Brandon says he just got and HDTV and called TWC to see about swapping his digital cable receiver for an HDTV receiver. TWC said no problem but it would be a $30 “carrying charge,” which amounted to basically a TWC worker throwing an HDTV receiver in the van and driving a few miles to drop it off at Brandon’s house.
cable
Where's My Tech? Call Comcast Dispatch (We've Got The Numbers)
By 5.7.07
Comcast is notorious for techs missing their appointments. If you would like to see where you tech really is, and maybe have him get his heiny over, here’s a whole bunch of Comcast’s internal dispatch numbers.
Reach Time Warner Cable Executive Customer Service Redux
By 5.4.07
UPDATE 8/28/07: Barry Rosenblum’s direct line: 212-598-7389
Contact Comcast's CEO
By 5.3.07
So if you love or hate Comcast and want to make sure the man at the top knows it, here’s his contact info:
Charter Communications Company Newsletter Details "No Lying About Install Time Policy" Same Day Negative News Article About The Same Appears
By 4.30.07
The same day a former Charter Communications customer service rep spilled her guts to the St Louis Post-Dispatch about how the cable company actively lies to its customers about when techs are going to show up, the subject appeared in Charter’s internal company newsletter. Which we, of course, have a copy of…
LEAKS: Comcast Slideshow Details Plan To Charge For Previously Free Tech Calls
By 4.23.07
According to an internal Comcast Powerpoint we received, starting this month, the cable provider gives even less of a damn about residential customers. Highlights include:
FCC Chairman Supports a la Carte Cable, Needs Congressional Support
By 4.19.07
The FCC official said Martin testified that an a la carte law was justified because nominal cable rates kept rising and because consumers who tend to watch 15-17 channels still need to buy dozens of channels they don’t want in order to see their favorites.
Comcast: Chicago Going All Digital By July
By 4.9.07
If you’re one of those stone-age-type people who live in Chicago and don’t yet have a digital cable box, you’ll be getting one in July. Comcast has nearly completed a $400 million dollar upgrade and will discontinue analog broadcasts this summer. Customers who plug their cable directly into their TV will receive only local channels following the official switch. From the Chicago Tribune:
Completion of the upgrade means all Comcast customers that have basic service will need to exchange their analog set-top boxes for digital set-top boxes. The cable company will not charge an additional fee or raise rates for current analog customers, Schaefer said.
"Extra Innings" Will Remain On Cable
By 4.5.07
IN DEMAND also offered to make the Extra Innings subscription package available to other cable companies across the United States, MLB said. These operators also would be required to carry the MLB Channel once launched.
City Council Threatens To Fine Comcast $200 A Day For Not Picking Up The Phone
By 4.4.07
Another city is irked at their cable provider for not living up to the requirements of their franchise agreement. The city of College Park, MD (population 24,657) has proposed a letter threatening Comcast with fines of $200 a day if Comcast doesn’t improve the time it takes to answer the phone. “It’s stupid to try to call them,” said Jack Perry, a city council member who claims he once waited 35 minutes for Comcast to answer his call. “Nobody answers the phone.”
Verizon Takes 6 Months To Install FiOS
By 4.4.07
RFJason documented the 6-month ordeal it took to get Verizon FiOS installed.
Local Government Powerless Against Comcast, Tells Residents To Switch To Satellite
By 3.29.07
“We’re between a rock and a hard place,” Gregor said. “We could drop the franchise, but then a lot of people won’t have television.”
Savvy Cable Customer Know-How Roundup
By 3.29.07
“Dave’s story is swift, proactive and in the end, he gets what he wants and needs out of his cable company: a functional product at an acceptable price. Of course, he has to, figuratively speaking, shove a fist in their love handles, rip out their gall bladder and eat it in front of them, but sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do to get his DVR…”
Senators Have Tough Words For DirecTV's "Extra Innings" Deal
By 3.28.07
Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., had questions for Major League Baseball and DirecTV at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on behalf of subscribers to cable TV and EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network who are threatened by the DirecTV-only “Extra Innings” deal.
Cellphone, Telephone, And Cable Costs Versus Inflation '96-'05
By 3.28.07
We made a graph comparing the rate of change in price of cable, telephone, and wireless service to inflation rate from 1996-2005.
California City Fines Time Warner Cable $25,000 For Consistently Awful Service
By 3.22.07
“Time Warner has, for a period of time, not lived up to the obligations that are required for the citizens of this community,” said Councilman Keith Millhouse. The city has complained to Time Warner for months without results.
Time Warner Cable: Your Internet Isn't Working So We're Sending A Tech To Disconnect Your Cable
By 3.22.07
Time Warner Cable in Southern California is completely broken. There is no hope. They’ve fired the head guy, but we think the ship may have already sank. They may as well have let the captain go down with the boat.
