You know, if there is one thing that irritates me, it’s how every time I open the mail it seems like Comcast is upping it’s prices. Last fall {and unknowingly to me, right before the World Series} I cancelled our cable service once and for all. All the sudden Comcast wanted $188 a month for BASIC cable and internet service. Which in my opinion, was waaaaay to much. Especially for people who don’t really watch network tv during the daytime or evening.
Yada yada yada, last fall when we got rid of cable, our new Comcast bill for internet only was $74.95 a month, including taxes.
That is, until yesterday.
And well, have I got a story for you.
Basically, it’s about how {in my opinion} they tried to rip me off. Or overcharge me. Or call me a liar, depending on how you want to look at it.
Let me just start by saying anyone who has to sit in a cubical in a call center has the crappiest job on the planet. No seriously. They do. Whether their job is in India or the US, it sucks. And we all know it. And yet by the time they get around to answering our call {I once had to wait on hold for 52 minutes!} you just want to give them the facts, have them fix the problem, and move on.
I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t want to be asked how my day is going, or what my plans are for the day or hear about their “special packages.” And I most certainly don’t want waste anymore of my time with the idle chit chat/prompts they have on their computer screen.
But maybe that’s just me. I don’t know.
Blah Blah Blah… Here we go.
Okay, so my Comcast bill comes in the mail and I notice that instead of being charged my usual $74.95 a month {which includes tax} they are now charging me $101.93 a month.
Huh?
Can they do that? Can they just up the price $27 like that?
So I take a closer look. And then I realize that they didn’t up the internet price $27, they upped it about $15. Oh, and wait, now they are charging me for a modem rental. Which is really weird, because we bought one off Amazon a long time ago and are not renting a modem from Comcast. So not only have they upped the price, but now there is a bogus charge for a modem rental on my bill.
Good times.
So what do I do? I call the 1800 number on my bill.
And after about 5 minutes of not getting anywhere with the {lame} voice activated operator, I am transferred to a customer service rep named Jafar.
Yada yada yada, I start off by explaining that I am being charged for a modem.
Jafar proceeds to tell me for the next 15 minutes that I am in fact, using a Comcast modem. And there is no way I could be hooked up to the internet unless I wasn’t using a Comcast modem.
He then proceeds to tell me over and over again the key code for the {supposed} Comcast modem I have in my procession.
So I walk upstairs with the phone in my hand and proceed to tell Jafar the key code on the back of the modem I am using. He doesn’t believe me. He says I could be making those numbers up and he has no way of knowing where I am getting those numbers from because his computer screen is telling him that I am using a Comcast modem. He knows this because his system did a company wide audit and it showed I was in fact, using a Comcast modem and was not being charged for it.
Mavis: Do you want me to send you a picture of the modem I am using? What’s your number Jafar? I can send it to you right now.
Jafar: I have no way to receive your picture here and I have no idea if you are making up numbers or not {for the key code I presume}. You will need to bring your modem to your local Comcast center so they can verify that you are using a Comcast modem.
Mavis: But Jafar, I am not USING A COMCAST MODEM.
Jafar: You could not be using the internet if you were using a different modem. You will need to bring your modem to a Comcast center to verify.
Mavis: So let me get this straight. You want me to what? You want me to unplug my modem. Get in my car, pay a toll bridge fee of $5 and waste two hours of my time to show someone at a Comcast center that the modem I am using {and having been using for a long time} is not a Comcast modem so I can have the $10 modem rental free removed from my bill?
Jafar: It will not take you two hours. I am showing your closest Comcast center is only 13 minutes away.
Which is not true, because Stephen {the name I’ve given the British male navigation voice on my cell phone} is telling me the store is actually 21 minutes away from my house. But let’s forget about that for a second.
Mavis: You’re serious? You want me to UNPLUG my modem and bring it into a Comcast center? So I can get Comcast’s mistake fixed? Why can’t you fix this online? Why can’t I give you the key code and you can type it into your little computer?
Jafar: {Who is growing very tired with me being “adamant” – his words, not mine that I don’t have a Comcast modem} Like I’ve said before, you will have to take your modem to a Comcast center”…. blah blah blah .
I then asked him if Comcast was going to reimburse me for WASTING MY TIME for THEIR MISTAKE.
He said no.
So this crazyness in a can went on for a few more minutes and I could see that I was getting nowhere with Jafar.
And I was pretty ticked off at this point.
So then I moved on to why my “internet” bill had been raised from $74.95 a month to $90 a month.
Yada yada yada, he says that rates have gone up and I could reduce my megabytes from 100 to 55 and pay only $64.99 a month {+tax} but that I am currently averaging 105 megabytes and so I should just stick with what I have {and pay $15 more a month}.
I say no, that I will go with the slower 55 megabytes service because I am tired of getting ripped off for internet service. He says fine, puts in the order for slower service, and by the time I hang up the phone I am going nuts and having a conversation with the wall like a crazy person.
So. I march upstairs. Snap a picture of how everything is plugged into my modem {so I know how to put it back together}.
Throw it in a bag with the router {just in case} with some snacks and a project to work on while I’m waiting {because hello, this isn’t my first rodeo}.
I give Lucy Goose a smooch and tell her I’ll be back in a few hours…
And then pay the freakin’ $5 toll and head to Comcast which is now called Xfinity.
I check in. The wait? Oh you know…. 35 minutes to an HOUR.
I work on Sunflowers with Sponge Bob Square Pants blaring in the background and wait my turn.
YADA YADA YADA…
I get up to the counter. Tell the lady about my conversation with Jafar and she’s like… “I have no idea why he told you to bring your modem in.”
AWESOME. Ahhhhh SOME.
Comcast Lady: I see that you were paying $74.95 a month and now you’ve down graded to $64.95 a month {the slower service}. I’d like to give you a loyalty discount for $54.95 a month {total} for the faster service {what I had before}. It’s good for 12 months all you have to do is sign HERE.
Mavis: But I don’t want to commit to a contract for 12 months.
Comcast Lady: Oh it ‘s not a contract.
Mavis: Can you show me where it says it’s not a contract?
Comcast Lady: Hmmm, let me see here… Oh wait, it is a 12 month contract {so basically if I change service/providers I have to pay the full amount… ummm no thanks!}
Mavis: Ya, I don’t want to sign a contract.
