Remember Jim? His Comcast cable box randomly responded to the emergency alert system (EAS) by tuning in to QVC. According to a source inside Comcast, rogue lightning strikes set off the EAS, even though there wasn’t an emergency. Two things happen when the EAS activates: the cable box switches to a local channel, and Comcast replaces the local programming with an alert. In Jim’s case, the box switched to the emergency channel—which happened to be QVC—but since there wasn’t an emergency, there was no special broadcast. So what can you do next time your cable box independently declares an emergency?
techs
10 Confessions Of A Charter Customer Service Representatives
By 5.2.09
Did you know there isn’t a formal way to report a Charter cable outage, and that you’re entitled to a $20 credit if your tech is a single minute late for your appointment? These, and other fantastic tips to get faster, cheaper service from Charter, as told by a former customer service representative, inside…
Is This Computer Water Damaged? Circuit City Says Yes
By 9.25.08
Robert bought an extended warranty from Circuit City, but they won’t honor it to repair his broken computer because they claim it has water damage. Robert writes, “As God is my witness, this computer has never seen water,” and he sent us the photos Circuit City sent him.
Comcast Tech Accuses 74-Year-Old Man Of Stealing Cable Service
By 8.9.08
Ally’s story, after the jump…
Lies: Verizon Tells Your Husband That You Weren't Home When You Said You Were
By 5.19.08
It’s a good thing Lynette has a healthy relationship with her husband, because Verizon is telling lies about techs showing up at her home. In addition, Lynette is getting really sick of answering calls for some other family whose phone number now randomly rings her house.
Drunk Dell Tech Repairs Laptop With Hammer
By 4.12.08
A boozy Dell tech tried to repair the headphone jack on Andrea’s Inspiron 9100 with a hammer. Andrea’s sense of propriety kept her quiet when Joel arrived reeking of booze and cigarettes, and neither she nor her boyfriend spoke up when he started wielding a hammer to install parts that wouldn’t fit onto the motherboard. Joel ended up cracking the case and putting nail holes through the wrist pad. When he left, Andrea called Dell to complain and asked for a new tech. Who did Dell dispatch? Joel!
DirecTV Contractor Demands Tip Before Starting Work, Storms Out When Faced With A Table
By 4.5.08
William writes to tell us about an asinine DirecTV contractor who demanded a tip before starting work. The contractor was dispatched by Halstead Communications, DirecTV’s unfortunate installer of choice in New York. After being denied an entrance tip, the contractor noticed an easily movable table blocking his way and declared to his partner, “I can’t work like this, let’s get the fuck out of here.”
DirecTV Contractor: No, We Won't Fix Our Botched Installation
By 12.30.07
DirecTV’s installation contractor, Ironwood Communications, insists on mounting Archie’s three receivers directly to his wood shake roof, even though the subcontractor they retained claims that an under-eave attachment is necessary to avoid damage.
DirecTV Just As Incompetent As Comcast
By 12.22.07
“I was one of the majority when it came to being fed up with Comcast. However, unlike most, I never had any of the customer service nightmares so often reported on consumer sites. My dissatisfaction with Comcast was purely based on what I felt was unfair pricing.
Time Warner Offers $30 Credit To Apologize For Hammering Through Wall, Drilling Through Floor
By 10.7.07
A Time Warner installation tech searching for a cable line hammered several holes in reader Christos’ wall, and then drilled a few more in his floor. When the random destruction failed to produce the wire, the tech crept downstairs and split Christos’ neighbor’s line. Now Christos can only watch the channel selected on his neighbor’s cable box.
Comcast Tech Leaves Halfway Through Install, Tells Boss He's Done
By 9.10.07
Bob Garfield usually writes a blog about advertising and marketing for Advertising Age. Yesterday’s post was a change of pace for Bob. It’s called: “Comcast Must Die.”
Time Warner Repairman Jailed For Sexual Assault
By 8.26.07
If a creepy Time Warner repairman says he wants to ‘be with you’ while on a service call, you probably shouldn’t let him back in your house. After making the comment, Steven James Hernandez was dispatched back to the house to fix a problem outside; instead, he decided to bang on the 28 year-old woman’s door. From KENS 5:
Police said the banging at the door lasted at least 15 minutes, and the man at the door was Hernandez.
Verizon: There Was No Fire. Fire Department: Yes, There Was A Fire.
By 8.14.07
We’re feeling philosophical this morning after being confronted with two very different accounts of what went on at a small house on Pine Grove Street in Needham, Mass. Was there a fire? Was there not a fire? What is the definition of fire, anyway?
Verizon Sets Fire To Your Home
By 8.10.07
What’s worse than Verizon not showing up for you appointment? Verizon techs showing up for you appointment, only to set fire to your home.
Comcast Cut My DSL Line
By 8.4.07
Comcast cut Ian’s Speakeasy DSL line while installing a fiber optic cable for his live-in landlord. Ian couldn’t convince Comcast that cutting another company’s line was a problem:
All calls to Comcast have been met with cynicism, contempt, and out-right lies. Among the things i was told was: there was no independent line, the line belonged to Comcast, my landlord was the problem, the house was wired improperly when built (you know, back in the ’70s when DSL was all the rage, right?), and then was eventually hung up on.
Fed up with Comcast’s lies, Ian hopped in his car and drove to the nearest Comcast office. Ian writes:
Dell Tries To Repair $10 Battery, Hoses $150 Video Card
By 7.30.07
Dell sent a tech to replace the CMOS battery on Richard’s computer. The tech did replace the battery, but he also ripped out the I/O cable to the motherboard, and ruined Richard’s $150 video card. Richard writes:
Don't Activate Comcast's Internet Service Yourself Or They Will Block Your Modem
By 7.21.07
Why wait for Comcast to set up your internet service when you can activate it yourself? That’s what Alex and his roommates thought when they activated their service in June, unaided by a tech. Comcast had scheduled a tech to install Alex’s service, but the tech didn’t show until several days after his appointment, when he was told his services were not needed. This greatly angered Comcast:
“because [Alex’s roommate] called Comcast himself to set it up (in effect doing exactly what the tech would have done, had he bothered to show up), no one was being billed for our internet! So, instead of notifying anyone, they flipped the switch and turned it off.”
DirecTV Installer Needs Electrical Tape, Prefers Coke To Water, Is Concerned About Your Parenting
By 6.25.07
Christy is having the best time getting DirecTV installed in her home. Highlights of her hilariously tragic email include:
