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comcast rip off !
Comcast uses unfair sales practices, by refusing to provide HDTV channels to its customers, other than as a complement to their analog "Expanded Basic" package, which is an additional $51.99/month. This is ridiculous, because if you have an HDTV, you want to watch HD, if you have the HD channel, why would you also want the inferior quality analog channel ? You DO NOT need the same channel in high-def. and analog !
Additionaly, a $5 charge appeared on my monthly bill for an HD converter box without any notice, which is supposed to be provided with my "Digital Prefered Pkg" service, which they claimed they had sent a letter in regard to.
Also, I recently added a second (std., non-HD) converter box for a bedroom TV and their price list show this as $3.95/mo, but they are billing me at $5.99/mo. When I phoned, I was told thats the way they do it. Is this not false advertising ?
The practise of grouping HDTV channels with their analog channel (i.e. a free HD channel when the analog channel is purchased in an Expenseive pkg.) is a pyramid-like, manipulative scheme inflating customers bills. This should NOT be premitted ! Digital channels can be very easily activated one-by-one allowing the cable provider to sell them on an "ala carte" or HDTV package basis !
Why do they bill customers at rates other than on their price list ?
Why is there a charge for an HD converter box, which is substantially the same cost to Comcast as the non-Hd converter box ? I believe this is the surcharge they attempted to add once before to provide revenue to increase channel capacity, which is not sufficient in our area, to compete with the fall launch of Verizon FIOS TV service in this area.
Go FIOS Go !!!! True QAM ! 20 db hot ! :-)
Comcast Sucks
A LESSON IN CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT COMCAST
Here’s the Problem: Our August 13 bill for our Comcast account included a fee for the movie “Dreamgirls.” We had tried to watch that movie but the picture was hopelessly degraded, so after about five minutes, we gave up.
Here’s the live chat I had to report the problem and request refund of $5.99 (on a bill for almost $200, that included numerous other movies):
user Rose_ has entered room
Rose(Fri Aug 31 16:56:33 CDT 2007)>August 13 bill for 8798 10 062 0179728 included a fee for Dreamgirls.
We tried to watch that movie but the picture was degraded.
After five minutes we gave up.
analyst Jennifer.4972 has entered room
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:56:39 CDT 2007)>Hello Rose_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Jennifer.4972. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:57:00 CDT 2007)>Thank you very much for your patience!
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:57:06 CDT 2007)>Good afternoon Rose.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:57:07 CDT 2007)>I would be happy to assist you with that.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:57:08 CDT 2007)>I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 16:57:09 CDT 2007)>I will be just one moment while I bring up the required information. Thank you for your patience.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 15:57:34 CDT 2007)>No problem.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:00:16 CDT 2007)>You still there?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:00:15 CDT 2007)>Yes.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:00:16 CDT 2007)>Thank you for holding.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:00:17 CDT 2007)>I apologize for the delay.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:00:50 CDT 2007)>Rose, did you contact us back on August 13 regarding this?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:01:11 CDT 2007)>My wife may have.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:01:31 CDT 2007)>In any event, the bill includes it -- incorrectly.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:01:58 CDT 2007)>When we "ran" the movie the picture came up in pieces.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:02:27 CDT 2007)>We tried re-starting it, and that did not help. So we gave up, and made a note to request a refund. Ergo this call.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:02:49 CDT 2007)>I apologize Rose, there are no notes on your account regarding this. You will need to contact your local Comcast office.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:03:01 CDT 2007)>I apologize I am not able to authorize the credit.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:03:25 CDT 2007)>You must be kidding.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:03:35 CDT 2007)>Can't you verify that the movie was not watched?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:03:27 CDT 2007)>For future reference Rose, contact us as soon as you realize the movie is not working properly.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:03:56 CDT 2007)>What world do you live in?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:03:43 CDT 2007)>No I apologize we have no way of knowing if the movie was watched or not.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:04:12 CDT 2007)>Your movie malfunctioned and it's my fault?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:04:33 CDT 2007)>Issue a credit now or I'll just switch to satellite.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:05:17 CDT 2007)>I understand that you may have has troubles with this programming Rose and for that I do apologize, however unless you contact us, we have no way of knowing this.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:05:53 CDT 2007)>I'm telling you.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:05:59 CDT 2007)>I've contacted you.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:06:07 CDT 2007)>Now solve my problem.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:06:35 CDT 2007)>If you had contacted us on the 13, 14 or 15 I could have issued a credit, however being that this happened almost 4 weeks ago Rose, you will need to contact your local Comcast office.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:06:36 CDT 2007)>I apologize for the inconvenience.