I like to think of myself as a person who doesn't let much get under my skin, life is simply too short. Most of my friends tend to think that I take this attitude to a maddening degree. People that don't get pissed off have a tendency to piss off those that do. Oh well. That being said, why do I turn into a raving lunatic whenever I deal with Comcast? Is it because I always feel as if they have the upper hand in any negotiation and my options are far too limited? The ultimate response of taking my marbles and looking for another game just doesn't exist. Oh, would I love to call them, cancel my account, and then ask them to stop by the Wednesday after next, between 9:00 AM and 9:30 AM, to pick up their cable modem and DVR. Maybe it's because my Comcast bill has gone from $21.99 a month six years ago to $122.01 today. A plan never dies at Comcast, it just becomes a billing multiplier. My bill looks like a time line history of Comcast! In the beginning there was Limited Basic, then Expanded Basic, throw in high speed internet, now add Digital Plus and DVR/HDTV service. It drives me crazy! A new service never replaces and old service, it just becomes a new line, and charge, on my bill.
A few weeks ago they offered me their new phone service bubdled with my current services for 129.99 a month. The rate was guarranteed for two years if I'd sign a contract, and they would also throw in two years of HBO, Showtime and Starz. At $7.98 a month more than I'm paying now this sounded like a great deal. I was skeptical that $129.99 wasn't the true bottom line so I actually read the phone rep every line from my latest bill. Your offering me what I have now and adding unlimited phone service, HBO, Showtime and Starz for $129.99 a month? Yes, was his reply. No other charges? He said no. For two years? Yes , he said again. I asked him these same questions several time before I told him to sign me up.
Yesterday, they hooked up the new modem, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality of the signal. I've heard mixed reviews from others with the service. The same day the contract came in the mail and this is when my raving lunatic started banging on his cage. The contract stated that the price was 129.99 (PLUS TAX AND FEES). The tax and fees concern was why I read the phone rep my current bill line by line. I was overly pointed about it, and had been as clear as possible that I wanted to know if there were any additional charges. So I'm back on the phone with Comcast. After a 20 minute discussion with the first person I talked with, it became painfully obvious that the phone reps are trained to apologize a lot for misunderstandings but are never ever allowed to adjust a bill. I asked for a manager and was put on hold for ten minutes until a recording came on and stated that, due to high call volume, no one was available to take my call, and instructed me to call later. REALLY?! It didn't even give me the option to continue holding, it just hung up. Oh Man! The raving lunatic escapes!
The second person I talked to claimed to be a supervisor,and also told me that my contract price of $129.99 not only didn't include tax and fees, it didn't include my DVR. She was also unable to tell me exactly what the fees were. I told her that I would have to be a moron to sign a contract without knowing the true bottom line. I knew she agreed with the moron part, but all she would do was apologize for the misunderstanding. I hung up. A little girl started to poke the raving lunatic in the nose with a stick.
I'm not calling the 800# again, I'd rather spend the day hitting myself with a hammer. On Monday, I'm going to call the Mid-Atlantic Corporate office.
Here are the questions I have for this forum:
Has anyone won a fight of this sort with comcast?
If so, what level on the Corporate chain did you need to climb?
Does their tune change once you tell them to cancel your service?
Does anyone have Verizons fiber optic service? how does it compair?
Verizon isn't in my area yet but is due soon. I assume that is why Comcast is pushing two year contracts. At $129.99 a month I'd be happy to commit to a two year contract,then renegotiate once Verizon, and hopefully others,are offering serious competition. I've got 30 days to decide. Perhaps I'll use it for the month and if they don't live up to the 129.99 a month verbal sale, I'll simply tell them to come get the phone modem and wait for Verizon. Thanks for letting me vent, I'm just tired of being nickeled and dimed at a fairly constant rate by Comcast.
Herb
A few weeks ago they offered me their new phone service bubdled with my current services for 129.99 a month. The rate was guarranteed for two years if I'd sign a contract, and they would also throw in two years of HBO, Showtime and Starz. At $7.98 a month more than I'm paying now this sounded like a great deal. I was skeptical that $129.99 wasn't the true bottom line so I actually read the phone rep every line from my latest bill. Your offering me what I have now and adding unlimited phone service, HBO, Showtime and Starz for $129.99 a month? Yes, was his reply. No other charges? He said no. For two years? Yes , he said again. I asked him these same questions several time before I told him to sign me up.
Yesterday, they hooked up the new modem, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality of the signal. I've heard mixed reviews from others with the service. The same day the contract came in the mail and this is when my raving lunatic started banging on his cage. The contract stated that the price was 129.99 (PLUS TAX AND FEES). The tax and fees concern was why I read the phone rep my current bill line by line. I was overly pointed about it, and had been as clear as possible that I wanted to know if there were any additional charges. So I'm back on the phone with Comcast. After a 20 minute discussion with the first person I talked with, it became painfully obvious that the phone reps are trained to apologize a lot for misunderstandings but are never ever allowed to adjust a bill. I asked for a manager and was put on hold for ten minutes until a recording came on and stated that, due to high call volume, no one was available to take my call, and instructed me to call later. REALLY?! It didn't even give me the option to continue holding, it just hung up. Oh Man! The raving lunatic escapes!
The second person I talked to claimed to be a supervisor,and also told me that my contract price of $129.99 not only didn't include tax and fees, it didn't include my DVR. She was also unable to tell me exactly what the fees were. I told her that I would have to be a moron to sign a contract without knowing the true bottom line. I knew she agreed with the moron part, but all she would do was apologize for the misunderstanding. I hung up. A little girl started to poke the raving lunatic in the nose with a stick.
I'm not calling the 800# again, I'd rather spend the day hitting myself with a hammer. On Monday, I'm going to call the Mid-Atlantic Corporate office.
Here are the questions I have for this forum:
Has anyone won a fight of this sort with comcast?
If so, what level on the Corporate chain did you need to climb?
Does their tune change once you tell them to cancel your service?
Does anyone have Verizons fiber optic service? how does it compair?
Verizon isn't in my area yet but is due soon. I assume that is why Comcast is pushing two year contracts. At $129.99 a month I'd be happy to commit to a two year contract,then renegotiate once Verizon, and hopefully others,are offering serious competition. I've got 30 days to decide. Perhaps I'll use it for the month and if they don't live up to the 129.99 a month verbal sale, I'll simply tell them to come get the phone modem and wait for Verizon. Thanks for letting me vent, I'm just tired of being nickeled and dimed at a fairly constant rate by Comcast.
Herb
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