When I called Comcast last December to notify them that I was moving to another home in the same town, they arranged to discontinue service at my old house, made an appointment to reconnect service at my new one, and told me to return the equipment they had installed in my old house to the technician who completed the installation at my new home. I gave all of the Comcast equipment from my old house to the Comcast technician at our appointment on January 24. He acknowledged that all of the items listed under my account were in the box I gave him and gave me a written receipt.
Soon thereafter I received a large bill from Comcast, including a $230 charge for unreturned equipment (which, in the chaos of moving, I assumed represented some sort of installation charge), and automatically paid it. Within days I also began receiving frequent calls on my cellphone from people who were employed by a company with which Comcast contracts to retrieve unreturned equipment. They claimed that I had failed to return some item, despite the technician's written statement to the contrary. I explained this to them, but the phone calls and voicemails kept coming. When I attempted to return their calls, I was forced to wait over fifteen minutes in a call queue on several occasions. I called Comcast customer service in early February, explained my story, and was told the matter would be investigated. After about a week, I still had not received a return call or a refund of the $230 charge. I called Comcast customer service again on February 6 and spoke to someone who identified herself as "Ciella." She assured me that she would make sure that the third-party contractor stopped harassing me on my cellphone and that a refund check would arrive by early March. The first week in April, I still had not received the refund, so I called Comcast again. The representative with whom I spoke said that she would have to investigate the matter and call me back. Several days have passed, and I have not received a call.
What should have Comcast done instead?
I wanted Comcast to acknowlege its error and refund the $230 it unjustly collected from me. I'd also like an apology for wasting hours of my time.
You can contact Jill at jillsgro at comcast.net
Comcast Takes over a month (as of now) to Return Overcharged Bill
I had forgotten I had set up automatic bill pay, and I paid my bill at the local office. Well, 2 days after I paid it my automatic bill pay went through for $259. I called Comcast that day- Saturday morning asking for a refund and was told Comcast would call me within 72 hours. I called again Tuesday and was given the runaround again- told my status was "escalated" and would be called in the next couple of days. I then went to the local office on Friday after not hearing anything from Comcast and was told I couldn't be refunded. But she took my credit card information and put it in the computer and told me she'd call me with an update.
This is ridiculous. They're quick to take money from you but not give it back. And it's not even that- it's the fact they haven't called me when they said they would and keep me updated. They're a ripoff. Maybe Dish is better.
What should have Comcast done instead?
Well, obviously refunding me would be great. But more than that- just calling me like they said they would and not dragging their feet. It can't be that hard to refund the money- they can take it from me in an instant.
You can contact author at cpuckett at highlands.edu
This is ridiculous. They're quick to take money from you but not give it back. And it's not even that- it's the fact they haven't called me when they said they would and keep me updated. They're a ripoff. Maybe Dish is better.
What should have Comcast done instead?
Well, obviously refunding me would be great. But more than that- just calling me like they said they would and not dragging their feet. It can't be that hard to refund the money- they can take it from me in an instant.
You can contact author at cpuckett at highlands.edu
Six Months is Outrageous and Unacceptable
In August of 2010 my family moved to an area that is not serviced by Comcast, and I cancelled our service on the 17th for account 09507 608468-02-9. All equipment was returned, and I received a billing stating I had a credit for $119.65.
In October I emailed the company to ask for a check, and received a reply verifying the credit balance, and stating it could be six to eight weeks before I received my money back, (at this point, it was four days shy of eight weeks from cancellation.) I also received an "issue number" of 1691513, which is meaningless, as far as I can tell.
Fast forward to January, 2011, still no refund. An online chat with Leonard was completely useless - it took a very long time and much typing of reassurances that he understood completely to give me an 800 number to billing "for updates regarding the refund and to be processed right away."
Six months is outrageous and unacceptable. I did not agree to loan Comcast any money. I really believe a class action law suit is in order here. Think of the interest Comcast is making on other people's money!
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
They should have issued a refund check within three to four weeks. It shouldn't be difficult at all, for a company that touts its superior electronic capabilities
You may contact Carrie at cdunn at greatelake.r
In October I emailed the company to ask for a check, and received a reply verifying the credit balance, and stating it could be six to eight weeks before I received my money back, (at this point, it was four days shy of eight weeks from cancellation.) I also received an "issue number" of 1691513, which is meaningless, as far as I can tell.
Fast forward to January, 2011, still no refund. An online chat with Leonard was completely useless - it took a very long time and much typing of reassurances that he understood completely to give me an 800 number to billing "for updates regarding the refund and to be processed right away."
Six months is outrageous and unacceptable. I did not agree to loan Comcast any money. I really believe a class action law suit is in order here. Think of the interest Comcast is making on other people's money!
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
They should have issued a refund check within three to four weeks. It shouldn't be difficult at all, for a company that touts its superior electronic capabilities
You may contact Carrie at cdunn at greatelake.r
It's too bad, that ATT is not in my area to level the play field a bit.
Erwin writes:
I recently upgraded my sevice and the installer told me I will get information about available channels in the mail with the billing. Didn't get it, so I called and was assured it would come next time. Second billing ...nothing. Called again to be on hold for 30 min. and then told: Sorry computers are down call back some other time. I questined a $10.00 discount on the bill and not seeing it deducted and the guy say's: If it is not deducted, just disregard it. I don't see anything on my computer here!
The final straw was the service beeing out again on Sunday Dec.5th. Dummy me, beeing tired of listening to the tech support having me jump through the hoops,I uninstalled the equippment and re-installed it, to see if it was on my end. That was wasted time...
It's too bad, that ATT is not in my area to level the play field a bit.
Recommendations to Improve Comcast
Have extra Phone support or automated message ready, not an endless ring.
You can contact Erwin at
Erwingaa at comcast.com
I recently upgraded my sevice and the installer told me I will get information about available channels in the mail with the billing. Didn't get it, so I called and was assured it would come next time. Second billing ...nothing. Called again to be on hold for 30 min. and then told: Sorry computers are down call back some other time. I questined a $10.00 discount on the bill and not seeing it deducted and the guy say's: If it is not deducted, just disregard it. I don't see anything on my computer here!
The final straw was the service beeing out again on Sunday Dec.5th. Dummy me, beeing tired of listening to the tech support having me jump through the hoops,I uninstalled the equippment and re-installed it, to see if it was on my end. That was wasted time...
It's too bad, that ATT is not in my area to level the play field a bit.
Recommendations to Improve Comcast
Have extra Phone support or automated message ready, not an endless ring.
You can contact Erwin at
Erwingaa at comcast.com
Go the police and tell them I have been robbed?
Todd writes:
We were long time Comcast customers but moved in June to a state where Comcast had no presence and closed our account. Comcast owed us a small refund for the prorated time of the month that we had pre-paidpaid but not used and by the end of August we were still fighting with Comcast to get the refund. Then it happened. A mistake I have lived to regret. We bought a new house and I made a terrible mistake in setting up the automatic mortgage payment on-line and my first mortgage payment went not to the mortgage company but to Comcast!! Desparately we tried to get the bank to cancel the transfer but it was too late Comcast had a large amount of money now and we knew that if we were fighting for a small $24 refund for over 2 months that getting over $1,800 back from Comcast was going to be enormous. We immediatley notified Comcast of the mistake and they were quite friendly and understanding of our situation. They took the information. Assigned a reference number and told us not to worry, in 6 - 8 weeks we would get our check including the $24 dollars we had already been assured was coming. We waited, patiently for the 8 weeks to go by. At the end of the 8 weeks, nothing happened. We called again and were told that by Comcast's mistake they had processed the refund under a wrong code and that if we waited just another 2 weeks we would get our refund. Well, it was disappointing but 2 weeks we could do. Two weeks later and, again, nothing happened. This time Comcast told us the would be here before Christmas (yes nearly 4 months had passed). Then a strange thing happened. We got an actual account statement from Comcast showing that our previous credit balance of over $1,800 had now been refunded and that they now no longer owed us anything. Problem is, we never got a check. When I called they explained that the check obviously was sent at the same time of the statement and would be to us in a metter of days. After a few days I called again. This time I was told it was my fault that it has taken so long since I had not properly ""escalated"" the issue in September!! What does that mean? Again the reason was given me that the code that Comcast uses to process refunds was yet again done incorrectly and now I have been told to wait, you guessed it, another 6 to 8 weeks.
At this point I have no refund. I have an official statement from Comcast telling me they owe me no money and so my next step is probably, what? Go the police and tell them I have been robbed?
Recommendations to Improve Comcast?
Strangely enough, I am the CFO of a well known financial services company so I am quite familiar with this kind of issue. Comcast's problem was one of settign the right policy. The 6 - 8 week policy they currently have is sacrosanct and needs to be flexible when errors by their associates occur. It is quite a simple thing to issue an expedited check to the customer and resolve the customer issue the check shouuld be charged to a suspense account will be relieved once the correct process is completed internally. There is no way it is necessary for the customer to be dragged through Comcast backoff hell when it was not the customer's fault.
