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Comcast charging for service calls?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Coach AI, Nov 20, 2008.

  1. Coach AI

    Coach AI Contributing Member

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    My connection hasn't been quite the same since the storm. The connection randomly will slow down horribly every once and awhile, and even when it picks back up it isn't as fast as it used to be.

    I had the modem changed out because it was flat out dropping the connection for a while that problem has gone away but the speed issue still exists.

    Anyhow, I call Comcast tonight and ask to have a technician come out. The phone support tech has me hold while he runs some tests on the modem. It checks out fine on their end, supposedly.

    He then informs me that if they send a technician out, and they can't find a problem (even though there obviously is one somewhere), they would charge me 25 bucks for the trip.

    He also tells me that I can avoid this if I have some sort of protection plan on my account - $1.99 a month.

    WTF? I've had Comcast for a while and I've never heard of this, and I'm kinda surprised that I would have to pay for them to come out and take a look at a problem with the service I'm already paying for.
     
  2. JunkyardDwg

    JunkyardDwg Contributing Member

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    It sucks but it's nothing new really...they...whoever your cable/internet provider is (I used to have Comcast but now Windstream does the same) will charge you for a service call if they find the problem is located inside your home.
     
  3. LonghornFan

    LonghornFan Contributing Member

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    This was noted once the change from Time Warner to Comcast was done. Another reason I'm glad I got rid of that **** service.
     
  4. T-man

    T-man Member

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    They got me with the same thing a few weeks back. I had no cable for about 3 weeks after storm, then it came and went for about 2 weeks. Finally, it started working right for about a week. Then some guy came through my neighborhood and put filters on several peoples cable for no reason. I called Comcast and told them of the situation and they told me my cable should be working, there must be somthing else wrong. I explained to them that I could see the filter, but they said it wasn't in their computer so I would have to pay the $25 service charge. They explained it wasn't for fixing the problem, but for making the trip. The woman agreed it was wrong, but said there was nothing she could do. Told them to forget it, climbed the pole and fixed myself. Almost seemed like a scam to recoupe some of the money they lost during the storm.

    Also, after the storm and during UT-OU, the comcast guy came through and cut all the wires on my parents Dish Network during the game. Claimed it was comcast cable. After a pretty nasty few minutes for him he repaired the wires. He was playing with some serious fire there, Luckily for him it was half time. Don't know what the heck he was thinking though. The wires go straight from the dish to the house. Comcast wasn't even coming from the pole to the house.

    Overall, I have learned they are an extremely shady company through my almost year of dealing with them. I am just riding out my contract
     
  5. Coach AI

    Coach AI Contributing Member

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    Yeah it seems real shady. They set it all up, and clearly something is wrong. Yeah, the modem might be fine but it's not like I put in the coax, or put in the splitters, or terminated the cable. It's all their stuff. And if it's not at the house level, it's still their stuff. I don't see why I should pay for any of that.

    Wouldn't surprise me if they are screwing with the connections just so people could make the call I did and get that extra 'plan' tacked on.
     
  6. JeopardE

    JeopardE Contributing Member

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    I wonder why people are still punishing themselves by sticking with cable.

    These days there is pretty much zero rationale for anyone to stick with cable if U-verse is available in their area.

    Zero.
     
  7. Coach AI

    Coach AI Contributing Member

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    Until this, the only real reason was that Comcast's Internet speeds were still pretty up there. I want fast Internet.

    My friend lives less than five miles away. He has u-verse. He loses connection while playing Live every once and a while. I couldn't handle that.

    That's really the only reason though. Otherwise I would (and have been) seriously considering it.
     
  8. JeopardE

    JeopardE Contributing Member

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    You can get speeds of up to 6.0Mbps on U-verse, and I'm pretty sure your friend's case is an isolated case.
     
  9. Coach AI

    Coach AI Contributing Member

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    I was, at one point, getting higher than that on Comcast.

    But yeah, I'm definitely still considering it.
     
