Save me from Comcast!!

[Kraken]

It's telling that I necro'd a 10-year-old thread and nothing has changed. People still hate Comcast for all the same reasons. Now I get to be one of them.

[Rumpy]

Customer service was the best aspect of BELD. They only had around 10,000 customers, all the employees are locals, and they went out of their way to solve a vexing problem I had a couple of years ago with a free technician visit and multiple followup calls. I'm going to really miss that friendly personal touch.

I share your pain. We had a similar experience with our local service provider, who we even had the ear of the CEO at the time and could drop in at the local office if we had a problem only they could solve. It was great. That was several decades ago and they've since been bought twice and are part of a larger national corporation, and even while they still have a local office, they've become a little too big and all of their tech support is offshore. It is so frustrating having to deal with them now. It is very frustrating when trying to explain something to a foreign person on the other end while they have no context or appreciation for the problems at hand, because often they'll have no real clue what's going on or how something is supposed to work. The last time I called, I laughably had someone try to have me log in to something they no longer support. Logging into it did absolutely nothing and meanwhile they were getting frustrated with me for not following along, in the end we ended up giving up. I could hear the frustration on the other end, which was part of a severe communication issue. If there was something in the process that I needed to do, it was never established. Just do this, do that, never stopping to consider that we might that we might not be on the same page. Was I supposed to be using an app? Don't know, he just assumed I was using one and never stopped to ask, which I would assume is a crucial bit of info, and this is where the personal touch would have helped about 20 years ago. This was to try to get me connected to the provider's streaming service via their app, which I still haven't managed to get to work.

[Hrothgar]

It's telling that I necro'd a 10-year-old thread and nothing has changed. People still hate Comcast for all the same reasons. Now I get to be one of them.

I wouldn't say nothing has changed. Comcast is a fine, reliable service right up to the point you have to deal with an actual human. The improvement is that they've reduced the number of things you need an actual human to do. If you use the app or the web, you can do a lot of things that used to require tech support. It is possible to find a good tech support or customer service person, but the odds are well under 50%.

[Kraken]

Well, I just want it to work like any other utility -- I pays my money and I gets my service. If that happens with no hijinks I won't have any complaints.

[Blackhawk]

I don't disagree with that, with the caveat that you have to be careful in going to through the process of getting a plan that gives you what you want without paying for things you don't want. Be sure to be aware of data caps. Pay attention to the upload speed you're getting. Read the fine print, read up on what the 'extras' are, check the detailed bill online (you don't need the paper version, it's all online), after a month or two and make sure you know what everything is.

After that, they do pretty much function like a normal utility: You pays your money and you gets your service, but they're going to do everything in their power to maximize the prior.

Comcast is worst than most, but every utility, even my regional power company bugs me to join 'programs' and accept extras that serve mostly to make them money/reduce their costs, and they throw out announcements of extra costs and reduced service wrapped in so much honey that it sounds like you're getting a bonus instead of giving them one.

A blatant example: My local power company pushes hard for their 'equal billing' program, which balances out your bills by averaging them across the year so that you don't have 'surprise' big bills in the summer. That actually sounds good... until you read the fine print on the back of the offer. The thing is, they recalculate what you should have paid at the end of the year. If you underpaid, you own them all of the difference. If you overpaid, they keep the extra. Oh, and you pay about a 10% across-the-board fee for the privilege of joining the program. Plus there is an annual fee. And yet, a lot of people fall for what is, essentially, "Sign here to voluntarily raise your bill with no new services!"

[Blackhawk]

It's telling that I necro'd a 10-year-old thread and nothing has changed. People still hate Comcast for all the same reasons. Now I get to be one of them.

I wouldn't say nothing has changed. Comcast is a fine, reliable service right up to the point you have to deal with an actual human. The improvement is that they've reduced the number of things you need an actual human to do. If you use the app or the web, you can do a lot of things that used to require tech support. It is possible to find a good tech support or customer service person, but the odds are well under 50%.

