"Comcast has a contract with Microsoft not to discuss Firefox"

[techs]

Wackiness.
This is the second customer who has called in the last few days who has said that when they called for help with their internet they were told "Comcast has a contract with Microsoft not to discuss Firefox"
Gotta love it.

 

[geno]

heh would that even be legal?

 

[buck]

What customer?

 

[ryan256]

So tell them you're using IE and that their service still doesn't work. </problem>

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: geno
heh would that even be legal?

Why wouldn't it be?

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: geno
heh would that even be legal?

Why wouldn't it be?

Anti-competitive practice?

 

[Fingolfin269]

Not that this has anything to do with IE/Firefox but I do need to call Comcast and find out wtf my internet keeps randomly dropping on me. The modem lights will go blank then about 5 seconds later they work. Happens a few times a day now. I've had the modem for a long time so I guess it could be that...

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: geno
heh would that even be legal?

Why wouldn't it be?

Well what actually happens? Does Comcast refuse support to customers who are paying them money for it based on which browser they're using? Or do they simply not refer to Firefox directly and give general support to help those customers (for instance, telling a customer to configure their modem by opening their "web browser" rather than saying "open IE or Firefox")?

I know that in past years (and it's probably still going on), ISPs have refused to support non-Windows users, but I think they're still obligated to provide them all with working service. They just don't have their phone support people trained to handle OS-specific questions, so those customers have to be able to figure out a little bit more on their own.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: geno
heh would that even be legal?

Why wouldn't it be?

Anti-competitive practice?

no, they can easily say they don't support that software.
you can't expect them to support every single browser out there. they can provide general guidelines and browser settings without going mentioning FF and navigating their GUI.

oh, and they deserve a darwin award, right op?

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Not that this has anything to do with IE/Firefox but I do need to call Comcast and find out wtf my internet keeps randomly dropping on me. The modem lights will go blank then about 5 seconds later they work. Happens a few times a day now. I've had the modem for a long time so I guess it could be that...

Could be a line fault or something else they can check as well.

Get on it

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: PlasmaBomb

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Not that this has anything to do with IE/Firefox but I do need to call Comcast and find out wtf my internet keeps randomly dropping on me. The modem lights will go blank then about 5 seconds later they work. Happens a few times a day now. I've had the modem for a long time so I guess it could be that...

Could be a line fault or something else they can check as well.

Get on it

It could be Firefox!!!

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: geno
heh would that even be legal?

Why wouldn't it be?

Well what actually happens? Does Comcast refuse support to customers who are paying them money for it based on which browser they're using? Or do they simply not refer to Firefox directly and give general support to help those customers (for instance, telling a customer to configure their modem by opening their "web browser" rather than saying "open IE or Firefox")?

I know that in past years (and it's probably still going on), ISPs have refused to support non-Windows users, but I think they're still obligated to provide them all with working service. They just don't have their phone support people trained to handle OS-specific questions, so those customers have to be able to figure out a little bit more on their own.

I worked for Comcast for years.

"I'm sorry, you'll need to contact the manufacturer of that software for support."

Telling a customer that you have a contract with M$ not to talk about FireFox is just sooooo absolutely the wrong thing to say. That's a FAIL tech support agent right there.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: PlasmaBomb

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Not that this has anything to do with IE/Firefox but I do need to call Comcast and find out wtf my internet keeps randomly dropping on me. The modem lights will go blank then about 5 seconds later they work. Happens a few times a day now. I've had the modem for a long time so I guess it could be that...

Could be a line fault or something else they can check as well.

Get on it

It could be Firefox!!!

 

[zoiks]

Another reason M$ sucks. Comcast sucked anyway but sheltering consumers from other choices FTL.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
It could be Firefox!!!

Uninstall the drop network plugin (it's bundled w/ the free porn plugin)

 

[rh71]

they could've just said they only support IE... and Opera if they do.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: zoiks
Another reason M$ sucks. Comcast sucked anyway but sheltering consumers from other choices FTL.

Customers can use whatever browser they'd like. If they're having issues related to Firefox, they can contact someone with Firefox. Comcast's responsibility is to provide working internet service, not a working browser - and Microsoft has a contract fiscally viable with both companies that the browser they DO support is Internet Explorer.

That's business.

I use Google Chrome, personally - and I would never call Comcast tech support expecting them to fix a problem with Chrome. Its not their problem.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: rh71
they could've just said they only support IE... and Opera if they do.

Yes, stating which browsers they DO support would be the correct thing to say. That CS agent just wanted to shift responsibility.