Comcast Lady: Well if you want to pay $59.99 a month {instead of the $74.95 a month I was paying last week for service} I can set you up with that deal. It’s good for 12 months and there is no contract.
Mavis: Can you show me where it says it’s not a contract?
She does, I ask to take a snap shot of the screen, she gives me her card in case there are anymore problems and tells me not to call the 1800 number but to call her directly next time. {Side note: the phone number on her card? It’s the 1800 number to Jafar.}
After all was said and done, with the 28 minute phone call to Jafar at Customer service + the 1 hour 40 minutes and 52 seconds in the car/store Comcast sucked 2 hours, 8 minutes and 52 seconds out of my day yesterday.
All because of a mistake THEY MADE on my bill.
Yes, {for once} they did give me a discount on my bill for all the hassle they put me through. That being said, it kind of makes you wonder:
- How many people don’t even notice the price increase or the fake modem charge on their bill?
- How much EXTRA money is this company making off the people who don’t bother to investigate, or off the ones who do, but get someone like Jafar on the phone and simply don’t have the time to deal with the absurdity of having to unplug their modem and bring it into one of their stores?
I read an article in Kiplinger’s the other day that said in the first quarter of 2017, providers of cable, satellite and telecom lost 762,000 subscribers compared with a drop of 141,000 a year earlier.
Gee. I wonder why.
~Mavis
P.S. How much are YOU paying for internet these days… and do you own your own modem or are you renting one? Curious minds want to know.
Shari says
Comcast could push even Mother Theresa over the edge. Frustration like none other.
Sarah Petrie says
I had a similar experience. Had Comcast for internet only. Used their modem, but our wireless router (much more powerful than theirs). Noticed I was being charged for a modem AND a router. When I called, I was told their modems are now wireless routers as well so I was liable for the charge. I explained to rep that the tech who installed the service set it up to by pass their router and use ours. Plus, I shouldn’t get charged for 2 separate items when they are one device. After 45 minutes on the phone I was finally able to speak with someone who could credit my account for the charges and make sure they did not occur again. As soon as I got off the phone….my internet was shut off. Apparently, when they de-programmed the router they also shut off the modem. I basically spent the entire day making calls to get their mistakes taken care of…… Not a fun afternoon.
Julie says
I can’t stand companies like this. I’m currently dealing with Verizon and a $67 refund that they owe me. I’ve been trying to get my money since April and I keep getting told something different each time I go into a Verizon store or call the 1800 number. I’m almost to the point where they can just keep it. It’s not worth my time. But then again, it’s my money! Why should they get it? It makes me think how many people just give up and let Verizon or other companies just keep their money. They make is so difficult! To answer your question, I have Charter and pay $64.99 per month for just Internet.
Earlene says
Can’t get Charter. I live in tundra ( not really) but there’s not enough people in my area to have them come out
Becca says
I had a late charge on my Verizon bill. We were set up on auto pay and they took it out a day late. I shouldn’t have to check my bills so closely but have found that I do need to read every line.
Brenda says
If you have Instagram, you should post there and tag Xfinity. Honestly, that is the fastest way that I have ever gotten thru to customer service. Never ever call the 800 number. Tag them on social media!!! They are in such a frenzy to change their reputation that they will respond quickly! Comcast is a joke and there was another carrier in my area, we would go with them.
D'Anna says
I think I am up to $174 and some change for BASIC cable and mid range interwbez. Hate is a strong word Mavis but I really freakin’ HATE Xfinity/Comcast and all of the hokey pokey, ring around the rosey shenanigans they put you through anytime you have to call. If I had an option, other than them in my area, I would bail soooo fast.
Marcia says
Pardon my French, but I effing HATE cable companies.
We canceled cable TV 5 years ago, but it’s our only option for internet. $125 a month for internet + phone.
And it’s Cox Cable – so it’s ALL cable companies. Not just yours!
Pamela says
We just cancelled cable two weeks ago, keeping internet with Comcast. I’m giving it a month to cycle through with the deductions for mid-month changes before I call to find out why it appears I’m being charged $15 more a month then what I was told and have in writing in an email. We are saving nearly $200 a month (we had EVERYTHING!) so I’m happy with that, but want to be sure they stick to promised price. We thought we were being pioneers in dropping cable but husband heard 180,000 a day were dropping cable?!?!?!
Jenn says
We dropped cable three years ago…I only miss sports and news (antenna won’t work on my block). I planned on cancelling phone, too (we still have a land line), and going with regular old Verizon. Cable company offered me a good deal, though. We recently upgraded to the fastest unlimited internet….we pay a good bit, but still under $100. We have Netflix and Prime, two online game consoles, three computers, and nearly all the kids in the ‘hood have devices on my wifi. Any given day, there are 3-11 kids (3 mine, the rest neighborhood kids that live here all summer, lol) who use a lot of data in the summer (100+ temps for more than a month). Waiting for Aug. 27…r the usage graph will bottom out, lol.
Rita says
What a waste of your time. If/when I contact an idiot at a call center I will hang up and call back to try another person with a chance of getting satisfaction. Are you going to file any kind of complaint?
Laura says
That is exactly what I do as well. To heck with Jafar, try someone new and keep trying until you get the right answer.
PSU_Gal says
Same here … and I demand to speak with someone in the US of A … we (everyone that uses cable) pay a heck of a lot for something that isn’t even tangible … and then I think … how much does it really cost to send me that signal for HGTV? ….wish we could have cable subscriptions and pay only for the channels we watch … and not keep channels that have low viewership afloat
Lisa says
Oiy! Reminds me, though, of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie!
Christine says
Currently, I am paying $50.33 for internet only through Optimum (New York). In September, I lose a $15 discount, so I will be shopping again. Cable here competes with the phone company.
Maria Zannini says
Unbelievable!
We canceled cable years ago though it was hard to get the husband on board at first.
He finally admitted it was the best thing we ever did. An antenna and streaming is all we need.
Lisa says
I checked my Xfinity bill. We have the same plan.
I have a reminder on my calendar every 12 months to call and renew this discount, otherwise it will go up.
I live near Vancouver, WA so we are close (kinda).
Only difference is that I also get ‘free’ basic cable and free HBO for the same price, it was some discount bundle I dind’t want but they told me in order to get the $49.99 price I had to get the bundle.
My bill is $58.80 because I pay $6.50 (!!) for broadcast TV.
If I had any other options where I live, I would have explored them a long time ago.