This is true, but with caveats. They've reduced customer service (primarily to save money) by allowing users to make changes, but they do so by reducing the choices. Your aunt no longer needs to call you to figure out why the internet isn't working. They can fix it on the app, because everything on there is so simple. They've gone out of their way to reduce the number of settings, choices, and options that are accessible to the end user. They let the user adjust their bill, change their settings, and solve their own problems - by forcing preconfigured choices that are easy to understand, but a absolute nightmare if you want to do something that isn't what 90% of their customers (elderly people checking Facebook and looking at YouTube) want to do. See my problem with blocked ports mentioned earlier. It took days to get that one solved, and in the end required shutting down almost all of Comcast's options, putting their hardware into pure bridge mode (their modem does nothing but decode the signal and pass it on) and buying my own hardware with actual configurable settings. In other words, getting rid of all of their easy options in order to give myself back some control.

[Kraken]

I got my "All your base are belong to us" letter from Comcast today, explaining their assimilation process. The gist is that our current 100/20 service will be replaced with their 100/5 service on Jan. 6. It will be $40/mo (our current price) for 12 months, after which it will rise to their regular rate of $84, or $65 if we also take basic cable TV or phone service. If we take the cable, I think I have to rent a cable box (but could probably dump YTTV, which serves as our streaming cable-replacement).

The menu of bundles and add-ons is four pages of small type with 29 footnotes. There will be outages while they do the conversion, and potentially an installation fee if (something something something).

[telcta]

I got my "All your base are belong to us" letter from Comcast today, explaining their assimilation process. The gist is that our current 100/20 service will be replaced with their 100/5 service on Jan. 6. It will be $40/mo (our current price) for 12 months, after which it will rise to their regular rate of $84, or $65 if we also take basic cable TV or phone service. If we take the cable, I think I have to rent a cable box (but could probably dump YTTV, which serves as our streaming cable-replacement).

Watch the fees on the cable service. It drives me nuts being charged a $20 Broadcast TV Fee on top of our TV/Internet bundle and if you're adding a cable box it may still may be worth having internet only from Comcast and going with Hulu/YouTube or another service for TV.

[Kraken]

I don't really want to go back to cable, with its limited DVR capability and need for another box. Will most likely just pay the premium to stay internet-only.

[Daehawk]

I heard a Comcast commercial on the radio today. They were touting their business package that included a 35 MEG speed . hahahahhaa 35 meg....what decade are they working from??

[Blackhawk]

Mother fucking stupid goddamned moronic dimwitted fuckface shitwits. GAAAAHHHH

[Hrothgar]

We did try to warn you what happens when you get human customer service involved at Comcast.

We will pray for you.

[Blackhawk]

I am now speaking to my fifth agent on an issue.

[Daehawk]

Have you allowed them to get to page 2 of their printed script of questions and opinions?

[Anonymous Bosch]

I am now speaking to my fifth agent on an issue.

[Blackhawk]

Situation: Wife and I open a Comcast account circa 2003.
In 2007 we divorce, and transfer the account to my name (we were told.)
Four or five years ago, I suddenly can't access my account. I call, and it turns out that they never finished the transfer. A bit of this, a bit of that, and bam - problem solved (we were told.)
This week, I suddenly can't access my account again - I can't look at my bill, for instance. I call. The last time they didn't take care of it, either - they just set my account as a 'manager' on the account, still under her name.
So, four days ago I find that this is the problem, and ask to get it transferred to my name once and for all.

Bolding my lines.

Agent 1: Really helpful. I think.

The username you shared, is added as the secondary username on the account and only primary user can access the billing and other info, that might be the reason you are not able to access it

Who is the primary user?

There is no other username.
Primary user name: blackhawk3339

[Ex's name]

Yes

I have fixed this *before*. This has not been [name's] account in 15 years. She is my ex-wife, and she moved out of this address in 2007.
This was supposed to have been fixed.

[snip]

I regret for the inconvenience you faced, Your name is added as auth user, so you have the access however not added your name as the account holder, not to worry, I will raise a ticket for you, for change of ownership of the account, you would need to share the required documents and it will be changed in few days

[snip]

I am sharing you a link, you would need to download it and fill out the necessary details and need to share it to an email that you will receive once I raise ticket for you along with required documents

Ok

https://secure.xfinity.com/anon.comcast ... 4-5-21.pdf
Here's the link

If you want me to return it via email, how do you want me to handle the signatures?

