[lug] OT: Comcast

[Nick Golder]

I am getting ready to move and found out that Qwest grossly overstated
the capability of our phone circuit and we will take a huge hit in
performance[1].  I am looking at other options - Comcast being one - and
they (here comes the surprise) can't answer a couple of questions.  

I figure a couple of people here probably have Comcast and can answer
a question or two.  So, can I access a server I have at home on
Comcast's service directly (and I imagine the answer is "no")?  Are their
advertised speeds, like Qwests, a function of reality stirred in with a
healthy dose of hype?  I tried Comcast something like 4.5 years ago and
ended up getting a Qwest circuit with a 3rd party ISP due to Comcast
having terrible networks outage issues.  IIRC, it wasn't localized but
kind of a Denver/Boulder/Longmont issue.  Is that still the case?

I find it interesting that it seems like rural areas are beginning to
have not only more, but also, in some cases, better performing options
for connectivity than their urban, more "developed" counterparts.

[1] Qwest originally quoted ~5Mbps/768Kbps speeds - in reality, it is
going to be closer to 256Kbps both ways.

-- 
Nick Golder