You should start your own cable company.
Amy says
I am sorry you were dealing with that. We dealt with crap like that from Cox before we moved 5 months ago. We currently pay $39.99/mo for 100Mbps and 999 GB of data through Mediacom. That includes the rental of their modem/router with taxes. We also get 70 some odd cable channels included in our rent but we don’t have our TV hooked up to it because we don’t watch that crap. The only reason internet is so cheap is because the apartment complex made a deal with Mediacom for special pricing. It’s our only option other than cellular data. When we lived here in Grad school a decade ago Mediacom was charging us $80/mo for 5Mbps and I provided my own modem.
Heidi says
We are paying over $200 a month for internet. There is no cable available where we live and the dial up internet is insanely slow. We can’t stream any shows or internet.
So we have a phone tower for internet. Crazy expensive.
BTW would you please get rid of the ads on your site that have video? They use up a lot of data for folks like me.
Jennifer Meyer says
Once you’ve loaded up Mavis’s site turn off your data and you won’t use any data. If you click on to the individual blog to read the comments you will have to turn your data back on for a minute to load the page, but this should help you on the main page. Hope it helps!
ashley says
We pay $250/year for google fiber in kansas city. Hopefully they will start giving comcast some competition in other cities! The one that makes me mad is my cell phone bill, in Europe they pay WAY less than we do here in the US for same services. Ugh.
Nora says
Yes we do! 40€ (about 47$) for unlimited internet and landline phone.
Sorry that you get ripped off.
Debbie says
I am a Comcast customer Your experience sounds so familiar. We cut the cable with them a few years ago. But we still have Internet with them since we live in a rural area they are the only game in town except for dial up. Our bill is 98.00 each month just for Internet and modem rental. Would welcome another Internet provider if one ever is available.
Carrie says
In 2010 I could get basic cable and internet for 49.99/month. They upped the price the following year and I cut the cable cord and share a Netflix and Hulu account with a friend (we each pay for one and share the log-in info). I now pay $49.47 for internet only from AT&T and that price will only be good for a year and will increase in two months. 🙁 Every year I call and haggle for a cheaper price but it always seems to increase $5/$10 up a year. I have no issues with my service so it’s hard to complain. We have one other option in our area but people always complain about them (Time Warner Cable/Spectrum) so canceling and switching isn’t an option. I wish the internet was a utility like water or power. You only pay for what you use and aren’t scammed by the company!
And yes I definitely notice when my bill goes up! I own a modem but AT&T requires me to use theirs but they do not charge for it.
Josh says
Holy Crap Mavis, I would have just cancelled! I use my own modem and experienced this same price creep with at&t. I now use a mom and pop internet provider where the owner comes to your house, if you call his cell number. $62 for the good fast stuff and best customer service. My neighbors on both sides of me switch too. Shop around Mavis for a smaller company and no 1-800 numbers.
Carole says
How do you find smaller companies?? We have Time Warner/Spectrum and its a yearly hassle when your plan expires.
Lisa says
Oh, there will be more problems. There always are with Comcast. I would sooner hang out at Starbucks for internet than give them another dime of my money. After going around and around with them after losing channels because they rearranged their packages, they set me up with a particular combination that within days had been cancelled because that combination of packages was not allowed. Never again. And woe to any poor Comcast schlub who comes to my door.
With that said, we have Lightspeed. It’s a small company in Michigan that gets neighborhood interest and then installs it. They’re fiber optic. No issues whatsoever. It’s pricey after the initial deal, but I’ve heard that even folks that have had problems got them resolved right away and often by the owner of the company. We’ve probably had it for about three years now.
Delores says
Oh, Mavis! I hate, loathe, despise things like that. It makes me so frustrated that first I just get blazing mad and then I just cry (not a helpless woe is me cry, but simply an angry cry) because I hate feeling so powerless and at the mercy of these people who take advantage of me! It is like talking to a brick wall because they just don’t listen.
Good for you for tackling it!
We have twc/spectrum, just internet — no phone or cable. We pay $56 a month. Not the best customer service, but since my choices are twc and centurylink, I will stick with twc (I had a horrible experience with centurylink).
Laura Dietrick says
This happened a really long time ago when my Grandma was still alive probably around 23yrs ago but here is the story. She calls me on the phone in a frantic hysterical state. She said she got her telephone bill and she is being charged a rental fee for her phone. Her ANCIENT black phone attached to the wall in her kitchen. I drove over to her house to look at the bill and I ask her if she has other bills I can look at. Of course she does. EVERY bill she has ever gotten. So I start looking back at her bills and yes I went over 40 yrs of bills and she is right! She has been charged $10 a month for over 40 years for renting her phone from the phone company. So I call the phone company and ask what the hell is going on. They told me my grandma rents her phone and she doesnt own it and they are happy to rent her this phone for $10 a month for the last 40 some odd years. Its like built into the phone system somehow. I dunno. Crazy talk. I said so what do we have to do to get this to stop. Well the phone company would have to uninstall this phone system and then redo all her wiring blah blah. I said Grandma what do you want to do. She basically was like oh hell no let them take my $10 a month if its that much trouble. So she never noticed the extra charge and then didnt want to deal with it once she found out about it anyway.
Terri says
Years ago, all phones were rented from the phone company. I remember in the late 1970’s when people were able finally able to just buy their land line phone from a phone store. Prior to that there weren’t any phones sold anywhere.
Nora says
Sorry to hear this, but this was the business model of telephone companies like Bell (and others) when they started providing the general.
Jenny says
We pay 75 a month for the land line and high speed internet with no caps through our local phone company. If we have an issue we can call the office or we can stop in and talk to the lady in the office. (She knows us by name because we live in a small town.) We do have a modem through them but the first one is free when you sign up. They have replaced it once for free because the equipment failed. Every once in a while the repair guy stops by when he is in the neighborhood and just checks the outside box. He knows our dogs names and brings them cookies.
Jen says
OMG! I am currently living this. I started being charged for a modem that I also purchased. They finally went back in their history and found that I was indeed telling the truth (it was insulting that they were calling me a liar), and that the modem was purchased by me.
