ComCast Triple Play, Reached my first year

[andrews_dad]

So, I had Triple play for 119 for the one that includes STARZ for one year. My last bill it was 135. I called to try to get a new package bundle to lower the price again and struck out. I told them I was willing to drop STARZ and was told it would actually $4 more a month to NOT have that channel. I can't drop ComCrap .. I mean ComCast, no other cable options, dish won't work in my location, and I MUST have my live sports and Sportcenter, Sprout and Disney (soon to be Disney Jr.) are great, HGTV, History channel, A & E, etc. and other shows. So I know you'll want to tell me to get Hulu or toss the TV to the trash or whatever, but I don't need to hear it. Stuck with landline for business and security system need, stuck with ComCast. So, what is my best trick to get this bundle down or at least get more for my money with ComCast? Who is a current customer that recently said the magic words to get them down???

 

[Swimalie]

First of all, good luck. Call and tell them you will be canceling your service. They should put you through to the retention department. From there they can offer you what they consider their best deal. I call every year right before my year is up and either get a lot more channels or I get the bill lowered.

I have triple play with digital starter, phone and internet and I pay $109 a month. I believe they offer it for $99 for new customers. This year they refused to lower me to the introductory rate. Good thing for me, Fios will be live in about a month and is much lower here.

 

[poohguys]

DH has been able to get a better rate in years past when the promo period is up, but no luck this year either. We are in the same situation as OP, nothing satelite does not work for us and there are no other cable companies in the area. We are considering getting rid of comcast, just got a nice offer from Centry Link (phone Co. )for the phone and internet!

 

[angierae]

My husband called today because our year promo was up, and the best they could do for us was a promo for $170 (including the highest speed internet they offer, the phone, all pay stations. We're also paying for a DVR and two other boxes, too - so that's probably why ours is so high.)

However, it was $234 after the deal ended, so they did drop it $65. They said dropping the phone and pay stations would actually cost more than this promo.

 

[de8212]

I'm interested in this also. Our triple play bundle will be up in April. We've had it for the 109/month + DVR and cable modem rental (no HBO, Showtime, etc). Bill was ~135 or so after all fees, etc. I've heard the same others have said here. Comcast just isn't giving out discounts as they once were.

Luckily I could go Knology (haven't heard any good about them) or one of the DIsh providers. The county is almost finished laying down fiber so I am hoping Verizon launches their fiber service soon.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Call again. Don't threaten to leave (unless you're serious). We're adults, they're adults.

If the first person says there's nothing they can do, or that anybody else you talk to will just tell you the same thing, thank them and call back later. There IS hope! I got a "too bad, so sad" response when I was out of work. I called back a couple of days later and got a really helpful person (no, I don't remember the name, and it was a bit ago).

They may not have as many offers, but they've got something.

 

[camlace]

Same situation here...no luck with lowering the bill. And any option I discussed about dropping any of my premium services would have caused my bill to be higher. I wish I could get rid of comcast...but no verizon here and the satellite services would all need verizon for a portion of the services they offer, so I am stuck and it absolutely sucks

 

[andrews_dad]

OP here. Just called and tried again. Did not threaten to cancel... got the same story. Nothing they can do. No free channels to appease me. No rebates. No packages. 15 more a month? Come on! No way!

 

[dex08]

Wow! I'm surprised that Comcast won't negotiate with all of you because I successfully re-negotiated my plan this past Tuesday.

I've had a Comcast cable & internet since 2000. They've repeatedly offered me their "Triple Play" bundled package with phone but I've always declined since I had Vonage for my home phone service.

My most recent 'Double Play' package that I had to negotiate a year ago was coming to an end. Last month I received a letter in the mail from Comcast that was the usual mumbo-jumbo of "we've extended your package and you don't have to do a thing" and in big red letters it read "Continue to enjoy Comcast services at new discounted rates!". I guess they were hoping I wouldn't actually look at my bill and would just go on about life since my bill is auto-drafted.

