Comcast Bill Keeps Going Up!!!!

[cordenny]

I just opened my new Comcast bill and it went up to $209.00!! We have had Comcast triple play for 8 years. I called to see if they could reduce it and the only suggestion is take away most of our channels. We live in an area where we can't get any other cable service. Has anyone else experienced this and how did you handle it?

[Bonnevie]

I cancelled everything but internet...used only netflix and amazon prime for a couple of months, then they start offering affordable deals again. I got the new X1 system, HBO for a year, and more channels for about $50 less than what I previously had with the outdated hardware and I locked it in for 2 years.

[jebartle]

Welcome to the world of Comcast.....One thing you will never see is their bill going down.
I've dumped Comcast for everything except internet, still trying to find another carrier....
Amazingly the bill has not changed, it is always $39.95, will wonders never cease.
I'm sure everyone at Comcast misses my monthly call, requesting the bill be corrected..

[billybye]

Check with Century Link. They are adding fiber optic lines to a lot of Villages locations. You need to call them to get best prices, not available at their stores.
I have TV, internet and phone with total of $150 a month including taxes. I do not have HBO or Showtime, which was another $30 a month. Very happy.

[Villager Audio Video]

It's the same with every TV and/or Internet provider. You get a promotional rate, it expires and the bill goes up. It's the same with Brighthouse, Dish, DirectTV, Century Link, everyone plays the same game.

My promotion rate expired with Comcast /Xfinity and my bill went from $180 to $220. I called, complained and my 1st contact could only reduce services to get the bill down. Transferred me to the retention department and I got a promotion that was equal to my previous bill. I did a 2 year agreement this time so I don't have to make the call every year. The early termination fee was only $230 and goes down every month.

You basically have 2 choices. PAY or PLAY. Play the game or pay the higher price. It is what it is and I don't see it changing anytime soon. It's been that way for as long as I've been paying for Internet and TV programming.


Full disclosure, I'm a Comcast Xfinity dealer.

[joldnol]

and the rent is too damn high also http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2013-12-09/1209_mcmillan_630x420.jpg

[hulahips]

Yes absolutely. I just called them and said we are on fixed income and they lowered it $15.00 a month. Give it a try

[rubicon]

It's the same with every TV and/or Internet provider. You get a promotional rate, it expires and the bill goes up. It's the same with Brighthouse, Dish, DirectTV, Century Link, everyone plays the same game.

My promotion rate expired with Comcast /Xfinity and my bill went from $180 to $220. I called, complained and my 1st contact could only reduce services to get the bill down. Transferred me to the retention department and I got a promotion that was equal to my previous bill. I did a 2 year agreement this time so I don't have to make the call every year. The early termination fee was only $230 and goes down every month.

You basically have 2 choices. PAY or PLAY. Play the game or pay the higher price. It is what it is and I don't see it changing anytime soon. It's been that way for as long as I've been paying for Internet and TV programming.


Full disclosure, I'm a Comcast Xfinity dealer.

As a Comcast Dealer your report is informative but disturbing. Our experience tracks with your comments. I believe of all the provides Comcast is the lesser evil.

I e-mailed them to explain that the TV programing /bundle needed to be re-worked and that i objected to have to rent their equipment to allow them the opportunity to stream their services to me.

The problem is we are faced with an oligopoly and the regulators are focused on the wrong things.

People who comment here need to be more specific about what they have before explaining what they pay. We have three DR's HD's and a digital adapter for a small TV. We also have their gateway modem. We have a premium package except for TMC.

I am told that paying for HD is a waste of money because consumers really never see the difference.

The premium stations are not giving you the latest releases and worse yet you have to rent them when they do make an offer.

I complained about this also telling them that cable first came out with the pitch that for a monthly fee you could get the latest releases in the comfort of your home and ditch the local movie theater

How quickly they forget

[mgcsooner]

On a similar note, I received a letter today from Comcast telling me basic cable will be encrypted soon, and if I want to continue receiving TV signals, I'll need to lease receiver boxes for any outlets I'm using that don't yet have a receiver.

Actually I got the basic tv package just to get the higher speed internet but don't even use it. I'm using DirecTV for that.