I then asked why my cable went up $30 in one month. Finally got put on a better plan, after 5 calls of being told there were no cheaper plans, so they sent me new boxes. I’ve been on the phone trying to get the boxes to work for over 10 hours at this point. One is still faulty. They told me the outlet in my wall was faulty – I told them no, the last box worked just fine, it’s not my outlet. Then they wanted to send out a technician to deal with it and charge me for that. So I went to social media….interestingly enough – I will never call their customer service again. You actually get places when you DM with the Comcast folks on Facebook. They have been helping me – but as of today, I’m waiting for yet another box to be sent out. This has been going on for months now.
If it wasn’t for my love of the Seahawks and local news, I would cancel Comcast. But unfortunately my only other option is the Dish and I don’t want things installed on the outside of my home. Plus I haven’t heard great things about them either.
Sara says
If you have a Smart TV look I to Sling TV, they offer a package with Local Stations and ESPN for $15 a month!
Denise says
Our cable bill use to be outlandish, well even more than that. I finally cancelled it and went to Netflix. It was one of the best things ever. We actually don’t even miss having it, which is great! Now we spend a little over $11.00 a month versus over $100.00. Our internet service provider closed shop, so I found a new one too. I pay $44.00 a month now, where before I was paying the same amount, but I was unable to even get on the internet. Yet I was still getting charged out the wazoo. Our phone bill is the next thing. It is stupidly, utterly ridiculous what it cost. We pay over $140.00 for something that we barely use. The charges are for your basic service plan (I’m on the cheapest one) then all of the taxes, fees etc……..Serenity and sanity now! 🙂
Brenda says
I had internet with a dish through my phone company. I upped the gigs and after that it was all messed up: it would work, then it wouldn’t… I called the company every night for 7-10 days in a row, on the phone for at least an hour every night. Finally I get to someone who can help fix the original problem that caused the whole fiasco. Part of fixing the problem involved disconnecting the internet (them punching a button on the computer, I did nothing on my end.) The customer service says “ok, now lets get you set back up. When can our tech come out.” Me: “What? Can’t you just re-connect it, like you disconnected it?” I was flabbergasted. (full disclosure: my internet has been shut-off for paying the bill too late and they just “turn it back on” without a tech when they get your payment.) CS: “Nope, I’m sorry, we have to have a tech set it all up to hook it up for you.” (WHAT!!! It is hooked up. I never unhooked anything). I said, “after me calling you every night for a week, you now want me to take a vacation day from work for someone to come back out to do nothing! Nevermind, just leave it off.” I just left it off. Kids were pissed, but I just upped the data on the cell phone plan. (We live way out and can’t get regular cable internet. Only dish or data plans.)
Stephanie says
Mavis,
Almost same thing to me except my internet was ALL over the place with speed and it was a nightmare for work. So I then changed to Fios which is not cable and the world of difference is amazing. Now I do pay 75.94 but its a clean no extras etc. Nothing slows down. Xfinity is losing so much business.
SC says
My husband actually works for Comcast. They get the most horrible people calling in, threatening them and their families. Calling them the most disgusting names and things you could imagine. It’s a thankless job. And they don’t get paid very well. If anything, I feel bad for them. No one deserves to be treated like that no matter how long you have to wait for their help or whether they can or can’t help you. I understand you (Mavis) didn’t say they did but there were some comments here calling them names.
That being said, always ask for their supervisor in a situation like this. If you request a supervisor they have to transfer you to them. Sometimes you have to wait on hold but you’ll get to talk to one. They have more authority to make things happen than just a typical representative. They’ll also know more. You can definitely have your own modem. We do.
Lilli says
Half the time customer service speaks English and doesn’t comprehend a word of it. I pay for a service and I do not care who works for the company. I do expect representatives to do know their job, to not lie and make up crap as they go a long with their nonsense spills. I expect to pay what I signed up for and not have to pay sucker punch fees. It is ironic they claim their conversations are recorded but couldn’t pull up one of those conversations if they tried. My internet is not a problem. I am still fighting with AT&T over several months of service was reported bad to my credit report. Funny thing is the service was cancelled the day after the contract ran out and I have copies of the UPS shipping labels they emailed me to return the equipment and the UPS receipt where I shipped them the equipment back. Grrrrr
SC says
You “do not care who works for the company”? Alright. Well, I care about everyone no matter if they work for a company that I dislike or not. They are still people and all people deserve to be treated with respect.
Sara says
We experiences the same thing AT&T so we cut the cable, have the Amazon Fire Stick and Sling TV ($15 @ month) for the boys sports. This is why Net Neutrality is so important right now!
Alexis says
I feel your pain. I once spent 3 months fighting with Comcast over a payment they credited to the wrong account. We went to the store, spent hours on the phone and finally I had to resort to publicly posting on their Facebook to get help. It’s ridiculous. We currently pay them almost $300/mo. If it weren’t for my parents living with us and being unwilling to give up cable, we would only use them for internet. At least until we move somewhere with FIOS or another decent, high speed option (DSL / Sattelite doesn’t cut it for our jobs, unfortunately). The next time (there will be a next time) immediately ask for a supervisor or hang up and call back. One thing I have learned is that not all of their Reps are bad.
Christy says
Hey Mavis, I’m in King County WA.. north end and we have been using Frontier (formally DSL service that is now FIOS) and I pay $39.99/mo they gave us the wireless router (didn’t pay for it) and they’ve even replaced it for free when it eventually crapped out after several years of use. Don’t have a ‘contract’ but a set price that hasn’t changed in forever!! We stream videos non-stop, service has been great. I hope you have a different alternative from Comcast on the south side. Sorry you had to go through that, but glad you got a better rate in the end. Maybe calling the store directly? If it isn’t the same 800 number!!
Kathleen says
the only problem with Frontier in my area is that the internet connection for them is REAL SLOW.
Laura says
We live in Bellevue and called to try to get Frontier but were told they could not sell to us. Comcast only. So slow internet and no cable will have to suffice for now. So annoying.
Brian says
Am I reading your bill wrong? Because it REALLY looks like they charged you twice for the rental of the modem for a total of $20… Once in the first breakdown and once in the “Other charges” section.
Pam H. says
I thought the exact same thing! When Mavis didn’t say anything about it, I just assumed I was reading it wrong.
Anita says
Oh my goodness Mavis, I feel for ya! That’s pretty ridiculous what you had to go through. Just wondering though if you asked to speak to Jafar’s supervisor or a manager to help you out (since he obviously wasn’t interested in helping). I’ve done that a few times and it usually helps. I have CenturyLink internet service and telephone service with unlimited long distance, called ID, and some other things I don’t even want or need. I pay $52.34 a month total, which is a good deal, but I get a lot of discounts because I’ve been with them forever and always pay on time. I have to call every year for each discount when they expire and I usually hold my breath ’til I’m through with them because you never know…but so far, so good.
