[GRLUG] new Comcast mail blocking?

[Greg Folkert]

On Tue, 2008-12-16 at 10:45 -0500, David Pembrook wrote:
> Greg Folkert wrote:
> > [snip]
> >   
> > My problem is distance from the CO. I am at 19,900 effective cable feet
> > from the CO. Even though I'm really 14K wire feet.
> >
> > This means I cannot have anything from a DSL provider except iDSL... or
> > DSL over ISDN (Dual-B+D channel) at 144Kbits/sec. Which using DSL over
> > that reduces the effective speed to about 128Kbits/sec.
> >
> > Heck, I'd have to pay for the ISDN and DSL service. I'd rather just pay
> > for an ISDN ISP service and get 144Kbits/sec... with my own ISDN modem
> > (I have 3 already)
> >
> > I'd be perfectly happy with AT&T's Uverse except for the fact limiting
> > is coming into play already, and AT&T does have the direct line to the
> > CIA/NSA thing... so my comfort level isn't very good. In general my
> > comfort level isn't very good on these things.
> >   
> >   
> how bad are the limits? Given the ease in which one can burn bandwidth 
> and that it does cost the provider, I think it was only a matter time 
> before they put them in (not that I'm supporting limits). Are you locked 
> in to Uverse (contract)?

Just so you all know, I've been warned twice now (by Comcast) about
getting close to limits (250GB/month) and I've haven't done anything
except work related. The business Comcast deals are near exactly the
same thing. Charge more for crap I don't need (website more e-mails,
phone service, business Cable TV plus a separate Cable Modem for that.)
and still have the same limits? And I looked at Uverse... the costs are
big if you only use Internet for them. Like $80/month for the starting
tier of speed. It goes down significantly if you "bundle", in fact I can
get Digital TV for 2 TVs and Phone service for that SAME $80. Of course
starting tier on everything. If I want expanded TV channels (like for
the wife's daycare service) its upto $40 more per month ($20 per TV) If
I want more than 2 TV's, I have to get a second service box. Costing
more yet.

> I've looked at Uverse as an alternative to cable. Comcast may suck but 
> it works and can be cheep (you can keep the promo rates in effect if you 
> threaten to cancel and renegotiate when they run out) You can also get 
> around the blocked ports. I'm just waiting till they start monitoring 
> the actual traffic to catch people using other ports for outgoing mail. 
> Gotta love vpn.

I just use SSH and SSMTP/IMAPS/POP3S/TLS/SSL/WTFE stuff. etc... 

VPN is not the end all be all savior. In fact it can add much to
overhead. I just use port forwarding through SSH, its nice, it works and
is effective.

> Has anyone used both Comcast and Uverse and can compare? Would anyone 
> dump Uverse for Comcast?

Nope, not yet used Uverse, so I can't say.
-- 
greg at gregfolkert.net
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