Pretend you’re a Comcast tech who has been asked to transfer Ally’s account and internet service to her 74-year-old grandfather’s house. Your work order shows that Ally ordered only internet service, but when you shimmy up the pole, you see that the house is also set to receive cable service. Do you:
- A) Connect the internet service and leave.
- B) Connect the internet service and check to see if the 74-year-old man has a separate account for the cable service.
- C) Accuse the 74-year-old man of stealing cable, and declare “I don’t want to see your fucking bill” when the granddaughter tries to explain the situation.
Ally’s story, after the jump…
So here’s my story with Comcast:
My girlfriend and I were living in an apartment where we had Comcast Internet, Phone, and Digital Cable service. After our lease was up, we decided to move into my grandpa’s house for a year or so to save some money to put down on a house. Anyways – I called Comcast and set a disconnect date at our apartment. My grandpa has basic extended cable through comcast, and for us, that’s good enough. So I asked them to cancel the cable and phone line for us, and asked if they could just transfer the internet service and set an appointment for a tech to come out and hook up the internet at my Grandpa’s. All went well. I was told a tech would be at my Grandpa’s the following Tuesday between 10 and 1pm.
As most of us know, Comcast techs don’t normally show up until about 2 minutes until that window is over, but this time – the guy actually showed up at about 10:05am. Great, I thought. I don’t have to sit at home all day waiting for someone to show up. He pulls his truck into the alleyway and comes into the house to see where we want the line hooked up. I proceed to show him the spare bedroom where I’ll be connecting the router. He obviously noticed my Grandfather watching cable tv in the living room.
He then tells me he’s going outside to check the line on the poll. I go upstairs and about 5 minutes later, I come outside to witness my grandpa and the Comcast guy in a screaming match. The Comcast tech is threatening to leave and I ask “What the heck is going on?!” Well, my Grandpa starts telling me that he disconnected his cable and says we do not have a cable account with Comcast and basically accuses my Grandpa of hijacking cable. Okay, last time I checked, most 74 years old probably don’t know how to hijack cable. So my Grandpa gets really upset and starts back for the house. I’m trying to find out from the Comcast tech what is going on and my Grandpa comes back out 2 seconds later with a Comcast bill in his hand. He goes to hand it to the Comcast tech and he rudely replies “Sir, I don’t want to see your fucking bill. If you don’t go back in your house and quit disrespecting me, I’m going to just leave.”
Meanwhile, I ask my Grandpa to try and let me straighten it out and go inside for a minute because I could tell at this point he was getting really upset. So I continue to ask the guy what the hell is going on all the while he is telling me he isn’t going back in the house to hook up my internet because he doesn’t appreciate my Grandpa “disrespecting him”. Well, from what I saw, my Grandpa didn’t really deserve to get his cable turned off and treated in such a way. I finally talk him into hooking up the internet (I needed it for school as my homework is submitted online). But the issue still remains with my Grandpa’s service. So I ask the tech why he thinks we don’t have cable. He replies “When I look up the phone number on the account, it only shows internet, no cable television. That’s a red flag mam.”
So I immediately figure out what’s going on. I tell him calmly “Okay, well you are looking under MY phone number. And yes, I only have internet service in my name seeing as I cancelled the phone and cable service. My grandfather has a SEPARATE Comcast account from me, on which he only has extended cable. If you would have let him show you the bill, maybe you would have noticed it is two separate account numbers!” I wanted it that way so then the internet bill comes in my name. It’s just easier that way when paying bills.
He then rudely replies with “Mam, I don’t really care. I’m doing my job, and I’m not stupid. Comcast will not allow two different accounts at the same address so I already know you are blatantly lying to me.” Well obviously this was news to me. And he proceeds to just leave without turning back on my Grandpa’s cable, which he PAYS for.
We have a Comcast center about 2 minutes from our house, so we drive over there. The lady proceeds to tell me she can’t turn back on the cable because the account was flagged.
Alright, well obviously he saw 2 accounts if he specifically flagged my Grandpa’s.