Laure says
I just went through something similar with Comcast — amount jumped up, not based on our request, etc. Not the router, though. My story would be as long as yours so I’ll spare the details except to say we are still paying for tv we cannot receive because THEIR cable box is “too old” but I won’t have time until next week to make the trek to the store. I declined PAYING one of their people to come out to switch it out. (Say what?!) Having tv only adds $10/month to our bill, so we kept it for live sports. We don’t watch other tv.
Re: the router: the last time I was in their local branch (about 2 years ago), someone was there with your exact same story, but they refused to help. They said there are “2 parts” and the router is only one part, so even if you buy your own, you still have to pay the $10. He wanted to know what the “other part” was and they basically said it was their SIGNAL/something wireless that would be impossible to purchase.
I am seriously considering considering having no tv and running our internet exclusively through our cell phones (which act as hotspots). Wonder how much that would cost. Am thinking I hate Comcast so much — for their dishonesty — that I might be willing to pay an honest company (cell phone service) a higher amount just to get away from Comcast.
Leslie says
THE. WORST!
Emily E. says
Cable/internet companies are all ridiculous! And I’m not sure what’s happened with customer service lately, but businesses that actually have good customer service are few and far between! I can’t believe how rude these supposed “customer service people” are! That’s terrible! I’m assuming there’s no one else in your area you could go with or you would. I would definitely be contacting someone higher in the company or what someone else posted about broadcasting stuff on social media. Shame on them!
Cindi says
Is Comcast the only internet provider in your area?
Why did you not ask to speak to a supervisor?
I usually ask to speak to an American. In fact, I SCREAM into the phone that I will only speak to an American citizen and I usually get an American citizen.
I do not understand why anyone would put up with such inferior service or treatment?
I would have cancelled immediately and sought out another provider.
FYI: my current internet provider has just given me my second free modem. I’ve been with them for 16 years. I get the slowest connection possible. It costs me $34.99 a month. I did have ONE problem with them over the years. They increased my price from $25 to the $34.99 without my authorization or knowledge. I actually wrote to the head CEO and got a response from HER directly. Thus, my new, free, faster modem.
The slower modem connection is fine for us: we can watch Netflix while I work on my blog. I can NOT however, if we are streaming in FOX News or Discovery to our flat screen TV, use another device. So what? I can wait. I like the low price we pay and I will NOT upgrade. In the interim, hubby and I can both be on the internet with his iPad and my iMac at the same time, streaming, watching YouTube, whatever. It works just fine.
Good luck.
Ellen in Clackamas says
oh, I had issue with Comcast. They kept saying the signal was “leaking”: from our line so they shut it off 3 times in a year. No notice just boom–no TV no internet–one time was four days before anyone came out and then they couldn’t find anything wrong.. I did ask for and receive a pro-rated line on my bill and then they wanted to know if I wanted free Showtime for a year to help compensate….no–I just want my TV back. In the middle of all this I missed paying my bill because I didn’t know how much I really owed. They were supposed to figure out and let me know then the next thing there was a tech at my door to pick up the box—they cut me off for good–and three weeks later I got a collection notice. WTH??? I’ve been a customer for over 15 years and that was enough. We now have internet and a basic package from ATT&T but I miss my sports!! Can’t get them unless I upgrade. Could Lisa explain how she gets sports?
Carole says
I have problems every year when our plan expires. I ALWAYS ask for a supervisor. If I get no where I ask for customer retention. These crooks are hemorrhaging customers. I don’t always get a nice discount but I usually get something. You have to he nice but firm. But in your case I might have come unglued!! We are stuck with Time Warner/Spectrum. Its all a racket. We only have internet buts its still $59 a month. We own our equipment because theirs sucks!! And they charge for it.
Andrea says
One trick we found that has made these calls shorter, especially when we have service problems (very rural location), is to ask for onshore support (and you might have to ask a few times). Nothing against the folks trying to do their job in another country, but they typically don’t understand when we tell them that the cows have knocked out the line again and that it’s an emergency to have it fixed because we don’t have cell service where we live either.
Jenny Young says
Do you really want to know our story?!
Our internet service is through the phone company…a landline no less. We live in a rural area & it’s the only ‘affordable’ service there is. My husband deals with the bill & he calls in every month or so with the same kind of problems you’re having. It’s a constant battle, we religiously go over the bill each month & call every time they add something.
I call when the service is out & jump through all the hoops to have things repaired. Usually, it’s something on their end & most times it takes at least an hour of me doing over & over what I tried before I called ( rebooting, ect.). They will NOT look for mistakes on their end without me going through anything that can be wrong on my end.
One thing I have learned…as soon as you get through all the chaos & speak to a live person….ask for a representative in the US. This has saved me a few headaches. When I speak to an overseas rep, if I ask a question & they don’t understand…they go back to the beginning & start over! It is the most frustrating thing. So when I don’t want to deal with the confusion (always) I immediately ask for a US rep. Sometimes they don’t want to send me to the US but I am ‘adamant’ that I will only speak to someone in America.
I have a nice twangy, hillbilly southern accent & the language barrier is enough of an obstacle without my accent added in the mix. They just cannot understand what I’m saying no matter how clearly I try to speak.
chantal says
Just went through a Comcast nightmare myself. Cancel the cable, keep the internet and now the wifi signal goes in and out constantly. They blame my equipment, which worked perfectly up to the date that I cancel the cable. I have called them five times in the last seven days. Working now the last two days – fingers crossed. Haven’t seen a bill yet though. They also tried to put me into a 12 month contract at the store and I called them out at the counter. They need a customer service center in GH – I made a trip on a day that I had other Tacoma errands to justify the toll. Century Link is looking like my next option. Could they be worse than Comcast?!?
Ranee says
We dropped Comcast cable a few years ago. Kept the internet. The cable had inched up a couple of dollars every few months bit by bit. When I realized how much internet had gone up since we originally signed up, we fired Comcast. We have tried a few different services and since moving to a small town, have changed yet again. My husband is a computer wiz and really does his research. I pay the bills – I complain and he starts looking again. I would go without tv completely before I would ever consider Comcast again. Price increases – multiple mistakes – hours spent on the phone and lousy customer service. Why would anyone want to work with a company like that?
