consumerist.com— According to an internal Comcast Powerpoint we received, starting this month, the cable provider gives even less of a damn about residential customers.
Apr 23, 2007View in Crawl 4
@Schrodinger: I work as a TSR (not for Comcast, thank goodness), but what do you expect a Tech to do if the modem's not online? if it doesn't come back online, talking to the person on the other end of the phone won't magically make it work. the ISP I work for then gets the local cable company to come out and check things free of charge (as it should be).EDIT: It's as Netrilix said, and people call in just for that. They call in if their printer isn't working.
@NetrilixIf you really want them to waste the gas, then make sure they can reach you (via another phone or whatever) before your window of service. I was recently without Internet / phone / TV as well and was waiting for a Comcast tech to come, only to find out that they won't even show up if they can't get a hold of you before your service window. Convenient considering that I couldn't receive phone calls (at the number they had on file, anyway) until they came out to fix the problem. Wasted time FTW!
I would disagree with you, Comcast has the money but doesn't want to spend it. And they will not spend it until they have to. But their system where I live is total s**t, designed for 20 analog channels (years ago), not 2 way digital communications.
@lacy:So long as you have an area that is "yours" (i.e. a balcony, etc) you can have a satellite dish. Your apartment complex can only prevent you from doing so if you don't have such an area. Also, if you do have a balcony or patio, they can restrict you from mounting it to the building (i.e. the railing). I got a terra cotta potter and put the pole in cement on my balcony. Hello DirecTV. (However, it's not always peachy with satellite either, they can be just as stupid--but a few dollars cheaper makes it go down easier).I don't recall the specific FCC ruling, but if you google it it's quite popular.
@sniperI disagree about QoS on voip. I just signed up for vonage a few weeks ago and it's been absolutely perfect for me. Now as far as everything else, yes Comcast is overpriced and crappy. I had my digital cable/DVR/HD box just die on my one night a few weeks ago. I was without cable for basically a week until I could take my box in because I work during the hours that they were going to be willing to come to my home. Did I get reimbursed for the week I wasn't watching cable. Hell no! That said, the only way we are going to do anything about it is to all jump ship and go with other providers. That means going to Satellite for TV and DSL for internet. My only problem with that is from what I've seen DSL in my area is a lot slower than cable. Now if I could keep the cable internet and go with satellite TV that is what I would do. But that doesn't work so I'm screwed.
Good old Comcast! I tried to upgrade my service the other day and they charged me a $1.99 fee. I tried to explain to them that I'm trying to give them more money by adding more channels to my account, but they insisted on the $1.99 fee as standard. I can't wait until they charge me the $1.99 change fee + a $1.99 fee to make a phone call.If only they didn't have a local monopoly and we had a choice in high speed internet / television service. =(
To be fair, you really need the whole picture. Comcast has always had a charge for service calls in the system. The problem is that that charge is not automatically added, it has to be selected at the time the service call is scheduled. Comcast started cracking down on this practice.Also another reason behind the crackdown, customers call up and demand a truck roll for something they can do themselves with a little help over the phone. One example, customers demanding a truck roll to program a remote, to hook up a VCR (not comcast equipment).The same goes for the internet side of things, truck rolls to hook up customer owned routers, to setup email (customer had the time to call support to order someone to come out and do something they can be walked through over the phone).Comcast is offering a choice in the matter. If you sign up for service protection plan for $2.95 a month all your internal wiring is covered no matter how many times a tech is sent to your house. This even covers phone wiring, even if you do not have comcast phone service. If you do not opt to take the service protection plan you may be charged $24.70 per visit (and that is only if the trip was avoidable). If it is a problem in the comcast plant (wiring up to the house) there is no charge for that service call.
finaldragoon06Apr 23, 2007
@Schrodinger: I work as a TSR (not for Comcast, thank goodness), but what do you expect a Tech to do if the modem's not online? if it doesn't come back online, talking to the person on the other end of the phone won't magically make it work. the ISP I work for then gets the local cable company to come out and check things free of charge (as it should be).EDIT: It's as Netrilix said, and people call in just for that. They call in if their printer isn't working.
trunk8Apr 23, 2007
@NetrilixIf you really want them to waste the gas, then make sure they can reach you (via another phone or whatever) before your window of service. I was recently without Internet / phone / TV as well and was waiting for a Comcast tech to come, only to find out that they won't even show up if they can't get a hold of you before your service window. Convenient considering that I couldn't receive phone calls (at the number they had on file, anyway) until they came out to fix the problem. Wasted time FTW!
xcoastieApr 23, 2007
I would disagree with you, Comcast has the money but doesn't want to spend it. And they will not spend it until they have to. But their system where I live is total s**t, designed for 20 analog channels (years ago), not 2 way digital communications.
bilbravoApr 23, 2007
@lacy:So long as you have an area that is "yours" (i.e. a balcony, etc) you can have a satellite dish. Your apartment complex can only prevent you from doing so if you don't have such an area. Also, if you do have a balcony or patio, they can restrict you from mounting it to the building (i.e. the railing). I got a terra cotta potter and put the pole in cement on my balcony. Hello DirecTV. (However, it's not always peachy with satellite either, they can be just as stupid--but a few dollars cheaper makes it go down easier).I don't recall the specific FCC ruling, but if you google it it's quite popular.
smergsApr 23, 2007
@sniperI disagree about QoS on voip. I just signed up for vonage a few weeks ago and it's been absolutely perfect for me. Now as far as everything else, yes Comcast is overpriced and crappy. I had my digital cable/DVR/HD box just die on my one night a few weeks ago. I was without cable for basically a week until I could take my box in because I work during the hours that they were going to be willing to come to my home. Did I get reimbursed for the week I wasn't watching cable. Hell no! That said, the only way we are going to do anything about it is to all jump ship and go with other providers. That means going to Satellite for TV and DSL for internet. My only problem with that is from what I've seen DSL in my area is a lot slower than cable. Now if I could keep the cable internet and go with satellite TV that is what I would do. But that doesn't work so I'm screwed.
everybodApr 23, 2007
Good old Comcast! I tried to upgrade my service the other day and they charged me a $1.99 fee. I tried to explain to them that I'm trying to give them more money by adding more channels to my account, but they insisted on the $1.99 fee as standard. I can't wait until they charge me the $1.99 change fee + a $1.99 fee to make a phone call.If only they didn't have a local monopoly and we had a choice in high speed internet / television service. =(
xypherApr 24, 2007
To be fair, you really need the whole picture. Comcast has always had a charge for service calls in the system. The problem is that that charge is not automatically added, it has to be selected at the time the service call is scheduled. Comcast started cracking down on this practice.Also another reason behind the crackdown, customers call up and demand a truck roll for something they can do themselves with a little help over the phone. One example, customers demanding a truck roll to program a remote, to hook up a VCR (not comcast equipment).The same goes for the internet side of things, truck rolls to hook up customer owned routers, to setup email (customer had the time to call support to order someone to come out and do something they can be walked through over the phone).Comcast is offering a choice in the matter. If you sign up for service protection plan for $2.95 a month all your internal wiring is covered no matter how many times a tech is sent to your house. This even covers phone wiring, even if you do not have comcast phone service. If you do not opt to take the service protection plan you may be charged $24.70 per visit (and that is only if the trip was avoidable). If it is a problem in the comcast plant (wiring up to the house) there is no charge for that service call.