About six calls to Comcast later, and I finally get someone on the line willing to fix the situation. He tells me he has no idea what he was talking about and there isn’t anything saying 2 Comcast accounts can’t be at the same house. He turns my Grandpa’s cable back on and gives him a $10 credit, which in all honesty, is kind of insulting for the crap the rep and the center gave us. Not only was the tech wrong, but he treated my Grandfather like crap.
Who the hell is Comcast hiring these days?
Update: Ally writes:
The Comcast Corporate office called me this morning, and I’m more than happy with the way they are resolving the issue. They have credited or accounts for a period of time, and I have received a verbal apology from every single person I have spoken with.
Then a little while ago, I also got another call from the local Comcast branch apologizing as well as stating they are interviewing the tech about the situation.
To those telling me to switch – this is the ONLY issue I have ever had with Comcast. I’ve never had an issue with their service other than a few outages here and there, and last time I checked, you’ll get that with any service provider from time to time. Any other tech I’ve ever had come to my house has always been more than polite and did the job they were there to do. The way the situation is being handled is fine with me. It was more an issue with a specific tech than with Comcast service. As of right now, I’m giving Comcast the benefit of the doubt and trusting they handle the situation.
Several of the people from Comcast I spoke with openly stated there are things that need improvement. They didn’t question me, and did what needed to be done to resolve the issue. As of now, that’s really all I wanted.
(Photo: Getty)
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Dear OP,
Please drop Comcast. Please.
Please let your sense of moral outrage take over and refuse to do business with a company that will accept it’s employees yelling at your grandfather that way.
A 10 dollar credit because they screamed at and impugned the good name of your grandfather? It means nothing to them and cost them a minuscule fraction of 10 dollars.
You and your family mean nothing to Comcast, as they have clearly and repeatedly shown you.
Seriously. Drop Comcast.
Wow. You need to drop them and move to a better provider. Jesus.
Remember the old lady who took a hammer to the Comcast office and smashed some computers? Maybe you could get her and your grandpa the hook-up?
“C”.. i choose c… whats the correct answer?
When did being ‘respected’ become an entitlement? Of course Grandpa was disrespecting the tech…the tech had just turned off his legitimate cable.
@nicemarmot617: I’m in the same boat as Illiterati.
I am not in an economically depressed area. I chose my job because it is what’s on my degree (for which I am still paying off the loan, since my parents are not a personal bank). I am not willing to move due to the fact that I can get to Washington DC, new York City, or anywhere in between with nothing more than a five minute walk and a one hour train ride. Here, I can meet with clients in five states plus DC with only two hours notice. Out in Bumbuck Tennessee, I would need a three days just to get to the nearest city.
And yes, I have tried both satellite and DSL. Satellite has good speeds, but is useless for videoconferencing. DSL is run by a local provider who throttles speed so low that it’s often faster to just FedEx anything I would normally send via email.
I am not asking for a government takeover, I’m only asking for the government to do to cable what they did to the telephone monopolies.
I see so many people coming onto this website complaining about the same damn problem, and not a one of them ever suggests a good answer. Why complain if you don’t have any ideas for fixing the problem? Then you’re just whining to hear yourself whine.
This isn’t a case of “I can’t play games online anymore and playing games is a basic human right so I should get free internet”, this is a case of “I took a job that requires a internet connectivity, which was available cheap with good speeds and local tech support. Comcast then bought out my ISP and shut them down, effectively forcing me to either put up with their company, flush my job and degree down the toilet and get a job in a different industry, or move across the country to some backwoods town without Comcast, just to put up with some other ISP that is just as monolithic, monopolistic, and bureaucratic as Comcast.”
I’ve noticed that stupid, self-important people often throw around the phrase “Stop disrespecting me” whenever they get into an argument. No matter what you say to them, whether you have a valid point or not, they’ll yell back “Stop disrespecting me!” and consider themselves the victor. I’ve had customer service reps do it to me a few times.
It’s one of the top signs that you’re dealing with an idiot.
@Pylon83: When it comes to Comcast, one has a hard time coming up with a solution other than violence. It may be illegal, but there doesn’t seem to be any OTHER solution that delivers the message to them.
