Just wanted to throw that out there. Cable goes out, I call their help desk, which is automated, and after asking me what my problem is (I selected #2, my internet is out), it directed me to check out comcast.net
*** Update ***
I actually was contacted by a Comcast representative because of this post. All hail the intertrons.
I really have no options regarding my service, so I hope Comcast gets it together. It sure seems like things have gone downhill in this area since Adelphia (who I really thought was great), but we shall see. On the upside, I do have a ton more HD stations than I ever did in the past, and all of my connection issues are of a recent vintage, so maybe it is just a glitch.
My main problem, though, is with their customer support. It really is sub-par.
jon
Well, where else but the internet could you get such great help? It’s only logical.
Plus, you can answer a few quick survey questions to help ensure that Comcast may better assist its many customers in the future.
….
What?
Oh, nevermind.
Jen
This story cracked me up. Make sure you don’t miss the part about how they called him to confirm he was home before showing up to service his broken phone.
SteveinSC
DSL
Jay
Problem solved on their end.
Splitting Image
“it directed me to check out comcast.net”
Do you want me to email you the link?
Some guy named Matt
That’s teh funny. Verizon customer service ,on average, is no better. To fix a billing error a few weeks ago I was billed $106 in error two months after canceling my service. I spent 48 agonizing minutes on teh phone and was transferred to a total of 8, that’s right 8 people, and each time i had to start all over again. Each one of requested my account number, address, phone number, promise of 1st born male, and an explanation of what was going on. Then they’d laugh and transfer me to the next person. The only solitce I could take from the whole experience was that I had to make the call from work because verizon only excepts call m-f 8-5.
Svlad Jelly
That’s why I keep my old dial-up modem and free NetZero account. Comes in handy when the broadband goes down…or I forget to pay the bill.
Jake
If you’re looking for a better ISP do not switch to Verizon.
RSA
From Jen’s link:
This guy is like the average cell phone user: most people want to use their phones for maybe a dozen things, if that many. But cell phone manufacturers just don’t get it. Even niche marketers, like Jitterbug, aiming at the retiree market segment, don’t get it–the user guide for their OneTouch phone is 137 pages long.
PaulW
Ahahahahahahahaaaaa!
You want a better solution to deal with Comcast? Run for office on the platform that you will F-CK Comcast from here to eternity for their lousy product and idiotic customer service. Just that, no other issue. You’ll win 90 percent of the electorate for sure.
Geoduck
I have to use Comcast for cable TV, but trusting them with my internet service? Not a chance. Just glad there’s a semi-local outfit I can turn to..
DrDave
Verizon sucks but they suck less than Comcast. I had DSL at home, then they put in fiber. FIOS has been great; I’ve had it about 10 months and it hasn’t gone down 3 times. Before that, the DSL virtually never went down. Not as fast as cable but way more dependable a connection.
If you in a decent wireless coverage area, you might want to consider going that route. My office manager lives just outside West Podunk off a rural dirt road–no cable, no DSL. She got a sprint or verizon wireless card and it has worked out reasonably well for her.
The Other Steve
I’ve had ok experience with Comcast for my internet. Don’t want to pay their high TV prices, so I have basic basic cable for $10/month.
It seems to me that Comcast is stuck in this situation where fewer people sign up, so they raise the prices which cause fewer people to sign up. They haven’t figured out how to get out of this hole yet.
But I ain’t paying $100 for what I can get from a dish for $40.
grandpa john
I’m with steve. go with DSL I Do and I also get my TV through the phone lines from the company plus if my DSL goes out I have Access to dialup through the phone company, When my router died, I hooked my wife up to dialup while I used a direct DSl connection to my computer.
SteveinSC
This sounds more than a bit odd, Grandpa John. I am not aware that people can become a medium for digital transmissions. Exactly what baud rate was your wife?
SteveinSC
OT But I see that SecDef Gates was welcomed to the new paradise that is post-surge Eye-rak with the joyful explosions of body parts. Thank you, Jesus.
ComcastCares
John,
On behalf of Comcast I would like to apologize that we have created this feeling for you. Hopefully we will be able to turn that around. I will have a member of my team reach out to you to make sure everything is still working to your satisfaction. We are working to improve the service provided to our valued Customers. More information is available at the following URL:
http://www.comcast.com/customerservice
Tim F.
Comcast works better for me than dial-up, which I had at home until a couple of months ago. The wife uses remote desktop to do technical work from home; as far as I know that has gone without a hitch.