What should have comcast done differently?
All I wanted was my money back. I can understand the 6 - 8 week process but when that time passed and a mistake on their part forced the refund to be processed again then there should have been a process for escalation and immediate refund to the customer while they went through their back office procedures. I have worked for 25 years for Fortune 50 companies and none of them would have forced a customer to go beyond the mandatory 6 - 8 week period especially when it was the fault of the company.
We were long time Comcast customers but moved in June to a state where Comcast had no presence and closed our account. Comcast owed us a small refund for the prorated time of the month that we had pre-paidpaid but not used and by the end of August we were still fighting with Comcast to get the refund. Then it happened. A mistake I have lived to regret. We bought a new house and I made a terrible mistake in setting up the automatic mortgage payment on-line and my first mortgage payment went not to the mortgage company but to Comcast!! Desparately we tried to get the bank to cancel the transfer but it was too late Comcast had a large amount of money now and we knew that if we were fighting for a small $24 refund for over 2 months that getting over $1,800 back from Comcast was going to be enormous. We immediatley notified Comcast of the mistake and they were quite friendly and understanding of our situation. They took the information. Assigned a reference number and told us not to worry, in 6 - 8 weeks we would get our check including the $24 dollars we had already been assured was coming. We waited, patiently for the 8 weeks to go by. At the end of the 8 weeks, nothing happened. We called again and were told that by Comcast's mistake they had processed the refund under a wrong code and that if we waited just another 2 weeks we would get our refund. Well, it was disappointing but 2 weeks we could do. Two weeks later and, again, nothing happened. This time Comcast told us the would be here before Christmas (yes nearly 4 months had passed). Then a strange thing happened. We got an actual account statement from Comcast showing that our previous credit balance of over $1,800 had now been refunded and that they now no longer owed us anything. Problem is, we never got a check. When I called they explained that the check obviously was sent at the same time of the statement and would be to us in a metter of days. After a few days I called again. This time I was told it was my fault that it has taken so long since I had not properly ""escalated"" the issue in September!! What does that mean? Again the reason was given me that the code that Comcast uses to process refunds was yet again done incorrectly and now I have been told to wait, you guessed it, another 6 to 8 weeks.
At this point I have no refund. I have an official statement from Comcast telling me they owe me no money and so my next step is probably, what? Go the police and tell them I have been robbed?
Recommendations to Improve Comcast?
Strangely enough, I am the CFO of a well known financial services company so I am quite familiar with this kind of issue. Comcast's problem was one of settign the right policy. The 6 - 8 week policy they currently have is sacrosanct and needs to be flexible when errors by their associates occur. It is quite a simple thing to issue an expedited check to the customer and resolve the customer issue the check shouuld be charged to a suspense account will be relieved once the correct process is completed internally. There is no way it is necessary for the customer to be dragged through Comcast backoff hell when it was not the customer's fault.
What should have comcast done differently?
All I wanted was my money back. I can understand the 6 - 8 week process but when that time passed and a mistake on their part forced the refund to be processed again then there should have been a process for escalation and immediate refund to the customer while they went through their back office procedures. I have worked for 25 years for Fortune 50 companies and none of them would have forced a customer to go beyond the mandatory 6 - 8 week period especially when it was the fault of the company.
My Experience with Comcast has been a Horror Show.
Andrew writes,
Brian Roberts, CEO
Comcast Corporate Office
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-286-8960
brian_roberts@comcast.com
Dear Brian,
It is appropriate that I write you during the Haloween season. My experience with Comcast has been a horror show.
My family and I have suffered with an unreliable Internet service for over two years. Our Internet connection keeps dropping. We have had countless service reps out and the problem persists. I believe the problem is because I live in a condo and there are numerous splitters in the cable from the drop at the street to where it comes into my house.
Of course I have been on the phone for hours with service reps who escalate and then drop the call. I call back and get sent to different departments. I get so frustrated that I just give up. It is like tying to find your way through a Labyrinth without running into the Minotaur.
I would appreciate two actions to remidate the situation. First, repair the Internet connection. Second, refund my Internet payments for the last two years.
Best regards,
Andrew Hammond
What Could Have Comcast Done Differently?
Provide Reliable Internet
You can contact Andrew at:
andy -at- magiqtech.com
Brian Roberts, CEO
Comcast Corporate Office
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-286-8960
brian_roberts@comcast.com
Dear Brian,
It is appropriate that I write you during the Haloween season. My experience with Comcast has been a horror show.
My family and I have suffered with an unreliable Internet service for over two years. Our Internet connection keeps dropping. We have had countless service reps out and the problem persists. I believe the problem is because I live in a condo and there are numerous splitters in the cable from the drop at the street to where it comes into my house.
Of course I have been on the phone for hours with service reps who escalate and then drop the call. I call back and get sent to different departments. I get so frustrated that I just give up. It is like tying to find your way through a Labyrinth without running into the Minotaur.
I would appreciate two actions to remidate the situation. First, repair the Internet connection. Second, refund my Internet payments for the last two years.
Best regards,
Andrew Hammond
What Could Have Comcast Done Differently?
Provide Reliable Internet
You can contact Andrew at:
andy -at- magiqtech.com
I Called Comcast to Ask Why My Bill Was so High
Sol Writes:
I called Comcast to ask why my bill was so high and possibly see if I could get some sort of discount. I asked the customer service rep how I could lower my bill. He told me I could get rid of a 16.95$ a month add on cable package for my HD DVR and a 10$ a month add on package for my internet service which basically boosts my internet speed. I Told the CSR that I was told when I first wanted the HD DVR that the sales person I spoke with told me it was required to get the 16.95$ a month add on cable package in order to use the HD DVR. The CSR then said that it has not been a requirement for over 2 years. I asked why I was not told that it was no longer a requirement 2 years ago. The CSR rep said that it would be hard to call all the customers that had that package and inform them that it was no longer required. He also said “Comcast assumes that its customer still wanted the cable package” even after the requirement had expired and the customers were not notified of this change. I also informed him that I have no idea what the 10$ a month power boost charge for my internet service is. I never signed up for it; I don’t know what service it provides and never knew I was being charged for it. The CSR told me he would have a supervisor call me back in 24 hours. About 4 hours later the supervisor called me back. We argued for about 15 minutes until the supervisor asked what she could do to make me happy. I told her a complete refund of the money I was overcharged. She told me that they can only refund up to 2 months of the services I was overcharged. She credited my account 100$ and said she would take 30$ a month off my bill for 6 months then 25$ off for another 6 months. I told her this was acceptable and ended the phone call. After hanging up I wanted to know how much they were actually saving me. I added it up and came up with 430$. Then I added up the amount of money I was overcharged and came up with the amount of 526$. That is a discrepancy of 96$. I also do not like that they just credited my account so that the refund would go directly back to pay my bill. I would like a complete and full refund credited back to my checking account all at once. I also think that they should give me a full refund PLUS give me the year long discount for the trouble I have gone through. Giving me the refund is the bare minimum Comcast can do. Giving me the full refund and the yearlong discount would make me not want to discontinue my Comcast service and go with DirectTV.
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead
Comcast should have notified all its customers when the service was no longer required. They should have sent out a clear email that stated what the situation was.
I would like a full refund of the money I was overcharged. I wanted the refund in check form or a credit to my checking account. I dont want a refund that is only good on my cable bill or a discount of 30$ a month for a year as a substitute for a refund. I would like the refund and discount.
You can contact Sol at solhickey at comcast.net
I called Comcast to ask why my bill was so high and possibly see if I could get some sort of discount. I asked the customer service rep how I could lower my bill. He told me I could get rid of a 16.95$ a month add on cable package for my HD DVR and a 10$ a month add on package for my internet service which basically boosts my internet speed. I Told the CSR that I was told when I first wanted the HD DVR that the sales person I spoke with told me it was required to get the 16.95$ a month add on cable package in order to use the HD DVR. The CSR then said that it has not been a requirement for over 2 years. I asked why I was not told that it was no longer a requirement 2 years ago. The CSR rep said that it would be hard to call all the customers that had that package and inform them that it was no longer required. He also said “Comcast assumes that its customer still wanted the cable package” even after the requirement had expired and the customers were not notified of this change. I also informed him that I have no idea what the 10$ a month power boost charge for my internet service is. I never signed up for it; I don’t know what service it provides and never knew I was being charged for it. The CSR told me he would have a supervisor call me back in 24 hours. About 4 hours later the supervisor called me back. We argued for about 15 minutes until the supervisor asked what she could do to make me happy. I told her a complete refund of the money I was overcharged. She told me that they can only refund up to 2 months of the services I was overcharged. She credited my account 100$ and said she would take 30$ a month off my bill for 6 months then 25$ off for another 6 months. I told her this was acceptable and ended the phone call. After hanging up I wanted to know how much they were actually saving me. I added it up and came up with 430$. Then I added up the amount of money I was overcharged and came up with the amount of 526$. That is a discrepancy of 96$. I also do not like that they just credited my account so that the refund would go directly back to pay my bill. I would like a complete and full refund credited back to my checking account all at once. I also think that they should give me a full refund PLUS give me the year long discount for the trouble I have gone through. Giving me the refund is the bare minimum Comcast can do. Giving me the full refund and the yearlong discount would make me not want to discontinue my Comcast service and go with DirectTV.