This may be old news to some, but it's the first notice I received. I live South of 466A if that matters.

[Villager Audio Video]

Those letters just hit today and it's going to be an issue for many including myself. Comcast doesn't yet offer HD digital adaptors in this market. There free DTA's are junk designed for TV's from the 70"s. I have 2 displays in my home using the unencrypted signal. Both will need $9.95 per month boxes or an antenna to get High definition television.

On a side note I just nailed down a nearly fool proof way to get NBC via over the air antenna. I'm now confident I can guarantee all major networks. (ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS and now NBC) in beautiful high definition.

[Fred R]

As a brand new home owner at TV and one who is not on site at the present time let me say this........Cable companies have a virtual monopoly throughout the country unless one wants dish. It seems in most part of the of the country we have choices for electric phone ,natural gas suppliers, propane but never for cable. The Telecommunication ACt of 1996 gave away the store to cable companies. I am trying to figure out how in the world I can get my cable put on vacation schedule here in Ohio for two months when I visit the villages this fall. Every time I talk to a representative I get a different story. I also want to start basic cable and more importantly Internet when I come to the villages in late September. Even the vacation plans at Comcast have many restrictions and it does not make it easy to suspend the service. I will probably cancel my Time Warner service here in Ohio when I come to Florida in the fall and started up again when I return. I may have to do the same thing with Comcast. Any suggestions that any of you have would be appreciated.

[Jima64]

Two years ago we cut out everything except internet. My wife does not want to deal with a new internet address. We can get a new deal with dish for tv at much less than comcast. When the promo time is up we will switch again. Cc will not be considered unless they have a good promo.

[Villager Audio Video]

Two years ago we cut out everything except internet. My wife does not want to deal with a new internet address..

Internet address?

[looneycat]

I opted to remove the telephone from the bundle since I use wifi phones for free now and I make the annual call to the retention dept at centurylink to reverse the increases...I still have a no contract deal with them.

[zcaveman]

Internet address?

I think Jima64 mean e-mail address.

Z

[mgcsooner]

I think Jima64 mean e-mail address.

Z

Best way to deal with email is to get an email that goes with you to any provider. Emails add ending in yahoo.com, iCloud.com, gmail.com, and others that are not tied to either your internet or tv provider. Yeah it means changing, but then you're all done.

[ukbill70]

Check with Century Link. They are adding fiber optic lines to a lot of Villages locations. You need to call them to get best prices, not available at their stores.
I have TV, internet and phone with total of $150 a month including taxes. I do not have HBO or Showtime, which was another $30 a month. Very happy.

Is that for just 1 TV or do you have 2 or more TV's

[tomwed]

Best way to deal with email is to get an email that goes with you to any provider. Emails add ending in yahoo.com, iCloud.com, gmail.com, and others that are not tied to either your internet or tv provider. Yeah it means changing, but then you're all done.
A different way of looking at it is to have a gmail account and have your internet provider forward their email to the gmail account. Now you have the flexibility of changing providers at will and not needing to inform anyone about the new change.

I hope it didn't make it even more confusing. I'm sure someone could give a better explanation.

[tuccillo]

You don't need to have your internet service provider (ISP) forward anything. Simply set up an e-mail account at gmail and point your e-mail client at gmail or use the web interface to gmail. In my opinion, the sooner you stop using an ISP-based e-mail account the better off you will be as you then have complete freedom to switch ISPs. These is a little pain as you need to advertise your new e-mail address but you can keep a gmail account forever. Alternatively, setup your own domain and create e-mail accounts under the domain. This does have some cost. gmail is no cost.

If you are dropping an ISP and have been using them for e-mail, they will most likely forward to your new gmail account, for a fee. Also, I recommend using the IMAP protocol for e-mail and not POP. This way your e-mails stay on the gmail server and you can access them via multiple devices and have the mail messages tagged as "read" whenever they are "read" from any of your devices. For example, I access my gmail account from a laptop, an iphone, and an ipad.

A different way of looking at it is to have a gmail account and have your internet provider forward their email to the gmail account. Now you have the flexibility of changing providers at will and not needing to inform anyone about the new change.

I hope it didn't make it even more confusing. I'm sure someone could give a better explanation.