Back in February 2009, Comcast’s standard-def broadcast of the Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl in the Tucson area shifted to porn for 37 seconds. The incident was a black eye for Comcast and caused the company to apologize by offering $10 rebates to offended customers. Now a man has admitted to hacking Comcast’s signal to cause the craziness. [More]
cable
With Neighb's 'Net Down, Super Holds TWC Node Hostage. Ransom: Free Cable
By 10.7.11
In the middle of reports of widespread Time Warner Cable outages in New York’s East Village late this week, one building supervisor has decided to hold a local cable node hostage. This node controls cable and internet not just for his building, but several others on the block. His price for access? Free cable. [More]
Verizon Internet To Share Your Location With Advertisers So You'll Get Ads "Of More Interest"
By 10.5.11
As a favor to you, Verizon internet says they’re going to start sharing your local geographical location to advertisers so you’ll get ads “of more interest.” For instance, “a pizza chain may want to deliver their ad to give a special offer to people living in a particular area.” Here’s how to opt out. [More]
Couple Sues Cox After Cable Guy Kills Their Son
By 10.5.11
An Arizona family is suing Cox cable company after one of the cable companies’ outsourced technicians executed their son in a botched break-in. That ex-contractor is now sitting on death row. [More]
Update: Comcast Sends You To Collections For Bill You Already Paid
By 9.26.11
Last week we brought you the story of Bruce, whom Comcast had sent to collections over a bill he should have never been charged in the first place. After his story went up, Comcast reached out through us to Bruce to give him sweet satisfaction. [More]
Comcast Sends You To Collections For Bill You Already Paid
By 9.19.11
Bruce cut the cord with Comcast and returned all his gear. It looks like the right hand didn’t know what the left was doing, as Comcast has now sent him to collections for a bill that he already paid. [More]
Knocked $30 Off My Cable Bill Just By Asking
By 9.9.11
I’ve been hearing how the ol’ “threaten to cancel to get your cable bill reduced” ploy is “dead” but I decided to give negotiating with the cable company a shot. I got my monthly bill reduced by $30, and, indirectly related to my conversation with them, somehow also got free HBO. Schweet. [More]
Cox Giving Service Credits For Irene, Comcast Not Really
By 9.7.11
Cox Communications is giving out credits for users who lost cable service during Hurricane Irene. Here’s how to get it: [More]
Time Warner Cable Expands With Purchase Of Insight Communications
By 8.15.11
Time Warner Cable, the nation’s second largest cable operator, will soon get a little bit larger, announcing today that it has acquired Midwestern television operator Insight Communications for $3 billion. [More]
Time Warner Calls Back With Sweet Deal After Man Cancels
By 8.11.11
Another reader has written in to say that after they canceled their Time Warner service, the cable company turned around and offered them much better rates if they would stay. In both this one and the one earlier this week, Time Warner Cable said that because of “special circumstances,” they were able to offer a sweet retention deal. In this case, $67/month for two years, down from $150. [More]
Report: Record Number Of Cable Customers Cutting The Cord
By 8.10.11
Hear that snipping sound? No, it’s not squirrels nipping at your FiOS cord. It’s a record number of Americans cutting ties with their cable and satellite providers. [More]
Squirrels Do 17% Of The Damage To Fiber Optic Networks
By 8.10.11
Turns out the common squirrel has an uncommon propensity for nibbling through the nation’s fiber optic cables. Level 3 Communications, which operates much of the cables that provide the internet’s backbone in the US, say that 17% of the damage to its network comes from squirrels chewing on the lines. No one is quite sure why they like fiber optic cable so much. [More]
Comcast Repairman Charged With Stealing Jewelry From Customers, Including Cancer Patient
By 8.8.11
A Comcast technician in Georgia was charged with stealing from his customers homes when he went to make repairs, including jewelry from a recovering cancer patient. [More]
Boost Your WiFi Signal With A Beer Can
By 8.5.11
Stressed out because your WiFi is too slow to get your work done? Crack open a cold one. Then dry it, slice it, and mount it on your router’s antennae. That’s right, you can boost your wifi just by doing some simple surgery on a beer can. [More]
TWC Tech Saves Boy From Drowning
By 8.1.11
Usually just getting a cable to tech to show up at the right time is worthy of a trophy, but last week a Time Warner Cable went above and beyond the call of duty and saved a 7-year old’s life. [More]
Get Help In Comcast Direct Forums
By 7.25.11
Another place where you can get help with your issues with Comcast is in the Comcast Direct forums over at the Broadband Reports message boards. [More]
Frustrating Chat With A Comcast Rep Impersonating A Robot
By 7.22.11
Is it a man or a robot? A robot impersonating a man? A man impersonating a robot? Such are the questions that flitted through bobbymac’s head as he engaged in text-based dialogue with a Comcast customer service rep. [More]
Audio: Fan Begs Comcast "Executive Customer Relations" For Fox Soccer HD
By 7.21.11
The clock is running out. English Premier League soccer kicks off on August 12th. Many satellite and cable providers have added the Fox Soccer Channel in HD, but Comcast still has not in the Bay Area. Soccer fans who want to see the beautiful game in HD are looking to switch providers if Comcast doesn’t add FSCHD pronto. This is an audio recording one of the fans made to Comcast “executive customer relations.” My favorite part is how at first the rep says one of the holdups is bandwidth issues and then after the fan proves that wrong and says “The bandwidth argument doesn’t hold up either,” the rep agrees and says, “I know, I know.” [More]