@dragonfire81:
Damned right. Especially if you’re a senior citizen on a limited fixed income. The grandfather definitely qualifies on one of those counts.
@EdnaLegume:
Enough people seem to be telling Comcast where to stick it, as their stock has lost 1/3 of their value in the past year. I suppose some of this is because of the crappy economy, but I doubt 1/3 of all Comcast customers have dropped it only because they can’t afford it.
@nicemarmot617: You make it sound so simple. This year, we have had more rain in the past 3 months than we usually get annually. Every time it rains, or snows, the dish goes out. Every time the dog sneezes……
It is usually cheaper than cable – and about 1/2 as reliable.
I’m just curious why the tech was checking the line on the poll. Was he voting before starting the job?
Hey guys. Sorry I’m a little late to the party. I’m Ally (the OP). I’ve been really busy today and have been in and out of the house.
Anyways, I actually was contacted by Comcast on the phone today. I sent Carey the update so I’m sure she’ll post it soon. I don’t know what the rules are, so I don’t want to post anything in the comments. I don’t know if they have to check it/screen it or what-not first.
Either way – to the people saying to drop Comcast, I guess I should clarify this. I am in a suburb about 45 minutes from Chicago. In my area, the only choices are pretty much dial-up or Comcast. As far as tv, my grandpa has considered switching to dish, as he’s the one with the cable account. I don’t know what he’s planning on doing, that is his decision.
I’d never had ANY issues with Comcast until now. I figured I would give them the chance to rectify the situation. As others have stated, I have no idea if this was a private contractor or someone working directly for Comcast. (I don’t remember if the van had a magnetic Comcast sign or a legit painted on one).
Whoever he was, the guy I talked to wholeheartedly agreed they don’t need people treating customers the way he treated us. I was told I’ll be updated as to what happens, so you guys will be too. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt as of right now.
To the person saying I should have went to the library to do my homework – that would be ideal but our library has a 30 minute limit on internet computers and when you’re trying to submit calc assignments and write papers to submit online, it just isn’t possible.
Anyways – I’ll keep everyone updated as I find out more.
My landlord had this happen with Rogers, in a old house converted to three apartments. The tech saw my internet line and flipped out.
Anyone who says something like “Stop disrespecting me” deserves to get a disrespectful kick in the stomach.
@amkls704: I think this ( [consumerist.com] ) would answer your question about commenting. =)
Fuck Comcast
I had a similiar problem with them. Except the tech guy and I almost got into a physical fight.
Fuck their Gov’t granted Monopolies….
Makes me glad I have satellite TV, installed by yours truly. Never have to put up with ignorant, stupid and rude a-holes coming ’round.
The way that “tech” acted, one would think Gramps was stealing something from him! Why should he care about someone allegedly stealing cable service? And he uses foul language and cries about Gramps “disrespecting” him. What a shit-head! He WAS stupid, after all.
Sound like this needs an executive email bomb. Utter and complete bullshit! Ally needs to go to the tech’s supervisor and to the super’s super. This is happening way too often.
I’ve got Verizon DSL and never had a problem with it… although, I wish I had my old Mediacom cable back.. it was so fast!
I would have seriously beat the $HIT out of ANYONE who spoke to my grandparents like that! I don’t give two damn who he thinks he is, he’s got an ass full of my foot coming for that kind if treatment.
“Don’t disrespect me”? Give me a freakin’ break you asshat. You wouldn’t know respect if it crawled up your ass and ate your liver.
I had Comcast once, idiots. I don’t watch TV at all anymore and I don’t miss it one bit.
WAKE UP YOU STUPID SHEEP!!!
OK, here is the solution to these Big Cable and DSL companies. I grew up in a small town in Northern NY called Massena. They developed their own Electric Municpal Company. Now they want to develop their own Municipal Cable Company (offering cable, Internet, Phone). Here is a link to an article about it.
[www.watertowndailytimes.com]
@Nick1693:
Thanks =)
Holy crap I didn’t think this would be on Digg and Consumerist and get this much attention.
