signal going into the modem because signal issues that aren't problems with the Docsis 2 20/2 plan might cause major problems with the new plans as they are using more than one channel bonded together to offer you those higher speeds. Because of this channel bonding any signal issues can be greatly magnified with this new tier. Also most customers can just pick up a modem and hook it up and be ready without issues. This new router however requires a bit more to configure and install which could create major problems for customers getting the service going and working the way it should.

Because of all of these things that could go wrong they decided that a tech visit would be required for this specific internet plan even though its an upgrade. This upgrade must be treated like a brand new customer installation for internet service. Why they are charging 50 bucks to install this when a new customer ordering this today gets it for free is beyond me and I might send a letter by snail mail to the president of BHN Tampa Bay. If the additional monthly fee wasn't so low I would be balking like crazy over the 50 buck charge.

At least this install requires a bit more for the techs todo compared to popping in a cablecard or hooking up another modem in place of an existing modem or as I call it the 250 dollars an hour job.

[AmelFl]

what do you guys use a 60mps download?

[FTBoomerIII]

what do you guys use a 60mps download?


Doing it more for the 5 up than the 60 down (although it will be nice)

[DSquare]

Changed out some cables today at the local Bright House hub and was told for the second time that starting Nov. 20 there will be an option to get 40mbs internet speed. The catch, there will be a $50 setup charge no matter what you have or who you are and you'll have to pay for the increase in speed. For me, since I have phone, cable and internet (20mbs) with them, I would have to pay the $50 setup fee and $15 more a month to get the 40mbs.


I just called today and spoke with a sales rep. She kept telling me it was an additional $30/month plus the setup fee. I asked her a few times if she was sure and she said yes. I told her no thanks. I figured I would try back on Monday with a different rep. She called me back with a few minutes and said it is in fact $15 more. It would be $30 more if I didn't already have the Turbo. I'm gone first week in December so they are coming out on the 7th.

On a side note with all these new hd channels and new inet speeds I hope they can keep the pic quality up to par.

[FTBoomerIII]

So i gets a call from the agent that helped me set-up my 40x5 upgrade and she tells me that corporate came down on her and she tells me she is unable to waive the $50 installation fee. PISSED!! but still getting it.

[pilotbob]

So i gets a call from the agent that helped me set-up my 40x5 upgrade and she tells me that corporate came down on her and she tells me she is unable to waive the $50 installation fee. PISSED!! but still getting it.

They probably told her that her commission comes out of that fee, so if they don't charge it to you she won't get her $25 for the sale.

BOb

[AmelFl]

whats the upload on the 15mps package

[FTBoomerIII]

WOW I AM F)(KING PISSED. At 10am when no one had showed up I called and some how my install scheduled for this morning got canceled on their end and I now have to wait till Friday.

[Jason]

Sounds like someone won't be getting their $50 setup fee...

[LonghornXP]

This has happened enough times with me that I call the day before to verify in addition to calling customer service the morning of the appointment around 6am. Anytime the install was canceled for whatever reason and I called at 6am I demanded that they kept their promise of install or I'd file nearly every complaint I could because they wasted my time and money. I've never once not had my appointment restored and in most cases when I had a 10am-12pm appointment and they canceled it because of error I ended up getting a tech showing up right smack at 8am that morning.

Either way ask them for a credit for the on time promise and also demand they waive the 50 buck setup fee for their error. Say if you need to charge a fee to send a truck roll I expect that truck roll to be on time regardless of the reason. BHN customer service is far better now compared to say three years ago but this is still one of the major sore spots of their customer service.

Now I've been one of the most unlucky people along with my family when it comes to BHN service calls for almost a twenty year period but in the last two years every appointment and install for myself and family has been on time with a job very well done with the exception of my original install when I moved into this apartment a bit over one year ago. My mother just bought a new house and had all the services installed last Wednesday via Knight Communications and they did one heck of a good job. They needed to run brand new cables and replace the drop from the poll to the house and everything.

These guys did all of that work and went the extra mile to make everything neat and tidy including cleaning up after themselves. I was more impressed with that specific visit as it clearly was the best install job I've ever seen Knight or BHN employees perform with my own eyes.