Over last weekend I received an email that my paperless bill was available to view and I saw that the monthly rate had gone up nearly $30!! I called Comcast on Tuesday morning around 8a and got their Sales dept through their automated call router. I spoke with the gentleman for about 5 mins and was able to get a $60 credit and then he transferred me to another group and I dealt with the sweetest woman. She tried for over 5 mins to get my account charges lowered by manipulating packages and how she entered services on my account, while at the same time maintain at least the same level of service I was receiving. By the end of the call, not only was she able to get my bill down just under $100/month, she was also able to throw in free HBO and Starz (these two channels are only free for 6 months).

Perhaps it's the Triple Play bundles they aren't re-negotiating? I'm glad I was able to re-negotiate my Double Play bundle!!

 

[andrews_dad]

Wow! I'm surprised that Comcast won't negotiate with all of you because I successfully re-negotiated my plan this past Tuesday.

I've had a Comcast cable & internet since 2000. They've repeatedly offered me their "Triple Play" bundled package with phone but I've always declined since I had Vonage for my home phone service.

My most recent 'Double Play' package that I had to negotiate a year ago was coming to an end. Last month I received a letter in the mail from Comcast that was the usual mumbo-jumbo of "we've extended your package and you don't have to do a thing" and in big red letters it read "Continue to enjoy Comcast services at new discounted rates!". I guess they were hoping I wouldn't actually look at my bill and would just go on about life since my bill is auto-drafted.

Over last weekend I received an email that my paperless bill was available to view and I saw that the monthly rate had gone up nearly $30!! I called Comcast on Tuesday morning around 8a and got their Sales dept through their automated call router. I spoke with the gentleman for about 5 mins and was able to get a $60 credit and then he transferred me to another group and I dealt with the sweetest woman. She tried for over 5 mins to get my account charges lowered by manipulating packages and how she entered services on my account, while at the same time maintain at least the same level of service I was receiving. By the end of the call, not only was she able to get my bill down just under $100/month, she was also able to throw in free HBO and Starz (these two channels are only free for 6 months).

Perhaps it's the Triple Play bundles they aren't re-negotiating? I'm glad I was able to re-negotiate my Double Play bundle!!

Sounds like yours said it was going to be same price by jumped. This is the end of my one year promo and I knew it would bump up, maybe that is teh difference? Still, I am not pleased. I really think they could live withjout my $15 more a month! Do I need to threaten to cancel? Do I need to be more pushy on the call? Do I need to say I am out of work and can't pay the bill? There must be a secret to this fiasco!

 

[Disneefun]

We don't have Comcast, but DirectTv, but here's what worked for us. I called and said I wanted to cancel. I was serious. If they couldn't give me a better deal, I was going to cancel and just live without it. First person I talk to says, "No can do." I said, fine cancel me. They put me through to retention. They offered only some nominal stuff like free HBO for 6 months. I said, no thanks. Cancel me. So they did.

I was bummed but I knew going in I would cancel so I wasn't too upset. I went on about my day and started figuring out how to unhook the boxes to send back.

Fast forward three hours. (Three hours, I'm not kidding.) The phone rings. It's customer service wanting to know why I cancelled. I said, b/c you had gotten too high for me and I didn't really need you. Lo and behold, the offers started coming out of the woodwork. I ended up getting 6 months at half price, six more months at 2/3 price, plus all the pay channels thrown in for year, plus a $5.00/month credit on my bill for the next year.

Moral of the story: You might just have to go ahead and go through with cancelling. Then see what shakes out. If nothing happens, well, you sign up again at the rate you've already got, probably, and no harm no foul.

 

[disny_luvr]

Please keep us updated on how this plays out. We have Comcast too and my DH calls often to see if there are any specials/promos out there that we qualify for. Usually there aren't. We've tried to lower our bill a few times but they never, ever budge. If you figure how to crack them, let me know your secret. Good luck!

 

[scard192]

Seems like the cable companies are not willing to do much to keep their customers like they used to. I was with RCN for 15 years and every time I called they lowered my "new rate" to something I was willing to pay. This year despite 3 phones and an e-mail they wouldn't budge so I switched to Comcast. Luckily we have Comcast, RCN and Verizon here so a number of options. Comcast rep told my friend that they are not lowering prices to keep customers, but if you cancel and go to another provider even for one day, they will take you back as a new customer.