Yes, that means that I blogged via dialup (or from work) for something like a year and eight months. That which didn’t killt me only served to make me more patient.
Steven Taylor
Charter does the same things (as does AT&T DSL) in terms of pointing one to the web.
lectric lady
I think you should blame it on the Clintons
*grin*
stickler
Comcast works pretty well for me, more or less, but they’re expensive and their customer service is decidedly mediocre. When my internet goes down, it’s always a bit of an adventure. And half of my cable TV channels have ghosts or other image problems. (Is the protoplasm my problem? No, it is not.)
But who am I going to go to? Qwest DSL? C’mon. I’ve dealt with Qwest already. No thank you.
Gus
Yeah, when my local cable company was Time Warner, never had a problem. Now I have problems all the time. Comcast sucks ass.
srv
Comcast in the Bay Area has been fine, 3 years, only 2 or 3 network drop outs (no more than a couple hours). On my 3rd cable modem though.
I am calling to get more bandwidth for the price I’m paying.
myiq2xu
Try to buy a cell phone & plan that is just a phone, with maybe voicemail and text messaging.
They’ll look at you like you’re retarded.
Jake
Whatsamatta you Myiq2xu? All of the cool kids want an Fruity satellite hookup 20K GigRamHrtz 5K songs, 18K photos 2 dozen movies and partridge in a pear tree Oh fuck I dropped it now I’m out $400 iPodTouchPhone.
But what do I know? I still use a Rolodex at work and have one of those address book thingies at home. Maybe I’ll take it to the Antique Roadshow.
Mr Furious
Had Comcast for my high-speed internet and cable phone (now internet phone) for seven years, and have rarely had a problem.
But I kept my DirecTV for television…
Tax Analyst
One of my many former Cable companies tried to charge me interest on a CREDIT BALANCE when I cancelled my account. I had a credit of about $56 and they were reducing it to $52. I guess I was late taking my money back or something. The best part was probably when I finally got through to somebody they insisted the bill was correct. 3 or 4 transfers later I ended up back with the same moron. Once of the transfers got me to a really, really nice and helpful lady…except she didn’t work in the Cable billing and had no way to access that information. “Would you like me to transfer you back to the other Rep?”. That would have been the FIRST moron – who I’d already spoken to twice and who insisted the billing was correct. “No, Thank you”. I called the Culver City Cable commission. To my amazement it took one transfer to somebody who listened and understood my situation. She called the Cable people…someone whose head wasn’t totally up his ass called me a day or two later and said the remaining $4 check would be issued and sent out in a day or two. I got it in about a week.
Conservatively Liberal
I don’t know about Comcast tech support via phone, but if you have Charter for your internet then I may be able to save you some agony.
After you jump through all of the initial voice prompt hoops (English or Spanish?, cable or internet support?, did OJ do it?, etc etc etc), you will get to the point where you are told that ‘they’ want you to try some things while waiting. After this message, when you reach a point where you are told to respond with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, instead, say ‘agent’ clearly three times in a row and it will put you through to a warm body right away.
I got sick and tired of having to go through all of that crap (turn off the computer, unplug it, turn it around three times then plug it back in, sacrifice a chicken over it, etc etc etc) when I already know what the problem is (computer geek here) before I even call, so I finally complained about it. The guy I spoke to told me about the ‘agent’ bit and sure enough it works like a charm. No wait for help, they have picked up immediately every time I have called.
If you have to jump through a million voice hoops for internet service, ask a tech if there is a bypass code word you can use. It might save you some aggravation.
pfrets
DSL.
You will experience far fewer dropouts than cable. Been there, done that, never going back.
I’ll go back to smoke signals before I use Comcast again.
Michael D.
My only issue with Comcast is the price. As far as service goes, I have only had one issue, and that was that my DVR wouldn’t record a series, which was the only reason I wanted it. I took it back and everything’s good.
As far as high speed Internet acces goes, I don’t have any issues at all. I’ve had Comcast for years and Comcast is fast – MUCH faster than DSL, and I don’t think I’ve experienced more than two or three outages since I’ve had it.
My cable bill is $120 a month – cable, Internet, HBO. In my opinion, twice as much as it’s worth.
Customer service: NEVER press the button that says you want to cancel or are having problems. ALWAYS press the button that says you want new service. You will be on hold for far less time.
