Comcast launches High-Speed 2go WiMax service tomorrow in Portland, other cities to follow by end of year

Put down that bowl of homemade granola and take heed, citizens of Portland: you're about to get a first crack at Comcast's High-Speed 2go service, and we don't want any of your excuses about "taking a tech sabbatical" or "getting lost in the wilderness" to keep you away from sweet, sweet broadband bundles. Based on Clearwire's WiMAX service, Comcast High-Speed 2go is available in a "Fast Pack Metro" bundle which packs home internet service, a WiFi router and the WiMAX for $50 a month, with another $20 tacking on nationwide Sprint 3G (along with the appropriate 3G / WiMAX combo card). Existing Triple Play customers can add the WiMAX by itself for $30. Comcast plans to launch similar service in Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia before the end of 2009.

[google @ Jun 29th 2009 2:45PM]

I would love to know when this will come to the US.

[OneLove @ Jun 29th 2009 2:47PM]

Are you high? Portland =/= Poland.

[Swizz @ Jun 29th 2009 2:52PM]

i'm just glad i'm finally gonna get free access to espn360 with comcast starting august 1st, 2009.

http://espn.go.com/broadband/espn360/index

[waterwagen @ Jun 29th 2009 3:18PM]

Swizz: I'm with you. Best news I've had in a while.

[Xenoterranos @ Jun 29th 2009 3:22PM]

It's ok man. I read it as Poland at first too. But then I re-read it.

[jjbecerra909 @ Jun 29th 2009 2:46PM]

What About LA?

[ozzzy @ Jun 29th 2009 3:05PM]

Comcast disowned LA a long time ago. We'll just have to wait for Time Warner Cable to improve their service....

[Valicore @ Jun 30th 2009 1:02AM]

@ozzy: :/ That's like waiting for the devil to bow to God's wisdom :P

[pika2000 @ Jun 29th 2009 2:49PM]

I hope Comcast can offer this for a few $$ more for existing High speed internet subscribers. But then again, it's Comcast. Plus, so far everybody that I talked to that use Clearwire are not too happy about the service.

[devwild @ Jun 29th 2009 3:34PM]

I've heard lots of crap about clearwire (the old service, wifi based), but nothing damning about clear (wimax) yet. It's a whole different setup.

My coworker switched to clear from comcast when the service came available, because the 3mbps home service is cheaper and suitable for his needs. Generally he seems to have been happy with it.

I have the mobile service on a trial basis, and though I haven't used it as much as I should, it works fine. I just wish there was coverage at washington park as an excuse to go up and chill on the grass in the evening. :)

[gerrrg @ Jun 29th 2009 7:10PM]

@devwild

I too, am using the home 3 Mbps service from Clear, in downtown. The 3 Mbps service routinely exceeds 3.5~3.9 Mbps download, and I watch Hulu and Netflix, among other content providers. The problem with Hulu is that they have caching issues running Flash-enabled video, while Netflix using Microsoft's Silverlight is perfect. The 3 Mbps level is more than adequate enough for a single person to access content, but if you have a household with multiple users trying to access streaming video content separately, you'd have to use Clear's 6 Mbps home option, for $40/mo.

I think these plans will become more popular as laptops incorporate the WiMax option within the Centrino2 chipset. Right now, Intel allows laptop manufacturers to forgo WiMax with their Centrino2 chipset, so you have to be very careful when shopping. If you're able to find a laptop with WiMax built in, you'll be able to to skip the modem lease charge on your laptop.

I think we're blessed in Portland, to have Level3 servers right in downtown, a fiber ring, an expanding Fios competing with Comcast, a Google server farm in The Dalles just 80 miles away, and competing wireless services including WiMax. Now if only that free WiFi from MetroFi had actually worked, and the speeds faster than baseline DSL, we'd have some serious competition and lower prices, I think.

[htowngator @ Jun 29th 2009 2:50PM]

WTF is the deal with Portland getting all the cool stuff first?

[LandMineHare @ Jun 29th 2009 2:55PM]

Because the legislators throw money (tax breaks) at BIG companies who do stuff here, and ravage our economy in the process.

[bighap @ Jun 29th 2009 3:16PM]

Cuz we have lots of gadget geeks and home Oregon's largest private employer, Intel. We also have Nike, but I don't think that means much. I personally hate Comcast. I was dicked for too many years with their ridiculous price jumps. Switch to Verizon Fios and am much happier.

[BigD145 @ Jun 29th 2009 4:29PM]

Lots of people live there.

Let me amend that: Lots of people live and die there.

