Docsis 3.0 (D3) Modem and Speed!

So, I was fortunate enough to get my upgrade to Docsis 3.0 service yesterday.  Comcast is the ISP in my area and they provide me with broadband only.  Unfortunately I cannot utilize their cable tv services due to my family wanting international programming available only through Dish Network.  We live in what I consider the inner depths of NJ where there is significant population but I doubt a lot of heavy internet users. Lucky me..

Comcast had scheduled the installation for yesterday (Saturday July 11, 2009).  However, I received a phone call from the technician (sub-contracted by Comcast) that he had no equipment for the installation.  I proceeded to ask the excellent Comcast customer service team on Twitter if I could pick the modem up and do the installation myself.  The response was unprecedented….they were more UPSET then I was and they claimed this kind of service was “unacceptable.”  I received emails and a phone call informing me that someone would indeed do the installation on Saturday and sure enough a technician was at my home, equipment in hand, by 5pm.  The installation was smooth and the technician very courteous and knowledgeable.  Once installed we did a few quick tests to see if we were online and what our speeds were….the tech and I were both very THRILLED and proceeded to high-five each other at the sight of the first 5 speed tests.  A hearty congratulations and much gratitude goes to the customer service team at Comcast (@comcastcares, @comcastgeorge, @comcastbonnie on Twitter!) and the many others in the background that made this happen.  The TECH sector could learn a thing or two about customer service from these folks.

Enough of my tales….here is what you really want to see.  The specs and then the speed tests of Docsis 3.0 as provided by Comcast in Central, NJ.

The modem, model U10C035, is made by Ubee.  The specifications are below as per their website or you can click here and visit the site.

Overview

Ubee’s DOCSIS 3.0 Modem includes a number of major enhancements including channel bonding and IPv6. Four upstream and downstream channels can be virtually bonded allowing operators to deliver higher speed services to subscribers of160Mbps downstream and 120Mbps upstream. IPv6 greatly expands the number of Internet addresses that operators may use. Ubee’s DOCSIS 3.0 Modem can also simultaneously support a DOCSIS 1.x, 2.0, and new 3.0 features.

Benefits

• Helps operators maintain competitive speed advantage resulting in increased market share and greater subscriber relationships
• Allows operators to increase the frequency spectrum, enabling new value-added services
• IPv6 is the next generation of Internet Protocol and greatly expands the number of Internet addresses that cable operators may use, allowing them to provide subscribers with more IP-based services
• 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet allows PCs to take advantage of the increased speeds offered by channel bonding
• Subscribers can visually determine if channel bonding and Gigabit Ethernet is enabled through dual-colored LEDs. LEDs remain consistent compared to previous generation Data products to help reduce support and training effort.

Features

• Channel Bonding
• 1GHz Downstream Tuner
• IPv6 Support
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Descriptive LEDs

Speed Tests:

Now for speed testing to see what this new service can do: (speed testing was done on speedtest.net and speakeasy.net).  Click on the images below for full versions.  Basically all testing was averaging out at between 50-70mbps down and 5mbps up, depending on the test site and the latency of the connection.  I will be adding blog posts as time goes on with different results and the cost of the packages available with Docsis 3.0 (I have posted the pricing plans and speeds offered by Comcast HERE.)

Overall this has been a great experience thus far and I am in awe of the customer service that Comcast has to offer.  I would love to hear of your experiences and speed test results.  Please comment below.