This is why people hate their cable company

[Pink Fairy]

So my phone hasn't been working since Tuesday, and Comcast has helpfully agreed to send out a technician today between 8-10am. So after 4 days without a phone, I am waiting anxiously for the tech to arrive. At 11:30 am, I decide to use the oh-so-awesome (not) online chat feature to find out where the heck the guy is, and she tells me--and this is a direct quote:

 

 

You were informed that the technician will call you 15 minutes before the time. In your case here, the service call was cancelled because customer cannot be contacted by phone.

 

 

:001_huh: Really, Comcast? And in case you are wondering, yes they have my cell number, and no--they didn't call it.

[Greta]

I hate Comcast too. We have them for internet service, and for years it would just bleep out for no known reason, and come back on a few hours later. This would happen almost every morning in the summer, and hardly at all in the winter. Every time I called them about it they said the problem was on our end, not their responsibility. This went on for four years when finally I got one good, conscientious customer service guy on the phone who actually cared to do his job, and he sent someone out to fix it. And yes of course the problem was on their end - it was in the junction from the lines on our street to the lines into our house. What did they think, that my desktop was just not in the mood to connect to the internet sometimes? Uggh.

 

I'm sorry, though, yours is even worse. Your phone is out, so they won't come and fix it because they can't call you to confirm? Wow, that's pure genius there.

 

What did you tell the guy? (I'm wondering if you had more patience and grace than I would have!!! :lol: ) :bigear:

Edited September 17, 2010 by GretaLynne

[H.S. Burrow]

So my phone hasn't been working since Tuesday, and Comcast has helpfully agreed to send out a technician today between 8-10am. So after 4 days without a phone, I am waiting anxiously for the tech to arrive. At 11:30 am, I decide to use the oh-so-awesome (not) online chat feature to find out where the heck the guy is, and she tells me--and this is a direct quote:

 

 

You were informed that the technician will call you 15 minutes before the time. In your case here, the service call was cancelled because customer cannot be contacted by phone.

 

 

:001_huh: Really, Comcast? And in case you are wondering, yes they have my cell number, and no--they didn't call it.

 

 

I hate Comcast. Really. We just moved cross-country and Comcast is our only option for high-speed internet.....the only one. We had nothing but trouble the first 4 weeks we had the service. They finally got the cable fixed - after 3 technicians visit that they tried to charge us for! - and then the phone started cutting out.

 

See, it turns out that they upgraded their bandwidths, digital stuff, whatever all that's called, but they did NOT upgrade the cable that runs between the street and the house. Seriously. ALL the way to our driveway was upgraded and all the cable in the house was upgraded, but they NEVER upgraded the connections between the two. :001_huh: So that fixed the cable, but then the phone - that HAD been working mind you! - starts dropping calls and sounding like someone is wrinkling cellophane in your ear. Turns out that the contractors who ran the connecting lines to fix the cable problem got the connectors too tight and they were bent.

 

I let them know everytime I had to call that if I had ANY other choice, I would drop them like a hot potato! I hate Comcast.

[Pink Fairy]

Sadly, I wasn't as gracious and kind as I should have been. I am a little frustrated. I had to go through the entire troubleshooting process again (I am sorry but I cannot see the previous troubleshooting actions.) and then she tells me:

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 14:57:51 PDT 2010)>

I have done a test call and I heard the phone ringing.

 

(Sat Sep 18 11:59:38 PDT 2010)>

The phone is not ringing. There is no dial tone.

 

Here's how we left it (I'm the one in green, in case you can't tell).

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:20:29 PDT 2010)>

Would you prefer an afternoon schedule?

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:22:30 PDT 2010)>

Since it is after 12pm, yes. I need a technician today.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:21:56 PDT 2010)>

I am afraid we cannot have that today. Will it be okay if we can have that one or two days after?

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:24:23 PDT 2010)>

No. I have not had a phone since Tuesday, perhaps since Monday. I should have had a technician here this morning, and due to someone else's mistake the appointment was cancelled. I need a phone TODAY.

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:27:39 PDT 2010)>

What time will the technician arrive?

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:26:40 PDT 2010)>

Let me check.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:30:40 PDT 2010)>

I now have here the ticket number. The soonest possible appointment would be tomorrow at 7:00am to 8:00am or 8:00am to 10:00am. Are you okay with this?

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:30:58 PDT 2010)>

September 18, 2010.

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:32:46 PDT 2010)>

No, but obviously I don't have another option. 8-10am, and do not cancel this appointment under any circumstances whatsoever. Period.

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:33:02 PDT 2010)>

Please note that in whatever system it requires.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:31:48 PDT 2010)>

I will certainly take note of this.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:31:53 PDT 2010)>

Thank you for understanding.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:32:02 PDT 2010)>

Let me just finalize everything.

