COMCAST - Constant drop service in new home from Day1
 

I am totally disappointed and frustrated by the number of dropped connections on my COMCAST land (phone) line so today I decided to switch to Century Link. I have been patient. For the first few weeks after I moved into my new home in Tamarind Grove in early November 2010, was on the phone with Comcast just about every single day (sometimes more than once a day) to report the problems with constant dropped internet and phone connections, and problems with HD boxes or missing channels. Technicians came out to the house several times, never found anything wrong in the house, said signal was strong and eventually ordered service to the box/line outside in Dec which eventually seemed to have resolved the TV and internet problems. However, the dropped phone calls several times a day remain (up to this morning) and have been nothing but headaches - so irritating to be on the phone 10 minutes and suddenly lose a call, and have no dial tone for up to 10 minutes. Sure, they gave me lots of "credit for the lost service" but I don't want CREDIT I want SERVICE. Sure hope that porting my number over and switching to Century Link resolves my phone problems....for now, I'll keep COMCAST for internet and TV services as the problems I had are now resolved. But I am so over COMCAST, and will NOT recommend them to anyone for phone services.

I am also an unsatisfied customer. I just got off the phone with them. I am on automatic payment and we sent them a voided check last month to set up the routing number and account number. Someone must have typed in the wrong info and our bill this month was not paid...thus a $25 late charge. This is BS. The person I spoke too was ignorant and not helpful. I am waiting for my wife to come home to get more info before I reach a supervisor. Comcast is a monopoly. At least in NY you have a choice between Optonline and Verizon. Can anyone recommend a dish network that is cheaper, and the service better?

Tom - Sorry to hear about your headache. We've got DirecTV in OH and had them install an antenna in TV for us as well. Brought our receivers with us when we came down last month and everything worked like a charm. Had to make an additional phone call to re-switch our service when we got back to OH but that was it.

Depending on your programming choices, DirecTV might not be the least expensive option. But we've been happy with service from them for 2 years so that's worth something, at least to me!! :)

Bill

Just got off the phone with Comcast. I spoke to a supervisor and got my $25 late charged removed. I now have to go into the Comcast webpage and redo my info. Not sure if I posted the wrong info such as account or routing number but whatever the reason it shouldn't happen again.

I have had intermittent but regular problems with Comcast phone and internet service. After lots of calls, technicians and credits, I've been told the problem lies with the remote "node" which handles the signals for my area. Since they have not been able to fix the node, I switched to Century Link for phone and internet. I'm keeping the cable tv, (as much as I'd love to ditch Comcast forever), because I've had no real problems with it and because this website has a bunch of horror stories about both Dish & Direct TV.

Anybody have a clue as to when TV will have the fiber optic capability to host Verizon or Century Link tv service?

I second the vote for Verizon. A much better service

I miss Verizon FIOS
 

I would be first in line to switch over to Verizon FIOS if they were in TV. I had bundled phone, internet and TV with them in NJ and the service and quality of all 3 were unbeatable!

sounds like nj and ny are wonderful places! wonder why so many are here? i happen to have comcast and think they are great.

Hey Bill, I plan on doing the same thing except I'm trying to decide between DirecTV & Dish Net. Any comments on that would be appreciated.
Anyway, if I understand you correctly, you have two dishes/antennae, one set up here and one located in Ohio, so my question is, when you moved your receivers from one location to another and plugged them in, why would you have to call DirecTV?? Shouldn't your service just continue working as before?
Thanks,
John A.

We also had a problem with Comcast that lasted several months. Same story, dropped calls and no dial tone and no internet. After may calls and tech visits, I finally called corporate in PA. Corporate called Orlando and Orlando called Leesburg. Managers from Orlando and Leesburg called me to apologize and the problem has been fixed. We haven't had a hiccup with phone or internet since the end of November.

John - We had Dish for a number of years. Only reason for switching to DirecTV 2 years ago was based on programming offered at the time. Dish wasn't offering certain deal-breaker channels whereas DirecTV was. Either service is fine as far as I'm concerned - fairly minimal problems with either, at least for me! Just check and compare their programming packages for what channels they offer and what's offered in HD (if you're getting HD service). Also, if one knows you're checking out the other, they'll start tossing all kinds of deals at you to get you to go their way!