Little does grandpa know he’s an interwebz celebrity. If only he knew how to use a computer for anything other than spider solitaire. =)
F@mrearly2: Why should he care about someone allegedly stealing cable service?
Well…because it’s HIS JOB! No need to treat someone like this but cable techs are expected to provide only services that are paid for.
To the OP,
Have you tried ATT Uverse yet? We dropped cable and dsl in January and just put a big ol antenna on the roof and suffered through unreliable connections until an option C was available. We’re 30 minutes outside of Chicago so maybe that would work for you. It’s the fiberoptic line stuff.
And it is like the nirvana of cable TV/Internet. I can show flickr pics on my TV and I can schedule the DVR to record from the computer.
It was worth six months of no service other than what I could scrounge to wait for this to be available.
End of the “to OP” part of the comment, on to more general stuff…
I dumped comcast years ago and never looked back.
They had a guy come to the door recently and I succumbed to the wiles of low prices and sweet promises. Then he went back on it all because that deal was only for new customers and I was a customer 5 years prior. I told him no thank you and closed the door…he continued to knock on the door and holler at me for two minutes (a long time when some dude is pounding on your door and yelling) until I opened the door back up and threatened to call the police. He cussed at me and left.
I will never. ever. deal with comcast again.
Seriously, if you can get this Uverse stuff…it’s awesome. I’ve only had it for four days though so maybe it’s just that it’s shiny and new and I don’t have to double click open wireless connections for eight hours a day to keep a connection LOL I feel so spoiled now…
@badhatharry: Better than hitting him: Most states have laws against abuse of the elderly. Dropping f-bombs and stealing service could easily fall into that area. Call the cops. They might even be able to force him to reconnect the service on the spot.
@bwcbwc:
First off, swearing at someone hardly counts as abuse, especially when there wasn’t any kind of threat at all. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean your ears are too sensitive to handle “bad” words. Second, the police certainly aren’t going to force a private company to hook someones non-essential service back up. It’s a civil dispute between private parties. The police have absolutely no business getting involved. I love how a certain segment of commenters seem to think that calling the cops is the end all be all solution to any problem. Usually they just make it worse with their power-tripping egos and pseudo understanding of the law.
Some places receive cable through an agreement with a homeowners’ association and the bill is not billed directly to the customer…I wonder if that would also result in a “red-flag.”
I live in a small rural town in Indiana which is served by Frontier Communications [Frontiernet]. The company has changed ownership several times, but still maintains a local office in this town of 1400. My Internet connection isn’t the fastest in the world, but it is fast enough and never seems to go down. My phone service and service on Dish Network also run through Frontier.
I call for a service problem, the tech is usually here the same day. What’s more, these guys have been with the phone company since I moved here in 1986 and I know them all very well. If I need a change in service, I can walk the 2 blocks to the Frontier office and chat with the secretary, who has also been with the company a long, long time [except between 1 and 2 PM when she goes to lunch].
Someday, I know the 21st Century will catch up to us, but here’s hoping we can hold out awhile longer. I know I sound like Andy of Mayberry,but there’s a lot to be said for our bucolic yet mostly modern way of life.
@Derek Balling: OP: “Who the hell is Comcast hiring these days?”
A: Douchebags.
A: McDonald’s graduates who wanted more pay
A: Layoffs from Radio Shack who only got jobs because CumCrust thought working at RS meant they knew some tech stuff.
The Comcast tech not only actually showed up, but didn’t fall asleep, and you’re not kissing the ground he walked on?
This is why I get my movies from my local library. Screw cable. And Embarq for DSL has been… no, I’m not going to say it and jinx myself.
@Pylon83: The preferred method of dealing with a customer, in my feeble mind, is with respect. If you can’t manage that at least be polite. If even basic manners are beyond you, fer cryin’ out loud find two brain cells to rub together and don’t swear at a 74 year old man. I really don’t think that’s too much to ask for.
If someone pulled that on my grandfather the notebook and camera would come out and all relevant details would be recorded. Then the phone calls would start. Say what you want about me, but do NOT mess with my family.
