Stupid, stupid companies

OK, here's the deal: Living where I live, which is on the outskirts of town, I've got one option for high speed internet service -- Charter. They suck. If I could rid myself of these assholes, I wouldn't hesitate. I had their cable TV service for about an hour before switching to satellite. But I'm stuck when it comes to Internet service.

Anyway, a couple months back, I noticed I was being charged more -- significantly more -- for my Internet service. I call. The person who answers informs me that the rates have changed, since I don't have TV service through their company, I now no longer qualify for my previous rate.

Me: So you just changed the damn rate without a call, a letter, an email, nothing? And you expect me to pay you this rate?

Cable guy: Yes.

So, I paid the bill -- I mean, what are you gonna do? -- cut my service back to a lower speed and started searching hard for an alternative. Coming up empty, I call back yesterday to Charter and ask if there's not something I can do to lower this rate. Woman on the other end says, "Well, you could sign up for cable TV. If you added just basic cable, you would save $10 overall on your bill and you'd get our fastest Internet service."

So now, I've got a cable tech coming out to the house to switch on cable TV service that I won't even hook up, because they wouldn't just increase my Internet speed and change my bill without a tech coming out. When he's finished, in addition to paying this guy for performing a worthless service, they'll also be providing me with two different services for $10 less than what I was paying for one, shittier service.

Now, I'm begging you, please, please, please explain this to me.

Why wouldn't you just offer me the damn Internet service at a lower rate and be done with it? I could understand it better if this was some premium cable package that included movie channels and whatnot and was only good for a few months, but it's freakin' basic cable and it's good for a year.

Who's running these companies?

 

Idiots, that's who.

I've got a growing Comcast rant that dates back to 2001.

My favorite thing is you can call up three times and get four different answers to your questions. Each "service representative" contradicts the one before.

Of course I could go on about the types of people they hire to answer their phones, but what scares me more is when I go into the bank and the teller is someone I went to high school with who barely graduated. I'd rather have them answering the phones at the cable company.

 

Oh, don't even mention calling these damn companies, what with the "new and improved" automated answering systems. You know, the automated chick who can't understand anything you say, including the words she's provided to you as possible answers.

I can't begin to count the number of times over the past two months that I've shouted "INTERNET SERVICE" into the phone and had this high-tech answering system, after a long pause, come back with: "I'm sorry, but I didn't quite get that. Did you say, 'Technical Service'?"

 

One word: Cablevision.

End of thread.

Seriously. Be glad you don't live in the Northeast, where that fucking douchebag Jim Dolan rapes customers several times a day at every turn.

 

You know, it occurs to me that a decent question would be, is there a cable company out there that people are happy with?

I've never heard anyone say, "My cable company is fantastic. Hooked me up with a great deal. I love 'em." I've honestly never in my life had someone attempt to sell me on their cable company. Satellite, yes. Cell phone, yes. Home phone, yes. Internet provider, yes. But cable company, I've heard nothing but bitching.

In almost every other service industry, there's one or two companies that stand out. Not in cable, though.

 

Bresnan was all right when I was in Wyoming. They didn't anything memorable in my favor but they warned me when they were raising rates, which they did twice in three years.

Comcast has proven to be an unmitigated purveyor of douchebaggery. They'll service the apartment complex across the street but won't service mine, even though the same company runs both complexes.

 

I've got Charter (digital cable + internet) and after going through some battles with them, I am now fairly content with their service. I got in on a pricing deal that gives me digital cable with all the movie channels and on-demand plus 3mps on the high-speed for a little over $100 a month. So the price is fine. I noticed their service got better after I started mentioning on every call, "You know, I am this close to switching satellite and I am just looking for the final reason." They've given me some free stuff at times when I drop that line.

I still don't like them, but I am content. I don't get DSL in my (semi-rural) area so they are the only option for high-speed.

 

So that's the polite way?

 

Just so you know, one of the many deals they pitched me was a combo where I got their digital cable premium package, which includes the movie channels + the 3mg Internet service for a year for like $60. If I trusted their cable service for a second and if they offered a decent DVR system, I woulda jumped.

 

Generally. That's what the ex did.

 

Interesting, interesting. I think I'll subscribe to yer newsletter.

 

The King has this shit-eating grin on his face because of that ine