Comcast Cable

[timwhit]

I ordered Comcast Internet and TV service today and even after arguing with the CSR for about 15 minutes they insist that they need to charge me $80+ to come out and install the service. The entire place is already wired for cable and I was able to connect a digital TV receiver and get cable TV. Is there any way to get around paying this exorbitant fee?

I can get cable from RCN, but they might be even more inept than Comcast. They billed me 11 days after I canceled my service with them for the next month. I was on auto pay so the money came right out of my checking account. It took 30 minutes of arguing with their billing dept for them to admit this. Then, their solution was for them to send me a check in 6-8 weeks.

I checked to see if I could get Verizon Fios, but it's not available here. Any other ideas?

 

[Handruin]

I ordered Comcast Internet and TV service today and even after arguing with the CSR for about 15 minutes they insist that they need to charge me $80+ to come out and install the service. The entire place is already wired for cable and I was able to connect a digital TV receiver and get cable TV. Is there any way to get around paying this exorbitant fee?

I can get cable from RCN, but they might be even more inept than Comcast. They billed me 11 days after I canceled my service with them for the next month. I was on auto pay so the money came right out of my checking account. It took 30 minutes of arguing with their billing dept for them to admit this. Then, their solution was for them to send me a check in 6-8 weeks.

I checked to see if I could get Verizon Fios, but it's not available here. Any other ideas?

Maybe try calling back for a manager and see if they can help you? That does suck to have them charge you $80 for nothing. I thought the hookups usually came with a "free" setup/installation?

 

[timwhit]

Maybe try calling back for a manager and see if they can help you? That does suck to have them charge you $80 for nothing. I thought the hookups usually came with a "free" setup/installation?

I thought so too. I asked her if I could speak with a supervisor three times during the call. She never directly answered me, but kept repeating that they were waiving certain other fees. This whole thing seems like a shell game.

 

[Handruin]

Did they do a breakdown of the install fee? I see online they only allow me to select from two options for install for internet, both of which have a cost. If you have a comcast local store in your area, you could see if they offer a self-install kit. This is how I did my internet to waive fee's back when I lived in my house (since it was already wired to the street when I went to reactivate).

I went down to the store and they just gave me a kit which was decent. It had the cable modem, some decent cat5 cable, a nice coax cable and a decent splitter. Maybe even there you could talk to someone rather than deal with the phone droids?

 

[udaman]

I thought so too. I asked her if I could speak with a supervisor three times during the call. She never directly answered me, but kept repeating that they were waiving certain other fees. This whole thing seems like a shell game.

LOL, that seems easy compared to the nightmare I had when trying to get the slowest possible DSL again after 10yr wait, hoping telephone lines had been improved (they had not). Took me several hours, 3 or 4 different departments, about a dozen calls at least, over 5 months, before I actually got the proper crediting of my bills to remove the DSL monthy service charges, the credit for the modem I returned to the Texas distribution point (was only 4 weeks after initial order put in, just 2 weeks after canceling order when it was determined I wasn't getting S**t for DSL activation, and they claimed the receipt of the modem was 'just past' the accounting dept billing cycle, and it would appear on the next cycle, which it did not, for 3 more months). Was sent a threat to disconnect my main land phone line for not paying the amount due (different dept. not in contact with the DSL provisioning) because I was supposed to have my acct credited when it never was. Drove me nuts, they finally got it all sorted out and I only ended up paying for the cost to ship the modem back to Texas, everything else was credited.

But you have to talk to a supervisor, period. NO, ifs, and's or buts, demand to speak to a supervisor, if the person on the line will not connect you with a supervisor who can adequately explain, ask for their name in sufficient detail so that you can report them for insubordination, failing to do their job...threaten them, be forceful (some of them are pretty bad too, without proper knowledge). Actuall, IIRC, the one person I spoke to, didn't really allow me to speak to her supervisor, but she put me on hold to get advisement, came back and said the supervisor agreed to credit the full amount to my acct...blaaah, and supposedly it was entered on one set of computers, but in the end somehow did not 'take' so I had to go through the same routine 2x.


Depending on the supervisor, if you whine enough, beat them down enough, they may just wave charges...or they could be a bastard, and give you hell .

 

[timwhit]

Yeah, they did a breakdown. I was pretty peeved by that point, so I was barely listening. I just wish there was a good alternative that didn't charge an arm and a leg for basic extended cable and decently fast internet.

I'm almost tempted to just split someone else's cable line and see if I could get that to work. I have access to the cable that's coming into the building. I don't know how well that works anymore with everything going digital. Though I don't think I want to risk the repercussions of that one.

 

[P5-133XL]

Comcast regularly runs sales/adds that give free installation for new customers. You just have to time it right ...

 

[Mercutio]

Tell them you want to cancel your order. You've found a better deal with Verizon or RCN or even a Wireless ISP. They'll probably put you over to retentions. Retentions has the power to make deals. Usually they'll start by bribing you with 6 month of a free premium channel or a year of Antivirus software, but if they're willing to play, you'll end up with service at around $40 a month instead of $80.

Whatever deal you come up with will end up expiring in six months, then you'll have to call again.

Actually, I'm not 100% sure this works on new installs, since you aren't a customer yet, but I wouldn't pay an $80 install fee either.

 

[Mercutio]

Also, there's a whole bunch of stuff about dealing with Comcast on Consumerist.com.

 

[ddrueding]

If you are investigating splitting internet with someone, you will have to do it on the ethernet side of things. And (if you care) that would be them violating their TOS.

 

[Howell]

You can get kits at Circuit City that will result in free modem and 6 months of cable at a reduced rate after mail-in rebates and self install. You have to sign up for the service at the CC store.

I've done this twice in the last year at different addresses.

I wonder if the install fee was for the TV side. I just have the lowest TV package I could get.

 

[timwhit]

Actually, I'm not 100% sure this works on new installs, since you aren't a customer yet, but I wouldn't pay an $80 install fee either.

Yeah, that's my feeling as well. I might just pay the fee and then when my "deal" expires in 12 months and the rate increases 60% I will threaten to cancel at that time.

 

[Pradeep]

Don't take that $80 dollar bullshit. Tell them you are going with an offer from DirecTV with free install, free hd/and or DVR. They'll change their tune quickly. They should wire each room in your house that has a TV for free. Basically, they will charge you whatever they think you can afford. If you drive a hard bargain you can indeed get cheap cable, otherwise just pay out of the ass.

 

[timwhit]

Don't take that $80 dollar bullshit. Tell them you are going with an offer from DirecTV with free install, free hd/and or DVR. They'll change their tune quickly. They should wire each room in your house that has a TV for free. Basically, they will charge you whatever they think you can afford. If you drive a hard bargain you can indeed get cheap cable, otherwise just pay out of the ass.

Alright, you got me to call and try to cancel and they removed the $50 cable internet installation fee. So, now it will be $30. Should I call back tomorrow and see if they can get rid of that one too?

 

[Pradeep]

Alright, you got me to call and try to cancel and they removed the $50 cable internet installation fee. So, now it will be $30. Should I call back tomorrow and see if they can get rid of that one too?

What is the $30 for? cable tv install? You know the answer.

I saw an article once where a long term cable customer is worth 6 figures to the cable co.

 

[Will Rickards]

RCN here in the suburbs of philly is great. Very fast internet speeds and we had like 2 tv outages in the 5 years I've been here. The installer was very professional but that was over 5 years ago. I never really had to call their customer service. Going to their customer center to return the cable modem was easy enough.

We switched to FIOS for internet, TV isn't available yet around here.

We are considering ditching cable TV altogether. I'm basically paying $50 a month so my kids can watch the wiggles, and I can watch stargate and a couple other shows on the cable TV channels. So a 3 at a time netflix subscription would do wonders I think. And I can watch a lot of the shows I tivo from the cable networks on my computer.
We shouldn't watch TV that much anyway.

 

[timwhit]

What is the $30 for? cable tv install? You know the answer.

I saw an article once where a long term cable customer is worth 6 figures to the cable co.

I know, please berate me. But, I really don't feel like calling back again. I can swing $30 for the install I think.

Will, I had RCN at my old place. It was pretty decent. I'm just pissed at them for continuing to bill me for service after I had canceled and then denying it. If Comcast sucks I can cancel at any time. There's not contract.

 

[sechs]

Are you in AT&T territory? If U-verse is available in your area, that seems to get Comcast to straighten up a little. They still suck, but at least they pay you a little attention.

 

[sechs]

We are considering ditching cable TV altogether. I'm basically paying $50 a month so my kids can watch the wiggles, and I can watch stargate and a couple other shows on the cable TV channels. So a 3 at a time netflix subscription would do wonders I think. And I can watch a lot of the shows I tivo from the cable networks on my computer.

Had a friend who recently bought a house and decided to ditch cable television. He set up a an antenna to get OTA channels, and uses an iTV and HTPC to download a lot of stuff that he wants to see.

 

[Mercutio]

That's what I do as well. I can get Chicago's HD stations, and keeping up with downloads isn't terribly difficult.

 

[sechs]

Unfortunately, you have to have a wire coming into your home to get Internet.

My friend wanted wireline phone service, so DSL was natural and cable easy to ditch. I don't need wireline phone service, and cable is cheaper... so I have cable.

 

[sechs]

Unfortunately, you have to have a wire coming into your home to get Internet.

My friend wanted wireline phone service, so DSL was natural and cable easy to ditch. I don't need wireline phone service, and cable is cheaper... so I have cable.

 

[timwhit]

I got the cable installed today and everything seems fine so far. I have one TV with a box and get all the channels I am supposed to and the internet speeds are fairly good. I have two other TVs connected through analog cable only and I only get local channels. Is this normal? They were going to charge me more to install them, even though the jacks were all working anyways. I'm guessing they are encrypting everything else. Are there any other options than paying them for more cable boxes to receive all the channels that I am paying for?

 

[Mercutio]

My understanding is that cable providers are required by law to provide the TV signals that would normally be provided on an antenna, in the VHF range. Which amounts to channels 1 - 20. They can't keep those channels off your TV.

Everything else, at least in Chicago, requires a digital tuner. I don't know whether they charge for them or what. Knowing Comcast, they probably do.

 

[timwhit]

It's $2 a month to rent an extra digital tuner. I'll see if I can live without it. Can I buy a digital tuner somehow?

If I decide to rent one they will probably try to charge me $50 to come out and install it.

 

[Chewy509]

Getting slightly OT: Has anyone considered some of the free IPTV services to watch/download additional channels?

Obviously it mainly for those that have a HTPC and generous download limit on their 'net connection.

IPTV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPTV

A quick google brings up heaps of links for "free IPTV", some services offering 2000+ channels...

 

[Clocker]

Around here, Comcast is giving away free Wii's to people who subscribe to their triple play...

 

[timwhit]

Around here, Comcast is giving away free Wii's to people who subscribe to their triple play...

Around here it appears they are selling service where you can't seed torrents. Maybe after the class-action lawsuit this will change.

Anyways, I never saw that deal. Must be a motor city thing.

 

[Fushigi]

The Chicago TV stations are advertising the Wii deal as well. At least I'm seeing them (I have DishTV).