Take this modem and install it!

Excite@Home [1], Comcast offer broadband self-install kits.

Excite@Home [1] is introducing a new retail software kit designed to allow customers to install the company's broadband services themselves.

Excite@Home [1] said cable partner Comcast should offer the software package, which will sell for $29.95 at Circuit City and CompUSA stores, by the end of October. The company's other cable partners, such as AT&T and Cox Communications, will offer the installation program later.

The package, dubbed the QuickStart Kit, is intended to speed the installation process for new customers. In the past, a cable or phone technician had to install the modem and software in addition to provisioning the line and activating the connection. The QuickStart Kit, which includes CD-ROM software for both PCs and Macintoshes, will allow customers to install the service within 15 minutes to an hour.

Consumers must purchase a modem in conjunction with the kit, which costs about $200, and call their cable provider to present their credit card information and activate service. Excite@Home [1] is also testing software that would enable customers to activate service online, eliminating the need for a phone call.