Comcast accelerates area service expansion
As Comcast upgrades
services in Oregon and
Washington, competitor
Qwest races to keep up
By Caron Alarab
News Reporter
Whenever Jos Vaught needed to use
the Internet last year, he drove to
Knight Library or resorted to his
roommate's dial-up service because
he couldn't get anything faster.
It's in kind of an old neighbor
hood," the University senior said of
his Polk Street residence.
At the time, local high-speed In
ternet providers Comcast and Qwest
could not service his home because
of coverage limitations statewide.
And although the Internet service
providers have always recognized
the need to expand to reach more
people like Vaught, it was Comcast
who got there first with a recent
statewide upgrade.
"We just happen to be ahead of the
game in the Northwest," Comcast
spokesman Dan Williams said of the
early completion this summer.
Since its "friendly acquisition" of
AT&T Broadband last November,
Comcast — the largest broadband In
ternet provider in the United States —
has been committed to an accelerated
expansion of services. Over the last
three years, the company has spent
nearly $300 million on service up
grades in Oregon and southwest
Washington alone. On a more local
level, 11.5 percent of the 117,000 resi
dents who are currently eligible for
broadband Internet in Eugene sub
scribe to Comcast.
Meanwhile, Qwest has worked
hard to catch up.
Last spring, the phone and DSL In
ternet service provider announced an
incremental $75 million expansion
campaign for its 14-state region.
"We're doing what we can to ex
pand," Qwest spokeswoman Silvia
McLachlan said, although she could
n't reveal the company's current
market share. "Eugene is a key mar
ket for us."
In order to qualify for Qwest DSL
in lane County, the actual phone wire
connecting a household to the central
office must be less than 18,000 feet
long or within a three-mile radius. Al
though she couldn't divulge the loca
tion of the central office or the num
ber of Eugene residences that are
currently eligible for DSL, McLachlan
said students can call Qwest at (800)
244-1111 or go to www.qwest.com to
check the availability of an address or
home phone number.
"Stay tuned," she said for those out
side the coverage area. "Hopefully your
home will be implemented soon."
Qwest's advice doesn't surprise
Williams.
"Phone companies have been
telling customers to 'hold tight' for
some time now," he said. "With
broadband high-speed Internet, all
you need is a cable TV line to qualify."
By high-speed, Williams means a
1,500 Kbps download speed for
about $55 a month with basic cable
television. Qwest offers a maximum
640 Kbps download speed for a simi
lar price, though a phone line is re
quired.
Williams said having the higher
speed is Comcast's key advantage in
student communities.
"It's primarily broadband users
who are downloading lots of music,"
he said.
As if 1.5 megabit isn't fast enough,
Comcast is currently testing double
the downloading speed — over 3
megabit — in markets in Atlanta and
Pittsburg for the same price. Williams
said the project is just one of several
ways Comcast is trying to improve its
services. "This is a very competitive
market," he said. "We'll have to stay
competitive to stay in business."
Contact the business/science/
technology reporter
at caronalarab@dailyemerald.com.
THE CABLE/DSL COMPARISON
Here are just a few factors that set these ISPs apart
COMCAST
BROADBAND
QWEST
Internet provider since:
1993
1997
Offers:
Cable Internet
DSL through
an established
phone line
Download Speed:
1.5 Mb/1500k
640k or 256k
Service availability
depends on:
If you can get
cable TV
if your phone wire
is less than 18,000ft
from the central office
Budget:
$300 million
in Oregon and
Southwest
Washington
over last 3 years
f $75 million
in 14 states (including
Oregon) starting
this summer
SOURCES: Comcast and Qwest
Kim Premore Graphic Designer
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PARTY
STARTS TO GET OUT OF CONTROL
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