Gina says
And I find that our internet slows down at the end of the month when our bill is due. They say they don’t do this but it consistently happens.
Amy says
What complete madness!!! What is it about cable companies?? Why must they be such greedy jerks??
We have only one option where I live: Time Warner, which was recently renamed Spectrum. (It still sucks.) For no good reason, we use their modem for our internet service. The bill is $65 per month for standard speed internet, because we dropped cable service a couple of years ago. At least twice a month I receive an email or a mailer from them with some insanely good deal on their “triple play” of home phone, internet, and cable. (The last one was $29.95 a month for 12 months.) I don’t have a home phone, and I’m not will to pay for cable, so I have to overpay for internet service. Grr…
sheila says
So not Internet related, but call center related:
A while back, I bought 3 different sets if 8 dining chairs online. I only wanted one set, but wanted to see them in person and return the rest. (Free returns, why not?) But it was a nightmare. The website would only give me one shipping label per set. When I called the 800 number, the foreign call center told me to combine all the boxes into 2 boxes. Seriously, 16 chairs in 2 boxes. And they just weren’t tracking why that wouldn’t work.
I didn’t get anywhere until I asked for a supervisor…who ended up being a real-life native English speaker and I didn’t have to explain why 2 shipping labels wouldn’t work!
Patti says
Oh yeah! Last week Comcast raised my bill from 151 to 215. I called for a price on internet only…188.00. Um, no thanks. Within a week I switched to Dish and CenturyLink. Since I am not allowed to talk to them even though I am on the account they called DH to verify the cancellation.
Comcast ” I see you want to cancel your service, why?”
Chris – Is that any of your business?
Comcast – Well, we want to make sure you’re happy. What can we do to keep you on with us?
Chris – I called to disconnect. I didn’t call to get a better rate or complain about the service. Simple. Pull the plug.
The why doesn’t concern you
Comcast – But…
Chris – Terminate service. Period.
He is so much better at this than I am…I would’ve been huffing and puffing
Jennifer says
My Hubby plays games with Comcast. One day they were working on the box that is in our driveway and the worker forgot to pick up scraps of wire. Hubby hates Comcast with a passion but it is the only internet service that we can get. So Hubby picks up the scraps and mails it to them in a envelope saying it was left on our property and that he did not appreciate it. With a passive aggressive note. In turn he gets a call for a crazy low deal for 1 year then another slightly higher deal for a 2nd year. He calls every year and deals with them.
renay says
Our bill went up HUGELY and we cancelled when we called the 1-800 number. A year later, the boys could not handle not having PAC-12 network and went back. We went to the storefront and told our story to the guy there and he said, yeah, don’t use the phone to do business with them. Just come in here and we will take care of you.
Cable companies are scamming us folks. Check out how the feds have put taxes on them to pay for XYZ, and they just pass those costs onto us. UGH!!!
Good for you for going in there and taking care of business!
Candice says
Oh boy! That is all I can say because my husband deals with this crap from that company. We’ve had that same thing happen with the bill where they arbitrarily just raise it. But the secret is to not get angry or waste any time with someone who won’t do what you want. Just say “thank you” and keep calling back until you get a customer service rep that can help you. That’s what my husband does and he always gets exactly what he wants. Yeah-they seriously need some competition so this crap ends!
Patti says
My husband just switches us to another carrier, and don’t even get me started on insurance billing…hospitals, doctors and the insurance industry! The elderly are particularly prey to this.
Oregon Guest says
I deal with health insurance companies for a living, and I actually broke my work telephone after slamming the receiver down one too many times while talking to a certain insurance company. I have a new phone now, but my broken phone is still on my desk…for that special moment when Blue Cross pees on my Cheerios again. Sounds like I need to loan out my “slammer phone” to all you Comcast customers!
Trisha says
Yep Comcast/Infinity makes my blood boil! I had a similar experience! I will not use Comcast again EVER and will avoid at all costs. They’re terrible and customer service is so rude. I was hung up on several times for being “irrational”. I just though I was being punked. Lol. They make those walk in centers seem like they’re the fix-it Gods and so wonderful. Gag. Sorry you had to go through this. I’m sorry for everyone who goes through this. When I was correcting/cancelling in the walk in store, an older lady was getting the same run around and I helped direct her to the “supervisor” in the back. Just the worst and if there is a class action suit started against them, I will be one of the first to sign on.
Eliska says
Hi Mavis, we had the exact same thing happen to us! All of the sudden, the began charging us for a modem rental. When we called in, they would argue, they being Comcast, that we are renting their modem. We were out of our minds trying to prove we did not have their modem. We asked them to provide us with a copy of where we signed the rental agreement. Because if they claim we are renting from them, there must be a record saying we agree to rent on such and such terms. They were never able to produce a single proof. We then got up to someone in the u.s. and they finally agreed that there was an error. But, take this, they said they would remove the charges and return our money back to us – since this ordeal took a few months – and then they charged us again for the modem rental. So only after about 5 months, we finally got rid of this rental fee. But yes, next time tell Jafar that it is in fact his duty to prove to you that you are renting, not your duty to prove that you are not. Any lawyer would tell you that.
Patty P says
So really it looks like they were charging you TWICE for the modem rental…not just once. We pay about $100 a month, but we get unlimited long distance and internet. It’s been slowly creeping up. We did just get a new modem (the guy who came out to inspect my phone that wasn’t working –that was another story–said that I had an “ancient” modem and that was probably why my internet wasn’t working right either). It’s ridiculous how much this stuff costs!
Torry says
When our house was built, they put in underground utilities for our block. Since it was built in 1971, That didn’t include cable. Routinely we would get offers to get cable and then they would say that they couldn’t service us. Finally, the city of Tacoma is redoing the utilities and I call the Comcast people and suggest that they contact the city and “piggyback” on the city. (This done routinely and they pay a lower amount to the city than if they were to do all the work themselves.) They did nothing. Then Comcast calls our house and talks to us. The guy says, “Well, are you willing to dig for the cable yourself?”
I replied that I was not. He very smugly told me that then I didn’t want cable all that much. I said, ” I did indeed want cable as we lose part of most shows with the Air Force from McChord flying over our house. However, I called you and told you that the city would have our street dug up and you choose not to do anything and NOW YOU WANT US TO DO YOUR JOB??!!”