 

[dex08]

Sounds like yours said it was going to be same price by jumped. This is the end of my one year promo and I knew it would bump up, maybe that is teh difference? Still, I am not pleased. I really think they could live withjout my $15 more a month! Do I need to threaten to cancel? Do I need to be more pushy on the call? Do I need to say I am out of work and can't pay the bill? There must be a secret to this fiasco!

Well.. .it didn't say exactly that it was going to stay the same price... only that I could continue at their new discounted rates. I knew my bundled rates would only be good for a year and it does show on my bill the date that the package rate is good until.

I never threatened to leave Comcast while I was on the phone with them. I just explained that I really need to get the bill reduced because it was getting way too expensive. We pay extra for Showtime and the first thing they said to me was "Drop Showtime and you'll save $10 a month" but I told them we wanted to keep it. By the end, I told her we didn't need the free HBO & Starz but she said "Gurl... itz free so just take it"... so I said okay and thank you ma'am.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sounds like yours said it was going to be same price by jumped. This is the end of my one year promo and I knew it would bump up, maybe that is teh difference? Still, I am not pleased. I really think they could live withjout my $15 more a month! Do I need to threaten to cancel? Do I need to be more pushy on the call? Do I need to say I am out of work and can't pay the bill? There must be a secret to this fiasco!

Just go right to the "I want to downgrade or disconnect my services" choice in the option selection maze. Don't waste your time with the sales people (I think it's "to change your service press ---").

You should get someone who can make a difference. Tell them you like Comcast and you don't want to change to another company or downgrade, but finances, money, the economy, the competition... whatever real reason, is making you reconsider. Be polite; in my mind, at least, that's not the same as threatening

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I have DirecTv and last year I called to have all my movie channels disconnected. ($50 a month savings) They connected me to someone who offered to let me have those premium channels for half price for a year to keep them. SO I kept them. Now the year is up and it is time to call back and be prepared to really cancel those channels if they don't give you a deal you are happy with.

 

[Anne34]

Sounds like yours said it was going to be same price by jumped. This is the end of my one year promo and I knew it would bump up, maybe that is teh difference? Still, I am not pleased. I really think they could live withjout my $15 more a month! Do I need to threaten to cancel? Do I need to be more pushy on the call? Do I need to say I am out of work and can't pay the bill? There must be a secret to this fiasco!

I have tried to do this the past two years -- they keep telling us there is nothing we qualify for. The first time I did end up upgrading to triple play & dropped AT & T for home phone -- this past year our year was up and the rates jumped. The digital boxes & rental of phone router thing went up too. I wish I could get rid of comcast, but wouldn't get enough local sports on dish

 

[Colleen27]

Comcast's willingness to negotiate is entirely dependent upon the quality of the local competition. In my rural area, where there are no other cable companies available, they will not negotiate at all. If I lived 20 miles south in suburbia where there are 3 competing cable companies I could keep introductory pricing indefinitely (my mom has kept her $99 rate for 4 years now - if we hadn't cancelled we'd have been paying $40 more than her each month for fewer channels).

 

[sookie]

So, I had Triple play for 119 for the one that includes STARZ for one year. My last bill it was 135. I called to try to get a new package bundle to lower the price again and struck out. I told them I was willing to drop STARZ and was told it would actually $4 more a month to NOT have that channel. I can't drop ComCrap .. I mean ComCast, no other cable options, dish won't work in my location, and I MUST have my live sports and Sportcenter, Sprout and Disney (soon to be Disney Jr.) are great, HGTV, History channel, A & E, etc. and other shows. So I know you'll want to tell me to get Hulu or toss the TV to the trash or whatever, but I don't need to hear it. Stuck with landline for business and security system need, stuck with ComCast. So, what is my best trick to get this bundle down or at least get more for my money with ComCast? Who is a current customer that recently said the magic words to get them down???

That is really odd. We had some changes due to Starz as well. My husband and I have a guilty pleasure... spartacus. I love seeing Lucy Lawless! Anyway, we had been receiving it for free apparently - and that promo is up. We had to call dish and add it. Arg! Was very irritating.

 

[Suellen]

I recommend asking to speak to customer retention!