A 2010 survey by Parks Associates, a Dallas market research and consulting company for emerging consumer technologies, showed that half of Americans with Internet service looked equally to their broadband provider or the retailer where they bought a gadget to solve home computer-related issues. Most people also said they'd prefer to receive their technical support from a single vendor, Bowling said.

What usually happens, said Kurt Scherf, author of the survey, is that a person with a broadband connection calls a service provider first to complain about a slowdown.

Often, the problem isn't with the line — it's the computer, perhaps because it's infected with malware or a virus, he said.

"In the past, they've had to turn the customer away, as nicely as possible, and leave them on their own," Scherf said.

From the article "Comcast joins crowded field by offering home troubleshooting service" by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo
 

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