Esignature, if you can do that

I have never heard of it.

You can just write your name there, if you are not able to add your proper signatures
best contact number

Just type it in? My contact number is [number]

Yes you can type on that form

Ok, I'll just type the signatures.



Sure, I am almost done

He went on to tell me that she and I would be receiving phone calls the next day to confirm everything and verify our identities. I filled out the form (correctly), sent along photos of all of the requested documentation, and submitted it.

Note: I left the link intact. It's available publicly, and isn't a secret or tied to any person's account. And the form has relevance later.

Next day, no call. Four days later (today), I get an email.

Thank you for your recent request.

In order to complete your request, we need some more information.

At your earliest convenience, please click here to send us

-Consent to transfer account form for current account holder (page 2)
-Consent to transfer account form for new account holder (page 3)
-Electronic signature not permitted. Please manually sign the Consent to Transfer account form for the current account holder (page 2) and resubmit
- Electronic signature not permitted. Please manually sign the Consent to Transfer account form for the new account holder (page 3) and resubmit
- Please check the box on page 3 of the New Account Holder Xfinity Consent to Transfer Account

Once we receive this information, we will be able to continue working on your request. We appreciate your assistance.

See anything that seems off?
First off, these:

-Consent to transfer account form for current account holder (page 2)
-Consent to transfer account form for new account holder (page 3)
and
- Please check the box on page 3 of the New Account Holder Xfinity Consent to Transfer Account

This document is a .pdf. A multi-page .pdf. Pages 2 and 3 (including the box that was, indeed, checked) was part of the same document. Is there mouse wheel broken? Their Page Down key, too? How fucking stupid can you be?

-Electronic signature not permitted. Please manually sign the Consent to Transfer account form for the current account holder (page 2) and resubmit
- Electronic signature not permitted. Please manually sign the Consent to Transfer account form for the new account holder (page 3) and resubmit

Was specifically addressed. I was told to simply type the name in.

So I go and have another chat with them.

Agent 2. Fucking moron with a brain as hard as the fossilized shit it is full of.

[I fill him in on what I've told you.]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate you taking time in reaching out to us. I am more than happy to quickly help you fix your issue.
I have checked your account and can see that a ticket is already pending for the same issue.
The ticket resolution period is 5 to 7 days.
Hence, I would request you to wait a little more

What issue is the ticket pending on? This is the first time I've contacted you about it.

The ownership change request, which was submitted by the representative with whom you a word with on call.

Yes, four days ago on the 4th.
You contacted me back TODAY to tell me you needed more information about it.

Correct. The ticket has been locked on 4 June.

I'm telling you that I already submitted the information, and it's still asking for it.
You contacted me today about the ticket. I am responding to your request.
Hello?

I am here. Please allow me a moment.
I understand how frustrating this must be for you. I certainly didn't want you to feel that way as you are our valuable customer.
Further, what I will do, I will update notes on your account, so that you get a call back on priority basis as the ticket is already going on.

You don't understand what I'm saying.
I have been contacted back on the ticket.
I was contacted today.
That's why I'm replying. I'm replying to *your* request about the ticket.

I understand that you are replying to the email which has been sent to you on that ticket.

Yes.
That said that I need to contact you for the process to continue.
So I'm contacting you concerning the information you specifically requested.
I'm not here because I was impatient. I am here because you asked me to contact you.

Since, I have limited access of tools here, I would have to transfer your chat to relevant department.

Yes, please do that.

Agent 3: Left asshole doesn't know what the right is doing.

i do understand your concern, However as we are from the centralized inter troubleshooting tem, we can not have access to change the name on the account, I request you to please visit near by Xfinity store to change the name on the account with original documents.

There *IS* no nearby Xfinity store.
The nearest one is 150-mile round trip.

Let me check the nearest store from my end.

[Apparently I missed a line or two when I copy-pasted the chat as a record. They told me that I had to visit a store in person and couldn't transfer the account online.]