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead
Comcast should have notified all its customers when the service was no longer required. They should have sent out a clear email that stated what the situation was.
I would like a full refund of the money I was overcharged. I wanted the refund in check form or a credit to my checking account. I dont want a refund that is only good on my cable bill or a discount of 30$ a month for a year as a substitute for a refund. I would like the refund and discount.
You can contact Sol at solhickey at comcast.net
I am so regretful I left Directv and AT&T
I have been a customer since April 2010. I was content with AT&T, and elated with my Directv -- no better customer service.
I received a triple play package offer, promising 12 mbps (with levels of 16 - 25 mbps). As I wanted faster broadband, I made the change, with some reluctance. It's been a horror story since day 1.
Bad Install:
The cable guy cut existing cables and left them hanging without ends. He installed triple splitters with empty ports on two splitters. He didn't tighten the coax cables properly. He was an hour late, and rushed off too early. He left the plates for my coax off at 2 different sites. He couldn't locate the comcast line, and he found it by routing into to lines off my directv routes, resulting in much longer runs. He needed to use my tools. He didn't bring instructions. He only gave me on HDMI DVR, even though I signed up and paid for 2. He gave me the old style boxes with deficient memory, and told me I had no choice. Both DVRs have been used and abused, and the remotes are totally worn out.
They gave my assigned phone number to another customer, so I had no phone for 2 weeks. The technician didn't bother checking for a dial tone.
He fraudulently charged me for an additional jack, even though he merely split the existing cable line -- he didn't even run cable.
It took 2 months before they coded my account properly to watch premium stations online. I spent a good 6 hours on the issue.
Cable/Broadband Quality:
From the beginning, broadband speeds were around 5 mbps, with frequent timeouts. TV picture tiled, And phone intermittently lacked a connection.
And it got way worse. After about 35 days, I called, and said things had become intolerable. Initially, they told me if nothing was wrong, I would be charged for the visit. Yet, they test the line and it revealed deficiencies. Cable guy came out several days later. At first he cold not figure out the wiring. Then he did. He told me that Directv line should not have been tied to, because of different coax rating. He also said it should not have been split multiple times. He checked signal at wall, and said was bad. So he tested another port, unused, and said it was good, but that I would have to tear into the wall so he could access the connection which has deep in the box. I tore out the wall the following day, and called him, and he returned. He connected to that port, yet failed to place a connector on the coax box, such it was just a cable. He ran 20 feet of cable across my apt, without any tacking or anything. The next day, I ran tests, etc. and realized nothing had improved. To add salt to the wound, my cable bill contained 2 service calls, totaling $90 dollars. Are you kidding me?
I called back, and representative concluded that they needed to send out a tech who could access the box. I asked for a supervisor, with the ability to work in my apt and at the box. I made an appointment, which they confirmed the day of. Nonetheless, they sent the same guy out as the first time, who admitted he couldn't work the box. He said his boss was in a meeting, The next day (and the 5th visit from the cable company), they went into the box, and learned that I had a bad connection. They tested the speed and it was bad. They said they couldn't figure out what to do, or how to fix, but that they shook things around, and finally the speeds increased. I commented, "are you sure that this is a proper fix?" They assured me it was.
It gets much worse. Speeds were strong for a few days, and then declined agin. TV and broadband continued to get worse. Most of the time, I receive on-deman errors. Speeds are slower and drop offs more quickly. So I escalated the matter to a district supervisor, Steve. Day later, Steve and his tech specialist, Perry, came to my home for the entire day. They set up a test line and hooked up a separate modem in my unit. Perry also tightened connections throughout my home, and said some of the splitters were bleeding the signal. By the end of the day, it was testing pretty quickly. Perry came back the following day, still trying to figure out what was going on with the main line, and it's slower speed, but could not. I asked it keeping the extra modem was an option, and assurances that I would not pay to rent it. He called in, and Comcast said I needed to pay $5. I didn't want 2 devices, and I certainly wasn't going to pay $5 more for Comcast's issues. He set up my original battery-back up modem, VOIP, and it tested fast now. He said he did not know what to do with the cable picture. I told him we could deal with that next, and that broadband was the most impt thing, as it was affecting my business.
Because of all my troubles, which wasted a good 20 hours of my time, and not providing the products that I ordered and paid for, Steve reversed 2 months of the bill for my triple play, and reversed the bogus repair calls.
After about another month, I called in, and said that the "repair," which was really a repair in name only, didn't stick, and that I assumed there was a problem in the box or on the line. I called Steve directly. He sent a tech out. Again, the tech did not have the ability to do the necessary things. So he came back the following day with another guy. They never even came to my apartment to see my tv picture. They claimed to change out my port, and fix the amp on the line, both which were impairing my signal.
The following day, things were the same. I called Steve again, and said it looked like things needed to be escalated further. I suggested that he just tell me if they couldnt fix it so we dont waste more time. He assure me he was determined. He told me escalated my ticket, including conveying all my information to his boss. His boss called me on both my phone numbers, but no one answered. I called back, and left a voice mail. I never heard back, so I called Steve again. He said, "yeah that's the right number.
I called a second and third time, still no responses. I called Steve back, and he said he was having some personal issues, and that he could not help me write now.
A few weeks later, my speeds were worse than ever. Under 2 mbps, with very frequent time outs. Worse yet, I was getting tiling on my TV that was so bad that I could not watch ball games or a number of other channels/shows. I have the proof on my DVR. The straw that broke the camel's back is that I lost 1/2 my local channels.
Consequently, I chatted on the online tech help. I called because every time I call, I get someone abroad, usually Mexico, and they don't know how to respond to these kinds of issues. I escalated the chat to a guy in Oregon. He was kind. He said he would reverse some charges, and have someone come to my unit within 2 business days. I told him that it need to be much more than a lower level rep/tech as the problems are significant. Strangely, I received a call at 10:15 am on a Sunday, which I did not appreciate. It was a woman from an Asian call center. I said to her, you have to be kidding me. She said it was escalated to her. I responded that I was told a high-level tech would come. She proceeded to ask me what happened. I scoffed, and said I spent 2 hours on line the day before, and you are asking me this? She said she did not have the online record. I asked to be escalated to someone in the US. I was, and it was a level 1 tech. She was kind, and even smart, but admitted this was way beyond her. She also said there weren't many notes in my file, because it was a network issue, not an issue in my unit, and that that department doesn't log repair issues. I said, "isn't that interesting." I said to her, what I've said to every person I've spoken to at Comcast -- "It's like everyone works on a separate island, and no one has a phone." I told her that I disconnected my auto pay because I was paying for what I wasn't getting. She she'd enter that and request a further refund, as I requested. She also told me she's work on the appt. It's now been 4 days since my call, and on one has come, or called to confirm an appointment.
I am so regretful I left Directv and AT&T. I thought I'd never say that about AT&T, as its customer service is abysmal as well, but at least they give me what I pay for. Comcast could learn a lot from Directv.
I intend to call my credit card company, and dispute every past payment to Comcast. I will also publish this story, along with pictures of my cable picture so people are well aware of what they may be getting if they order Comcast, and how Comcast trivializes such issues. And if they treat you like me, they will improperly charge you for installation and service calls (to repair their defective system and installation).
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
They also should have set my system up properly, including replacing face plates, and not leaving cable strewn across my living room. They should stay until the repair is complete, The installer was in a hurry and left before he finished. They should properly maintain records of all calls and actions, and stick to it until they diagnosed the problem and then fixed it. If they make an appointment, or call you and you call them back, they should dignify you by following through with their word. The fact that the district supervisor won't return my calls, even though he called me first, pretty much tells the story -- they just don't care.
Contact Michael at : whooped_cushion at yahoo.com
I received a triple play package offer, promising 12 mbps (with levels of 16 - 25 mbps). As I wanted faster broadband, I made the change, with some reluctance. It's been a horror story since day 1.
Bad Install:
The cable guy cut existing cables and left them hanging without ends. He installed triple splitters with empty ports on two splitters. He didn't tighten the coax cables properly. He was an hour late, and rushed off too early. He left the plates for my coax off at 2 different sites. He couldn't locate the comcast line, and he found it by routing into to lines off my directv routes, resulting in much longer runs. He needed to use my tools. He didn't bring instructions. He only gave me on HDMI DVR, even though I signed up and paid for 2. He gave me the old style boxes with deficient memory, and told me I had no choice. Both DVRs have been used and abused, and the remotes are totally worn out.