Hey I know I've said tons more that really has nothing to do with your issue but I just felt that this was worth saying because I think others might feel the same. However it doesn't excuse the error they made but I have more faith in the company now on trying to make it up to you which they would never have done in years past.

[CANDY76MAN]

How do they justify a 50 dollar setup fee to existing RR customers when all they have to do is set the higher speed limits from their office and reset the modem?

[FTBoomerIII]

How do they justify a 50 dollar setup fee to existing RR customers when all they have to do is set the higher speed limits from their office and reset the modem?


They gave me a $20 credit.

CandyMan,

The reason for the visit is they need to replace the modem and to get these new speeds they have to combine and sync 2 internet lines into the new modem.

[CANDY76MAN]

They gave me a $20 credit.

CandyMan,

The reason for the visit is they need to replace the modem and to get these new speeds they have to combine and sync 2 internet lines into the new modem.

I see...in that case I guess the fee is reasonable. I would have thought a single coax would have plenty of headroom to supply that much bandwidth but I guess not?

[DSquare]

I was told the $50 fee is for the wireless modem that they must replace with your current modem.

[FTBoomerIII]

So, no one has had this installed yet? My installation is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I thought LonghornXP was also scheduled for Monday

[DSquare]

Mine is scheduled for Monday also.

[LonghornXP]

Sorry for the late replay but I did get installed this Monday and am very happy with the service except for the wireless router. You can't do jack with it and if you need port forwarding just give up and shoot yourself. However you can call the Road Runner helpdesk and request that they put your router into "bridge mode". This turns off all the features of the router and allows the gateway to act only as a modem. This allows you to use your own access point/router so you can have full wireless control along with full port forwarding ability.

Beyond everything I said above I'm very happy with the speeds I'm getting and I've seen no drop in service quality thus far. I do have two modems though as this new D3 modem doesn't support BHN phone service.

[FTBoomerIII]

Sorry for the late replay but I did get installed this Monday and am very happy with the service except for the wireless router. You can't do jack with it and if you need port forwarding just give up and shoot yourself. However you can call the Road Runner helpdesk and request that they put your router into "bridge mode". This turns off all the features of the router and allows the gateway to act only as a modem. This allows you to use your own access point/router so you can have full wireless control along with full port forwarding ability.

Beyond everything I said above I'm very happy with the speeds I'm getting and I've seen no drop in service quality thus far. I do have two modems though as this new D3 modem doesn't support BHN phone service.

So can the tech do the bridge mode while on-site? I need my own wireless router.

How long did the install take?

Mine is tomorrow morning

[LonghornXP]

So can the tech do the bridge mode while on-site? I need my own wireless router.

How long did the install take?

Mine is tomorrow morning

Nope because the tech needs to access the configuration mode of the router to activate and setup your service. Because of this I doubt the tech will bother to call support and have this done "assuming" they know what your talking about. The install took about 30 minutes or so because I had phone service. With the phone service the tech just installed a splitter near the modem to feed my existing voice/data modem and the new SMC modem. The tech called to switch the date service from the existing modem to the new modem along with making sure the old modem had data services removed "while" keeping my voice services activated.

Beyond the above the rest of the time was spent getting the Lightning service activated which wasn't that long. So I'd suggest you let the tech get everything installed like normal and don't make things worse trying to tell the tech what he/she most likely won't have a clue about.

Once service is installed call 727-324-1009 and find anyway to speak to a rep. After getting a rep ask to speak to a Wireless Specialist rep. Once your speaking with this rep inform the rep you just got the Lightning service installed and you need them to put your SMC gateway into "bridge mode". If in the odd chance they don't know what this is inform them you need them to disable all of the router features so the device works just as a modem only. Most likely they will transfer you to a Lead tech who can run the script to get this done.

The entire process to put the gateway into bridge mode "once" you got the right rep on the phone will be about 3 or so minutes. Make sure the computer your using has a wired eithernet connection to the SMC Lan port before doing this and make sure your computers network configuration is setup to DCHP/Auto so you can get an IP address and make sure everything worked. Once that is done shut down the computer, unplug your SMC router and new router. Connect your new router by taking a network cable and plugging it into the LAN1 jack of the SMC router and plugging the other end into the WAN port of your other router.

