Another horrible Comcast experience

[asta]

What is it with this company? I only deal with them because I have no other choice. I just helped my daughter move into an apartment and getting her cable and internet set up was a nightmare. Multiple dwelling unit account, cable and internet are included in the rent with no usage charge. You just have to go to Comcast and pick up the boxes so they are registered in your name. I show up at one of the two offices in her city and there is one guy working. I waited in line for 50 minutes to get the equipment, went back to the apartment, hooked everything up and called the number he gave me to activate the equipment. The calls started at 5pm and lasted until 12:30 before someone got the boxes to work. Many, many multiple calls, long wait times, calls transferred to the wrong departments, one call to the wrong state. Every call with a live person gave me a totally different story. The amazing thing is that when I finally got a guy around midnight, he was able to get everything working fairly quickly even though he wanted to charge for the service. Why on earth could the first employees I talked with not be able to do what this gentleman did in a matter of minutes?

Comcast is a horrible, incompetent company. This experience tops the attempts to get a cable card installed that took four visits, one of which lasted 5 hours (I had to ask him to give up and leave because it was bedtime).

 

[Hillbeans]

I had them once and really hated their customer service. I cancelled my service and switched to DirecTV years ago and they literally made me bring my divorce decree and my ex husband to the office to allow me to cancel my internet service. SERIOUSLY? What happened to the good old days where you could get a service and stop it when you're unsatisfied without a million stall tactics?

 

[lustergirl]

Comcast took over Time Warner Cable. TWC's Customer Service sucks to begin with.

 

[asta]

I had them once and really hated their customer service. I cancelled my service and switched to DirecTV years ago and they literally made me bring my divorce decree and my ex husband to the office to allow me to cancel my internet service. SERIOUSLY? What happened to the good old days where you could get a service and stop it when you're unsatisfied without a million stall tactics?

You should have just checked with another employee. The only thing consistent with their terrible service is that every time I talk with someone they tell me a different story.

 

[Nohal]

When my MIL passed my SIL had to take her death certificate in to an office to show them because they wouldn't cancel service otherwise. And they wanted to keep the certificate, she said NO. They have the worst customer service of any company around. Unfortunately they don't care cause they are the only game in most peoples towns. I would switch to Verizon in a minute if it was available here.

 

[NMAmy]

OMG, I just switched to UVerse and I'm so glad we did. I tried to call to see if Comcast would match their deal--I couldn't get through on the phone and the guy I talked with in an online chat told me, "Comcast doesn't compete on price. We only compete on quality." So, I'm trying AT&T's quality and it's just fine.

What kind of a service model is it to only have one tiny office in town with signs posted saying, "Students are back. Waits will be 2 to 3 hours. Thanks for your patience."? It took me an 1.5 hours to cancel and turn my receivers in. The young lady did offer to finally change my name on the account after I'd faxed my marriage license in 3 times over the past 9 years! I told her it was kind of a waste of time now.

 

[Sadie22]

When someone passes, the one settling that person's affairs needs a death certificate for each business with whom the deceased had an account and that person needs to be proactive to make the changes. Some businesses do not keep the original certificate or just want a photocopy, but it's best to be prepared to surrender an original. The policy is the same for Comcast and Verizon.

Businesses are not just going to take someone's word that the account holder has died, because in cases of domestic disputes or just plain meanness, some people try to cancel utilities of living persons. Businesses have these rules in place for our protection as well as their own. They're not doing it to be mean. A few bad apples have made it more difficult for us all.

 

[asta]

OMG, I just switched to UVerse and I'm so glad we did. I tried to call to see if Comcast would match their deal--I couldn't get through on the phone and the guy I talked with in an online chat told me, "Comcast doesn't compete on price. We only compete on quality." So, I'm trying AT&T's quality and it's just fine.

What kind of a service model is it to only have one tiny office in town with signs posted saying, "Students are back. Waits will be 2 to 3 hours. Thanks for your patience."? It took me an 1.5 hours to cancel and turn my receivers in. The young lady did offer to finally change my name on the account after I'd faxed my marriage license in 3 times over the past 9 years! I told her it was kind of a waste of time now.

I would switch to Uverse in a heartbeat if they offered service in my neighborhood. I don't care if it costs more. I want to pay more just to get rid of Comcast. And Comcast thinks they compete on quality? What a joke. We have inferior picture quality, service outages, sometimes pixelated images and on demand services rarely work on weekend evenings. I have another daughter with Uverse and her picture quality and reliability are much, much better.

 

[Tozzie]

When someone passes, the one settling that person's affairs needs a death certificate for each business with whom the deceased had an account and that person needs to be proactive to make the changes. Some businesses do not keep the original certificate or just want a photocopy, but it's best to be prepared to surrender an original. The policy is the same for Comcast and Verizon.

Businesses are not just going to take someone's word that the account holder has died, because in cases of domestic disputes or just plain meanness, some people try to cancel utilities of living persons. Businesses have these rules in place for our protection as well as their own. They're not doing it to be mean. A few bad apples have made it more difficult for us all.

When my dad passed I was the one settling his affairs and none of the companies requested a death certificate.

 

[Albort]

Comcast took over Time Warner Cable. TWC's Customer Service sucks to begin with.

hasnt happened yet... hopefully it wont happen either...

OP: Next time, ask for their supervisor/ level 2 rep. They are waaay more experience and knows the inner works. I had an experiance where twc would hook up cable TV and told me i can try it out risk free for 30 days. I hated it, and had it cancelled but that bumped my internet only rate by $30. Tech 1 said it was my fault for cancelling the TV package and there was nothing they can do. Got to tech 2, guy lowered it for me to my original rate and then gave me a $10 off a month for the next year. time spent with tech 2? like 2 mins.

 

[POOHsie]

...The amazing thing is that when I finally got a guy around midnight, he was able to get everything working fairly quickly even though he wanted to charge for the service. Why on earth could the first employees I talked with not be able to do what this gentleman did in a matter of minutes?

I had this same experience. I used my home computer at a hotel for a special assignment. A hotel guy changed some network settings since I would be using an in-hotel network. When I came back home, I put back my previous settings (I had a screen shot). It didn't work. I called Comcast and the numbers I had were all good, except one 3-digit number. They kept giving me different 3-digit numbers. Nothing worked. Finally, they transferred me to a Comcast guy who told me the 3-digit numbers they were giving me were outdated by years. He gave me another 3-digit number, and my computer network started working immediately. Few weeks later, Comcast sends me a brochure and a bill. Apparently this Comcast guy was a from a higher-level monthly subscription service, and when I talked to him, I had signed up. Really? Comcast couldn't give me good info for the amount I paid each month, but for an additional $14.99 a month, for 12 months a year, they would give me what I needed to know? Needless to say, I made a big stink, and the bill disappeared.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Comcast took over Time Warner Cable. TWC's Customer Service sucks to begin with.

Thats part of the reason that I just cancelled my Time Warner altogether.

 

[mnrose]

Oooh. I have a complaint to add about Comcast.

I have Comcast for ONLY high speed internet. I do not want, or need, TV service or phone service from them....something I made clear at the beginning.

The initial rate I got was, of course, an introductory rate. I knew that and fully expected the rate to increase, which it did in June. No biggie.

In early July, as I was on the way out of the house and in a hurry, I get an unsolicited call from Comcast. Some guy says that they will be sending me a box via UPS that will give me "basic TV" for no extra cost. There is nothing I need to do, and the box is on it's way. Well, I had no need for basic TV, and thanked him for letting me know. The box shows up, and since I didn't care about the TV service, I threw it in a cupboard and never even opened it.