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:07:27 CDT 2007)>So you say.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:07:39 CDT 2007)>You call this customer service?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:08:25 CDT 2007)>This is deplorable.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:08:20 CDT 2007)>Rose, I do apologize, there are no notes on the account indicating that you had any issues at the time the movie was ordered. You will need to contact your local Comcast office for further assistance.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:08:47 CDT 2007)>Please don't apologize.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:08:45 CDT 2007)>For future reference Rose, contact us once you realize the movie is not working.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:09:03 CDT 2007)>Just tell me that you will not imply that I am lying to you and issue a $5.99 credit.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:09:24 CDT 2007)>That is just not reasonable.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:10:08 CDT 2007)>I have five children. We sit down to watch a movie. It doesn't work. Now my whole evening is devoted to calling your 800 number instead of spending time with my family.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:10:52 CDT 2007)>Just issue a credit. I am not lying to you. I don't care if you have some asinine internal "rule" that favors you, and prejudices me.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:10:47 CDT 2007)>Rose, you will need to contact your local office. Thank you.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:11:20 CDT 2007)>Thank you?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:11:29 CDT 2007)>How about FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:11:35 CDT 2007)>I understand you are frustrated, however I need to ask you to please refrain from using abusive language so that I may continue assisting you. Keeping our dialogue professional and courteous will allow me to better serve you. If you continue to use inappropriate language, I will be forced to end the chat session.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:12:17 CDT 2007)>Will there be anything else Rose?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:12:38 CDT 2007)>Yes.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:12:45 CDT 2007)>Issue a $5.99 credit to my account.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:12:54 CDT 2007)>As I have explained above I can not process this request. You will need to contact your local Comcast office.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:13:42 CDT 2007)>I suppose there must be a website where I can post this exchange . . .
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:14:06 CDT 2007)>Won't it be splendid for everyone to see how Comcast treats its customers?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:14:32 CDT 2007)>Why would I lie to you for 5.99 on a bill of 194.56?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:14:54 CDT 2007)>Rose, had there been documentation on your account, I could have issued the credit. Being that it has been almost 4 weeks, you will need to contact your local Comcast office.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:15:15 CDT 2007)>I suppose for 5.99 Comcast would run over my grandmother, right?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:15:38 CDT 2007)>Documentation? You mean calling your 800 number and sitting on hold?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:15:44 CDT 2007)>Is that the documentation you mean?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:16:00 CDT 2007)>What is my local comcast office?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:16:06 CDT 2007)>I have never seen it?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:16:11 CDT 2007)>Does it exist?
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:17:07 CDT 2007)>Why does my fee statement include your URL if you don't have any authority to do anything but repeatedly “apologize,” refuse to help me, and imply that I am lying to scam you out of $5.99?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:16:58 CDT 2007)>Here is the number for the local office Rose: 866-594-1234.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:17:23 CDT 2007)>I called it.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:17:36 CDT 2007)>They said it couldn't be reached from my number.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:17:43 CDT 2007)>That's why I tried you.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:18:00 CDT 2007)>I'll try again.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:17:55 CDT 2007)>I apologize if you are not able to get through to this number you will need to call 1-800-266-2278.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:18:15 CDT 2007)>There it is again: ”Cannot be accessed from the area code and phone number . . .”
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:18:24 CDT 2007)>Ok.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:18:31 CDT 2007)>You may be a nice person.
Rose_(Fri Aug 31 16:18:46 CDT 2007)>But your employer is beneath contempt. Good day to you.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:19:13 CDT 2007)>Will there be anything else Rose?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:20:18 CDT 2007)>Were you able to receive my last message?
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:21:21 CDT 2007)>Due to inactivity this chat session will close if a reply is not received in 1 minute.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:22:22 CDT 2007)>Due to inactivity, I must now end the chat session. If you require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us through our Email or Chat forum. In addition, you can always visit Comcast's FAQ's at:
http://www.comcast.com/Support/Corp1/FAQ/Faq1.html... for an independent resolution.
Jennifer.4972(Fri Aug 31 17:22:25 CDT 2007)>Analyst has closed chat and left the room
analyst Jennifer.4972 has left room
"Jennifer" is in India, and
"Jennifer" is in India, and "she" has been instructed to deny all refund requests.