My husband came home, I told him about the phone call. He went to the next City Council meeting and complained to them. Next thing you know, they are on our street and we got cable.
Be careful what you wish for. They were terrible. we dealt with “snow” and black- outs and more. When Click came , we changed and have been very happy with our service. We bundled cable and internet and really have had great service overall.
Melissa says
Wow, people are passionate about how much they hate the cable companies. I totally get it. I’ll spare you my stories. I did just buy a modem though to replace mine. I know i’ll have to keep an eye on the bill to make sure they stop charging me for it. I have Verizon. Every time I try to access their website on my laptop, it just continuously reloads. But thankfully the app works on my phone so that’s how I pay and check my bill.
For those who mentioned out of control cell phone bills, try switching to TING. They only charge you according to the data, text and minutes that you actually used. And the coverage is good, they use both CDMA and GSM networks. If you use my referral link, you can get $25 off.
https://zfn0846agph.ting.com/ (Mavis I hope I’m not going rogue with my own referral codes!) I won’t feel offended if you delete!
samantha surovec says
Guess who’s ad is at the bottom of my page as I read these comments….yep, Comcast!
Holly says
Comcast is super lame. They just upped our internet inly plan to $70 and tacked on a modem rental. It was $50. I online chatted with them which took 13 minutes and was super annoying but fast but didn’t solve the price hike only the fake modem rental charge. Still had to call and after waiting for 15 minutes got a live one and after 10 minutes got plan lowered back to old price. So annoying.
erin in ia says
Our local Internet company had a charge on our Internet bill of about $20 a month. I called and asked and they said it’s to pay for Internet at libraries, fire stations and schools. I thought about it and wondered what the heck my astronomical property taxes were paying for. Well about 2 months later we got a letter stating that they were dropping that fee. Apparently enough people started questioning the fee and complained.
Shannon says
The modem charge was on there twice too! Did you notice that?
Mavis Butterfield says
I just saw that. Crazy isn’t it?
gina says
God be with us all when it comes to calling the cable company! I’ve had similar nightmare calls myself. Tough stuff, Mavis, ugh!
Deb in SD says
Live in a rural state with only one available internet provider. Landline also required. Pay 91 dollars per month. Slow, goes down frequently, but they are the only game in town. At least they are friendly and helpful when you have to call them.
andrea d. says
After my issue with Comcast/Xfinity, I have come to the conclusion that they really don’t care about keeping their customers. I live in a pretty rural area and short of maybe getting a dish, up until last fall Comcast was the only option available to us. My trouble with them started last summer when the cable box stopped working. Because I was dragging my feet getting it replaced, my HH had his dad return it and get a new one. While there, my FIL took it upon himself to negotiate a ‘better deal’ for our service. So my $150/month cable/internet bill became a $180/month cable/internet/phone bill. Thing is, I already pay for Verizon home phone service (@$70 at the time) so didn’t need or want a Comcast phone service. While the basic bill was still similar to my previous bill, because of the phone service there were all those additional phone fees, plus more taxes which jacked the bill up. I called Comcast to tell them I didn’t want the phone service, only cable & internet and tried to explain to her how my bill had gone up because of it, and all she kept telling me was how I wouldn’t save any money by canceling the phone and she refused to help me change anything. She couldn’t seem to comprehend that by not having the phone I would save @$25 on just fees alone. I was ecstatic to get a notice in the mail just a short time later that Verizon FIOS would finally be coming to our area. As soon as they offered service, I jumped at the switch. It took a couple months for them to finally get lines run down our street and to the house, but I now have cable/internet/phone all with one carrier and am paying @$80 less per month than before. When I went to the Comcast center to return their equipment I was surprised they didn’t even try to get me to stay- in and out in about 5 minutes.
Sorry for the long comment; thanks for letting me vent 🙂
Lynne says
I cut the cord years ago when I got a smartphone. If the iPhone can’t do it, I probably don’t need it. Except continuing education, but my employer requires it so I can use their internet to take the classes. I don’t watch tv, and it’s liberating.
Cecelia says
My year contract was up this spring and a couple of months before it ended they added a ‘free’ performance boost (without my request). Well, when the year ended the boost suddenly cost 15 on top of the new non-contractual price. I have a better price again after complaining…but it really made me angry that they would add something for 2-3 months figuring that I wouldn’t catch it when the contract was up.
Ashley C. says
When it comes to calling “Customer service” agents, I let my hubby do it. He is a professional and i’ll give you his system lol. He presses a BILLION numbers until the roto-agent gives up and gives him to a real person, then he will tell them the problem and the SECOND that they don’t agree to fix the issue (or sit there stalling) he asks for their manager, then if the manager doesn’t help, he’ll ask for their superior. It can be comical to listen to, I’ve heard “So you mean you don’t have anyone above you? You effing own (insert company here)?” many times. All in all, he’s never not gotten what we needed. Typically we end up with even more than we were asking. The agents job is to be persistent, and you just have to be twice as stubborn as they are. Always get names and agent numbers too.
Angela D. says
Oh, Mavis–I’m sorry you had that frustrating experience with Comcast (XFinity)!!!!!!
I don’t even have their service available to me in my area, but based on ~your~ experience alone, I will NEVER do business with them. Yep. ONE “bad review” cost them additional business.
Tammy says
I cannot stand our current internet service, but alas and alack, we are locked in for two years. TWO YEARS. It regularly drops connection, randomly. UGH. We have a bundle for phone/internet/cable and I want to say we pay right around $100 a month for all three.
Last fall, I wanted to make sure our gas logs were connected properly/wouldn’t blow the house up if I lit them (new house). So I called the gas company and asked them to come out. Before I made the appointment I verified that there would be no charge. Nope, no charge, the person told me.
Then we got our bill and they had charged us $50 for coming out and lighting our gas logs. $50! So I called and all the gal would say (several times over) was, “In SC it is a requirement to charge for service calls”. OKAAAAAY but I was told otherwise. I asked to speak to a manager and kind of off-handedly asked if they could listen to the recording of my call. So in the end, it took several hours of my time on the phone, several calls, and they did indeed listen to the recording of my call, which indeed had me asking if there was a charge and the person telling me there was no charge.
Sure, we could have coughed up $50 and just been done with it. But it’s the principal of the matter! And $50 is $50. I know it’s not a monthly fee, and that it was a hassle to call multiple times, but I was so glad to get that $50 taken off our bill!