They gave my assigned phone number to another customer, so I had no phone for 2 weeks. The technician didn't bother checking for a dial tone.
He fraudulently charged me for an additional jack, even though he merely split the existing cable line -- he didn't even run cable.
It took 2 months before they coded my account properly to watch premium stations online. I spent a good 6 hours on the issue.
Cable/Broadband Quality:
From the beginning, broadband speeds were around 5 mbps, with frequent timeouts. TV picture tiled, And phone intermittently lacked a connection.
And it got way worse. After about 35 days, I called, and said things had become intolerable. Initially, they told me if nothing was wrong, I would be charged for the visit. Yet, they test the line and it revealed deficiencies. Cable guy came out several days later. At first he cold not figure out the wiring. Then he did. He told me that Directv line should not have been tied to, because of different coax rating. He also said it should not have been split multiple times. He checked signal at wall, and said was bad. So he tested another port, unused, and said it was good, but that I would have to tear into the wall so he could access the connection which has deep in the box. I tore out the wall the following day, and called him, and he returned. He connected to that port, yet failed to place a connector on the coax box, such it was just a cable. He ran 20 feet of cable across my apt, without any tacking or anything. The next day, I ran tests, etc. and realized nothing had improved. To add salt to the wound, my cable bill contained 2 service calls, totaling $90 dollars. Are you kidding me?
I called back, and representative concluded that they needed to send out a tech who could access the box. I asked for a supervisor, with the ability to work in my apt and at the box. I made an appointment, which they confirmed the day of. Nonetheless, they sent the same guy out as the first time, who admitted he couldn't work the box. He said his boss was in a meeting, The next day (and the 5th visit from the cable company), they went into the box, and learned that I had a bad connection. They tested the speed and it was bad. They said they couldn't figure out what to do, or how to fix, but that they shook things around, and finally the speeds increased. I commented, "are you sure that this is a proper fix?" They assured me it was.
It gets much worse. Speeds were strong for a few days, and then declined agin. TV and broadband continued to get worse. Most of the time, I receive on-deman errors. Speeds are slower and drop offs more quickly. So I escalated the matter to a district supervisor, Steve. Day later, Steve and his tech specialist, Perry, came to my home for the entire day. They set up a test line and hooked up a separate modem in my unit. Perry also tightened connections throughout my home, and said some of the splitters were bleeding the signal. By the end of the day, it was testing pretty quickly. Perry came back the following day, still trying to figure out what was going on with the main line, and it's slower speed, but could not. I asked it keeping the extra modem was an option, and assurances that I would not pay to rent it. He called in, and Comcast said I needed to pay $5. I didn't want 2 devices, and I certainly wasn't going to pay $5 more for Comcast's issues. He set up my original battery-back up modem, VOIP, and it tested fast now. He said he did not know what to do with the cable picture. I told him we could deal with that next, and that broadband was the most impt thing, as it was affecting my business.
Because of all my troubles, which wasted a good 20 hours of my time, and not providing the products that I ordered and paid for, Steve reversed 2 months of the bill for my triple play, and reversed the bogus repair calls.
After about another month, I called in, and said that the "repair," which was really a repair in name only, didn't stick, and that I assumed there was a problem in the box or on the line. I called Steve directly. He sent a tech out. Again, the tech did not have the ability to do the necessary things. So he came back the following day with another guy. They never even came to my apartment to see my tv picture. They claimed to change out my port, and fix the amp on the line, both which were impairing my signal.
The following day, things were the same. I called Steve again, and said it looked like things needed to be escalated further. I suggested that he just tell me if they couldnt fix it so we dont waste more time. He assure me he was determined. He told me escalated my ticket, including conveying all my information to his boss. His boss called me on both my phone numbers, but no one answered. I called back, and left a voice mail. I never heard back, so I called Steve again. He said, "yeah that's the right number.
I called a second and third time, still no responses. I called Steve back, and he said he was having some personal issues, and that he could not help me write now.
A few weeks later, my speeds were worse than ever. Under 2 mbps, with very frequent time outs. Worse yet, I was getting tiling on my TV that was so bad that I could not watch ball games or a number of other channels/shows. I have the proof on my DVR. The straw that broke the camel's back is that I lost 1/2 my local channels.
Consequently, I chatted on the online tech help. I called because every time I call, I get someone abroad, usually Mexico, and they don't know how to respond to these kinds of issues. I escalated the chat to a guy in Oregon. He was kind. He said he would reverse some charges, and have someone come to my unit within 2 business days. I told him that it need to be much more than a lower level rep/tech as the problems are significant. Strangely, I received a call at 10:15 am on a Sunday, which I did not appreciate. It was a woman from an Asian call center. I said to her, you have to be kidding me. She said it was escalated to her. I responded that I was told a high-level tech would come. She proceeded to ask me what happened. I scoffed, and said I spent 2 hours on line the day before, and you are asking me this? She said she did not have the online record. I asked to be escalated to someone in the US. I was, and it was a level 1 tech. She was kind, and even smart, but admitted this was way beyond her. She also said there weren't many notes in my file, because it was a network issue, not an issue in my unit, and that that department doesn't log repair issues. I said, "isn't that interesting." I said to her, what I've said to every person I've spoken to at Comcast -- "It's like everyone works on a separate island, and no one has a phone." I told her that I disconnected my auto pay because I was paying for what I wasn't getting. She she'd enter that and request a further refund, as I requested. She also told me she's work on the appt. It's now been 4 days since my call, and on one has come, or called to confirm an appointment.
I am so regretful I left Directv and AT&T. I thought I'd never say that about AT&T, as its customer service is abysmal as well, but at least they give me what I pay for. Comcast could learn a lot from Directv.
I intend to call my credit card company, and dispute every past payment to Comcast. I will also publish this story, along with pictures of my cable picture so people are well aware of what they may be getting if they order Comcast, and how Comcast trivializes such issues. And if they treat you like me, they will improperly charge you for installation and service calls (to repair their defective system and installation).
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
They also should have set my system up properly, including replacing face plates, and not leaving cable strewn across my living room. They should stay until the repair is complete, The installer was in a hurry and left before he finished. They should properly maintain records of all calls and actions, and stick to it until they diagnosed the problem and then fixed it. If they make an appointment, or call you and you call them back, they should dignify you by following through with their word. The fact that the district supervisor won't return my calls, even though he called me first, pretty much tells the story -- they just don't care.
Contact Michael at : whooped_cushion at yahoo.com
Comcast has done it once again...
Heather K writes:
Comcast has done it once again... Without letting me know they changed my service and charged me for 2 months in one bill. Not only have they done this with my cable service they did it with the internet in which I was told was going to be $20/ month, they have charged me $47/month and charged me for 2 months. And on top of the $280 for one bill they have also charged me $100 for me to go to the store and pick up the items and a technician to come out and flip a switch....Really, since when do Comcast technicians get $100/10min of work, seems a little extensive to me. I have been on the phone for 2 days and they want me to pay $160 for something I was originally only paying $65for without letting me know it was going up a $100. In this economy I would think a $100 jump in service for anything should warrant at least a warning or letter of change of policy/service. Come on Comcast... we know you are making billions on something that costs nothing... so learn to help your customers out... not screw them every chance you get!!!
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
Some type of notification of change in services, so I would have the opportunity to choose what service I wanted and if I could afford a $380 bill in one month.. which by the way I am not sure anybody can afford, especially not a police officers family raising 3 kids.
hkylen at yahoo.com
Comcast has done it once again... Without letting me know they changed my service and charged me for 2 months in one bill. Not only have they done this with my cable service they did it with the internet in which I was told was going to be $20/ month, they have charged me $47/month and charged me for 2 months. And on top of the $280 for one bill they have also charged me $100 for me to go to the store and pick up the items and a technician to come out and flip a switch....Really, since when do Comcast technicians get $100/10min of work, seems a little extensive to me. I have been on the phone for 2 days and they want me to pay $160 for something I was originally only paying $65for without letting me know it was going up a $100. In this economy I would think a $100 jump in service for anything should warrant at least a warning or letter of change of policy/service. Come on Comcast... we know you are making billions on something that costs nothing... so learn to help your customers out... not screw them every chance you get!!!
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
Some type of notification of change in services, so I would have the opportunity to choose what service I wanted and if I could afford a $380 bill in one month.. which by the way I am not sure anybody can afford, especially not a police officers family raising 3 kids.
hkylen at yahoo.com
Ted Writes ...
I had my breach on my bank account card which I use to pay bills. It was a tedious process to have money put back and I ended up being behind on most of my bills. My Comcast bill was due for two months of service and I'm at the mercy of my bank and current paycheck to cover my home, food, insurance, etc. and was sweating bills. Comcast called daily wanting their money, which I understand. A service rep came to my residence and terminated my service, which I also understand, and the next day I get a letter from their collection dept. Ironically I was deposited the stolen money the next day by my bank and had already been issued a new card.