You can change names on accounts online. That is why you have a form to be submitted online specifically to change names on accounts.

Sure, I do understand your concern, I am updating it on the notes and our dedicated team will contact you soon regarding the same, as we are from the centralized internet troubleshooting team.

Then why was I transferred to you?
Who do I need to talk to?

[Some pointless back and forth here that basically comes down to "we can't help from here"]

Who can you transfer me to who has the authority to handle this issue?

I do understand your concern, Duane However, As we have limited access Ican not transfer you chat, else I request you can call the dedicated team at 1800-934-6489. They are available to answer your questions at your convenience, 24 hours a day.

Which team is that?

Else please help me with your preferred timings so that I can mentioned it on your accounts, then our team will contact you.
It is our activation team.

[stuff]

Now, that number - is that someone who deals specifically with account transfers, or is it a general support line?

Please try dialing 221 or 000 after calling on 1-800-934-6489 to connect to the team

Thank you.

You are most welcome.

Spoiler: That number just forwards to a generic support line with a voice menu that will not respond to the extension.

So I spend five minutes trying to call the Xfinity store nearest me, hoping someone there can cut through the shit.

Spoiler: The number for the local store just forwards to a generic support line. Xfinity stores can't be called directly. Apparently they don't even have 'secret' numbers - you have to get a card from an individual to contact them.

Agent 4: Nice, but clueless.

I explain that I have spoken to three agents already who don't know how to help me, and ask to speak to someone who can. The script kicks in. She'd be glad to help me, but wants to know the details and to see if she can help me herself. No amount of requesting can bypass the script.

So I fill her in. And she asks a few questions, and tries to respond. Her English is so bad that I can't understand every third word (To get it out of the way: I don't care where you're from. I love India. And Indian people are smart. But not being able to speak a language well is a hindrance to a job based on communication in that language.)

I finish filling her in. She puts me on hold the check some things. Ten minutes later she comes back on the line. "Sir Duane, I have some answers for you." (She kept calling that; apparently I've been knighted.) She then proceeds to tell me that the document I've sent in is the wrong one, because it is for account transfer for a deceased person.

Sigh.

No, it's not, I explain to her. It's an all-purpose account transfer form, that's why it has a checkbox on page one for different situations, including legal name change, incarceration, and mine, which reads, "Transfer Account to New Account Holder (do not use for death of a customer.)



Oh, she says. Ok.

She then proceeds to tell me the rest of the problem:

I didn't submit page 2.
I didn't submit page 3.
I didn't check the box on page 3 (how can they know? I didn't submit that, did I?)
And I didn't sign.

Oh, so sigh.

So I explain that it's all one document, and that I was told that a signature was unnecessary.

"Let me transfer you to someone with knowledge of this." This was 15-20 minutes into the conversation that started with me requesting to speak to someone with knowledge in this.



I then go on hold for 45 minutes. I typed almost this entire post on hold. She comes back on every 15 minutes to tell me she's still waiting for a supervisor. After 45 minutes she tells me that a supervisor will call me right back.

That's where I am now. Waiting. Two and a half hours after I started. Hell, I even had to eat my damned dinner while on the text chat.

[gilraen]

I'd suggest asking for help at r/Comcast_Xfinity, the Reddit team is more competent than the phone support center.

[Blackhawk]

I'd suggest asking for help at r/Comcast_Xfinity, the Reddit team is more competent than the phone support center.

Thanks. If this doesn't work out, I may try that. If not, I honestly will get in the car and drive 75 miles to the Xfinity store and ask to speak to a manager about why I had to talk to five people trying to explain that pages 2 and 3 of an electronic document were part of page 1, but that you had to scroll down.

[Daehawk]

[Blackhawk]

I would have nuked Comcast from my life years ago if Comcast weren't the only planet in jump range.

[Blackhawk]

"My supervisor will call you back in just a few minutes, I promise." That's close to an exact quote.

An hour and a half later...

This is the third day in the past week that I've spent more than two hours in a row dealing with Comcast. Early last month I did an 8-hour day with them.

