Everyone Who Works For Comcast Cable Should Die

They did that to us, too. The ticker thing they ran during the early games on Sunday was phenomenal for keeping up with fantasy football stuff. And it seemed like the network was coming into its own during the offseason too, showing old games and NFL Films stuff. But fuck paying extra for it. We already pay almost $80 a month for two digital boxes. I'll be dead in the cold, cold ground before I shell out more money for what I can get on the web for free. And the NFL has a lot to do with that by greatly overestimating the value of their product.
The worst part about the switch to the sports tier was how they marketed it. We had to swap our old boxes for new ones so they "can offer us more channels and better services." Once we swapped the boxes, bye bye NFL Network and hello Spanish Pimp My Ride and VH1 Gospel. It was like a bait and switch, almost.

 

I recently switched to DirecTV after 4 years with Crapcast.
I got a deal through Verizon where I bundle my home long distance, DSL and satellite and save $40 a month and have much better picture and a lot more channels.
So, I call Crapcast and tell them I want my service stopped. She asks, may I ask why? Yes, I say, it's a former Adelphia area and it stinks. We get shafted on getting the new channels and the all-digital system like the rest of Pittsburgh, but you have no problem charging me the same price.
Her...sir, do you realize the Attorney General is investigating DirecTV for their contracts?
Me...do you realize your name is going to the same office if you don't cancel me right now?
Her...December 7 is your cut-off date, or you can take your boxes to any Comcast office...from where you live, you are 5 minutes from one..
Me...oh, no, I've been through this before..since I am a former Adelphia area, I need to drive 45 minutes to their one office in South-by-God, PA.
Her...Oh, really?
Me...Really.
Ok, well, we'll see you on the 7th.

7th comes, no pickup of said boxes.
I call on the 8th.
Crapcast...were you home?
Me...Would I have said you guys didn't show up if I wasn't? (me and the wife didn't miss a doorbell, trust me)
Her...ok, well, how about the 18th?
Me...Unacceptable, I won't be home.
Her...well, you know you can take the boxes to any...
Me...NO I CAN'T! I'M FORMER ADELPHIA!
Her...Oh.

Sunday the 9th around 11AM...Hi, this is Comcast, we're in your neighborhood, and understand you have boxes to pickup?
Me...Yes
Him...Ok, i'll be there in 5 minutes, ok?
Me....Great! thanks.

5 hours and 45 minutes later....
Doorbell.
Me...did you get lost?
Him...well, went to lunch and such...
Me...where, in Philly?
Him (now glaring)...do you have the boxes?
Me...Yes...
I sign, he gives me a copy and leaves.

December 10...registered letter from Comcast arrives, dated December 8, stating since I did not return the boxes on the 7th, I now owe them over $1,300 immediately or face this being sent to a collection agency.
Me to wife...please, please, please, can I go nuts on them? Swearing and everything?
Her...go into the computer room so the kids can't hear and drop a few f-bombs for me, ok?
Me...I love you more and more each day.

Me to Crapcast...so, you guys miss the appointment and threaten me with a collection agency?
Her..sir, you have to understand.
Me...I don't have to understand a thing. You guys failed to show up, and now threaten me?
Her...sir, you have to understand how things work here.
Me...No, I get how they work there perfectly. Absolutely horribly.
Her...how can we resolve this, sir?
Me...well, do you think that maybe deleting the $1,300 charge might be a good start?
Her...let me see what I can do
Me...No, don't see what you can do. Fix it. Now.
Her...please hold.
Me...I'll cry the whole time you're gone.
Her..Sir, you don't need to be sarcastic with me.
Me...Would you rather I was swearing like I want to but am restraining myself?
Her (I kid you not)...Ok, sarcasm works.

Her...Sir, I got rid of the charge for the cable boxes, but there still is an issue of the cable modem for $79.
Me...What cable modem issue?
Her...it shows one wasn't returned.
Me...that's right, because it was mine I bought at Best Buy.
Her...No, sir, I have a MAC address of a cable modem here.
Me...right, that's what you needed to turn it on with your service.
Her...But that modem needs to be returned.
Me...what brand and model of modem is it?
Her...I have no way of knowing that, sir.
Me..Then how do you know it's a Comcast modem?
Her...Sir, do you have the receipt and that modem?
Me...Yes.
Her...Well, you can take them to any....
Me....NO I WILL NOT! I'M NOT LIFTING A FINGER TO PROVE TO YOU THIS IS MY MODEM! IT'S ON YOU TO PROVE IT IS YOURS!
Her...I understand, can I investigate this and call you back?
Me...Please do.

Fast forward to December 26, guess what?
Never heard from them, but yet, got another bill for $79 for a cable modem.

I love Verizon.

 

Oh, I don't mind being the one defending the value of the NFL Network.

If you truly like pro football, having the game replays -- both exhibition and regular-season -- through the week is a great option to have. And its HD signal is among the best in the business. And there's little on Earth I enjoy more than football on good HD.

And those six regular-season games ... only two are worth a shit? Maybe to you. You know what they say about opinions.

No, I get more out of the NFL Network than 90% of what else I have.

 

The day Charter swaps franchises with COmcast down here is the day I bundle AT&T.
I dealt with Comcast in Michigan and vowed never again.
I went to see if Charter would extend my internet for 6 more months at the current rate of 19.99 and the clerk said "Well, we're getting rid of 3 meg service. How would you like 5 meg for 14.99 for the next year?"
Yeah, I could see Comcast doing that...

 

I think they did the same with SOAPnet. I'm just sayin'.

 

Direct TV....never had an issue, never have an outage, I have the platinum tier so all is right with the world. I don't care about the price, I just want it to work. And it does.

 

I don't think there's an industry-wide deadline for switching to digital cable.

There is a deadline for over-the-air TV, the kind you receive with an antenna. In February 2009 broadcast stations will shut off their analog transmitters, and you'll have to upgrade to a digital receiver to pick up their digital transmitters with your antenna.

However, basic cable vs premium cable is a separate matter. Basic cable, a low-priced package of only 20 channels or so, will always be with us. Cable systems currently provide an an analog version of those channels, and they're allowed to do so beyond February 2009 if they want to. However, they have business reasons for wanting to switch us all over to digital eventually, so they're gradually reducing the number of analog channels while promoting digital services like On Demand.

 

I hope you can look back at that and laugh now, mark. I know I'm laughing.

And bagelchick, I'm glad it has worked so well for you. I have had multiple outages with DirecTV...and issues with my NFL Ticket package at least four times....including the time they just decided to shut my access off the last week of the regular season for no reason at all.

It got so bad that they ran out of free things to give me. They actually told me they couldn't compensate me for the inconvenience because there was nothing left they hadn't given me. In other words, "If you haven't dumped us after this many screw-ups, we figure you'll either dump us now or just keep bending over and taking it."

I really need to move back home so I don't need their crappy service to see all of the Steelers' games.

 

If you're getting Direct TV just for the NFL ticket, and your parents still live in Western PA, get a slingbox. Then, hook it up to their guest bedroom television.

 

Had it been me I would have dropped so many f-bombs in that last conversation that it'd be up on YouTube by now. What a bunch of fucking thieving assholes.