cable bill jumped $50

[lisajl]

We have cable, internet and phone together. I just checked our bill online last night and it went from $105 to $161. I am not happy, obviously.
Does anyone know a better alternative. We have been kicking around the idea of getting rid of the home phone, but not sure we really want to lose it.

Any ideas?>

 

[windycitymom]

Sounds like the introductory special expired. Call them up and ask if they can renew the special; or ask to speak to the 'retention department' and let them know you can't afford that price and might have to cancel if they can't give you a lower price.

 

[lisajl]

Thanks for the info. We did not mind the $105 a month but $161 is a bit rich for our budget.

 

[onthego103]

We just had a similar situation where our Comcast bill for the three services jumped dramatically because a special package had expired. I called and told them I couldn't afford the new monthly price, and I ended up with a better discount than I had had previously. Definitely give them a call.

 

[cinnamon-sugah]

We just had a similar situation where our Comcast bill for the three services jumped dramatically because a special package had expired. I called and told them I couldn't afford the new monthly price, and I ended up with a better discount than I had had previously. Definitely give them a call.

Same thing happened to me when I called Time Warner!

 

[Schachteles]

This happens with all the carriers...we have had it with Charter. Just call and say no way, they will find a new "special" for you. I think that it is a joke that we have to keep calling every so many months.

 

[pixiewings71]

Our Comcast is ridiculous! No matter how many times we call they will never help us with out bill. OP, it does sound like your introductory special ended, that's about what ours did when our special expired.

 

[cvjw]

When ours expired last fall, we had the $119 special. They wouldn't renew for another year at that price, but they would give us the $129 special, which included everything we previously had, plus HBO and Starz. I thought that was a fail offer. We have Comcast.

 

[Yarna]

I previously had Comcast internet. After an introductory price expired and my internet bill tripled, I called and notified them that I would be forced to cancel my subscription if they couldn't lower the new bill. Comcast wouldn't budge, so I dumped 'em.

 

[camlace]

Agree with other posts...your introductory/promotional rate expired. Mine just expired with comcast I called and ended up getting more features and my bill is now $6 less/month than it has been over the last "promotional" period.

 

[lisajl]

Thanks everyone! My DH is calling them tonight. That much for cable/internet and phone would take a big chunk out of our budget!
I appreciate the help.

 

[lisajl]

Well, DH just got off the phone and it's a no go.
They only offered to take $20 off our monthly bill. My DH reminded them that we have paid on time, online every month. He also said they gave us "free upgrades" with our service we did not ask for.

At any rate, the person on the other end said that was the best she could do.
My Dh said he would be calling back to cancel our Time Warner service.
She did not say anything after that.

Any help on finding another internet/phone provider?

 

[Disneylush]

when you call ask what all the deals are right now. A lot of times they don't even know bc they aren't on the right screen for deals. For over 12 years my mom calls monthly to Comcast and sees if there is a deal better then what she has. If there is she changes if not she keep what she has until the next month. My aunt works for COmcast and says the deal change weekly and people should always be calling.

However, I am not willing to play the game so we droped them and got the Qwest bundle with Verzion and Direct TV and have been VERY happy.

 

[GC&S]

Hmmm, is it Time Warner??? Ours jumped as well as did everyone who has TWC. And now they won't negotiate a lower rate (where they would do in the past). Their customer service is the worst. It's not just introductory rates that expired, it's anyone who negotiated a lower price in the past 12 months. I always called when a special appeared and asked for the same deal since I have been a loyal customer. Usually they would do it (after an hour of being transferred) but now they aren't doing any of that. I'm guessing when you call to cancel and you press the cancel service#, someone is going to try and keep your business. They might offer you a reduced rate but only for a couple of months. I hate dealing with them.

 

[figmentfan0724]

we also left time warner and we live in ohio. we now have windstream for phone and internet and although i am not sure of what we pay, its a better deal than time warner. we also switched to Direct TV and for the service we have we pay 90 a month I believe

 

[cinnamon-sugah]

We have Time Warner too. Did you ask for the retention department? When I called, I pulled up the DirecTV site and read down the list of what they were offering me to switch. They offered me a 'price-lock guarantee'. I had to agree to a 2-year contract but my price is locked in for the length of the contract. My price was actually LESS than it was before the price increase. I did have to talk to 3 different people before I was offered this so be persistent!

 

[CLR4321]

I work for DirecTv myself. TW is likely to be run like we are, which means that regular customer care agents can make certain offers. If you actually say you are going to cancel, they send you to a retention agent who will likely have more offers. Their job is to keep you from going through with the cancellation. Are you on a contract? It does sound like you were on a promotional offer. If you plan to switch companies, shop around for the best deal. You may also want to look into getting a lower cable package if you can't afford this one. Good luck!

 

[*Toadstool*]

We are going through this too. We have a locally owned cable company here, and they are the only ones you can get cable, internet, or phone through. We now have Direct TV, a vonage phone, and their cable internet. They just went up on the internet, so we are now going to use Alltel's internet as our home internet. You have to have a cell phone that doesn't take calls and do all this wierd stuff.. Idk.. hubby figured it out. Anywho.. soon we will be free from this company that keeps jacking up their prices. I hope the cell phone internet thing works out. He does that while offshore, and it works there.
We recently had our modem not be working. They made us buy a new modem for 200 dollars telling us they had tested ours and it was no longer good. I bring the new modem home, and the internet still doesn't work. Come to find out they disconnected us on accident, and I had to wait for them to turn it back on. Now they are charging me a 90 dollar connect fee. I was able to return the modem though, and now am using the older one.
We are beyond frustrated with them.
I hope you can renew your special. I didn't know that about Direct TV. I will tell hubby so we can maybe try to renew the special we have when it expires. Thanks for the info pp.

 

[lisajl]

Wow! Thanks for the help everyone! I will have DH call them back today and ask for the retention dept. Either that or have him hit the cancel button.
I don't really want to go looking for another deal but if we have to, we will.
We were looking at Verizon last night. If you have Direct TV how do you feel about it?

Lisa

 

[aprilgail2]

Well, DH just got off the phone and it's a no go.
They only offered to take $20 off our monthly bill. My DH reminded them that we have paid on time, online every month. He also said they gave us "free upgrades" with our service we did not ask for.

At any rate, the person on the other end said that was the best she could do.
My Dh said he would be calling back to cancel our Time Warner service.
She did not say anything after that.

Any help on finding another internet/phone provider?

We pay about 170.00 a month for internet, tv, and 2 phone lines. I wanted a DVR and service from them but did not want to pay for it. I called once they told me no - called again and the person told me they couldn't do anything but to call the cancellation dept and talk to them. I told them that verizon had offered me a free dvr if I switch to them-they looked up my records and said "you have been a customer for 36 years, you would leave for a free dvr" I countered that with "I have been a customer for 36 years you would LET me leave becasue you don't want to give me a free dvr?". So since dvr's run only 10.00 a month they made me this offer- they couldn't give me free dvr service but they do give the free dvr to everyone but they would give me 20.00 off my bill for 2 years. So it breaks down to free dvr for 4 years....I will deal with it going up after that LOL....