I really don’t understand how companies can hire people like this to do customer service work. In the country I live in a tech who took this attitude towards a customer would be shown the door no matter what his position.
If I were the customer here I’d stop the conversation and tell the tech to leave, and that I’d be making a complaint to his company and the BBB about his behavior. If he continued to be disrespectful and not leave immediately, I’d summon the police and have him escorted off my property.
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The only way to get Comcast’s attention is to cost them time and money. First, file a complaint with your state’s public utility commission. Second, file a complaint with your local city or county agency which regulates “cable franchises.” Ask them when the Comcast agreement comes up for re-negotiation and plan to file a complaint at that time and possibly attend the hearing to suggest that the city or county open the bidding to others. Third, check your local politician’s campaign finance filings for contributions from comcast or their employees. Ask these politicians to intercede on your behalf. And last, every time the cable service or internet service is interrupted — make a note of the date and time and send your payment to the public utilities commission with a complaint about the outage. And, of course don’t forget the blogs and local media. See if your neighboring town has a different provider and ask them to bid. Solicit support from your neighbors. Contact the president of comcast. Check with their investor relations people and find out which stock market analysts cover their stock. Send them your complaint with a copy to comcast. If comcast attempts to retaliate — file additional complaints and take them to small claims court.
Man, what a jerk. Hopefully they can get service through another company so they don’t have to put up with that shit.
I would do everything I could to get this guy fired even if I had to lie. A few years ago, I wasn’t treated badly at all and I WAS stealing cable – climbed the pole and removed the little gray HBO blocker. When they came out, they found it and didn’t even say anything and simply put it back in. I would call comcast and tell them the guy shoved grandpa and that I was going to call the police and need the guys name. It’s the only way anyone important would even hear about it at comcast.
@eymhere:
What’s your point? That you are a cable thief and a liar?
I am sure these qualities will encourage people to take your advice.
@srlevine1:
Sounds like a full time job LOL. Outages happen, no service is perfect. Take it or leave it. There are other options too.
I’ve had the same issue with Comcast. I used to work for a company that provided internet service to its employees, thus requiring two separate accounts under the same name and same address (if you also had cable tv service from them). I’ve been told by several Comcast employees that two accounts at the same address was not allowed when obviously it is. This would also cause MANY problems when trying to make any service call. This is by far one of the WORST companies for customer service.
On another note, I don’t understand why people keep repeating how bad Comcast is. I liken it to repeatedly stating that the sky is blue or water is wet. There is no good solution. Some people have no choice but to use Comcast, and the suggestions that they simply give up cable or internet are foolish. These situations are essentially like it being hot outside. You can either sit inside all day long and never go out and do anything, or you can simply learn to cope with the situation and move on. I AM a Comcast customer and I despise them. However, I, like most people, rarely have to actually deal with them. The few times I do are like a root canal with no Novocain, but canceling service is simply not an option. This is 2008, internet is essentially a required service for anyone under 60 years old. While it’s not necessary in the same way electricity is necessary, most people simply aren’t willing to go without. Perhaps constructive suggestions such as how to craft a perfect EECB or how to effectively deal with a supervisor on the phone would be more productive than “CANCEL YOUR SERVICE NOW”.
@eymhere:
Yeah I wouldn’t condone lying, nor would I do this. That’s immoral and just plain wrong. If Comcast doesn’t want to do anything about it, that’s on them, because he will surely treat other customers the same way, and they’ll pay for it.
it’s garbage like this that makes me happy to work for Cablevision…
when you move to a new address, and you have another subscriber there, they actually take your old Account# and file it away, then give you a number identical to the resident’s account#, sans 1 number at the end. thus there can be no confusion as to what services are active at the home. It’s a rather smooth operation, and only gets a hiccup when someone at customer service occasionally disconnects the old account a day or two early (Which is easily fixed by a call to the customer service center which is opened 24/7/365).
This isn’t news that Comcast has been screwing their customers for years now. What WOULD be news would be a solution to many peoples’ problem: How to get cable and high speed internet without using Comcast.
