Eff Comcast

legion · 05-09-2014, 07:39 PM

After seeing my bill with Comcast go from $90 to $180 over the past 5 years to get the same channels, I finally cancelled my Comcast account in March. Every few years they would give me new channels for "free" then six months later raise my rates and spread the 20 or so channels I care about across ever more tiers of service.

In my area, Comcast has a monopoly on cable service, and they behave like a monopoly. They pile on the crap and raise rates at will. Why the FCC would ever let them buy Time Warner is beyond me. (Well, the real reason is a discussion for PARF.)

When I cancelled my account, I was told that I would be issued a refund. That was five weeks ago, still no refund. I stop by the local Comcast office today and am told that no one in the building has the authority to issue a refund or tell me what is going on--I have to call the 800 number. (Why do they have a local office?)

I call the 800 number, and ask where my money is. They explain that I have a credit on my account, and that if I want it back, I have to call them and tell them so, and it will be another 4-6 weeks to get my money. Apparently cancelling my account with a positive balance doesn't cause them to automatically issue a check, I have to ask for it.

I explain to the customer (dis)service rep that this is a hot, steaming pile of dung. Why would they think they have the right to keep my money? I didn't get to not pay my bill until they asked for the money twice, why should they get to pull this bull**** on me? I also went on the explain that I will NEVER do business with Comcast again, under any circumstances.

Comcast is lucky that they have snuggled up to the current administration so well, because such behavior in a normal world should bring a reconsideration of the (monopolistic) privileges the company has been granted.

Oh Haha · 05-09-2014, 07:40 PM

Cool. My wife just ordered Direct TV to replace the crappy Comcast bull!@#$ we have now.

john70t · 05-09-2014, 08:08 PM

LOL, this was already tabbed for reading: Comcast Time Warner Competition - Business Insider

john70t · 05-09-2014, 08:19 PM

I don't have cable, but just returned from a week of visiting relatives playing a couch potato in front of XFinity/Comcast.
It was the worst experience in a while.

I was literally fighting the t.v. for user control:
-Changing channels resulted in 10 minutes of new commercials. Every single time. Literally force feeding ads to the viewer.
-There were long pauses and annoying flashing routines when changing.
-There were random losses of signal (grey screen with fuzzy noise) when too much changing occurred. Huh?
-There were 'channel traps' when it would refuse to advance past certain pay-per-view channels. The viewer was now stuck for half a minute.
-Basic channels such as History/Discovery/Comedy were not included.
-'Authorized channels' were scattered across the spectrum but hidden in the menu.
-Press the up button to go higher, normally, but it's reversed in the menu guide.

It seemed XFinity was designed to dissuade usage of its product.
Worked for me.
Now I'll never buy anything from that company.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Comcast Sucks ComcastSucks.org ComcastSucks .org

comcast sucks balls

Seems you aren't alone...

Jim Richards · 05-10-2014, 05:22 AM

We killed our Comcast TV a few weeks ago and all is well. Neither my wife nor I miss is at all.

jhynesrockmtn · 05-10-2014, 06:55 AM

I spent months and hours on the phone with Comcast as my internet dropped multiple times/day. I should have recorded some of the calls. There were times all I could do was laugh. In the end, centurylink upgraded their service in my neighborhood and I was able to switch. As Comcasts slowly sees viable internet competitors come in to the market, my prediction is they will lose customers big time. The solution to them in my opinion is not to prevent them buying time warner, it's in the adoption of alternative internet delivery technologies to coax. My DSL isn't quite as fast but it's been reliable, fast enough and the cost of that plus the direct tv bundle is way cheaper than my Comcast service.

VincentVega · 05-10-2014, 06:58 AM

I'm in the middle of a similar situation with Verizon. Same issues, price has almost doubled, channels I want are in different packages.... I either need to bite the bullet or stop watching racing and sports.

Brando · Brando's Garage

Stream what you want online. I've ditched all channel services for just internet. Having Cox they are pulling the same BS in their monopolistic areas. I am considering a switch to DSL as Cox has raised their rates for me twice now. I'm paying $75/mo for barely 10mbps. It was $50 when I moved in 3 years ago. Service has not improved, so why the price increases? Oh, look at that. No other cable providers in my area.

HardDrive · 05-10-2014, 08:31 AM

Were on AT&T and very happy. I'm a bit amazed they can push that much data down a DSL connection, but it works. Perfect HD, responsive controls, fast internet.

jhynesrockmtn · 05-10-2014, 08:53 AM

Keep an eye on the DSL provider in your area. When I moved in to my new house Oct of 2013 all they had was 1.5 mbps, now they offer up to 40. When I tested my speed connected with Ethernet after installation it was over 25 mbps download speed, close to what my super turbo Comcast was, when it worked.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Apple TV + Netflix + rabbit ears = everything I need and more, no commercials and no BS. For a while my internet was 3 Mbps max. Now 15. Life is good.

vonsmog · 05-10-2014, 09:58 AM

I did the same thing, read about it here
Dumped my cable and phone with Time Warner!
I found a site called couchtuner.eu and it allows me to stream a ton of TV shows without any ads in them!

slakjaw · 05-10-2014, 10:09 AM

I am about to go back to dsl - comcast sucks and always will suck. Apple TV and Netflix is all I need.

slakjaw · 05-10-2014, 10:11 AM

I have come to realize that anything that comes in on a piece of RG59 is not really worth paying for.

jcommin · jcommin's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Apple TV + Netflix + rabbit ears = everything I need and more, no commercials and no BS. For a while my internet was 3 Mbps max. Now 15. Life is good.

Internet+ antennae for local programming + Netflix + ruku. The older I get, my interest in TV has waned.

Bugsinrugs · 05-10-2014, 12:26 PM

Interesting. I just cancelled direct t.v. Ten minutes ago. They were almost begging me to keep the service..you qualify for a discount, you qualify for increased channels.....B.S. I am sick of corporate t.v.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Ironic because if net neutrality goes away like the FCC is proposing, things like Apple TV and Netflix will be all but squashed by big telcos...

Brando · Brando's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Ironic because if net neutrality goes away like the FCC is proposing, things like Apple TV and Netflix will be all but squashed by big telcos...

True - Comcast/TimeWarner is already salivating at the opportunity to shaft everyone both ways: You as the subscriber and also the content provider. They have been very open with their intent to charge content providers (websites; netflix, hulu, amazon, etc.) for unhindered access. Don't pay up? Your traffic gets throttled back or capped. I think it is only a matter of time before they throttle torrent networks and UDP traffic.

biosurfer1 · 05-10-2014, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brando

I think it is only a matter of time before they throttle torrent networks and UDP traffic.

Good...do it. Nothing spurs innovation like "the man" screwing over the little guys. A ton of those little guys are computer programmers, web designers, etc who get pissed off just like us and create things like XBMC, Linux, Aereo, Android ROMS and a ton of other free stuff just to stick it to companies like Comcast.