Arris SurfBoard SB6183 and Spectrum Internet

Hello MAILMAN, 

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I just did a quick research and found on Spectrum’s website that this device does support the 400 Mbps plan, as shown in the picture attached:

Here’s the link where I got the information requested:

https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/compliant-modems-spectrum-network

Both spectrum and cox lately have been pushing to get their users on docsis 3.1 devices. They’ve been lowering the tiers at which docsis 3.1 is needed. It might have been the rep pushing to get you on docsis 3.1 and going a bit out on a limb. My relative has a similar spec’d modem (not arris but same channels) on a spectrum 400mbps plan and working fine. I wouldn’t worry to much about it unless you’re not getting your speeds. If that starts, it might have been spectrum requiring more channels for lower speed tiers. 

Yes I think someone from ARRIS needs to contact the Spectrum Technical Support Department and correct them on the capabilities for the SB6183 SurfBoard modem.  Who knows what they are telling people about other ARRIS modems.

Personally I think they are just trying to push all of its customers into using Spectrum issued combination Modem/Router and discouraging users from using their own modems and routers.

This is the whole story behind the post.

I got a call yesterday from Spectrum’s technical department stating they wanted to verify that the modem I was using would meet their new frequency to be initiated today.  The conversation did not go well and he kept wanting to send me a Spectrum modem so when it ended I initiated contact with Spectrum Customer Service to make sure this was not some type of Phishing Scam.

So when I was connected to Spectrum’s Cust. Serv. Rep. he checked and said it wasn’t a scam.  He then tried to verify my modem.   They had the wrong modem listed for me and this is when it started about the SB6183 not being capable of 400 Mbps for which I was paying.

I had had this same conversation 3 years ago when I bought this modem, registered it with Spectrum then upgraded my service to 400 Mbps.  Back then the customer service rep. said my modem would not handle 400 Mbps.  I assured them it would and told them to upgrade me.  Well after their disclaimer about my modem not being able to handle it and that it was not their fault they upgraded me and voila I was getting higher than 400 Mbps, usually 450 Mbps and sometimes as high as 550 Mbps.

So back to my conversation yesterday (before I opened an account with this forum).  So while I was connected with the CSR I told him:

I was at their web site at the approved modem list (same as you put in your post above) and was telling the CSR that the SB6183 was at the top of the approved list for both 400 Mbps and 500 Mbps and that my modem’s box (I had it in my hands) showed it was capable of up to 686 Mbps.  The next highest tier at Spectrum  is 1 Gbps and my modem obviously would not be on that list.  I also told the CSR that I had just run a Spectrum’s own speed test from Spectrum’s web site and the test showed my download speed was 440 Mbps.  So the CSR contacted the next highest level of their technical support and they are the ones who insisted that their information stated that the SB6183 should not be capable of 400 Mbps.  The CSR did not dispute any of the information that I was relaying to him.  It was the next level support that had the “don’t believe your lying eyes; this is fake news;  alternative facts” attitude.  It didn’t matter what information I gave them they were not backing away from their claims.

MAILMAN