Yeah... Your whole
Yeah...
Your whole conversion there just seemed a tad bit retarded, and not on the part of Comcast.
So you order a movie, it doesn't work, and wait _four_ weeks to contact them about it through livechat and expect them to refund it? Not gonna happen. Doesn't matter who your provider is. At four weeks, they'd probably refund it over the phone or in person as a "one time curtosy", and warn you to call sooner next time, like, oh, _when it happens_?
And don't say you didn't have the time, you were about to sit down for an hour or two to watch a movie. If it didn't work, well that just cleared up an hour or two for you, didn't it? So if $5.99 means so much to you, just call them, and they'll refund it. Problem solved.
As for the hold times, ever think to put your phone on speaker phone? That's right, you can put it on speaker phone, go about your business, and when the hold music cuts out and some random phone agent thanks you for calling Comcast, you come back to the phone. It's really quite simple.
And cursing on the live chat agent? Yeah, real mature. That'll make her want to help you.
I agree, Jennifer was in the
I agree, Jennifer was in the right. Way 2 Go Comcast Rep!!!
Rose, you really should have called sooner then 19 days after the fact. I understand that wait times can sometimes be afully long, but if you where going to take the time to watch the movie, you certainly could have taken the time to contact Comcast. Even if you had called within the next day or two, the out come would have been different. You may have gotten the credit. No provider would provide a credit under these circumstances. Swearing too was really professional. I bet you feel like a heal.
Another great experience with Comcast "support"
My friend E.L. moved into my apartment in San Francisco when I moved to London two months ago. I called Comcast and said he'd be moving in. They said great, transferred my account to his name, and said I'd get one last bill automatically billed to my credit card, and that would be that. Well, until I just got a bill for $90 (btw my monthly bill was $45, so I guess E.L. likes Spice Channel). E.L. called Comcast, who said I had to call for "privacy" reasons. Note that I can't call because it's an 800 number and you can't call 800 numbers from overseas, not to mention it's ridiculous that the current account holder can't cancel payment by the previous account holder. So I email, and after a few exchanged emails, they say I have to do an online chat with a "customer service" representative. Please see transcript below. I'd send it to Joseph Heller if he were alive...this is a brilliant Catch-22.
[certain details edited to protect my account number, etc.]
Jennifer.24972 > Hello Geoffrey_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Jennifer.24972. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Jennifer.24972 > I will be happy to assist you with your concern today. Please give me a moment while I review your information.
Jennifer.24972 > Hi Geoffrey, can I please have you account number?
Geoffrey_ > Hold on, let me find it. I'm not actually a customer anymore, which is the issue.
Geoffrey_ > [********]
Jennifer.24972 > Thank you for that information.
Jennifer.24972 > Geoffrey, is it okay if I put you on hold for a minute while I try to pull up the account?
Geoffrey_ > Sure. It should be under the name of E.L. now, not mine.
Jennifer.24972 >
Okay, thank you for that information.
Geoffrey_ > but address, phone, etc. should be the same
Jennifer.24972 > Geoffrey, how are you related to E.L.?
Geoffrey_ > He is a friend and he moved into my apartment when I moved out. He assumed my account. I currently live in London, England.
Jennifer.24972 > Okay, so how can I help you regarding this?
Geoffrey_ > When I transferred the account to E.L., I told them to stop automatically billing my credit card since I wasn't living there anymore.
Geoffrey_ > But then I got an email from Comcast saying I was going to be billed about $94.
Geoffrey_ > Even though Comcast said they would stop billing me.
Geoffrey_ > I've exchanged emails and they said I had to do a chat, and here I am.
Jennifer.24972&n
bsp;> I apologize for the inconvenience. Geoffrey, please give me a minute or two. I just have to check on this. Okay?
Geoffrey_ > Sure. It hasn't actually been charged to my credit card yet.
Geoffrey_ > But obviously I'd prefer that it never get charged, especially since I don't live there and comcast said the autobilling would stop.
Jennifer.24972 > Geoffrey, how did you establish your auto payment?
Geoffrey_ > I don't remember
Jennifer.24972 > Do you remember your user id online?
Geoffrey_ > it was [****], and my password was [*****]. But I can't get on to my account anymore, because I don't have an account anymore. It's quite a Catch-22.
Jennifer.24972 > Thank you for that information. I'll be verifying this Geoffrey.