I called Comcast collections to pay in full and was after going through their system for payment of $192.24 with my new card, I was prompted an error had occurred. I called the 1-800-COMCAST and the agent I spoke to said he was able to take the payment and issued me an authorization number once paid. The next day I logged into my bank account and seen that $192.24 had been taken twice...once from their collection and once from the agent I spoke to.
On 4/12/2010, 2:30pm MST, I talked to Zach in Billing and was told it will take 2 weeks to receive a check and 2-3 weeks longer if I wanted them to put it back on my bank card, which I elected for to receive a check.
On 4/28/2010, 4:00pm MST, I spoke with Susan in Billing and she said the paperwork process took until 4/24/2010 to be received and no check has been cut. She said from 4/24 it takes 2 to 3 weeks for the refund to be printed and mailed.
On 5/28/2010, 3:30pm MST, I spoke to Marci in Billing and she said they have not cut the check and that she does not understand why this could be. She clicked away at her computer telling me she was inquiring about why; I don't know to whom she was talking to. After her typing, she told me I need to get a copy of my bank statement showing the two payments taken and fax this to Seattle along with my bank account number and a tracking number 371.3011XXX (X being other digits) to the fax number 303-356-7487. I told her 303 area code is Colorado, where I live and not Seattle. She does show on her computer the amount owed to me, so why they need my bank account number is beyond me and beyond my comfort level knowing the problems I had just went through, and I'm to fax this info to who knows where in Colorado; Marci thought it was Seattle and could not give me a number to billing in Seattle. I can't trust sending my bank info them for fear of losing more money. I owed them and they called daily until I was able to pay and I lost my service. Now they owe me and I have no recourse other than waiting. Can anyone help if they've had a refund issued and how it was resolved?
Comcast associates you can contact Tom at "tedbuffington at gmail.com" .
I called Comcast collections to pay in full and was after going through their system for payment of $192.24 with my new card, I was prompted an error had occurred. I called the 1-800-COMCAST and the agent I spoke to said he was able to take the payment and issued me an authorization number once paid. The next day I logged into my bank account and seen that $192.24 had been taken twice...once from their collection and once from the agent I spoke to.
On 4/12/2010, 2:30pm MST, I talked to Zach in Billing and was told it will take 2 weeks to receive a check and 2-3 weeks longer if I wanted them to put it back on my bank card, which I elected for to receive a check.
On 4/28/2010, 4:00pm MST, I spoke with Susan in Billing and she said the paperwork process took until 4/24/2010 to be received and no check has been cut. She said from 4/24 it takes 2 to 3 weeks for the refund to be printed and mailed.
On 5/28/2010, 3:30pm MST, I spoke to Marci in Billing and she said they have not cut the check and that she does not understand why this could be. She clicked away at her computer telling me she was inquiring about why; I don't know to whom she was talking to. After her typing, she told me I need to get a copy of my bank statement showing the two payments taken and fax this to Seattle along with my bank account number and a tracking number 371.3011XXX (X being other digits) to the fax number 303-356-7487. I told her 303 area code is Colorado, where I live and not Seattle. She does show on her computer the amount owed to me, so why they need my bank account number is beyond me and beyond my comfort level knowing the problems I had just went through, and I'm to fax this info to who knows where in Colorado; Marci thought it was Seattle and could not give me a number to billing in Seattle. I can't trust sending my bank info them for fear of losing more money. I owed them and they called daily until I was able to pay and I lost my service. Now they owe me and I have no recourse other than waiting. Can anyone help if they've had a refund issued and how it was resolved?
Comcast associates you can contact Tom at "tedbuffington at gmail.com" .
Comcast , Get Your Story Straight
I had recently moved and had been without any sort of TV for a couple of weeks. I decided to give Comcast a try, because it was a good price. I called and set up an appointment for Comcast to come set everything up at my house, and when they guy came he said he was unable to set it up, becuase the lines did not run near our house. He told us that we could wait a couple of weeks for service, or ask for a refund. I decided to go with another service provider and was told from Comcast I would recieve a check within 30 days. So far it has been over 60 days and calling 1-800-COMCAST does absolutely nothing. I have called around ten times and get a different answer each time. I have been told I will get a check in the mail, that it will take 30 days, then 30 more days, and also i will be refunded to my account. So far no money from Comcast has come in the mail or been credited to my account. This is crazy to me, because i never even recieved service.
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
I wanted them to give me a straight forward answer saying why it takes so long, and exactly how i was going to be refunded. It seems everyone tells me a different thing.
Heather Dusch hdusch@gmail.com
What Should Have Comcast Done Instead?
I wanted them to give me a straight forward answer saying why it takes so long, and exactly how i was going to be refunded. It seems everyone tells me a different thing.
Heather Dusch hdusch@gmail.com
Refund the money that is rightfully ours in a timely manner.
I was a Comcast customer, however, my fiancé and I cancelled our account in early November after having over a week of outage. We were the only people in our area affected by the outage. We were without Cable, Phone and internet for over a week. I work from home, and my fiancé is pursuing her masters online. We were unable to work for a week…
We called to cancel our service with Comcast. Having just paid over $300 to make sure we were up to date. We were instructed that we would be issued a refund. Tonight we received a statement, four weeks after cancellation stating that we have a credit of $168.73. I asked her to call to be sure that we were receiving a refund check and not being expected to use a credit for a service that we no longer have. She was told by the customer service rep that our refund would now take ANOTHER 8 weeks before its processed and arrives.
Needless to say, this is a beyond ridiculous. Before November, I never had a bad thing to say about Comcast and their services… This takes the cake. Comcast’s outage caused me to lose out on pay from not being able to work, and now I’m forced to wait until next year before I even get back the money that I paid on time.
I find this insulting and beyond frustrating. I will not recommend Comcast or their services to anybody. And if asked my opinion, I’ll be quick to explain what’s happened here.
All we wanted was a quick and painless resolution to this mess.
We are out of our own hard earned money because of Comcast’s problems.
Chris Vandercook chris.vandercook@comcast.net
We called to cancel our service with Comcast. Having just paid over $300 to make sure we were up to date. We were instructed that we would be issued a refund. Tonight we received a statement, four weeks after cancellation stating that we have a credit of $168.73. I asked her to call to be sure that we were receiving a refund check and not being expected to use a credit for a service that we no longer have. She was told by the customer service rep that our refund would now take ANOTHER 8 weeks before its processed and arrives.
Needless to say, this is a beyond ridiculous. Before November, I never had a bad thing to say about Comcast and their services… This takes the cake. Comcast’s outage caused me to lose out on pay from not being able to work, and now I’m forced to wait until next year before I even get back the money that I paid on time.
I find this insulting and beyond frustrating. I will not recommend Comcast or their services to anybody. And if asked my opinion, I’ll be quick to explain what’s happened here.
All we wanted was a quick and painless resolution to this mess.
We are out of our own hard earned money because of Comcast’s problems.
Chris Vandercook chris.vandercook@comcast.net
I HAVE MOVED FROM BOSTON, BACK TO VIRGINIA
I HAVE MOVED FROM BOSTON, BACK TO VIRGINIA, AND HAVE HAD A CREDIT OF 54.14 ON MY COMCAST BILL. I CALL THEM EACH STATEMENT, AND GET THE SAME ANSWER. IT WILL TAKE 6-8 WEEKS LONGER. NOW, I'M TOLD TO REPORT TO THE NEAREST COMCAST OFFICE WHERE I AM CURRENTLY LIVING..AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINAL CREDIT (REFUND). I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN-AROUND, IN ORDER TO GET A REFUND THAT IS MINE. WTF-IT'S MY MONEY, AND THEY HAVE ME JUMPING HOOPS. I'M GETTING THE NEXT PERSON'S NAME I SPEAK WITH, AND GOING TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. THIS IS NOT GOOD BUSINESS, AND I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH COMCAST AGAIN, AND WILL PUBLISH THIS AND AS MANY COPIES OF MY STORY ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY FOR COMCAST TO HANDLE THEIR CREDIT DUE THEIR CUSTOMERS. CAN IT REALLY BE THAT HARD? EARNING INTEREST ON MY MONEY, WHILE I'M GETTING SCREWED.
CORRECTED MY EMAIL, BUT I'M STILL WAITING FOR MY REFUND. $54.14
ANYONE AT COMCAST THAT REALLY CARES:
CALL ME 434-547-5860
AND LET ME KNOW IN WHAT YEAR I'LL GET MY REFUND?
i'VE BEEN TOLD TO KEEP WAITING 6-8 WEEKS, EVERYTIME I GET A STATEMENT. NOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD TO SEE A LOCAL COMCAST OFFICE. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE REFUND CHECKS OUT. SOUNDS LIKE THEY WANT TO GET ME OFF THEIR BACKS, AND ONTO SOMEBODY ELSE..MOVE THE PROBLEM AROUND UNTIL I GIVE UP? HARDLY. WTF-JUST GIVE ME MY $54.14- AND YOU'LL NEVER GET ME BACK AS A CUSTOMER FOREVER- PROMISE.
