Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I wanted to share my experience in provisioning a brand new Arris TM822G to work with Comcast. Long read but I hope it helps someone out there. I was tired paying $7 a month 'leasing' a modem from Comcast (TM722). So I did some research by looking on the Comcast supported devices page and purchased a brand new TM822G online. On 10/15/12 I received the modem and called Comcast customer service tech support. I told them I purchased a modem and that I wanted to give them my MAC and MTA so they could update their records and enable the modem for phone and internet. The rep I spoke to said that it was fine but for some reason they weren't able to remove my old Comcast modems serial number from their system. They said they would call me back later in the day once a supervisor completed that step. I received that follow up call and the rep informed that the TM822G was only capable for internet and not telephony. I stressed to the rep that the modem was fully compatible and that it could handle internet and telephony. The rep would not yield and I finally asked for a supervisor. Supervisor came on the line and stated that the 3rd party modem was not supported by Comcast and that I would need to purchase a modem directly from best buy. I showed the supervisor that the TM822G was compatible per [...] The supervisor then put me on hold for 15 minutes. When he came back on the line his trump card was that the modem was only certified for internet and NOT telephony. This was a total farce but I knew I wasn't getting anywhere. I ended the call. I called Comcast again and spoke to another tech support agent and told them that I wanted to enable a new modem for Internet. They complied and I gave them the MAC of the TM822G. A few minutes passed the modem rebooted and I had internet access. I ended the call. Next I called 1-800-931-0790 and told them that I bought my own modem and have already registered it with Comcast. I told the rep that would like to activate/transfer my existing phone number to it. They verified the EMTA-MAC number and took about 10-15 minutes programming and restarting the modem. After the tech finished they asked me to verify that the phone was working by answering an automated Comcast call. It did and I ended the call. So my internet and telephone were working on my new TM822G. Here is where it gets aggravating the rep that activated telephony called me back a few hours later telling me that I would need to return my old Comcast modem to a returns center. And that when I got there I had to tell the agent at the returns center to remove the serial number of the old Comcast modem from my account. If I didn't do this in within 3 days Comcast's system would disable my modem. I thanked her and ended the call. On 10/18/12 I drove an hour and half to the Comcast Returns center nearest to me. I told the agent at the counter that I was returning an old modem as I had purchased my own and that I wanted Comcast to stop charging me for $7 a month for the modem rental. The Comcast agent said that was fine. I also told her that my phone and internet were working just fine on the new modem and that I wanted them to update their records with the new modems serial number. She took my old modem and then gave me a receipt for the modem return. Then she began to say that the system wouldn't let her remove my old modems serial number from their system. After she made 4 phone calls she came back to tell me that the system doesn't allow them to remove the modem serial number from my account because it is tied to a telephone. I told her that my telephone was working fine with the new modem. Then this is where I began to get aggravated. She begins to tell me that ALL modems are plug and play and that it works automatically when I plugged it in. I told her this is not how it worked and that I called Comcast earlier in the week to give them my new modems MAC and MTA. Once they had this info they provisioned my modem to work for internet AND telephone. She said that this was not possible as only Best Buy modems would work with both internet and telephone. At this point I realized I wasn't dealing with anyone proficient in basic tech support so I didn't want to argue with her. She then told me to call Comcast support to have them remove the old modems serial number. So I sat down in the Comcast Returns Center lounge and used their phone to call Comcast tech support. Here is where you are going to laugh. After telling the agent on the phone my situation and that I WAS CALLING FROM A COMCAST RETURNS CENTER PHONE KIOSK he proceeds to tell me that he is going to ship an empty UPS returns box to my house so I could send back my old modem to Comcast. After a moment of silence I reminded the phone rep that I was currently inside a Comcast returns center and that I didn't sleep walk there. I was there to return Comcast's equipment hence me being at the Comcast return center. He found this funny as well but said that the telephony modems had to be shipped somewhere special where they could be wiped. I said that was fine as I didn't want waste anymore of my day at the Returns center. I ended the call. The lady at the returns center was making more phone calls whilst I was talking to the rep on the phone. She finally said that she didn't know how to remove the serial number of the old modem from my account other than disconnecting my service which would cause me to lose my home phone number. I told her that since my phone and internet were working fine on the new modem not to touch anything on my account. She then realized what a cluster f&$# this was and got permission to remove the $7 rental fee from my account. She made me take the old modem home and so now I am waiting for a UPS box from Comcast so I can return my old modem. The irritating part is that Comcast still has the old modems serial number hard coded on my account. This means that if their system does some check this might disable my phone and internet. It would have been much easier if they didn't charge rental fees for modems. Hope someone out there gets some benefit from the gauntlet I had to go through. Here's some helpful hints: ***CopyrightOwnyourmodem2007*** HOW TO GET YOUR OWN PHONE MODEM UP AND WORKING There are three different ways to install your phone modem. 