Beyond that connect your other computers/devices using the LAN connections on your other (non SMC) routers. After doing this everything will work fine as long as you configure your non SMC router properly (ie port forwarding, wireless security etc).

I hope this gives you the information you need and once the SMC gateway is placed into bridge mode you can no longer access the configuration interface anymore. So your SMC gateway is only going to work a modem so anything beyond the modem must be done by another router you must own and know how to use because BHN won't support anything beyond just wireless connections and wireless security. Port forwarding and things like that aren't going to be supported by BHN whether you have the SMC gateway or anything else.

Edit...as your in the Tampa region and not Pinellas you need to call the local BHN number for your area instead of the Pinellas number. Beyond this change everything else should be exactly the same. You have enough information that at worse case calling the Road Runner National Help Desk should also do the trick at getting you to the correct person and department.

[JamesD]

the SMCs they are using have built in wireless access points?

if no, they sound like the same gateways we use for business class service

it is a matter of a config file uploaded to the modem to flip it into bridge mode

if they dont understand bridge mode when you call, tell them to disable NAT

[LonghornXP]

the SMCs they are using have built in wireless access points?

if no, they sound like the same gateways we use for business class service

it is a matter of a config file uploaded to the modem to flip it into bridge mode

if they dont understand bridge mode when you call, tell them to disable NAT

These SMC modems have a wireless N access point built into them. Also they do indeed have a config file they will upload to the SMC to switch it into bridge mode. They have a script that handles this for them.

Yes on your last point because the tech who I spoke with before being transferred to the tech who did the switching itself asked if what I wanted was the same as disabling the NAT. Of course I said no but if you knew who can disable NAT please transfer me anyway in the hopes they knew exactly what I wanted to be done. It turned out I was right and got my SMC modem into bridge mode last night and all is working fine.

[FTBoomerIII]

Yeah, I'm gonna need to use my own wireless N router. First off, it's a GigaBit router, next I have my network printer IP hardcoded (static IP). I also have 4 iPhones and 4 laptops that I DO NOT want to go in and change all those WEP passwords, and finally I use OpenDNS (also testing GoogleDNS) hardcoded into the router.

So thanks, I will be making this change.

[FTBoomerIII]

OK, so he just left, I'mm all installed and running both wireless with no problems. Did not disable NAT or have the bridge mode set. So far so good.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/642284070.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[Jason]

I wold be interested in seeing the speed test after you do get your SMC into bridge mode (assuming you plan to have them do that). Wonder if that would change any of the results?

[LonghornXP]

I wold be interested in seeing the speed test after you do get your SMC into bridge mode (assuming you plan to have them do that). Wonder if that would change any of the results?

I haven't noticed any differences in my speeds after getting the modem into bridge mode. However the speedtest servers have been hammered lately so results will be varied and lower than expected. To fully test speeds try downloading a large file and monitor those speeds to judge the actual speed your getting. Remember speedtest servers can be slower than your Internet speeds at any given time.

[DSquare]

Just got it installed. He was in and out within 20 mins. On Roadrunners speedtest site I'm getting 35ish down and 4.5-5 up.
There is an option in the SMC's admin for port forwarding. I'm still going to call though and have them set it to bridge mode.

[DSquare]

Like I said in previous post I have no problem getting advertised speeds using BHN's speedtest. Using speedtest.net and a tampa location I barely get 10/2 but tonight I used a Baton Rouge location and got much better results.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/645697794.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[FTBoomerIII]

Just got it installed. He was in and out within 20 mins. On Roadrunners speedtest site I'm getting 35ish down and 4.5-5 up.
There is an option in the SMC's admin for port forwarding. I'm still going to call though and have them set it to bridge mode.

What is setting the modem to Bridge Mode going to do for you?

[DSquare]

Just to bypass everything on there and use my existing router that is already configured for my home network.

[FTBoomerIII]

Just to bypass everything on there and use my existing router that is already configured for my home network.

Mine works fine and not I have 2 wireless modem. One dedicated to G and the other dedicated to N