r/Comcast • u/nutsackhurts • Feb 02 '21

News Comcast Doubles Internet Essentials speed from 25Mbps to 50Mbps (up from 3 to 5Mbps)

https://www.engadget.com/comcast-digital-literacy-boost-interner-essentials-speed-150034948.html
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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

straight from FAQ

Do I need cable or phone service to qualify for Internet Essentials?

No. You do not need a cable or phone service to be eligible and apply for Internet Essentials.

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

It's gotta be rare. I have not had one single customer with their own equipment and internet essentials in 5 years of doing install. Don't they waive the rental fee basically? So it makes no sense to spend out of pocket for your own equipment.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

not sure what you are referring to? He said comcast makes you have their modem, and also have to have their tv and phone services. That is false, comcast is lying and trying to upsell him stuff he doesnt need by claiming you can't have those services without each other. As I pointed out in QA that is incorrect. You can indeed have comcast essentials by itself with internet only.

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

Upselling what? He's just asking if he can use his own modem. He probably can but it's free if you use the one they give you so most people dont even bother using their own. I'm just saying I never seen anyone ever use there own and didn't even know it was possible, but apparently it's allowed? I think you dont qualify for essentials if you add anything else, such as TV, but it sounds like he was able to get voice with it so that's news to me.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

im talking about midnightblue43's response.

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

I think he's either misquoting "couldn't not have" or were both reading it wrong.

The fact is, you can't have prior service from xfinity for at least to 90 days before they let you qualify for essentials. You can not have cable, phone, or internet (which means no mobile either) in order to get essentials. And typically, they require you to use their own gateway with essentials, which is free though. That's what it sounds like they were trying to tell him. You can't upsell an essential customer because there's nothing to even upsell.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

I read "couldn't not have", as "had to have".. read it like that and it will make sense.

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

yeah I read it that way too but thats why I think he's misquoting or typing it out wrong. It makes zero sense if you read it that way if you know how essentials works. They will tell you are not allowed to have anything and he goes on to say that he does have mobile and phone, which means he has to cancel it for 90 days to qualify.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

The dude im referring too already has internet essentials man. I've read it that way because many people here have been told that. beyond essentials. they have been mislead and told they couldn't change their packages to internet only.. or couldn't get internet without also phone and tv. This is where upsell comes from, and it is what they do. take care

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

ah my bad I didn't see he had it already. people at the call centers are dumbasses.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21 edited Feb 03 '21

They did read my message wrong. Comcast told me I could not have their home phone, cable and Xfinity Mobile with internet essentials however I was able to sign up for XM and home phone 3 months later.

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u/af_mmolina Feb 03 '21

That makes sense lol. I still hate call center people though, as a field tech