CORRECTED MY EMAIL, BUT I'M STILL WAITING FOR MY REFUND. $54.14
ANYONE AT COMCAST THAT REALLY CARES:
CALL ME 434-547-5860
AND LET ME KNOW IN WHAT YEAR I'LL GET MY REFUND?
i'VE BEEN TOLD TO KEEP WAITING 6-8 WEEKS, EVERYTIME I GET A STATEMENT. NOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD TO SEE A LOCAL COMCAST OFFICE. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE REFUND CHECKS OUT. SOUNDS LIKE THEY WANT TO GET ME OFF THEIR BACKS, AND ONTO SOMEBODY ELSE..MOVE THE PROBLEM AROUND UNTIL I GIVE UP? HARDLY. WTF-JUST GIVE ME MY $54.14- AND YOU'LL NEVER GET ME BACK AS A CUSTOMER FOREVER- PROMISE.
Another Comcast Problem
BC writes:
I obtained service from Comcast upon my move to a new home in May 2009. With the Comcast service working intermittently and promised repairmen who didn’t honor appointments, we decided it was time for the breakup. I was naïve when I thought this would be easy. This move has cost me hours of frustration and high blood pressure. I was due $76.79 for service I was charged for in advance and did not use. In addition, I was required to turn in a modem in order to qualify for the refund. I jumped through hoops and did everything that was asked of me. I obtained a receipt for the equipment I returned and was promised a full refund within 4-6 weeks. Six weeks later, and no refund, I began calling Comcast to inquire about my refund. I was told the equipment was never turned in so I provided proof by faxing a copy of the receipt I was given…checkmate. In anticipation of this, they responded with the excuse that the equipment wasn’t in their inventory and IF they found it, then I would receive a refund…”back at ya, buddy”. This was an unacceptable response for me and after speaking with CSA stallers at the street level, I could see the writing on the wall and quickly contacted the office of the President, Brian Roberts at 215-665-1700 on 9/22/2009. My call was promptly intercepted and I spoke with Farrah Lively—executive assistant to the president. She assured me that the actions of the CSA were not correct and that the problem would be resolved immediately; in fact, I would receive a return call that same day….I held my breath….and passed out. Here is a recap of the events:
8/10/2009 - Tonya (CSA #5770) tells me to expect a refund within 4 weeks (she was a street level CSA)
9/21/2009 – Spoke to another CSA who told me that Comcast would have to inventory equipment to see if they could locate the equipment that I turned in. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to Shannon (employee #4380). She tells me to expect a refund within a few days.
9/22/2009- I called the office of the President, Brian Roberts (215-665-1700) , asked to speak with the President but was intercepted by Farrah (regional executive office). She told me someone would call me back.
9/23/2009 – Gina (Comcast regional executive office 703-789-8171) calls and informs me a refund would be mailed on 9/28/2009
10/1/2009 – Where’s my check? Elaine Squires (office of the President) tells me someone would call me….I hold my breath and pass out…again
10/2/2009 – Farrah Lively tells me a check was mailed 9/28/2009 and that it was in the hands of the United States Postal Service (I bet the USPS loves this endorsement from a fine organization like Comcast)
10/5/2009 – Elaine called me from the regional office and said the check didn’t really go out and it would be another 2 weeks due to lack of information. When I asked what information she needed, she couldn’t answer me. “Hey”, she informs me, “Washington Gas owes me money and it’s been six months”….oh, OK, that makes this ordeal acceptable? Where do they get these people?
10/5/2009 - I again contact the office of the President, Mr. Brian Roberts. I asked to speak with the President and again I am intercepted, this time by with Tema Burton who tells me the “executive” office couldn’t do anything and that refunds are issued at the regional office (that would be Elaine) and I have haunting visions of a hamster on a wheel.
Here I am…still waiting for my money. When I call the office of the President I doubt he really exists at this point since he won’t speak to me, and he appears eerily similar to the shadow man, Mr. Big, on the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. “The check’s in the mail” is the quote of the month, and Elaine is still waiting for her refund from Washington Gas. I just want my refund for service for which I prepaid and was intermittent at best. I sure hope this story has a happy ending. If I don’t get my refund by 10/10/2009 (this would represent 2 months I have waited for my refund) I am sending this story to the Washington Post, I understand they have a great sense of humor and love a good story, especially the ones about the little people who have been jerked around by big business. Truth really is stranger than fiction so I ask you to stay posted for the next chapter in this saga. Let’s hope Comcast does the right thing and refunds my money…I’ll let you know after 10/10/2009. Oh, I forgot to say that I am retired and have been looking for a new purpose in my life….I think I found it! I’ll also let you know if the President, Brian Roberts, steps out of the shadows from behind the women who are his appointed “guards of the castle” and speaks to me. I am sending this to him now at Brian_Roberts@comcast.com Stay tuned!
What should have Comcast done differently:
Comcast should have been more professional in dealing with their customers. They should also honor refunds instead of hiding from their financial obligations.
I obtained service from Comcast upon my move to a new home in May 2009. With the Comcast service working intermittently and promised repairmen who didn’t honor appointments, we decided it was time for the breakup. I was naïve when I thought this would be easy. This move has cost me hours of frustration and high blood pressure. I was due $76.79 for service I was charged for in advance and did not use. In addition, I was required to turn in a modem in order to qualify for the refund. I jumped through hoops and did everything that was asked of me. I obtained a receipt for the equipment I returned and was promised a full refund within 4-6 weeks. Six weeks later, and no refund, I began calling Comcast to inquire about my refund. I was told the equipment was never turned in so I provided proof by faxing a copy of the receipt I was given…checkmate. In anticipation of this, they responded with the excuse that the equipment wasn’t in their inventory and IF they found it, then I would receive a refund…”back at ya, buddy”. This was an unacceptable response for me and after speaking with CSA stallers at the street level, I could see the writing on the wall and quickly contacted the office of the President, Brian Roberts at 215-665-1700 on 9/22/2009. My call was promptly intercepted and I spoke with Farrah Lively—executive assistant to the president. She assured me that the actions of the CSA were not correct and that the problem would be resolved immediately; in fact, I would receive a return call that same day….I held my breath….and passed out. Here is a recap of the events:
8/10/2009 - Tonya (CSA #5770) tells me to expect a refund within 4 weeks (she was a street level CSA)
9/21/2009 – Spoke to another CSA who told me that Comcast would have to inventory equipment to see if they could locate the equipment that I turned in. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to Shannon (employee #4380). She tells me to expect a refund within a few days.
9/22/2009- I called the office of the President, Brian Roberts (215-665-1700) , asked to speak with the President but was intercepted by Farrah (regional executive office). She told me someone would call me back.
9/23/2009 – Gina (Comcast regional executive office 703-789-8171) calls and informs me a refund would be mailed on 9/28/2009
10/1/2009 – Where’s my check? Elaine Squires (office of the President) tells me someone would call me….I hold my breath and pass out…again
10/2/2009 – Farrah Lively tells me a check was mailed 9/28/2009 and that it was in the hands of the United States Postal Service (I bet the USPS loves this endorsement from a fine organization like Comcast)
10/5/2009 – Elaine called me from the regional office and said the check didn’t really go out and it would be another 2 weeks due to lack of information. When I asked what information she needed, she couldn’t answer me. “Hey”, she informs me, “Washington Gas owes me money and it’s been six months”….oh, OK, that makes this ordeal acceptable? Where do they get these people?
10/5/2009 - I again contact the office of the President, Mr. Brian Roberts. I asked to speak with the President and again I am intercepted, this time by with Tema Burton who tells me the “executive” office couldn’t do anything and that refunds are issued at the regional office (that would be Elaine) and I have haunting visions of a hamster on a wheel.
Here I am…still waiting for my money. When I call the office of the President I doubt he really exists at this point since he won’t speak to me, and he appears eerily similar to the shadow man, Mr. Big, on the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. “The check’s in the mail” is the quote of the month, and Elaine is still waiting for her refund from Washington Gas. I just want my refund for service for which I prepaid and was intermittent at best. I sure hope this story has a happy ending. If I don’t get my refund by 10/10/2009 (this would represent 2 months I have waited for my refund) I am sending this story to the Washington Post, I understand they have a great sense of humor and love a good story, especially the ones about the little people who have been jerked around by big business. Truth really is stranger than fiction so I ask you to stay posted for the next chapter in this saga. Let’s hope Comcast does the right thing and refunds my money…I’ll let you know after 10/10/2009. Oh, I forgot to say that I am retired and have been looking for a new purpose in my life….I think I found it! I’ll also let you know if the President, Brian Roberts, steps out of the shadows from behind the women who are his appointed “guards of the castle” and speaks to me. I am sending this to him now at Brian_Roberts@comcast.com Stay tuned!