[Blackhawk]

Nope. Never called back. I'm wondering if she lied to make me someone else's problem. Sort of like the second agent who transferred me to a random department that had nothing to do with my issue.

[Blackhawk]

Spoiler: The supervisor never called back.

I'd suggest asking for help at r/Comcast_Xfinity, the Reddit team is more competent than the phone support center.

I'm going to do exactly that. But after several hours with Xfinity support five days ago, two hours with Comcast support two days ago, and several hours last night, I need a day off. I'll tackle it in a day or two.

[Kraken]

A young man knocked on our door today to see if we might want to switch from Comcast to Verizon FIOS.

Oh hell yeah.

It will triple our internet bill, from $30 to $90/mo, but it will also increase our speed from 400Mbps to 1 gig...plus, fiber optic reliability. And if 1 gig turns out to be overkill I can drop to 500 MB for $70/mo. Installation is free, and happening next Tuesday.

I hooked up autopay to my business checking account so I'll be using pre-tax dollars to reduce my profit and the taxes I have to pay on my K-1 income.

[Daehawk]

I hooked up autopay to my business checking account so I'll be using pre-tax dollars to reduce my profit and the taxes I have to pay on my K-1 income.

Some kind of witchcraft.

[Isgrimnur]

Accounting is voodoo, sir.

[Kraken]

I hooked up autopay to my business checking account so I'll be using pre-tax dollars to reduce my profit and the taxes I have to pay on my K-1 income.

Some kind of witchcraft.

Heh, I'm sticking peanuts to the man!

By paying with my company's money instead of mine, I won't pay payroll taxes on $1,080/yr. And reducing my business income by that amount reduces the profit and the income tax on the profit that gets passed down to me (and I get a deduction if it tips into a loss).

It's good to be a corporation and bad to make a profit of more than a few bucks.

[Carpet_pissr]

A young man knocked on our door today to see if we might want to switch from Comcast to Verizon FIOS.

Oh hell yeah.

It will triple our internet bill, from $30 to $90/mo, but it will also increase our speed from 400Mbps to 1 gig...plus, fiber optic reliability. And if 1 gig turns out to be overkill I can drop to 500 MB for $70/mo. Installation is free, and happening next Tuesday.

I hooked up autopay to my business checking account so I'll be using pre-tax dollars to reduce my profit and the taxes I have to pay on my K-1 income.

If you are using mostly wifi, 1GB is definitely overkill (and for two people in the house, it’s probably overkill even with mostly wired connections).

You also forgot one pretty decent benefit of fiber over your previous service: your upload speed will be as fast as your download speed.

[Carpet_pissr]

"My supervisor will call you back in just a few minutes, I promise." That's close to an exact quote.

An hour and a half later...

This is the third day in the past week that I've spent more than two hours in a row dealing with Comcast. Early last month I did an 8-hour day with them.

Keep track of your hours and send them a bill. Charge a fair hourly rate and tell them you prefer to receive payment in the form of a credit to your account.

Fuckers. And it’s not just Comcast. I’ve dealt with very similar CSR incompetence (or in AT&T’s case, suspected ‘soft malfeasance’) with DirectTV, AT&T and Spectrum. HOURS on the phone, and holding, and being transferred (or just ‘dropped’ (oops!).

[Kraken]

If you are using mostly wifi, 1GB is definitely overkill (and for two people in the house, it’s probably overkill even with mostly wired connections).

You also forgot one pretty decent benefit of fiber over your previous service: your upload speed will be as fast as your download speed.

The smart TV has an Ethernet connection. Everything else is Wi-Fi. TV streaming is where I hope to notice the most difference.

[coopasonic]

If you are using mostly wifi, 1GB is definitely overkill (and for two people in the house, it’s probably overkill even with mostly wired connections).

You also forgot one pretty decent benefit of fiber over your previous service: your upload speed will be as fast as your download speed.

The smart TV has an Ethernet connection. Everything else is Wi-Fi. TV streaming is where I hope to notice the most difference.

4k streaming takes 25Mbps. Gigabit is definitely overkill. I have gigabit because it removes the data cap. No other reason... well I like when steam downloads go really fast, that is the only tangible benefit and I live in a house with 4 people using the net constantly on multiple devices at once.