Monopolies are bad for consumers. Comcast is bad for consumers. Ergo, Comcast is a monopoly (in many areas).
I thought monopolies were supposed to be illegal?
Our government sucks giant donkey warts.
It gets its grubby little fingers into all sorts of shit that it SHOULDN’T, and DOESN’T manage business NEARLY as well as it should/could.
Free market it good only up to a point. When monopolies get too powerful, they stifle market growth then become a bad element in the overall equation.
banmojoconomics 101.
This story is really a specific example of a general problem: people who are not intellectually, ethically or emotionally suited to do so are increasingly being put in positions that allow them to exercise authority over others and are allowed to do so without limitation.
The Comcast technician is just another petty bureaucratic functionary who gets to feel powerful by controlling elements of other peoples’ lives.
Consider the indignities and invasion of privacy visited upon the public at airports every day: a cadre of uniformed employees – evidently members of the general public who just want government jobs, not career security professionals – are given authority over the traveling public, with the inevitable results that too many persons of small character are allowed routinely to bully the vast majority of travelers who are law-abiding.
Fail to comply quickly and quietly with the TSA screening process? Congratulations, you’ve won a free strip search that coincidentally lasts just long enough to make you miss your flight!
You look, in some way, as if you might make other passengers nervous? We better treat you like a terrorist! You’re not flying today!
Question the treatment a TSA screener gives you and ask to speak to a supervisor? Would you like to shut up, or would you prefer to be detained on a false charge?
And that’s just one area in which we need protection from the protection our government is forcing on us.
Threats on the order that the Comcast tech will just leave unless the customer complies, while far less sinister than the ones implicit in the pursuit of so-called homeland security, are no more acceptable.
“We’re just following the rules” is the mantra of these bullies, as if blind obedience is a mark of honor instead of the badge of stupidity. It wasn’t a very viable defense at Nuremberg and I have a hard time finding it any more acceptable with the passage of time. “The rules” may say you have to beat me, but I when see whose hand is holding the stick I apportion the blame accordingly.
The bottom line is that most people aren’t qualified to wield authority over others in a responsible way, and it is up to their employers to make certain their employees know the limits of their authority and the magnitude of their responsibility.
As my Dad used to say “Crap tends to flow downhill, but responsibility floats to the top.”
Can we have a do-over for Worst Company in America?
I would have told him to stop right after the f-bomb asked him to repeat what he said and if he uses that language again in my grandfathers presence I will engage you physically. Now would you like you rethink your position, you bag of ass.
@ospreyguy:
Again with the insatiable need to use physical violence. They are just words, and I’m sure old people have heard them before. Who cares? Maybe it’s a “I’m a big man and I want to beat people up” mentality. Are you a member of the armed forces? (Osprey would indicate to me that you’re somehow involved with the V22 project). I simply don’t understand some guys immediate reaction being violence.
@ospreyguy:
Ha I like that, bag of ass. I’m going to have to remember that one.
@ospreyguy:
And then you go to jail for assault, really really smart.
Yes the comcast guy was an asshole, but why would you go to jail for something so stupid. I think a lot of people need to lose the “ILL KICK YOUR ASS” mentality, and start realizing that not everything needs to be solved with violence, although I’m sure (from what I’ve seen) that the comcast installers are pretty bulky, and from how you talk (through the internet) you probably couldn’t anyway.
@ospreyguy: Hey look, another Internet Tough Guyâ„¢!
I emailed Comcast twice for a public statement and got two replies – very quickly, I might add.
He didn’t really have a full statement other than he talked to the customer and they will be investigating the event.
I don’t know if this person’s whole job involves dealing with problems like this, but I got the impression he doesn’t really enjoy it when this kind of thing happens.
The guy responded immediately to my e-mail on a Sunday evening!
It’s just hard for me to believe that they wouldn’t simply put out a statement that the guy is no longer in the field while they investigate and if he was in anyway aggressive toward a customer, he’s fired.
This is why people are finally discovering there are other companies that are willing to take your buisness, Comcast. However, I use Time Warner Cable/Road Runner since I’m in NYC.