 

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:33:07 PDT 2010)>

Your ticket number is CR22. Schedule would be September 18, 2010 at 8:00am to 10:00am.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:33:25 PDT 2010)>

Technician will call you 15 mins before the time.

 

Shiera Mae(Fri Sep 17 15:33:41 PDT 2010)>

There should be someone at home that is English speaking during the appointment.

 

(Sat Sep 18 12:35:46 PDT 2010)>

Remind him that my phone is not working, do not call my home number, call my cell number. Should be obvious, but point it out anyway

 

[Sophia]

We got rid of our landline and went to cell phones because they were so incompetent.

Not only did they do the "we called but no one answered" stunt with us as well, but when our phone number was randomly calling 911 (the police would show up) they said it wasn't their fault and there was nothing they could do about it. :001_huh:

Well, who can do something about it, then?

They didn't know.

Goodbye, Comcast.

[KidsHappen]

Charter is not any better. It has been up and down for the past two weeks. My phone also rides on my cable so when my cell phone dies, I have absolutely no ability to communicate with anyone.

[Garga]

Oooo. I can't WAIT to see what happens tomorrow! Keep us informed!

[kalanamak]

I hate the bombardment with ads. When I moved, a tech showed up at my place and acted like he was there to switch the account over from the previous resident to us. I said he was mistaken. He asked what we were going to do for cable. I said "I don't have a TV, I've never had cable, and one of those computer thingies? Heck, they take up half a room, don't they? I think they are a fad." I then hung my mouth open a little.

 

Another tech came by in a month. By now you could see my Mac in the window. He asked what company we were using, and I said "I don't think that is any of your business" and shut the door quietly.

[Pink Fairy]

I then hung my mouth open a little.

 

 

 

:lol: I so heart you. :D

 

Yesterday my internet died right after I posted. :glare: The Comcast guy did show up this morning, and fixed both the phone and internet. I can't fault him--he did a great job. However, when I finally went online to check my voicemail, sure enough we had received several calls this morning from Comcast to our nonworking phone. They just wanted to double check that we'd be here, remind us about our appointment, ask how we felt about the service we had received so far, and I don't know what else because I deleted the rest.

[NaturalMomma]

Charter is not any better. It has been up and down for the past two weeks. My phone also rides on my cable so when my cell phone dies, I have absolutely no ability to communicate with anyone.

 

 

I surely agree with that. I think they are both crappy companies. When I had comcast, if there was an issue it would take days for a tech to get out and their customer service was just horrible. Now we have Charter, and although they send a tech right out, the problem never seems to be resolved. I would have service for about a few hours after the tech would leave, and by the next day be right back to the same issue. I went days without phone and internet. I have had four techs to my home in the same day, just crazy. Each would come and say that the last one did something wrong, and claim to have fixed the issue. Both Comcast and Charter charge way too much for crappy service.

[Laurie4b]

So my phone hasn't been working since Tuesday, and Comcast has helpfully agreed to send out a technician today between 8-10am. So after 4 days without a phone, I am waiting anxiously for the tech to arrive. At 11:30 am, I decide to use the oh-so-awesome (not) online chat feature to find out where the heck the guy is, and she tells me--and this is a direct quote:

 

 

You were informed that the technician will call you 15 minutes before the time. In your case here, the service call was cancelled because customer cannot be contacted by phone.

 

 

:001_huh: Really, Comcast? And in case you are wondering, yes they have my cell number, and no--they didn't call it.

 

Sorry--that made me laugh and I know it's not funny from your shoes!

[delaney]

Oh this is bad to hear. We just switched from Verizon to Comcast for phone b/c it is $60 per month less! We have them for cable modem and have had no issue. Since switching we have had to reboot the router 3 times in 1 day. Not looking good for the future of comcast with us. Good thing we kept the Direct Tv extra boxes. We may be waiting for one of their "deals" to lure us back and jump on it! Same with Verizon!

[Garga]

Glad to hear they finally came and fixed it!

[LizzyBee]

We have Time Warner, and customer service has actually been very good.

 

However, your story reminds me of something that happens on a regular basis where I work. Our servers are in another state, and when we have problems with our service, we have to submit a service ticket. So we'll submit a ticket to say we can't log on, can't open programs, Outlook is locked up, or whatever the case may be. We always include the phone numbers where we can be reached. Invariably, they send an email to tell us how to fix or work around the problem instead of calling. And we are supposed to read the email how???????????? It is so irritating, and they keep doing it even though we've complained repeatedly.

[ChristusG]

I'm sorry, that's not funny....but it is kinda LOL. We have Comcast too. A few weeks ago they overcharged us for something. My husband had to talk to three different people for over an hour and they still didn't understand what he was talking about. He never did get them to understand. A few days later he called back. That person understood immediately what he issue was. I guess it was "have a competent person answer he phone" day.