[Tired @ Jun 29th 2009 4:43PM]

loon: 2.3 million people in the Portland metropolitan area

[Alex @ Jun 29th 2009 2:51PM]

Confused... will Sprint customers in Portland get 4G speeds on their existing phones? i.e., palm pre

[loon @ Jun 29th 2009 3:19PM]

The Pre and Sprint and Palm all blow. Get an iPhone.

[CrownedRoyal @ Jun 29th 2009 7:48PM]

Something blows here and its not palm/pre/sprint/iphone

[CrownedRoyal @ Jun 29th 2009 7:48PM]

last comment was @loon

[greenlight @ Jun 29th 2009 2:51PM]

"4G" WiMAX at only 4 Mbps?! The 3G networks here in Europe easily do twice that, real world speeds...

[Sean DL @ Jun 29th 2009 2:58PM]

Good for you!


Let us poor Americans enjoy at least something before you smash it with your European technological superiority.


In fact, that is why you can't watch Hulu. So there. *raspberries*

[devwild @ Jun 29th 2009 3:25PM]

Do you regularly get

[devwild @ Jun 29th 2009 3:28PM]

(ok, engadget needs better code for checking what's a less than sign in comments, I wasn't trying to insert a tag folks)

Do you regularly get less than 100ms latency? (I don't know, I'm really asking, not being a smart-ass :)) That's the real reason the wimax installation in portland blows away 3G by my measure. 4Mbps is plenty of bandwidth for most services... it's the low latency that makes it "feel" fast, better for streaming and games, and overall more reliable. It's the first wireless I've used that is a practical replacement for fiber/copper.

[OneLove @ Jun 29th 2009 4:23PM]

@devwild: you fail at

[gerrrg @ Jun 29th 2009 7:35PM]

Have you verified that with an online speed check?

The current WiMax network can actually reach 9+ Mbps if you're paying for the 6 Mbps service, FYI.

[Doug @ Jun 29th 2009 8:08PM]

The Wireless WiMAX can get up to 3 Mbps with its mobile version (possibly more)
The home based WiMAX modem can get you up to 6 Mbps (higher if your location and signal strength are good)

[devwild @ Jun 29th 2009 8:32PM]

@gergg: yes, the mobile unlimited service is 4mb (vs the home tiers of 3 and 6), and I have verified that it runs at that speed (and no higher).

[LandMineHare @ Jun 29th 2009 2:54PM]

If the service has even 4x the "quality" of Comcast's highest tier, it will still suck.

I'm sorry but Comcast ravages the userbase here in town and I for one want some COMPETITION.

C'mon Verizon! Stop driving the FiOS van around my neighborhood if you're going to claim that my address is not locatable.

[Chris Dunning @ Jun 29th 2009 2:57PM]

You too, huh? I hate my Comcast "service". I just had my modem/router replaced last week because it was always dropping out, and already I've had an hour of downtime today. I'm just waiting for Verizon to become my knight in shining armor.

[Sean DL @ Jun 29th 2009 3:00PM]

So the choices are: Comcast or Verizon.


That is like choosing between cat poop or dog poop.


Either way, your still eating *******.

[LandMineHare @ Jun 29th 2009 3:03PM]

Personally, I wish Portland would stop sucking Corporate C*ck and put in a municipal broadband solution with better quality than the ForProfit corps offer.

If only they weren't such wasteful spenders.

[Darin @ Jun 29th 2009 4:24PM]

Portland DID try municipal wireless, and it failed miserably:

http://pdxpipeline.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/portlands-free-internet-provider-metrofi-bites-the-dust/

I'm glad there are folks like Clear that can come in and build a usable network here in Portland. Still, I'm using Comcast and for the speed and reliability I don't mind paying around $50 a month.

[Charles @ Jun 29th 2009 9:52PM]

Yeah, Metro-Fi was a dog. You could stand 10 feet from one of those upside-down big gulp cups attached to every dame traffic signal pole and get nothing.

[scrcmedic @ Jun 29th 2009 2:58PM]

Houston and surrounding areas NEED this!

[Cosmo (formerly Chin-Poh) @ Jun 29th 2009 3:12PM]

I wish my area of northwest Houston had Verizon FIOS. All we have in my area is AT&T DSL, AT&T UVerse and Comcast.

Does UVerse have any bandwidth caps?

