The Comcast Chronicles, Volume 2

Welcome back to my hilariously awful account of my experience with Comcast.  Let's recap, shall we?

We added a baseball package in April 2013 and promising that the price would be broken up into equal monthly installments (as we had done yearly for the last 3 years). However, the entire package price was applied to our bill each of the next three months. We took time out of busy lives and called in May, June, and July and were promised each time that the issue was resolved, given the "correct" bill amount, which was paid on time. We were assessed late fees each month for not paying the full package price, even though we were told to only pay the installment.

Now back to August......

The next Comcast bill arrives.  Its incorrect AGAIN.  Oh holy hell.  What part of this can't Comcast understand?!  Why am I now calling them for the fourth month in a row?!  This time when I called, it was a bit different.  Mind you, each call is getting exponentially longer, as I have to explain that we were wronged not one, not two, not three, but four times.  I can picture the look on the rep's face as I'm talking.  They probably hate me, but you know what, I couldn't care less.

I tell the rep that I'm really upset, I feel like we've been lied to since April, as we've been told for the last 4 months that they'd do something for us that they've failed to do.  Repeatedly. I'm even more angry that I've had to spend my one day off calling Comcast multiple times.  It's not ok. This rep is less than apologetic for their mistakes, and says he is sorry that I can't afford to pay my bill on time.  What?!  That's not the issue. Could I have paid it in full the first month? Absolutely. But why would I, when you told me I didn't have to?

Anyhow, this person insists that this package can't be broken up into payments, that we were told this incorrectly each time I called (this is a lie, and was confirmed months later).  This person stated that my calls were to get an extension on my due date, because we couldn't afford to pay our bill, but now that the monthly payments would have ended this month, there's nothing he can do for me.

Oh really?!

Ok, great, thanks.  That's amazing customer service.  Because you're wrong.  Because I never once said the words "I can't pay my bill".  [insert blood-boiling rage here]  That's ok, maybe this person is having a horrible day, and he isn't normally a total asshole.  I'll let it slide this time, after all, I've been with Comcast for more than half my life.  Certainly this is a one-off problem (that happened to inconvenience me four times). Bill paid - immediately in full, clearly I could pay it - end of story.

A couple of weeks later, I receive a letter from my good friends at Comcast,  who were very concerned that I may not be tapping into the full potential of my high speed internet.  We don't rent from them, we own a modem and wireless router that is apparently not the latest in greatest.  The letter recommended I call and ask about leasing a better one from them - for a monthly fee, of course.  No thanks, our internet seems really fast to me, not worried about it.

But who cares about this letter, right?  Well, it just so happens that another letter comes about 3 weeks later.  This letter states that Comcast did an audit on my account, and it was discovered that *gasp* I haven't been charged appropriately for the modem I'm leasing from Comcast, and a monthly rental fee will be assessed on my next bill, and every bill thereafter.

BUT I OWN MY MODEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What the @*&%?!  You've got to be &*@^&$% kidding me!!!!

Guess what this means?  Time for another call to Comcast.

Stay tuned to find out what they said, and how many times I would have to call about this issue!

The Comcast Chronicles, Volume 1

I wish I could say "Its not you...it's me", but that would be a lie.  It is you.  I know we've been together in some fashion for the better part of two decades, but there's nothing you can do to make up for the last few months.  Tumultuous, excruciatingly frustrating.....abusive.  That's right, abusive.  I refuse to stay in an abusive relationship, so Comcast, you've gotta go. Maybe you'll learn from your mistakes so the next girl doesn't suffer as I have, but I doubt that you are enough about me to make any changes. I'm already way happier without you.  Take care. xoxo, Me

If only my break-up with Comcast was as easy as sending a letter.

I never thought I would devote any blog space to talking about my relationship with Comcast, but here I am. As I mentioned, I was in a relationship with Comcast for the better part of the last 2 decades, but the last year has been awful.  So awful that if someone had told me the story, I would have thought they were embellishing, if not flat-out lying.  So awful that it's almost funny.

Almost.

Now that the relationship is definitely over, and I can start to laugh about what happened, I want to share all the gory details.  Maybe I'll even convince you there is Life After Comcast, and encourage you to make the choice I did: RUN FAR, FAR, AWAY!!!!

To understand my story, you need some history.  Growing up, my family had Comcast cable service ever since they came to the Northwest and took over whoever was here before - over 20 years ago, maybe even close to 30.  My father even worked as a technician for many years.  When I moved to Arizona, I took my Comcast service with me.  When I moved back to the Northwest, I brought it back with me.  I was what you'd call a loyal customer. 

April 2013: Husband calls to order the MLB Extra Innings Package, as he has done for the past 3 years.  He asks for the 4 equal payment option as he has also done for the past 3 years - not because we can't afford it, but because he knows that this keeps his expensive sports-watching habits off my radar.  I don't pay much attention to an extra $40 a month, but I'd give some attitude to an extra $160. I get that it's the same, but it's the Sticker Shock Principle.  I digress.  The customer service rep says no problem, the service has been added with the split payments.  Let baseball season begin!

May 2013: The Comcast bill arrives.  The amount due is $310. Whaaaaaaaat?!  Who's been ordering Pay Per View?!  Is sombody splicing our line and ordering stuff on our dime?! Oh.  It's the MLB  Extra Innings Package.  We were billed for the entire season, instead of the equal payments we asked for.  No problem, husband calls Comcast.  They apologize, confirm that a mistake was made, assure him that it's been broken into the payments that should have been done already, and give us our new total.  We pay it online.  Issue resolved.

June 2013: Time for the bill to arrive again.  Peek at the total - holy cow!  It's high again, with a nasty statement about not paying our last bill in full, and they've now assessed late charges.  But we called?  It was resolved?  Husband asks that I call this time (because I am far more assertive).  After being on hold for 20 minutes, am connected with a rep who apologizes, puts the package on the payment plan, sees that this should have happened last time, reverses the late fees, gives me the new total.  Pay it online.  Slightly irritated that this baseball package has required three phone calls to have in our lives (and billed correctly), but if it makes husband happy, I'll take it.

July 2013: Comcast bill arrives again....you guessed it, the total is high with another late fee and nasty message about not paying our bill on time.  This time, am fully angry.  Spend 15 minutes on hold and 30 minutes on the phone with two customer service reps - on my day off - trying to fix the problem. Express my frustration that this hasn't been resolved, despite multiple calls.  After putting me on hold several times, including one disconnection and call back episode, am assured that once and for all, this has been taken care of.  Late fees reversed, new total given. Comcast is so sorry. The rep is unsure why this hasn't been applied correctly each of the 3 previous times I've called.

If you're still paying attention, you'll see that we've called Comcast once a month for 4 months now, but have been assured (for the 3rd time), that I won't have to call again. 

August 2013....Comcast bill arrives..........

Stay tuned for Volume 2 of my Comcast Chronicles!