Currently, my adulting task is to straighten out home owners insurance stuff. We had a huge hail storm back in March and had thousands of dollars of damage to our house. The insurance company got some things wrong in their check to us and I’ve yet to be able to contact someone who can get it straightened out.
Sarah says
Mavis- I apologize if this was mentioned already. There was an article in the Oregonian just yesterday that said Century Link is trying out straightforward internet pricing here.
Apparently they are following the lead of wireless carriers who have found its cheaper to give unlimited plans than to handle all the customer service from frustrated customers.
Here’s the article: http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2017/08/centurylink_tries_out_straight.html#incart_river_home#incart_std
Emily B. says
Oh Mavis…did you find everyone’s hot button. Cable and internet companies and a necessary evil. Emphasis on evil. The pricing that is constantly changing, the fees that are intermittently added when you didn’t change anything (weird how there are never any random discounts that pop up in our favor!?), it’s enough to make people lose their EVER LOVING MIND! You are far more patient that I am. I would have spoken with a manager instead of the evil genie Jafar for as long as you did and refused to get off the line until they fixed it. But I’m ornery like that.
I purchased my own (used from ebay because I’m extra cheap) modem and use Century Link for stand alone internet service. It’s still disgustingly expensive, alas, the internet is what makes the world go ’round nowadays.
Some groovy new start up company needs to figure out a way to offer internet services for a reasonable fee. They would be gazillionaires within a month.
Rajena says
The “best” conversation I’ve had with Century Link was back when I was dealing with them constantly tacking on late payment fees even though I was never late paying. The one lady I talked to told me that the late payment was added on because I hadn’t yet paid my current bill that I just received that day. She is the only person I have ever hung up on in my entire life. I was just so flabbergasted by her response and she couldn’t understand why that couldn’t be the case.
So for anything beyond cancelling service and setting up service my husband (who has a way of stopping any bs in its track) has to call because I just get all the….ummm…..newbies we’ll call them.
Richelle says
I’m lucky that I have the option of the Click! Network!, a cable company owned by Tacoma Power, and several local internet service providers (Rainier connect being mine). Mavis, you need to share your post on Facebook or Twitter. You will get a response from Comcast and likely some sort of olive branch beyond a 12-month contract at a reduced rate. Businesses, no matter how large, really don’t want bad publicity.
AlysonRR says
I took a job doing customer service for a mobile phone company a few years back. Some people were there to do the bare minimum, that’s for sure, but the vast majority really wanted to do their best for customers. But the system is against good customer service – mandated scripts, convoluted tech databases that have multiple documents dealing with the same issue so that reps can’t be sure which is the “right” solution, one supervisor for up to several hundred reps, etc.
What I do when I have issues, which I have had with ALL telcoms, is be very polite and calm, repeat the ridiculous statements to see if they’ll respond (if they keep doubling down on something ridiculous, there’s no way they’ll be able to solve the issue, and ask for a supervisor.
If I get a supervisor who can’t resolve the issue, I ask for the retention department because I’m considering canceling my account. The people there usually have the best deals to offer.
Wendy says
I have a similarly frustrating story. Mine ended with my telling “Jafar” to stick his service up his … well, in not so many words, I cut the cord, both literally and figuratively.
First we bought a hotspot device but then realized that using our phones for the hotspot was cheaper and easier. We, now, have internet service via the hot spots on our cellphones.
The bad news is that it’s slower than most cable Internet (but not much – and we can still steam movies, download email and access facebook – which is a data hog). The good news is that I can take my laptop anywhere there’s cellphone coverage and still have the Internet. We have unlimited everything on five lines and pay just around $200/month.
Hawaii Planner says
Ahh, Comcast. We moved a few months back. Comcast refused to connect our modem/router. . . that we had literally been using until the week before (through Comcast), because “it belonged to someone else”. I kept asking if that “someone” was “us” at our old address. . . nope. I needed the internet ASAP for work, so was forced to accept the modem until they could “investigate”. Two weeks later, I get a call back that everything is a-okay & we can now hook up our own router. And, we need to drive to return their router, which is 2+ hours away. .Yeah, not going to happen.
They offered to swing by & pick it up when their service provider was on another call. Great! Except, they later charged us $90 for a “service call”, and proceeded to charge us for their router for another three months. I seriously lost it with them, and threw my phone across the sofa. I finally got a normal rep after multiple weeks of calling, & she adjusted all of the calls, but seriously . . . WHY IS IT SO HARD????
Gail says
Mavis, your descriptions were so vivid. I’ve often thought of writing about such an ordeal because it is horrible…kind of like having your teeth drilled without novocaine. 🙁 I’m a senior citizen, and I remember when you could talk to real people without the automation loops that often land you right back at where you started, etc. I, too, have spent hours trying to resolve problems. Even had an ATT agent in India get revenge by adding extra charges just to get even….long ugly story…basically because I would not speak to India.
I worked in a bank customer service call center for a months, and you’re right. That is an awful job. I’ll tell you a couple of things I’ve learned through that experience.
All phone calls are recorded so that the supervisor can go back and listen (for training purposes). Always, always get the name of every person you speak with on the call and keep good notes about what was said.
If you see that you’re getting nowhere with the rep, ask to speak to a supervisor. Be sure to get their name, too. (At the bank call center, I actually heard a rep yell out, “who wants to be a supervisor?”) True story.
If you don’t get satisfaction from the supervisor, ask for her superior and keep moving up.
A funny note — the call center I worked at was in a major city, and was under lock and key and guarded because sometimes customers threatened to do us bodily harm. I didn’t work there long…couldn’t take the stress.
Internet – We dropped ATT about a year ago and now use Spectrum 60 mbps (?) for $40/month. Good service so far. That price ends soon, so we’ll se what they offer going forward. Our phones are with Consumer Cellular — great service — two phones for $40-50 a month depending on data usage. For the TV, we have a smart tv, no cable, a ROKU device and use Prime and Netflix (shared with family), Acorn (we love British TV). We tried Sling, but could not get the college football we wanted, so we dropped it. I heard they’ve made some changes, so we’ll give it another look.
Great post. I learned a lot from the comments, too.
Monie says
I honestly think COMCAST employees high five each other after phone calls where the client just hangs up in disgust!
The stories I could tell about my experiences with them!