HeartlandLiberal
Insight here in Bloomington (in fact Southern Indiana) was taken over by comcast starting Jan. 1. I am now frantically trying to find an alternative for my business class connection in my home that is not at the price level of a T1. AT&T DSL has a good reputation, but I have been two football fields past the perimeter from the switch for years, and SBC (before AT&T took over) did not care. I have a call in to AT&T as of Friday to see if they care. Hopefully this will work. Half a T1 speed upstream for 80$ I can afford, I can’t justify the half a real T1 at $560 a month. Sheesh. Anyway, as for TV, I plan to switch to satellite.
Comcast sucks for many reasons, not just service. Go read up on how they are shaping traffic, have been for years without admitting it. Now backed into a corner by publicity exposing them and with the FCC bombarded with complaints by net activists, they are changing their published TOS to admit they are screwing their customers and actually scanning packets and modifying and suppressing traffic, especially for file sharing protocols. Problem is, making absolutely no distinction between legal and illegal activity.
Comcast TOS Recipe for Disaster
You can visit Net Neutrality Squad forum and search on comcast and read extensive investigation and analysis of comcast’s many sins.
Net Neutrality Squad Forum Archives
Of course AT&T is threatening to start scanning all traffic for illegal activity, so their hands are not exactly clean, but at the moment, this would be a lesser of two evils decision.
Joey Maloney
We were Time-Warner for years and had few complaints. Then we became Comcast and, well, I’m getting DSL this week. The service quality has steadily declined, outages have increased in frequency and duration, they severely throttled my upstream bandwidth (nowhere in the TOS by the way), and the price has crept up and up. The final insult was when we were given the “option” of buying the cable modem that’s been free since Day 1, buying it or paying $4/month “lease” fee.
Options are limited around here and we’re right on the edge of too far from the CO to get DSL but they’re going to try and I’m hoping.
grandpa john
It appears that the old american business model of overpricing, poor service, and out and out gouging and thievery is still alive and well
4tehlulz
You forgot the “claiming that a monopoly is facing fierce competition” part. And don’t get me started on packet forgery….
Thank God for RCN; that’s all I have to say…
SnarkyShark
I have noticed that in dealing with companies lately that prior to the sale they can’t do enough for you. After you sign on the dotted line, you can go pound sand.
I have had a lot of dealings with government agencies (Post Office, IRS, etc) and while not blazing fast, you always get a live person who works the problem till it gets resolved.
To me, the Republican argument that you dont want Goverment running such things as national health insurance..etc is no defunct.
Private companies just suck at this point. The free market outsourcing program at work. The next dickhead that comes at me with that tired old argument about “you dont want to let the Government run…..” is getting a pop in the kisser.
I am tired of lame ass people.
Elderta
Comcast in the Bronx sucks dirt. I hate it. I have two boxes and the one to the bedroom won’t show HBO. I’ve had them come to my house three times to “fix” it and they haven’t been able to. I’ve given up and am going to cancel HBO. They also don’t have BBC America, which is very sad, and their entire DVR set-up is several steps behind Time Warner.
Hate them with a passion.
Punchy
fixed.
Punchy
/jaw hits floor
WOW. Minus the HBO, only $75 for all that stuph here in the Mighty Midwest.
4tehlulz
Goddamn. Either you have lower-tier Internet speeds or you blew someone at your ISP. Who’s your provider?
Punchy
Sunflower Broadband.
Zifnab
Well, fuck. I’m moving to Indiana, then.
Billy K
It pains me to say this, but AT&T DSL is actually pretty reliable. I’ve only had 2 or 3 outages over 5 years. But their speed lags behind cable. Their U-Verse service, on the other hand, is a nightmare, according to friends and colleagues who have dealt with it.
I keep thinking about switching to cable, to get those higher speeds, but then I red a thread like this, or a story about Comcast engaging in traffic-shaping. As soon as AT&T does that (which they’ve hinted at in the future), I’m out.
Bobby Boy
Direct TV is no better, believe me. It’s billing schedualing is Byzantine and its customer support (so celebrated in ther TV ads) is piss poor.
ThymeZone
No matter how bad Comcast is, it is still BTC.
(Better than Cox).
I’d rather have the Bush administration run my cable service than Cox Communications.
I’d rather call Karl Rove for service than call Cox Customer Support.
