Once Again, I got the ComShaft
from Comcast
November 11, 2010
**UPDATED January 6, 2011
Thursday, November 4, my internet went out (big surprise). I called them. After entering my ten-digit telephone number and trying to zero out to a human being, I was cut off. I called back. I entered my ten-digit phone number again. I went through their crappy menu system until I finally got a human being who, immediately, asked me for my ten-digit telephone number. This happens EVERY TIME I call. Why the hell do I have to enter my number if the service representative is going to immediately ask for it again?? Anyway, I asked if there were any outages in my area, which he could NOT tell me until I verified my account information. This seems stupid. Anyway, he said there were not any outages in my area and said I was having signal issues. I have complained of signal issues forever because the stuff that comes in on my digital box is always splotchy, and God HELP me if I ever want to use OnDemand. This is going to pose another problem to which I will refer shortly. He told me I could go swap modems myself to see if it made a difference. I told him I had a spare cable modem but the tech who installed my service in 2008 told me it would NOT work on ComCrap's network. I gave him the model number, and he verified that it WOULD in fact work on their network. I asked him why in the hell that other tech told me it would NOT, because I have been renting a cable modem since 2008 for no reason!!! I told him I wanted my money back and that I want to switch to my own modem....
So, it's November 4th. He says that there are no outages in my area and that he'll have to send a tech out to me. He says the SOONEST possible appointment they will have open is NOVEMBER THE EIGHTEENTH!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS TWO WEEKS WITHOUT INTERNET! Of course I was LIVID and said that was unacceptable as I NEED my internet for work if not anything else, not to mention my EMAIL SERVER RUNS OFF THIS CONNECTION. There was NOTHING the company could do, so I scheduled the time and hung up. As I thought about it, I became angrier. I called back to try and battle them some more, and the FIRST thing I heard after I put in my (you guessed it) ten-digit phone number was, “We are currently experiencing an outage in your area. Our technicians are aware of this and are working to resolve the problem.” (Imagine the look I had on my face.)
I called Comcast back Monday, November 8, because I wanted to switch to my OWN cable modem, and I still wanted them to fix my continuous signal issue. It turns out they had an opening TODAY, November 11, 2010, between 2:00pm and 5:00pm. I took it. The tech was to call me before he came out. I gave the service representative my Google Voice number which rings ALL my phones so I would make SURE not to miss the call.
Today, November 11, came. At 2:34pm I received an email from my Vonage voice mail from Comcast saying that the tech had tried to call me and could not get in touch with me. I IMMEDIATELY called them back, went through the ten-digit crap again, and got a representative. I was told that he went to the next call but that he could COME TO ME NEXT and that he would CALL ME IN TWENTY MINUTES. I went ahead and gave them my direct cellular number, and I went home shortly after to wait for a CALL and a TECHNICIAN that would never come, ultimately leaving me with time I have to make up at work, for NOTHING, because of COMCRAP'S INCOMPETENCE.
When I got home, I saw where the technician HAD called my house phone but did not bother to leave a message. I guess he's unaware of this brand new concept of voice mail which would have IMMEDIATELY ALERTED ME thus allowing me to CALL HIM RIGHT BACK BEFORE HE WENT TO THE NEXT CALL. I called the number back, received no answer, and left a message. As of 6:17pm, I have not received a call back. At 4:04pm, I called Comcast back and explained, AGAIN, what the HELL was going on. I spent TWENTY NINE minutes on the phone this time with Comcast ultimately to learn that Helen Keller had CLOSED THE TICKET and that NO ONE WAS GOING TO SHOW UP TODAY. At this point, I had a TIA, also known as a freakin' ministroke, and the smoke coming out of my ears triggered my fire alarm system. I DEMANDED my $50 credit (which she could not promise me), and I had to reschedule for Monday, November 15th, between the hours of 8:00am and noon.
THIS IS TYPICAL for Comcast around here, and I'm sick of it. Now, remember how I mentioned about their digital boxes and another problem? Well, these crooks at Comcast are about to force digital on everyone, and from what I understand, it acts as a streaming-type service. If this doesn't work on the one digital box I already have, how crappy is it going to be when the FORCE me to use this box on most every set in my house? Of course they promote it like they're doing US a favor and that it's going to be wonderful, yet they will only give you a couple of boxes for free, and the rest you'll have to RENT! How does that do me a favor? I have an analog set in my “war room”, my bedroom, and my kitchen. I have an analog set in my den, connected to the one digital box I currently have. I have Vizio (garbage) in my office/computer room, and so does my room mate. I'm unsure if these Vizios will work with their own digital tuners or not, but that's at least THREE sets that are currently WORKING FINE that I possibly stand to lose. Again, how the hell is THAT doing me a favor?
Enter the Free Market System
Normally, I'd tell them to just go to Hell and take my business elsewhere. That's the beauty of a free, open-competition market! However, the competition here in Mobile, for whatever reason, is limited. Comcast is the only cable provider in the city limits of Mobile. Due to my criteria of what I need for internet, I'm kind of stuck with them. Perhaps it is time to check out this AT&T U-Verse thing. Why Comcast has a monopoly on the cable here I don't understand, and I have not gotten a clear answer yet. What IS clear is that Comcast sucks, they do a consistently lackluster job when they come out to perform service (assuming the planets are aligned in such a way the technician actually arrives), and I am limited as to what I can do about it right now. Hmm... that kind of sounds like what it would be like if the government took over healthcare... but I digress. Hell, the one time I would LIKE the government to step in and FORCE some competition here, they are nowhere to been seen. Typical...
Hey! It looks like I'm not the only one who hates Comcast!
January 6, 2011
I just got my current bill, which is $3.99 more this month than last month, and I still haven't gotten my credit (which now they tell me is only twenty dollars). I called them last month when I got my bill to ask why I haven't received my credit yet. Of course, I was assured it would be taken care of this billing cycle. I also found out that I'm still paying for DVR service which was cancelled when my room mate moved out at the end of August 2010! Not only was the DVR turned in, but I made the phone call as well! This company SUCKS, plain and SIMPLE. I LOATHE Comcast. I'd rather go sit front row at a Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block, AND N'SYNC concert, BACK TO BACK, than deal with this crappy company! I don't understand why a city as large as Mobile doesn't have a competing cable company.
Oh, and the $3.99 increase? They increased their rates for service and modem rental fee... You know, that rental that I tried to eliminate last year with my own modem? Well there ya go...