Jennifer.24972 > San Francisco
260 Potrero Ave
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 800-945-2288 Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm. Sat 9:00am-4:00pm.
Jennifer.24972 > I apologize for the delay.
Jennifer.24972 > Geoffrey, you have to call the local office. I provided the information above.
Geoffrey_ > I cannot call an 800 number. I am overseas. Can you please provide me with a non-toll-free number.
Jennifer.24972 > Okay.
Geoffrey_ > I find it quite frustrating that Comcast knew I was transferring my account to someone, told me they would stop billing me, and then billed me. And now they (I know it's not you) are making me jump through hoops to ensure that I don't get billed for cable services that I'm definitely NOT receiving.
Jennifer.24972 > It's 1800Comcast. Please just follow the promt.
Jennifer.24972 > I really apologize for this. I know how frustrated it is.
Geoffrey_ > You cannot dial toll-free numbers from overseas. It's not allowed. They must have a number for their SF office.
Geoffrey_ > Trust me, the last thing I expect to be dealing with in London is a billing issue with Comcast in SF.
Geoffrey_ > If my credit card gets billed (and Comcast typically billed me around the beginning of the month), I'm going to have to dispute it, which is going to be a big annoyance for Comcast.
Jennifer.24972 > I certainly know how you feel. Geoffrey, I will give you a link http://www.comcast.com/corporate/about/corporatein....
Jennifer.24972 > The 800 number for San Franciso is 800-945-2288.
Geoffrey_ > But that page only has the 800 number and the link for the email, which is how I contacted Comcast, and how I ended up here....
Geoffrey_ > I can't call a toll-free number from London. The call will not go through. They are welcome to call me if they'd like.
Geoffrey_ > Which would be a nice gesture, I did give them three years of business.
Jennifer.24972 > I apologize for this. Geoffrey, there is no toll free number if your calling outside US.
Jennifer.24972 > I suggest you just write an email or someone from US will call Comcast on your behalf.
Geoffrey_ > I did write an email. And after exchanging emails, they said do a chat.
Geoffrey_ > E.L. HIMSELF tried to call Comcast, and they said I had to call.
Geoffrey_ > I know you're doing what you can, but this is ridiculous. Can you escalate this to someone? It's simply not possible that a customer has no way of contacting Comcast. I'd like to talk to a manager or supervisor or the equivalent, please.
Jennifer.24972 > Okay Geoffrey, You will need to go to www.comcast.com to cancel the recurring payment. I can give you the instructions.
Geoffrey_ > Okay.
Geoffrey_ > But last time I tried to log in it would let me because I'm no longer a customer.
Jennifer.24972 > The credit card used for the online payment is under you name. Is that correct?
Geoffrey_ > yes
Jennifer.24972 > Then I suggest that you have the account holder cancel the recurring payment for you. I apologize but I do not have the access to your online payment.
Geoffrey_ > He tried. They said that I, as the credit card holder, needed to contact them. They said it was a "privacy" issue, which is absurd.
Geoffrey_ > There must be someone there who has access and who can cancel it.
Jennifer.24972 > 1. log in to my account section of comcast.com
Jennifer.24972 > 2. Click my pay my bill online.
Jennifer.24972 > 3. Select the update my credit information use for automatic monthly payments.
Geoffrey_ > I can't log in!
Jennifer.24972 > 4. Click cancel your automatically recurrent payment.
Geoffrey_ > Because I'm not a customer anymore. I just tried. I tried this originally, and it wouldn't work.
Jennifer.24972 > I am very sorry Geoffrey but I do not have the access to your online payment. You will need to have the account holder do it for you.
Jennifer.24972 > The account for online payment is not being accessed by us.
Jennifer.24972 > We are not allowed to do it. The system will not let us process it for you.
Geoffrey_ > Who can access it? There must be someone I can contact.
Geoffrey_ > But SOMEONE can. Who is that person?
Jennifer.24972 > Only you and the account holder can access the online payment.
Geoffrey_ > This is unacceptable. You cannot help me. No one at Comcast can help me. I cannot call Comcast. Comcast is taking my money for a service I am not receiving and I must simply live with this.
Geoffrey_ > But the account holder tried to call and they told him I had to call.
Jennifer.24972 > I understand your frustration Geoffrey.
Geoffrey_ > And I just tried to log in and it doesn't recognize me!!!!
Geoffrey_ > Is there a superior there with whom I can speak?
