Comcast stole my mocha
I just signed up for Comcast and I’m not happy about it.
We’ll be moving into Connor’s first home shortly and I needed to get net and phone service setup. I tried giving the local phone company a shot, but 1.5Mbps just won’t cut it so off to Comcast I went.
I’ve signed up for their “Triple Play” which sounds alright in the ads, but after all the fees, It’s definitely not as cheap as they say which won’t come as a surprise for anyone I’m sure.
Right off the bat, because of the phone service, you have to rent their modem – even if you have one (Which I do – anyone need a Toshiba cable modem?) – for $3/mo. That’s one Starbucks Unit (or SU) which is a vague measure that equates to a single allotment of my coffee vice.
Next, there’s the installation fee which is just highway-freaking-robbery. $75 to set up “one computer” (as if I trust them to touch any of my computers…). And that doesn’t even include installation of a tv jack. Nope, that’s an extra $14.95 (which I’m paying because there’s no outlet in the master). They do include a phone jack as part of the install, but who doesn’t have those all over the place!? And the installation service is required because setting up the phone service is “complicated.” $89.95: 30 SU.
But wait, there’s more. Being the privacy nut that I am, I asked for an unlisted number. $5 to setup fee + $1.50/mo. Yes, I’m paying for the privilege of not having my phone number sold. 2 SU.
Finally, if I want to take advantage of that woohoo-fantastic digital TV that all the kids are raving about, I’ve got to rent extra boxes. $5.10/mo for a “plain” box or $9.95/mo for a DVR. For once, I’ve actually talked my wife into going high-tech, so we’re getting the DVR. All I can say is it better rock or I’ll have someone’s head. 3 SU.
So adding things up, on the first day, before I’ve downloaded a single web page or watched TV or made a phone call, I’m out almost $110. That doesn’t even account for the ongoing monthly charges. This, my friends, is why we need better competition in the broadband marketplace.
Hey buddy, can you spare $3 for a double-tall nonfat no-whip raspberry mocha?
Double-tall Technorati tags with no-whip:
comcast, triple play, fees, starbucks, dvr, mocha
Did you happen to ask them if they had any installation specials? Yeah, it might be too late, but you never know what’ll happen if you talk to a supervisor. We’re stuck with Time Warner/Roadrunner here (but we will also be Comcast at some point in the near future, as Memphis is one of the markets changing hands as part of the Time Warner/Comcast scavenging of the pieces of Adelphia), but when I moved in to my current residence I was also presented with a bunch of “installation” fees and suchlike. I called customer service, pretended I was a prospective new customer and asked if they had any installation deals – they did! Free install for all rooms and 1/2 off for the first 6 months. I then hung up, called back as myself and said “I have this bill for x amount and my buddy is getting free install and half off for 6 months – I want that deal”. Of course 1st level couldn’t do anything so I politely asked to speak to a supervisor – I then went through my spiel again and this time she gave me the free install/half off package.
Another tactic would be to feign outrage at the fees and threaten to walk to DirecTV/Echostar(Dish Network). When I actually did move to DirectTV (I had to have me the NFL Sunday Ticket :) ), I got about 2 or 3 calls from the TW customer retention team offering everything up to the premium package with 6 months free – no billing whatsoever – and two free PPVs a month.
Jack,
I have Comcast as my ISP and digital cable TV company. There’s no other choice for me and I can’t use DirecTV because of the local geography. But their VoIP phone service is a huge ripoff. The price is astronomical even though they claim you’ll pay less than for a standard phone line, which is not true, at least for me. Business Week has a review in which they say it’s worth the money becasue the quality is so good compared to other VoIP companies. But you will be paying lots more for their phone service when the teaser rate goes up. Skype, Vonage, etc. may improve their quality because of Comcast’s competition.
I have had few problems with their internet services and none with their cable TV. They are now doing a good job of spam filtering in their email, after a lot of online complaints.
Anyway, good luck.
I went through here for my Internet hookup:
http://www.comcastoffers.com/
I’ve just got back all the rebates, and I only payed $49.95 for install. $29.99 for 6 mo. of service.
Looks like that site is for net access only…
From the comcast offers website:
Why on EARTH do they need up to 4 months to get your rebate check to you??