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Will my old DOCSIS 2.0 modem still work with Rogers after August 7th?

3.9K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  macintosh doctor  
#1 ·
So with Rogers soon unveiling their 'Extreme Plus' service they're pushing newer DOCSIS 3.0 modems on customers.

I received a letter from Rogers telling me to take my old DOCSIS 2.0 modem into a rogers store to exchange it for a new modem AT NO CHARGE. The letter claims after August 7th my current modem won't work.

HOWEVER my modem is a 3rd party modem (a linksys). I purchased this modem from staples years ago. I bought it for the specific purpose of using it with rogers. It has worked fine for years with the rogers service.

So i bring in my modem to the store today to get the upgrade. I'm denied at the store counter because it's a 3rd party modem. He says there's nothing he can do, but i can speak to someone at Rogers over the phone. The person on the phone says the same thing, so i ask to be escalated to someone in customer relations (i REALLY don't appreciate having my time wasted being told to come in to exchange my modem for a new one and then being denied).

Eventually after a long hold someone on the other end of the phone tells me not to worry, my current 3rd party modem will work fine on the new network. I ask him to confirm 100% that it will and he does.

So when I get home I do a bit of research and it seems that the new 'Extreme Plus' modems are using DOCSIS 3.0. So how can my DOCSIS 2.0 modem continue to work on their network?

I'm concerned the Rogers rep just told me that to get me off their backs....
 
#2 ·
I've received no such letter from Rogers yet, and I am currently "renting" one of their Webstar DOCSIS 2.0 modems, so one would think that they would have that on record and send me a letter about exchanging the modem, if that were the case. Maybe the DOCSIS 2.0 modems will still work, and you only got the letter because Rogers does not know what modem you are using, and the letter is just a note for you to check that your 3rd party modem will still work?

In any case, I guess we'll find out after August 7!
 
#4 ·
You'll only need to upgrade to a new modem when they change the service tiers and literally force you on to it. For now, you're fine.

I know Motorola has a retail DOCSIS 3.0 modem available, but that's probably only in the US so far. Could be awhile before Rogers will sell you a 3.0 modem of its own.
 
#7 ·
DOCSIS 3.0 upgrades will be rolled out on a neighbourhood by neighbourhood basis. The modem in your home is only the end of a fairly complicated upgrade. Shaw in Alberta was the first company to roll out 3.0.
The main benefit being that download speeds can exceed 100 Mbps and there are massive implications for HD pay per view and interactive TV down the road. Rogers is going to roll out aggressively in an attempt to further damage Bell.

Bell is in a poor position because their skinny copper pairs on DSL cannot support these speeds. Bell is trialing a fibre to the home builds in Fredericton NB. They need to come up with a cost that rivals the DOCSIS upgrades on the cable side.

If you live in a neighbourhood where the median income exceeds roughly $80,000 per year, you're probably going to have access to greater bandwidth speeds by 2012. That's not to say that you will not be charged outrageous fees for that speed.
 
#9 ·
You should be fine. It will take a long time to ensure that every one is swapped over to new equipment. I am in Alberta with Shaw and we have not swapped out all the 2.0 equipment even though we are soon to be launching 3.0 in edmonton. We haven't even swapped out all the propriatary cybersurf and teryon modems yet. We changed carriers for the 3.0 but still have the old carrier active until all the old modems are out.
 
#10 ·
when Rogers first came out with hi - speed - they forced every one to purchase a modem at $259 - which i did.. about 4 years later i called them up and gave them a ear lashing over the phone. - they credited me half.. so that was good enough for me. I use the modem at 10 Mb speeds barely receive those speeds - but to be honest if my rogers monthly bill gets any higher - i will rename my son rogers....

so i do not plan on faster speeds - can not afford the monthly as it is $ 400 ( 2 x iphone, 1xcable HD tv, 1 x internet ) that is with bundle pricing.
:(

so do not worry - the old modem will work fine - you only need the new modem if you want faster speeds