Jennifer.24972 > Are you getting any error.
Geoffrey_ > I do not think it is in Comcast's best interests for me to turn this over to my credit card company.
Geoffrey_ > Yes, it says incorrect user name or password.
Jennifer.24972 > Please ensure that you are typing the correct user name and password.
Geoffrey_ > I typed the same user name and password that I used for three years while I lived in San Francisco.
Jennifer.24972 > You will need to have the account holder chat with us so we can reset the password.
Geoffrey_ > They wouldn't give him any information when he called. Which is patently ridiculous, if you think about it.
Jennifer.24972 > Since your name does not appear as being authorized on this account. I am not able to reset the password for you.
Jennifer.24972 > Please verify the name of the account holder.
Geoffrey_ > Of course it isn't authorized on the account -- I don't live there any more. E.L. assumed my account. E.L.
Jennifer.24972 > I really apologize for the inconvenience this have caused you Geoffrey.
Jennifer.24972 > If the account is under E.L., then he can chat with us to verify the account information in order for us to reset the password for the online payment.
Geoffrey_ > But he tried to do that, and they wouldn't let him do that.
Geoffrey_ > Doesn't Comcast think it's weird that "E.L."'s cable bill is being paid by "Geoff Kertesz"?
Geoffrey_ > Shouldn't the person giving Comcast money be entitled to stop giving them money, especially when that person is no longer receiving services and Comcast told him he would no longer be charged????
Jennifer.24972 > The suggestion I can give you right now is to contact your credit card company to stop the auto pay.
Geoffrey_ > But my credit card company didn't set up autopay. Comcast did.
Jennifer.24972 > You can just inform them to cut the payment.
Jennifer.24972 > We do not have the access to stop the recurring payment.
Jennifer.24972 > You can have the account holder contact his local office to update the account information.
Geoffrey_ > It is midnight out here, and I need to get some sleep. I will ask E.L. to contact the local office. However, if my credit card gets charged, I am going to dispute it, and I am going to prevail, because this process has been unbelievably circular.
Jennifer.24972 > That will be fine.
Jennifer.24972 > I am very sorry if I could not be of more assistance.
The antidote for cable cramps
Visit ComcastYouSuck.com to see how I found satisfaction and happiness. Not only does the domain name itself put a smile on my face, there I found the best deal for satelite equipment, installation and programming service.
Whether it's local stations, movie channels or sport packages, you will find it all on satelite. Where do you think Comcast gets their signals?
The guy who installed my package is a local independent contractor who is competing for my repeat business -- not the random selected employee of a disfunctional faceless corporation.
And if you happen to be seeking high-speed internet in an area restricted to dial-up, the direct satelite service is awesome.
Here's a good Comcast SUCKS story...grrr
Back in October of 2006, I get a notice in my Adelphia Cable bill saying that they have been bought out by Comcast...right then and there I should have switched to Direct TV (can't get Verizon FiOS just yet)!! Now at that time, my bill was $45 and I do bill pay from my bank so when the statements come in, I rarely open them. Big Mistake!! When Comcast took over, my bill jumped up to $57!!! Nice huh?? Well, something happened during the switch over and I don't think they received one of my payments. So I get June's bill in the mail on Monday (June 18), it says I owe $133!! Say WHAT??? I planned to call them that day, but just got busy and what not. I went ahead and sent a payment of $60, because I saw where they went up and knew I only sent $55 the previous month. Finally today I call them to find out what is going on. The Comcast Customer Service lady went through my account and said the balance due transfered over and I would have to speak to the main office, can they call you? I said sure have them call me. NO CALL!!! So on my way home, I get a call from my daughter (who is 15) saying that the cable guy is here turning off our service unless I pay him $78!! I had her put him on the phone and tell him, I talked to Cust Service TODAY and they were supposed to call me and fix the MIX UP with my bill. He said "Pay the $78 and I wont turn off your service". I told him I wasn't paying the $78 today, I was going to call Customer service when I got there and I'll be there in 5 min!! According to my daughter, the guy ran over turned off the service jumped in his truck and took off!!! I called Comcast and said WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON??? Of course there is nothing they could do blah..blah blah.. oh and if you want your service reconnected you have to pay the $78, the Reconnect FEE and a deposit!!! I told them to take their service and shove it!! I then placed a call to Direct TV and they'll be here MONDAY to set it up!!! COMCAST SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comcast Sucks . Duh!