1.) Initially, follow the Comcast Self-Activation instructions. THIS SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST PRIORITY! 2.) If that doesn't work, then you will have to call Comcast to have them register the new modem with the C-MAC number (located on the back of the modem). Then, you will call the separate self-install phone number to activate/transfer the phone number on the new modem. 3.) Take your unit to a local Comcast connection center located in limited Best Buy stores (check for you area) and have them add the unit to your account, then go back and do step number 1. Comcast Self-Activation 1. Have your account number available. 2. Write down the CMAC address from the back of the modem 3. Plug in an Ethernet cable from the new modem directly into a computer (if you have a wireless router, set it aside for now). 4. Connect the cable coax (cable line) from your existing modem into the newly purchased modem. 5. Plug in the new modem so it turns on and wait up to 30 mins. (modems don't have an on/off switch). 6. Power-on the computer, or turn it off and back on if already on. It should connect and obtain an IP address from the modem. 7. Open up a web browser (ie. Firefox (is easiest), Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome, etc.) Or type in [Amazon Removed URL] 8. Internet is not connected yet, but you should get a "Comcast activation" page (refresh or try different browsers if necessary until it pops up) 9. Enter your account number into the box on the self activation page and follow instructions. 10. Comcast should respond that it has found your modem. Follow the step-by-step instructions until you get to the page to activate the device(s). TURN OFF activation of any TV devices (button on right side next to each device line shown on the page) before proceeding (they have already been activated when you installed the service and doing it again may mess that up). You should only activate the new Internet and Telephony‟ modem. 11. At the completion of the process you should be able to browse the internet as you could before. If you had a wireless router connected to the modem before, you can reconnect it now (may require a power-cycle to re-connect). If the self-activation process indicates that it was successful (may take up to 10 minutes) and the phone is working, then you are finished. If not, and only the internet is working, then skip to step number 5 under the manual activation instructions. Modems can be taken to your local Comcast connection center and then can enter the modem in manually, then you should certainly be able to complete the steps above. If internet self-activation didn't work, then begin following the steps below. Manual Activation 1. Connect your new modem: Connect the new modem same exact way as the previously leased modem and call 1-800-XFINITY (Easier to work with than 1-800-Comcast). 2. Enter the 10 digit phone number associated with the account. 3. Press 1 For Technical Assistance: Automated voice prompts for a description - say Internet not working or can't connect to Internet and you will be diverted to a call center. If you say "Phone not working‟, they will divert you to the wrong call center. Some Comcast franchises claim they cannot activate the modem because "the only voice modem customers can own must be purchased at Best Buy (TM722G)". Comcast approves of user's owning their own modems and the Arris TM502G, TM602G, TM702G, TM722G, and Thomson(RCA) DHG 535 are all 3-star‟ compliant modems (highest rating) according to their corporate techs, so don't take "NO‟ for an answer. The following link to the Comcast technical support page confirms this (and lists all approved devices): [...] 4. Verify Account With Tech: Ask to register the new modem, (the tech may inquire about it being a voice modem, tell them a tech provided you with the self install number to call to get your phone number provisioned/transferred on the new modem, in which case you tell them you just want to get the internet activated with them). Give them the CMAC number, it will take them a few minutes (sometimes up to 30 mins) to see it come online and you may need to restart (power off with battery out) or reset it (button on the back), or restart your computer. You may need to call a couple times to ensure the Comcast Rep did indeed remove the old modems Cmac #, and entered in your newly purchased modems number correctly onto your account. Your main objective when calling 1-800-Xfinity is to have them just register the Cmac number correctly onto your account; no matter what you have to say or do to get it done, unfortunately. After the modem is online, registered, and the internet is working(preferably working, but not required as the next department can run some tests to get the internet working) 5. PLEASE, PLEASE, MAKE SURE TO CALL THE SELF INSTALL DEPTS. NUMBER AT 1-800-931-0790. Call and tell them you have bought your own modem and have already registered it with Comcast, and would like to activate/transfer your existing phone number to it. They will verify the EMTA-MAC number and take around 10-15 minutes programming and restarting the modem. After the tech is finished they will ask you to verify the phone is working, and you are all done! 6. Take the Comcast Leased Modem Back. Take the Comcast leased modem back to one of the service centers nearest you and they will give you a receipt to confirm the lease return. What you say to them after that is up to you? Keep the receipt they gave you with your account information in case you still get incorrectly billed for a rental modem. NOW YOU HAVE AVOIDED THE DREADED MODEM LEASE FEE AND CAN START THE SAVINGS FOREVER!!!