[Chad @ Jun 30th 2009 9:37AM]

@Cosmo

I've had U-Verse in NW Houston (290 & Pinemont area) since November and I haven't noticed any bandwidth issues. I have the U300 package with the Elite (up to 6Mbps) internet. I have 2 HD sets and 2 SD sets and can have programming on all 4 sets and stream content on a couple of PCs as well as running a dedicated VOIP setup without a hiccup. There were a couple of issues when I first got service but AT&T was able to resolve them and now the only thing I find I have to do is reboot the 2Wire Gateway once a month for optimum performance. Not bad for TP from the CO to the house.

[Troy @ Jun 29th 2009 3:08PM]

I'd like one!

[ash chapman @ Jun 29th 2009 3:11PM]

$20 extra and they toss in a Sprint broadband card? That's pretty sweet. I hope that kind of partnership continues to other carriers.

[xtasi @ Jun 29th 2009 3:23PM]

I want this, it would just be another $20 for sprint internet. My current cable takes a lunch break, doesn't seem to want to work between 11am and 2pm at least once a week... must be union. I call charter and they sent a tech that swears that nothing is wrong... and charges me $35 for the pleasure of telling me that i'm making stuff up.
is comcast as craptacular as some people have told me?

if the FCC is reading this... this is the wonderful service that "competition" has given to us consumers. I love choices... i get to pick one monopoly or another... isn't that wonderful, my choice of two monopolies to give me crappy service.

[John Lehman @ Jun 29th 2009 3:41PM]

Maybe I'm missing something, but this looks like the same Wimax we get from Clear, but for more $$ in exchange for being billed by Comcast

[devwild @ Jun 29th 2009 3:45PM]

If you look at the press release, for the price you also get the normal comcast home internet service. It's like an alternative to the clear home/mobile bundle, but with comcast for the home part. Obviously it depends on the person if you need it.

[TimH @ Jun 29th 2009 3:58PM]

So here's the thing I don't get. I'm a Comcast customer in Chicago, and I currently pay $10 MORE a month for (admittedly faster, at 12Mbps) wired Internet. If the latency's reasonable, I'd definitely pay $10 more ($50 for WiMax, +$20 for Sprint 4G/3G, total $70) a month to go down to 4Mbps and get wireless Internet everywhere in town (or the country, basically, if I drop down to 3G). Or is this only an add on for people that subscribe to a ridiculous package of Comcast services? If not, it's a total steal, considering it gives you home and wireless Internet for a reasonable price.

[Fingal @ Jun 29th 2009 4:03PM]

Cricket's been pushing wireless broadband in Portland for a few months now.

All you other cities need to do to get comcast to offer it in your area is to get a competitor for them to crush.

[Kento Ito @ Jun 29th 2009 4:08PM]

Can't wait to test this out.

I live in Portland, Oregon, so I really really can't wait for this to be released. (other than the overpriced fee Comcast gives us every month via Bill)

[James @ Jun 30th 2009 2:42AM]

CLEAR is $40 a month at 4mbps and all comments seem to think 4mbps is all you'll get, this just started, in one city, and now Vegas making two major cities. Not too far down the road the WiMax service will have a much higher download speed. Anyway, im more than happy to tell you all about Clear and I can hook you up here in Portland. Comcast by the way.. gave 1 billion $ to Clear because they realized they'd be whipped, so they have taken Clear's Motorola/Intel USB modems and re-wrapped their logos on them. [e-mail]

[So SicK iTz iLL @ Jun 29th 2009 4:09PM]

Bay Area is comcast/at&t dominated & everyone i know rocks the service. We 'all' biach about the prices eeeeeverybody dont want to pay more than a $1. At&t heads have lots of technical issues though. But 'we' in the bay must live in a (BUBBLE) cause wat u ppl talk bout "HELLA" sucks. Silicon valley is at times an oximoron of itself, but not with our fiber optimized cableservices its HELLA STUPID! (not stupid, stoopid. polish up on your urban webster's.) Well, goodluck to all the outsiders that suffer crappy cable services. Hope Comcast/verizon?/at&t/cox/timewarmer/cablevision.. hear your cries & *bleeps* out in your side of the fences... P's

[jon @ Jun 29th 2009 4:30PM]

Douche (not doosh, douche. learn English.)

[Valicore @ Jun 29th 2009 8:21PM]

Good try but still hella off :P The Bay Area gets f-ed because it is spread out and the topography of the region isn't very nice for wireless service. It's also an area that's already highly saturated for broadband (wired or wireless). MetroPCS announcing that they are going to build in LTE network almost made me skeet skeet skeet as Dave Chappelle says. w00t!

[SweetSauce @ Jun 29th 2009 5:11PM]

...If a Comcast service fails in Portland and nobody is around to see it, would anyone notice?