Dude . . yeah, they suck. I'd tell you my long, drawn out story, but, well . . I'm just too tired of telling it and it's really no different than the thousands of others just like it. Just do what I did. It's really the only answer . . . stop giving them your money! I switched TV and Internet providers, told Comcast to kiss my ass and since then my karma has rebalanced, my dog likes me, and my wife thinks I'm cute. What else is there?
Here's my Comcast nightmare !
My new neighbor gets his cable installed and they disconnect my service, then lie about it for 5 days and still don't re-connect me. After this they have the nerve to reschedule me 11 calendar days later and tell me they count days in terms of what they do business on, which means Thursday and weekends don't count for them because of Thanksgiving. So I tell them they've had 4 working days, 1/2 a weekend and then will get 3 days before Thanksgiving to get it done and it doesn't help their argument that the first 5 days of that period, that they lied to me about what the problem was. I don't know if there's a better solution out there, but cable/Comcast is done in my household.
Funny, earlier this month, Comcast approached me for internet product. I wouldn't be able to post this horror story right now had I changed from DSL to cable internet. I feel compelled to influence others judgements regarding how Comcast may treat them as a customer. To be honest,as long as nothing breaks, Comcast service is fine. But a hurricane (I'm in Miami, FL) and they are the last thing to come back on line. Last hurricane, telephone (AT&T/Bellouth) never went out. FPL was down for 5-6 days. Comcast cable was down for 2+ weeks. This month,the sun is shining here in FL, my cable is down for 5 days so far, the next scheduled service is 11 days from today. Ironic, my service can't be reinstated when the sun is shining than it can be in the aftermath of a category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane. Conversely, satellite tv would've been available the moment the power comes on.
Update
Well, it's been 36 days. Comcast hasn't refunded me for the $ 17 and change. So tonight they lurk around the apartment complex after leaving a door knob hanger for same day installation (their usual motus operandi). So I'm home for 15-20 minutes and they knock on my door. Randy is their installer and I answer the door. He asks me if I want them to hook the cable up. I told him to his face, after asking him point blank "if he was the guy who installed my neighbors cable on 11/12/2007 (it's 12/18/2007)". He says "yeah", he did that installation. I told him I wanted to thank him personally for connecting my neighbor's cable and disconnecting mine, about the 5 days of lies I endured trying to get the cable back on. I also told him, my neighbor had been watching the cable I had for the last 36 days. He was apologetic, but it simply was that "insincerity" that you get from someone that can smile in your face, while they are screwing you.
From there it digressed further, I told him that I doubted he could hook up cable that same day (even very moment), when it was going to take 16 days when they disconnected me in the first place. I asked him sarcastically if they had put him thru some type of training where all of a sudden he was competent at installations and repairs ? That's when he gave me "well, we're really sorry" and the "that's unfortunate, because we have a really good special" sales pitch. I ripped into him further, and asked, "which special is that, the one where you get me to bundle cable, phone and internet service, then you screw the loyal customer over on a whim by disconnecting them for 2+ weeks ?"
They really coat these people with teflon or something, because you could've poured a dump truck load of "sh*t" on this guy and he wouldn't have been bothered in the least as he was after the "cable hookup". He started in on the services included in the special and I interrupted him and told him that it didn't matter what the service or the price was, that Comcast is an unwelcome intruder in my apartment. I told him he couldn't give Comcast away. I ended the altercation with, "the next time you come around, don't leave a door knob hanger, don't knock on my door, just don't come around here any more. Then I shut the door. About 10 minutes later, he's on the other side of the courtyard knocking on another neighbor's door. Anyway, I go out on the front walkway to smoke a cigarette and he's knocking on that door. During my smoke break, I observe the conversation between my neighbor and the Comcast contractor/installer. It ends shortly and that guy rejected the Comcastic deal. I started to laugh aloud and called out, "see he doesn't want Comcast in his life either."
Anyway, I enjoyed the payback and I know I will get many more opportunities to abuse them when they come around again. I will say I'm plenty bitter about it, but this is something I am actually going to enjoy doing to Comcast and it's representatives. Somehow, they think I should forgive them and take them back. Apologies withstanding, this is something I have no intention of letting go of in my lifetime. They chose their new customer over a loyal existing one. They don't come back to me with anything that is any better of an offer than what they give anyone else and they expect a sale after the disconnection. All this could have been averted with a Radio Shack signal splitter until they had time to rectify the situation. They chose to handle it the way they did and now it's going to cost them every single month the cable subscription amount they would've received from me.