What should have Comcast done differently:
Comcast should have been more professional in dealing with their customers. They should also honor refunds instead of hiding from their financial obligations.
Comcast Came Clean (For Me)
So after creating this site, and contacting Comcast customer services two times, I finally got a call from one of the representative. He listened to my story, agreed that I was charged for something I wasn't supposed to get charged for and gave me a refund for all of the unnecessary expenses. Therefore I will not post anymore in relation to this issue.
Taking a Whack Against Comcast
While it is the purpose of this site to expose Comcast's shortcomings though peaceful means, and old couple from Manassas, Virginia decided to take the matters in their own hands.
"...So, after stewing over it all weekend, on the following Monday, she went downstairs, got Don's claw hammer and said: "C'mon, honey, we're going to Comcast."
Did you try to stop her, Mr. Shaw?
"Oh no, no," he says.
Hammer time: Shaw storms in the company's office. BAM! She whacks the keyboard of the customer service rep. BAM! Down goes the monitor. BAM! She totals the telephone. People scatter, scream, cops show up and what does she do? POW! A parting shot to the phone!
"They cuffed me right then," she says.
Her take on Comcast: "What a bunch of sub-moronic imbeciles." ..."
Read the full story :) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/17/AR2007101702359.html
"...So, after stewing over it all weekend, on the following Monday, she went downstairs, got Don's claw hammer and said: "C'mon, honey, we're going to Comcast."
Did you try to stop her, Mr. Shaw?
"Oh no, no," he says.
Hammer time: Shaw storms in the company's office. BAM! She whacks the keyboard of the customer service rep. BAM! Down goes the monitor. BAM! She totals the telephone. People scatter, scream, cops show up and what does she do? POW! A parting shot to the phone!
"They cuffed me right then," she says.
Her take on Comcast: "What a bunch of sub-moronic imbeciles." ..."
Read the full story :) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/17/AR2007101702359.html
Comcast Epic Fail
I came across this story titled Comcast Epic Fail on http://msgnet.org . In it author outlines his or her struggles to try to fix Comcast service that was not working properly for over a week. Read the full article here:
Comcast Epic Fail http://msgnet.org/2009/03/comcast-epic-fail/
What I find important, however, is the conlcusion provided by the author: "...How does this story end? I don’t know yet. My service probably gets fixed – eventually. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is the complete incompetence of Comcast and their customer (lack of) service department. They don’t care if you leave to go to a competitor – there’s little competition in this market anyway. But more importantly, there is no sense of urgency and no one actually capable of taking any responsibility for fixing a problem..."
Technology can fail sometimes, and everybody understands it. But I, as a customer, expect to receive proper customer support that will try to fix my problem, instead of convincing me that there is no problem.
Comcast Epic Fail http://msgnet.org/2009/03/comcast-epic-fail/
What I find important, however, is the conlcusion provided by the author: "...How does this story end? I don’t know yet. My service probably gets fixed – eventually. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is the complete incompetence of Comcast and their customer (lack of) service department. They don’t care if you leave to go to a competitor – there’s little competition in this market anyway. But more importantly, there is no sense of urgency and no one actually capable of taking any responsibility for fixing a problem..."
Technology can fail sometimes, and everybody understands it. But I, as a customer, expect to receive proper customer support that will try to fix my problem, instead of convincing me that there is no problem.
Comcast on Digg's Front Page
Today Comcast once again landed on the first page of digg.com
There is not much else to say, exept that the ammount of customer dissatisfaction is pretty obvious and speaks for itself.
I would like to add a top rated comment posted by user blastek: "I just quit working for Comcast a few days ago. I couldn't take it anymore. They are the most hated company I have ever been with/dealt with. It was so aggravating hearing how much people hate it and you take it personally because they are screaming at you directly. Their internet is a scam BTW guys. They boost the speed for the first 10MB of a download so when you run a speed test it looks like you're actually getting good speeds. Their internet is a scam. Their phone service never works. Their TV channel offerings are PITIFUL compared to FiOS. Sorry, but I'm still pissed off that this company is even able to survive."
There is not much else to say, exept that the ammount of customer dissatisfaction is pretty obvious and speaks for itself.
I would like to add a top rated comment posted by user blastek: "I just quit working for Comcast a few days ago. I couldn't take it anymore. They are the most hated company I have ever been with/dealt with. It was so aggravating hearing how much people hate it and you take it personally because they are screaming at you directly. Their internet is a scam BTW guys. They boost the speed for the first 10MB of a download so when you run a speed test it looks like you're actually getting good speeds. Their internet is a scam. Their phone service never works. Their TV channel offerings are PITIFUL compared to FiOS. Sorry, but I'm still pissed off that this company is even able to survive."
My Comcast Story :(
Last month I received a bill from Comcast that I owe $77 dollars($44 higher than what I usually pay) for a regular Internet service. I called customer care, and the person that I talked to apologized for extra charge, entered a promotional code, and charged me the new/reduced fee for that month. I was so please with the customer service that I decided to add a cable services to my Comcast plan.
This month I got a bill for $143 ... I immediately contacted the customer service over 24/7 chat(which is a great option), and they perceived to give me somewhat confusing answers. After about an hour and a half in the conversation, the person that I talked to came up with some charges that magically added up to the amount of my bill. The problem however lays int he fact that these numbers had nothing to do with the information that he originally provided me with in the beginning of our discussion. I honestly got a feeling that he just pulled out a calculator and came up with some numbers to shut me up.
I usually try to be very nice to people in the customer service, since I worked similar jobs before and know that their hands are usually tied. In this case, however, I had a set of mixed fillings of both outrage and amazement by the "quality" of the customer service. I don't know if I am just being cranky because tomorrow is my birthday and I am getting old, or maybe because this guy really did provide horrible customer service. I will let the readers help me sort it out.
I am currently in the process of contacting Rick (see below) from Comcast to leave him the feedback about my experience with customer service. I'll keep you updated on the kind of response that I will get.
Please review the copy of my chat bellow, and let me know if you think I was being unfair to the guy, or the customer service was in fact a bit lacking.
LiveAssist Transcript
Update: Since this post I attempted to contact Comcast once again, and have not received any reply whatsoever. It has now been 5 days.
This month I got a bill for $143 ... I immediately contacted the customer service over 24/7 chat(which is a great option), and they perceived to give me somewhat confusing answers. After about an hour and a half in the conversation, the person that I talked to came up with some charges that magically added up to the amount of my bill. The problem however lays int he fact that these numbers had nothing to do with the information that he originally provided me with in the beginning of our discussion. I honestly got a feeling that he just pulled out a calculator and came up with some numbers to shut me up.
I usually try to be very nice to people in the customer service, since I worked similar jobs before and know that their hands are usually tied. In this case, however, I had a set of mixed fillings of both outrage and amazement by the "quality" of the customer service. I don't know if I am just being cranky because tomorrow is my birthday and I am getting old, or maybe because this guy really did provide horrible customer service. I will let the readers help me sort it out.
I am currently in the process of contacting Rick (see below) from Comcast to leave him the feedback about my experience with customer service. I'll keep you updated on the kind of response that I will get.
Please review the copy of my chat bellow, and let me know if you think I was being unfair to the guy, or the customer service was in fact a bit lacking.
LiveAssist Transcript
chat id :
Problem : High charges on my bill
Alex > High charges on my bill
Rowell > Hello Alex_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support.
My name is Rowell. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Rowell > I would be happy to assist you today.
Rowell > I see here that you have a billing issue.
Rowell > Let me go ahead and help you with that.
Rowell > Please allow me a moment to check on your account.
Alex_ > oj
Alex_ > ok i mean
Alex_ > here is my Account Number:
Rowell > Thank you.
Rowell > It shows here that you have internet and cable service
Alex_ > yes
Alex_ > So basically I had a problem with my internet bill earlier, it went
up to $77 but the customer service applied some sort of code and braught it
down to 25 which I paid. Then I ordered TV services on the same line which
was supposed to be $29 a month. Now I get the bill for $143 while 29+25 makes
out a lot less.
Rowell > It shows here that you before the service was upgraded the $34.99
promotional offer for the internet service was not in effect in your June bill
making your previous balance to $72.24. After the payment of $25.62 the
remaining balance was added to your current bill.
Alex_ > That is not what I was told on the phone, when they took the payment
Rowell > When you change your service level, the amount due on your first
statement after the change will be slightly off from your new rate because of
pro-rated charges or credits from your most recent billing cycle. These
charges or credits will be for the difference between the old and new service
packages from the date you made the change to the end of the billing cycle in
which the change was made.
Alex_ > ok, so what is the remaining balance?
Rowell > Your current balance is $143.14
Alex_ > in other words how did we get to 143
Alex_ > ok, what is my normal montly payment supposed to be ?
Rowell > Yoour monthly charge is $67.93. On this cycle your bill includes a
month in advance payment for the new service and remaining balance of the
previous bill cycle.