ThymeZone
Everybody has seen my rants about how bad Cox is. Well, I ran away from DSL to get Cox, that’s how bad DSL was out here. Nothing but trouble. On top of that, when you have trouble with DSL, you have to deal with two providers … the DSL itself, and a separate ISP. The phone company is not an ISP, it just provides the connectivity to the ISP.
Arrrrghhhhhhhh.
SenderC
Yeah, when my local cable company was Time Warner, never had a problem. Now I have problems all the time. Comcast sucks ass.
Same experience here. When Comcast took over, we had problem after problem. Last fall, they messed up my cable so badly that we went a month without it. I switched over to DirecTV which has worked fine for me. If there’s a business with worse customer service than Comcast, I haven’t come across it yet.
For internet service, we’ve used DSL from AT&T/Southwestern. In over two years of using it, we haven’t had one outage. Also, most times I don’t notice any difference in speed between it and cable.
RSA
Yeah, when I decide how much to pay for something, my limit is twice what it’s worth to me. Three times as much as it’s worth? That would be crazy! :-)
/libertarian-bashing
Original Lee
John – Here’s a website for you:
http://comcastmustdie.com/
I started visiting occasionally after a WashPo story last fall about a lady who took a hammer to the receptionist’s desk at her local Comcast office.
D-Chance.
May be your local reps. I had Cox for years, and it was the best service I ever had. Never had a cable or internet problem with them. I take that back, Usenet was still going strong back then, and they would throttle download speeds on the servers when you went on a rampage with multiple video downloads.
Out in the country, Embarq’a DSL is great, but their phone sucks. Tried every filter they have, and still can’t get a clear voice signal on the land line. Cable is sporadic, outages every month or so, not altogether happy with the video quality, and a crew of 2-3 local yokels trying to duct tape it together when it breaks. $85 for 3 meg DSL/unused phone, $50 for cable. Cox in the next town over advertises $79 for a package of extended cable AND 8 meg internet. The joys of living in the boonies… way cheaper housing ($300 less on a mortgage than rent on a small 1-br apt), but you pay extra for whatever utilities you can get.
ThymeZone
As bad as Cox is, it is better than it used to be.
I remember little things like calling them on a Saturday for tech support, and getting a recording:
“Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and your call will be taken in the order received.”
After three or four hundred iterations of that message, certain thoughts run through your head ….
Two days later, on Monday, I’d find out that the call center was closed over the weekend. Not making this up.
louisms
I’ve got DirecTv and DSL- never had any problems with either.
Eric K
I’m stuck with Comcast too. Live in a historic building in the city, so direct TV is out.
Dont; even get me started on their service. The $50 charge to have a tech install the cards to make my TIVO work for example, I could easily do it my self of course, but they won’t let you.
Whenever Consveratives talk about hwo the market is better I say contrast going to the DMV with going to your local cable company or cell phone porvider…
RSA
But you were first in line, I’ll bet.
JimK
I just got off the phone with Comcast. Their customer support was very happy to call me a liar and try to belittle my concerns. I ordered their service quite a while ago, and have had no end of problems with their DVRs . Their standard definition DVRs would reboot randomly and do very strange things. I went through about three of them before they indicated that they would give me a high-definition DVR and only charge me for the standard definition DVR. The high-def one worked a bit better – was still flakey as all getout- but was better. Well, the standard definition charge was only “temporary” and at the end of 6 months the charge went up to a higher cost. They apparently don’t have any standard def DVRs to give me, so they said that I either need to suck it up and pay the higher charge or go elsewhere. I could have likely been convinced that a good standard definition box was forthcoming, but the outright RUDENESS of the Comcast support rep and implications that I’m lying about the problems that I’m having are intolerable. I don’t recommend that anyone be duped by this company. I’m going to check out Qwest and their DSL service bundle with DirecTV. BAH!
Louis Raritan
As a field technician I can tell you how difficult it can be to find and fix your cable problem. Ive been doing this awhile and have seen my fair share of crawl spaces, attics, dog poop infested backyards, wasp infested pedestals, angry dogs, ignorant customers etc. Ive come to this conclusion…..Your all a bunch of bratz. I make a meager pay, work on weekends and get it from both sides….customers and comcast. Ive had customers lie for free service, computers, tv’s and vcr’s. My advice is that you don’t make appointments on weekends or after 5pm because we too have homes and families. Oh yeah, what will you do when we all quit because comcast and you both suck. Pay me appropriately, don’t ask me to work on weekends, demand a safer work environment for comcast employees and for god sakes, clean your house…take out the trash and pick up your dog poop.