Again, if you absolutely must have cable, never bundle your phone and internet with Comcast, the phone and power utility companies are far and away better than Comcast will ever be at getting back up and running after any storm. And you may be victimized like I was, on a sunny day, they could very well opt to make a new customer happy and connect them with your existing connection. It may not ever happen, but I never thought I would be where I am now with this and all it has to happen is once. Do you just accept the fact that they slapped you in the face and let them get away with it. Their solution is to take 6-8 weeks to get you any refund. You're better off in that case, if they ever get you back up & running, to simply not pay them period and reducing what you pay them only after service has been restored. To be honest, satellite tv eliminates anything Comcast can do to you. As long as the power company is on, satellite tv is too.
Update Part Deux
I received my refund, all $ 19.17, so it was actually a couple bucks more than my earlier posts on the subject. I couldn't be happier now that the deal is sealed and the Comcast chapter in my life is closed.
It still doesn't stop them from lurking in the neighborhood trying to get new business though, even get my household back on the program with their bundled special.
Don't be lured into saving a few bucks to bundle your telephone, internet and cable. It all looks good for the most part, but once they have you hooked up, they'll nickel and dime you to death with rate hikes. The cable I had started @ $ 30 about 10 years ago, jumped to the mid $ 40's, then it wasn't long after that it was low $ 50's and eventually @ the $ 60.75 bill before they disconnected me to service a new order/customer (my next door neighbor). All told had I taken the initial offer of bundled service prior to Nov. 12, 2007, they would've had me out of any service for at least 2 weeks. Then when they finally sent someone for same day connectivity, that was almost a week before Christmas. Imagine going without telephone, internet and cable in a major metroplitan USA city (Miami, FL) for a month+ or so.
No, diversification is a better solution, AT&T is my telephone and internet, they lowered price on phone service and internet (not to mention upgraded the internet speeds for the DSL Lite that is adequately price & performance for my budget & needs).
Rose got her $5.99 credi
Rose got her $5.99 credi too! I work for Comcast.
That's fantastic news for Rose !
And Comcast thinks the $ 5.99 credit is fair trade out for putting someone thru all of that ? The only thing I can think of that's maybe worse than an ordeal with Comcast is one with AOL. I bet it took months for this resolution to come about, over a miserable $ 5.99. On 11/28/2007, the local Comcast office called me after I contacted Rick Germano (SR VP of Customer Operations) via email to attempt to reverse my termination of service. Tomorrow, will be 3 weeks to that date and a promise of an expedited refund of $ 17 and change was offered by Comcast. Guess that was another lie too ? Not that I expected any better of Comcast (in terms of lies and delays) nor them to turn it around in that time. Don't worry though, I've done more than $ 17 worth of bad PR for Comcast. Hey, it's the least I can do for Comcast, because Comcast truly does suck for far too many customers !
No help available
Recently in the Midwest, our previous cable/internet/phone service provider, Insight, changed over to Comcast. I've heard many horror stories about them. Yesterday and today I have tried contacting them online about my phone service being a little fuzzy and dropping a few calls. At first I tried Insight, forgetting the change over, which had a link that sent me to Comcast. When I get there I typed in my address and it tells me that they are not my provider and try sending me back to Insight. So I decided to call up Comcast who said they be hear at 2 to look at it. No show. So I call them up and ask whats up and they told me the technician had difficulties at a previous appointment and that he'd be here around 5, I wait, no show. I call them again and they spew off some bs and then hang up on me. So I get to go without using my phone for awhile, what fun, lets see what happens when I miss something important. Good job Comcast, so far so good, hope to see DirectTV soon.
Comcast will screw you every time
In my house we had comcast phone, hsi and basic cable. We were offerd a year of digital cable free if we upgrade to digital prefferd,we did. We got a month free and then were told that are phone service was being discontinued and we neede to upgrade to digital voice, we did. Then we got a bill and a letter stating that due to having hsi, dig cable and dig voice we no longer qualified for a year of free dig cable we had to use the triple play offer. Ok good deal, cheaper hsi and phone. Three months later we get our dig cable raised almost $30 with a pamplet expaining that comcast has the right to change terms at any time and if we don't agree to them our only option is to drop the service and pay the remaining balance. This just happened and I will be contacting monday to dispute.