Alex_ > ok, so does the month in advance imply that I will not have to pay
for next month?
Rowell > You will still need to pay for the next bill. Be aware of the
way that Comcast bills for services. The way that our billing works is
that when you change services or have services installed, you are billed
from the date that the work order closed to the end of that billing cycle
and you are also billed for one cycle in advance. Due to the nature of
this billing, you will see an increased amount due on your first statement
following the upgrade. On the next cycle, the billing will be at the normal rate.
Alex_ > Billed from 06/24/2009 to 07/23/2009
Alex_ > Billed from 07/24/2009 to 08/23/2009
Alex_ > Billed from 06/24/2009 to 07/23/2009 - 72
Alex_ > Billed from 07/24/2009 to 08/23/2009 - 143
Alex_ > am I going to get billed for 08/24-09/23? and if yes, why since I
am paying double for 07/24-08/23 ?
Rowell > Your August to September bill is not yet generated. The current
bill is for your July to August bill.
Alex_ > But you are chagrin me for August to September, right? Thats the month
in advance?
Rowell > Yes this is the month in advance charge.
Alex_ > So than I shouldn't pay anything for August to Septermber, because
I allready paid double this month. Is that how it works?
Rowell > For your actual service date on June 14 to July 14 the charge will be
a month in advance making the billing cycle for this actual date to
July 24 - August 23.
Alex_ > I have no idea what that supposed to mean.
Alex_ > lets break it down
Alex_ > in june-july I owed you some money,t that you added to my bill for
july august.
Alex_ > I owed the difference, what ever it is lets say 40 dollors
Alex_ > than I get bill for 143 dollors.
Alex_ > 40 is that I owe from the previous month
Alex_ > 63 for this month
Alex_ > and 40 more for the next cicle.
Alex_ > so next cicle I should only pay 63-40(I allready paid) = 23 dollars
Alex_ > is that correct?
Rowell > Since the upgrade is processed in the middle of your billing cycle
prorations applies. A total of $37.51 for the prorated charge was applied to
your account.
Alex_ > ok, i get that
Alex_ > so I pay 34 for july-august + 37 from last month = 71
Alex_ > and the other 72$ is for 2 cycles of cable, right?
Rowell > You are now being billed a monthly rate of $67.73 for both service.
This rate along with the installation charge and prorated charges and taxes
and other fees constitute your current bill.
Alex_ > You are not answering my question.
Rowell > The other $72 is not for cable service alone it also includes the
charge for internet service for the current cycle and a month in advance.
Alex_ > What is my payment for august-September going to be ? 67.73?
Rowell > That would be that regular rate + taxes and fees less than $8.
Alex_ > Why is it going to be regular rate, if I am already paying extra
this month ?
Rowell > I mean your regular is $67.73 + taxes and fees
Rowell > The $67.73 + taxes and fees rate will be your regular rate for 12 months.
Alex_ > Do you see what my problem is ? I end up paying extra money, almost
double , this month for the "month in advance". But when that month in
advance, which is in my understanding the next month comes, I need to pay
once again the regular ammount. So if I have to pay regular for the next month,
what am I paying extra for this month?
Rowell > This month's rate is composed of $29.99 for the internet
service + $29.99 for the cable service + $4.95 HD service + $3 for modem
rent Extra charges includes installation charge, prorated charges, taxes and
other fees.
Alex_ > ok thats 67.9 I get it. And I also owe 37.51 pro rated from last month,
its messed up, but I also get it. What I don't get is why do I need to pay $143.
The charges that you explained add up to $105. Where do other $40 come from?
Rowell > It shows here that your total taxes and fees is $6.92 + installation
charge of $25.99 for cable service. It shows here also an assistance payment
fee of $3.99. This fee is charge when payment is processed by a customer account
executive.
Alex_ > OK, that adds up. Here is what you said earlier thought.
Alex_ > Rowell(Fri Jul 17 2009 01:12:58 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time))>
Yoour monthly charge is $67.93. On this cycle your bill includes a month in
advance payment for the new service and remaining balance of the previous
bill cycle.
Alex_ > You bill included month in advance?
Alex_ > but you just broke it down without month in advance. So were you
BSing me before, or are you BSing me now?
Rowell > The month in advance is the $67.73 on the break down. The current
charge is already included in the prorations.
Alex_ > Whatever you say. Can you please give me your employee ID number and
reference number for this conversation.
Rowell > is my ID number.
Rowell > You can save or print this transcript when you click on the end
session button. Those option will appear on the pop up after clicking the button.
Alex_ > OK, didn't meant to be an a-hole but, it took you over hour and a
half to explain me what the charges on my bill were for. Have a good night.Update: Since this post I attempted to contact Comcast once again, and have not received any reply whatsoever. It has now been 5 days.
Uncomcast
This whole thing started for me on July 16, 2009.
My mother has complained to me that her Comcast bill was high again. This was surprising to hear because just a month before, I've spent a significant amount of time on the phone with Comcast Customer Service, and assumed that I took care of all the issues. I decided to try to use Comcast chat function to get the matter straight again, since it was already late and night and I did not want to have a loud conversation.
My question was rather simple, why do I have such a large bill, and where did the extra charges come from. The irony of this situation is that all I wanted is just enough information to know what is going on. The customer representative took literally 5-10 minutes between every time he would get back to me. Every time he did get back to me, his answer had nothing to do with my question. Eventually I just had enough. I asked him for a reference number, and decided to contact somebody normal next morning.
Since almost two hours of my life was wasted on pointless discussion, I felt it was a little unfair to me since my family is already paying a lot of money to Comcast. That is why I decided to give Comcast a feedback, expecting something like usual "we are sorry" and maybe a little credit back for my time waisted and some questionable charges. There was no response.
I waited for a couple of days and re-submitted my complaint. Just like the last time, I've received an email saying that my suggestion was received and a customer representative will get back to me "probably within a couple of hours". I've never heard from them again.
Meanwhile I've shared my experience with some friends of mine via email, and began to get an overwhelming response of people who could identify with similar problems that they had n dealing with Comcast customer service. One of my friends even had already blogged about it, at his business site. This made me realize that if so many of my personal friends had problems with their service, there must be millions of people out there who must share the similar issue.
A quick Online search for "Comcast Sucks" and "F&%k Comcast" has showed me that there are thousands of pages and blog entries related to this issue. I did not, however, find a single website that would strive towards a constructive solution that would actually make the diference. That is why I decided to create this blog.
If you had a similar experience with Comcast customer service and don't mind sharing it please follow a submit your story link to the right of this page. If you have a blog I will post a link to your original post in the body of the story. If you don't have a blog, I will just post it with whatever information you'll provide me with, so that Comcast can get back to you in case they will come across your complaint.
Comcast services are very expensive. I really hope that eventually Comcast will realize that this approach is actually causing them to lose money and would pull their acts together, or get ruined by a new competitor, their choice.
My mother has complained to me that her Comcast bill was high again. This was surprising to hear because just a month before, I've spent a significant amount of time on the phone with Comcast Customer Service, and assumed that I took care of all the issues. I decided to try to use Comcast chat function to get the matter straight again, since it was already late and night and I did not want to have a loud conversation.
My question was rather simple, why do I have such a large bill, and where did the extra charges come from. The irony of this situation is that all I wanted is just enough information to know what is going on. The customer representative took literally 5-10 minutes between every time he would get back to me. Every time he did get back to me, his answer had nothing to do with my question. Eventually I just had enough. I asked him for a reference number, and decided to contact somebody normal next morning.
Since almost two hours of my life was wasted on pointless discussion, I felt it was a little unfair to me since my family is already paying a lot of money to Comcast. That is why I decided to give Comcast a feedback, expecting something like usual "we are sorry" and maybe a little credit back for my time waisted and some questionable charges. There was no response.
I waited for a couple of days and re-submitted my complaint. Just like the last time, I've received an email saying that my suggestion was received and a customer representative will get back to me "probably within a couple of hours". I've never heard from them again.
Meanwhile I've shared my experience with some friends of mine via email, and began to get an overwhelming response of people who could identify with similar problems that they had n dealing with Comcast customer service. One of my friends even had already blogged about it, at his business site. This made me realize that if so many of my personal friends had problems with their service, there must be millions of people out there who must share the similar issue.
A quick Online search for "Comcast Sucks" and "F&%k Comcast" has showed me that there are thousands of pages and blog entries related to this issue. I did not, however, find a single website that would strive towards a constructive solution that would actually make the diference. That is why I decided to create this blog.
If you had a similar experience with Comcast customer service and don't mind sharing it please follow a submit your story link to the right of this page. If you have a blog I will post a link to your original post in the body of the story. If you don't have a blog, I will just post it with whatever information you'll provide me with, so that Comcast can get back to you in case they will come across your complaint.
Comcast services are very expensive. I really hope that eventually Comcast will realize that this approach is actually causing them to lose money and would pull their acts together, or get ruined by a new competitor, their choice.