  10. T-man

    T-man Member

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    That is exactly what I told them Rokkit. I am renting boxes from you. I am paying for a service from you. Everything involved in our agreement revolves around your stuff working to provide me a service which I pay way too much for. How is it my responsibility to pay you to fix your stuff to provide a service you are being paid to provide? I just can't find the logic there. I am stuck on a contract with you that I will have to pay a fee if I don't keep my end, but you don't have to keep yours. It would be like me charging them $25 a month for the inconvenience of having to pay my bill.

    The only way I can think to get your stuff fixed at a decent rate would be to get the $2 a month thing then cancel as soon as the dude comes. I think they would have to pro-rate, so you could possibly get for a buck. Still not right but cheaper. I don't know if it would work, but you could ask if you could cancel that service if you change your mind.
     
  11. htownballa23

    htownballa23 Contributing Member

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    I called a technician to come out after the hurricane, he just put a new connector piece in the attic or something. Quick job, and fixes the problem. When I get the bill next month I have that $25 charge for them coming out to my house, so Im wondering what the hell its for.

    I call customer service, and a rep explains to me that since the matter was internal, then I would have to pay the money, since I didn't have the $2 per month service plan. I told her I had no idea about the charge or the service plan, and its their responsibility to let me know. She claims that the technician is suppose to inform me when he arrives. They also "inform you on the bill" yet I haven't seen that ever. I was like well he didnt, and if he did I would have added the service plan before he got started, and canceled it on his way out the door. Supposedly you have to keep it for a minimum of 3 months though.

    So after arguing with her for a while, then with a supervisor, they finally took the charge off, and told me next time they will be unable to do so. Bottom line - its total bull****
     
  12. meggoleggo

    meggoleggo Contributing Member

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    AT&T does this as well. I had a problem with their phone lines, which they "couldn't detect" and if the problem persisted, they could send someone out, blah blah blah, sign up for a protection plan, yadda yadda yadda.

    I sign up for the plan, the guy comes out, the next month I have a $400 bill.

    Why? They didn't ever sign me up for the protection plan like they said they did, and they charged me accordingly.


    This (and several other occasions AT&T has royally screwed me over) is why I boycott those bastards.
     
  13. Blake

    Blake Contributing Member

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    Comcast. What a freaking JOKE.

    I still hate them, and I dropped their sorry arses months ago...
     
  14. Kam

    Kam Contributing Member

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    what is preventing other cable companies from being in a market?
     
  15. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    I have AT&T DSL, supposedly 3.0Mbps, but I don't think I really get that. Our connection started dropping once Bellsouth was bought out by AT&T, and it only got worse when we moved across town. I call them and finally get one that says my connection is not fine and they are sending a technician out. They charged me $80 without ever mentioning a charge and when my connection never worked correctly in the first place. They said they had to fix the line outside my house. I got the charge removed, but it was ridiculous that they would charge for that.

    Most companies try to get away with ripping you off.
     
  16. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    I hate AT&T too. I have no other options for internet where I live unless I want to pay outlandish amounts for satellite internet or dump DirecTv for Cox Cable. There is no other DSL provider in my area and it pisses me off. I'm switching to Verizon if they ever offer service in my area.
     
  17. Royals Ego

    Royals Ego Member

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    it's not unusual for them to bill you the charges

    for example, for ATT, if i order a tech guy to come out and fix my stuff, they will bill me if the problem is in my house, now if the problem is the outside wires etc etc, then they won't bill me

    always makes me nervous, cuz some of the charges are RiDICULOUS
     
  18. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Contributing Member

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    I had a problem with my connection as well. Service guy came out and replaced the wire to the house and the trap at no charge.

    Unless you have a current contract, you can call to cancel your service. I'm sure they'd be more willing to help at that point.
     
  19. JD2010

    JD2010 Member

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    www.oplink.net
     
  20. myco

    myco Contributing Member

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    I get the impression he doesn't live in Houston if he's looking for Verizon FIOS and having to deal with Cox.
     

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