Fast forward to my July bill. It is $8 higher than my previous bill. I see that I am being charged for TV service. I call them...and tell them I don't want or need their TV service and that I NEVER ordered the service. This lady tries to tell me that it's the "same price" as stand alone internet service and therefore I should keep it. I say how is $66 (old bill) and $74 (new bill) the "same" price? Her answer: Oh, the extra is government fees. I also said "I suppose this "new" service is also a promotion right...and the rate goes up in 6 months?" Answer: YES. (Of course)

Well. lady, I do not care WHO gets the money, I only care that this "new" bill is more than the "old" bill and since I do not WANT this service (TV) it is worth NOTHING extra to me. Take it back!

So, they say, sure...we will send you a UPS label for returning the stuff. They do...and this little bitty label, and three small pieces of strapping tape comes in a box at least 3x as big as the box I am mailing back.. Really?

Oh, and I told them to NEVER bother calling me again to let me know about any of their "deals."

I thought the whole thing was very sleazy and obviously a way to add services to an internet only customer.

 

[mandy200587]

I hate comcast, i moved into a new subdivision and the date kept changing on when they would finally get the wires done and installed. It took them 6 weeks from the time we moved in till we got internet. Let alone people have been living here since early April. They are the only one we can get and U-verse doesn't have all the stations. I'd get dish but I don't want the dang fee to have it.

 

[CPT Tripss]

When my dad passed I was the one settling his affairs and none of the companies requested a death certificate.

My experience too. Not even his landlord. Or the bank since I had POA.

 

[ICF]

What is it with this company? I only deal with them because I have no other choice. .

Why can't you go with DirecTv or Dish network?

 

[asta]

Why can't you go with DirecTv or Dish network?

I live in a neighborhood that has very strict covenants and does not allow dishes. I know that covenants can be challenged but I feel like I chose to live here knowing the restrictions so I should respect them.

 

[Shutterbug]

Comcast took over Time Warner Cable. TWC's Customer Service sucks to begin with.

Actually it hasn't officially happened yet. The merger is going through regulatory review. Also as part of the deal Comcast is divesting 3.9 million of its customers.
Some of those will be going to Charter Communications.

 

[Colleen27]

I absolutely hate them. I wish we had some other option, but it is Comcast or DSL with a max speed of 1/3 the lower-tier Comcast internet so we're sort of stuck. Any time I call it takes at least an hour to get anything done and every attempt to lower my bill is met with a surprise rate increase. We ditched our 2nd box (savings $22/mo) and they upped our package price and DVR fee on the very next bill (cost $24/mo). When I called to complain they offered to transfer me to customer retention to discuss what sort of deal they could offer... and hung up on me in trying to get me transferred over, not once but twice. I need to call back again but I'm so tired of banging my head against that wall that I've been putting it off.

The newest thing with mine is that the cable (just the cable, internet keeps working fine) goes out on the 2nd of every month. It has to be some sort of update they do because three months in a row now it has happened in the morning on the 2nd, resetting the box doesn't help, having the activation signal resent doesn't help, it just comes back when it feels like it. I pitched a fit this last time - we were out from the time we woke up on the 2nd until about 3am on the 5th. So the customer service rep transfers me to the dept that can offer me a bill credit for my inconvenience... and I get disconnected after 10 minutes on hold (after an hour-long conversation trying to troubleshoot the box and an upsell attempt to the "more stable" X1 platform for only an extra $40/mo).

I swear, they know they're the only truly high-speed internet provider in my community and they don't even bother with customer service because they know those of us who work online, game, stream videos, etc. have no alternative.

 

[Colleen27]

. Few weeks later, Comcast sends me a brochure and a bill. Apparently this Comcast guy was a from a higher-level monthly subscription service, and when I talked to him, I had signed up.

They've done that one to me too - when I called in July about our now-monthly service outage, they automatically added the in-home wiring "protection plan" (for only $5/mo) to my bill. Then they tried to tell me I signed up for it when I spoke with the tech about our service issue. I ran the cable and network lines in this house personally - I used to do network support and installation for a living and decided I'd rather run everything myself and have it new and in working order than mess with the antique cable lines that were patched together all over this house when we moved in. I certainly don't need insurance that will pay for someone to come out to diagnose and repair problems with my in-home wiring!