As many of you know, Comcast has been planning upgrades for their customers. The roll-out is scheduled to start in Jan. 2005, and it has. Here is a breakdown of what the new speeds will be (among other things).

Q: What will the new advertised speeds be?
A: The base package (silver) will be 4000/384. The $10 add on tier (gold) will be 5000/768.

Q: What will the new caps be?
A: The caps will be 4300/384 and 5300/768 for silver and gold, respectively.

Q: Will there be a price increase for HSI?
A: Not at this time.

Q: Will all Comcast subscribers get the upgrade?
A: Yes, everyone will get it. Some will get it sooner then others based on a roll-out schedule.

Q: When can I expect the upgrade?
A: The upgrades will begin in early 2005. There are a few test areas that already have the upgrade.

Q: What are the test areas?
A: Knoxville TN, Naples, FL and Washington D.C areas.

Q: Can I call Comcast to find out when I will be upgraded?
A: No, the reps do not have or are not allowed to release the upgrade schedule at this time. (I'm getting ready to call anyway)

Q: Will I have to purchase/lease a new modem?
A: No, this speed upgrade will not require a new modem.

Q: Does Comcast have to upgrade my area to QAM 256 before the speed upgrades.
A: No, but it would be beneficial to Comcast to do so.

Q: Will the new speed upgrade be automatic or will I have to reboot my modem?
A: In most cases you will need to reboot your modem.

Q: Are there any other new speed tiers?
A: Yes, Comcast has added a 6/1.5 tier for "true" business customers.

Q: What happened to Pro?
A: The Pro package is slowly being phased out in all areas. Current Pro customers should get the upgrade, but they would save a lot of money by switching to the gold tier.

There have been several reports from people that have the new speeds already. Comcast plans to be finished between Q1 - Q2.

I wonder if anyone can get the business account..

So far I've heard:
It is a business tier, part of what is going to be referred to as the "Hospitality" tier. I'm not sure if it's going to be available to any body other then hospitality customers at this time. There are two tiers (Hospitality One and Hospitality High Speed).
-by Hospitality i'm referring to places such as hotels, lodges, etc.

Please post any information you have about this. Everyone that contacts tech support won't get positive answers, but those that do, please share.

Damn!! It appears that we will be getting 6000/768 instead of the aforementioned 5000/768. Comcast is about to shut it down baby! I can feel it!

Check this out: Comcast expected to raise broadband speeds

which is the best deal for me? i mean fastest?

High-Speed Internet   
   
With Comcast High-Speed Internet you get up to 7 e-mail accounts, Web space to create a home page or store files online and Comcast.net connects you to whatever suits your interest. Plus you can check e-mail from any computer! It's fast and it's cable-powered so there's no dialing up and no waiting.
      
High-Speed Internet      Monthly Price         
   
 Current Comcast Customers Special!       $1.00            
   
High-Speed Internet for Non-Comcast Cable Customers      $56.95            
   
High-Speed Internet for Current Comcast Cable Customers      $42.95            
   
 Special Offer for Current Comcast Customers      Free            
   
 Special Offer for Non-Comcast Cable Customers      Free            

Thats  awsome for the Comcast customers. Every Comcast user should throw a party for the good upgrade their getting.

from:  http://forums.Comcast.net/thread.jspa?threadID=31805&start=15&tstart=0

"Michael    Re: Upgrade Is Planned    Jan 16, 2005 1:54 PM
Posts: 1,941      From: White Marsh, MD
 Registered: 6/30/03
   
Reply         Report Abuse
"So, no "official" word on upgrades?"

The official word is that we have started rolling out the upgrades and hope to have the majority of areas completed by the end of Q1 2005. I have not seen any roll out schedules for specific areas."

      
"Michael    Re: Upgrade Is Planned    Jan 16, 2005 1:55 PM
Posts: 1,941      From: White Marsh, MD
  Registered: 6/30/03
Reply         Report Abuse
"Unfortunately, the 6Mbps speed is misreported in this article. The Speed Tier will be 5Mbps down / 768 Kbps up."

"You sure about that?"

Yes."

Hey Ca3le, if the link ain't cool, please delete it. (Nothin' can F#@& with tesymy.net anyway )
For those of you who haven't seen the list, here it is.

This is according to Big_D over at Comcast speed upgrades thread - Part 5 (BroadbandReports.com)

Here is the list of cities/areas that are expected to be upgraded on January 26th. Please keep in mind that this list is subject to change at any time.

Baltimore
Albuquerque
Chesapeake Bay
Chesterfield
Dallas
Delmar
Pittsburgh (including Elyria and Tri-State)
Richmond
Boston
Connecticut
North New Jersey
South New Jersey
PA Metro and West
Detroit
Indianappolis
Kansas City
Fort Wayne
Flint
Augusta
Charleston
Chattanooga
Dallas (GA)
East Tennessee
Hattiesburg
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Lake County
Little Rock
Medridian
Miami
Mobile
Nashville
Paducah
Panama City
Savannah
Tallahassee
Tuscaloosa
Sarasota
Portland

As well as the existing trial markets:
Washington DC
Knoxville
Naples

If your City was not listed above then there is no scheduled release time available in your area. All upgrades are expected to be completed by March 31st.

Before you complain to Comcast about not getting your upgraded speed on time, read this first (from the Comcast Help Forums):

No upgrade in Buchanan,MI yet..... I keep hoping it will be soon.