Straight up, no holds barred, retarded.
When I had my Comcast television and internet installed, the technician brought a dumb little cable box with him. Knowing that TiVo would be all-but useless with a cable box between it and the wall (it would be unable to change the cable box’s channels), I asked the technician if I actually needed the box. He said all that it really did was provide the Comcast-On-Demand functionality, and that it was not really required. I politely told him that he could take the idiot box back with him, and life continued on merrily.
Until I got my first bill. I signed up under some package for discounted television and internet, and the charge for the television aspect of it seemed high. I called, they corrected, and we kept going.
Then my second bill arrived, and the television charge was still high. I called again, and got told that the people on the other end of the phone line could not help me, since I set up the cable installation online. Apparently, the online folks and the telephone folks do not talk, and their discounts/offers/specials are completely separated from each other. First idiotic move.
Then, I got told by both the people on the phone, and the live chat technician I spoke to online, that since I turned down the cable box, they “demoted” my cable to standard cable as opposed to digital, and that demotion almost doubled my television charge. Second idiotic move.
When I asked if I really needed the box, since TiVo and it would not get along well, both the phone people and the internet technician told me that Comcast did not really care if I actually used the box, or if I just kept it on a shelf and used it as wall art. I would receive cable just fine either way, and apparently the box really does not do anything except On-Demand. Third idiotic move, and I wish they were out of here.
So now, I have to drive down to the local Comcast branch, pick up a box, fix my bill, bring the box back, put it on a shelf, and not care any more. And this makes sense… how?
*sigh* Unfortunately, due to lack of other options, I am stuck in a Hobson’s Choice situation. I hate Comcast.
I apologize for all your troubles and for conflicting information that was given to you.
I work for Comcast and I would like to help in making sure this is taken care of for you. Please feel free to send me the phone number on the account so that I can assist further.
Thanks for sharing this post. I appreciate the opportunity to assist!
Mark Casem
Comcast Corp.
We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com
Mark,
Kind of pleasantly surprised at your comment, but the problem has been “corrected”.
I went down to the local Comcast branched, picked up the dumb cable box, and it is now sitting in a bag on the floor, where it will probably stay for the next 12 months. The representative at the branch told me my bill will be corrected, so I will give it a few days and ensure it was actually done.
Still, how is it reasonable to require possession of a box, but not use? If I am not going to use it (and I am not), why should I be forced to take responsibility for it, just to save $20 a month?
Whoa! Service…from CommunistCast? We have that out here, except I don’t. I’m a free-antenna rebel. See you up on the Hill in a few…
Cannot really blame you for not using it, but I would be a little more bored without Eureka or Battlestar Galactica.