[Kraken]

Good to know. I'll probably bust it down to 500MB to save $20. But they're installing at 1GB so I'm at least going to try that. It's supposedly easy to switch back-and-forth with the MyVerizon app.

[stessier]

Good to know. I'll probably bust it down to 500MB to save $20. But they're installing at 1GB so I'm at least going to try that. It's supposedly easy to switch back-and-forth with the MyVerizon app.

We are a family of 4 with 25 connected devices in the house and everyone is streaming at least one thing almost constantly (the kids generally have 2+ between music and vids at the same time). We have 200 down through Charter and have never noticed an issue.

[Blackhawk]

Here we go... again!

[Blackhawk]

Stupid motherfucking human goddamn trash.

I had a minor issue. I spoke to a chat agent, and they said I needed a tech. They scheduled it for me for today from 3-5. I rearranged the entire family's schedule to be here, avoided any of my normal activities because I wouldn't be able to hear the knock, couldn't let the birds out of their cages for exercise (which is not healthy for them.) At 5 they hadn't shown up, so I got back in chat.

They forgot to book the appointment. Oops, sorry. We can book you a new one!

"Oh, and while we're at it, we've got you set up with rental modem codes. You don't have our modem anymore, and we're still charging you for it, and have been for six months." (it's not on the bill, btw - it's buried under a trade name.) "Let us fix that. You'll still have the same speeds, and your bill will be $25/month cheaper. Oh, you'll lose the unlimited data. If you want that back, it's an extra $30"

This, and the kind of issues I've had before (scroll up) is why they hide their managers. They absolutely do not want their captive customers to be able to ask about the absurdity that is their customer service.

[Kraken]

Good to know. I'll probably bust it down to 500MB to save $20. But they're installing at 1GB so I'm at least going to try that. It's supposedly easy to switch back-and-forth with the MyVerizon app.

We are a family of 4 with 25 connected devices in the house and everyone is streaming at least one thing almost constantly (the kids generally have 2+ between music and vids at the same time). We have 200 down through Charter and have never noticed an issue.

Funny story: When I went into MyFIOS to bust our speed down from 1 gig to 500MB, it saved $1.49, not $20. As part of the 1 gig signup I got Verizon Cloud (which I don't use or want) for free, but it stops being free if I change the terms. So 1 gig it stays. We're paying too much for more bandwidth than we will ever use.

Also, the MyFIOS app won't talk to the MyVerizon app because the former is in my name and the latter is in Wife's name. That's not Verizon's fault, but changing the name on either account would be a major hassle, which kind of is Verizon's fault.

[Blackhawk]

Quick question - one regional provider in the area, with whom we had internet ~20 years ago, just laid fiber in town, right next to our sidewalk. It isn't available yet. Monthly fees aside, is there a big charge for running the lines into the house for the hookup?

If I can walk away from Comcast forever in another year (or whatever), I'll happily pay extra for the privilege.

[Hrothgar]

Ours didn't have an extra hook up fee. We had to put a small 'interest' deposit down. Once there was enough interest, they ran fiber for the whole neighborhood. No one was hooked up until the neighborhood cable installation was completed and tested. Once we were hooked up, they credited our deposit to our first monthly bill.

[Blackhawk]

Still on the chat. It's been an hour and a half now, and I'm still getting is straightened out. I love how they managed to remove the rental from my bill and increase the bill in the process.

They also seem to have screwed up my account privileges again (every time they make a change to the account, I get set back to 'user' - scroll up to the previous long posts about how they can't figure out how to change the ownership of the account, which results in this happening over and over.)

[Alefroth]

Quick question - one regional provider in the area, with whom we had internet ~20 years ago, just laid fiber in town, right next to our sidewalk. It isn't available yet. Monthly fees aside, is there a big charge for running the lines into the house for the hookup?

If I can walk away from Comcast forever in another year (or whatever), I'll happily pay extra for the privilege.

I didn't have to pay Centurylink anything earlier this year to run fiber from a nearby pole to my house.