Additionally, DirecTV will generally do "free standard installation" of an antenna. (Dish might work this same way but I can't speak to that). "Standard installation" to them means roof-mounting the antenna, which we don't personally care for. If you want it pole-mounted in the ground, you'll have to arm wrestle with the service tech when he/she shows up at the time of the install for what the charge will be as they consider that a custom installation. The installers are independent contractors (generally) and they'll charge you whatever they feel is appropriate. I tried to get them to call me in advance of the install appointment - no luck with that. $75 seems to be what they'll usually do it for - but I've heard/read as much as $150 and some people manage to get the extra charge waived completely. So you're pretty much on your own with the installer's pricing tactics!! :)

There are a couple of different reasons DirecTV makes you call them when you're switching locations. First, they need to "flip the magic switch" somewhere in their world so that you pick up the appropriate local channels - ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, etc. So when we were there in TV, we were getting the Orlando stations as well as a few out of Daytona, I believe. Called them from back home and the locals get flipped back to central OH. Second reason: They we talking some FCC-type regulation stuff about ensuring you can only receive service for a single account in one locale at a time. So you can't leave one receiver back home and take others to TV and get service at both places.

Lastly, if you deal with DirecTV as a brand new customer, they might quibble over the installation (for free) of the 2nd antenna. The way I got ours done was through their "Mover's Connection" group - different 800 number and everything. It's the part of their business that handles new antenna installs when you actually change residences - the typical "We're moving!" situation. But they apparently handle the dual-location situation the same only they add the 2nd residence as an additional service address to your account. They told me that there would be no charge since we'd been with them for two years already, our account was in good standing, and we'd never done the Mover's Connection thing with them before. Apparently they allow it to be done just once every 12 months. So be prepared for a potential discussion with them about the 2nd location if you're going to be a new customer.

And the nice thing is that we still pay the same thing every month. No extra monthly charges for any of it!

Hope that helps! :)

Bill

I've had problems with COMCAST Cable TV and not being able to receive some channels on my TV unless I pay for one of their "boxes". I am not talking a premium channel here - only TrueTV (used to be called CourtTV) which is Channel 70 on my Comcast. I get it on one TV )which does have their box) but not on my others. I called COMCAST to complaint and they were ZERO HELP. I'm on the lookout for a better way to get my TV signal and will change my internet service also, if I can.

Sorry to have to report this, but I had Direct TV for only six months and it was a nightmare. We had so much signal trouble, equipment problems, long waits on hold and unhelpful representatives that we opted to pay the huge fine (I think it was over $400) and bail out.

Imagine that a penalty of $400 to shed lousy service.

Some examples:

Receiver crashed. I had to unhook it, pack it up, take it to the UPS store and send it back. Then ONE WEEK later (without any TV for a week) I got a new one, had to hook it up, then spend ONE HOUR on the phone with customer service re-programming it.

We weren't happy with the quality of the high definition signal for a couple of months. Finally, they sent a servicemen and he determined that the wrong dish had been used and aimed at the wrong satellite. So, for our months of incomplete service, we got ZERO compensation from Direct TV.

I would hurry in to watch a favorite program and turn on the set. The screen would indicate that new software was being downloaded. It would take as long as 15 minutes before I would get a tv signal. Not once, but frequently.

Can you tell that I am not a fan. I am pleased that many customers like it.

Jlk

Was your service with DirecTV or with Dish? You mention both in your post.

Just curious! :)

Bill

Comcast is starting to move some of the Extended Basic channels to the Digital Starter tier but are leaving them on the same physical channel. I went down to the Comcast office in Spruce Creek and picked up a flier about it. My problem was CSS (channel 31). It worked on the TV with the box and not on the other TVs. That is because they upgraded the channel to a digital channel.

The other stations that have moved are Oxygen (ch 65), tru TV (ch 70).

I don't understand why Comcast could not have told you that - probably a lack of communication in their offices.

comcast
 

Just remember with Comcast you can stop it any time without a penally charge, Dish and Direct charges for this service, for snow birds thats a savings.

Sorry, it was Direct TV. I just get to emotional as I recall these things. Thanks for catching it. I've changed it.

It's always interesting to read about different individuals experiences with the same service. We have used DirecTV for over ten years, both in Alabama and here in TV. I have never had a single problem that wasn't correctable almost instantly (usually with some setting through the satellite). I'll keep my fingers crossed that I continue to receive great service. I'm not a real patient person when it comes to service issues.

"Meaning of service"
 

After dealing with the Postal SERVICE, Cable SERVICE, Utility SERVICE and the Internal Revenue SERVICE, I was confused what the definition of Service is. Then one day I over heard a Farmer say he hired a bull to "Service" his cows. Bam !!! I now understand the meaning of "Service" :pepper2:

We've been having a lot of Comcast problems lately. For some reason, dropped connections seem to increase when it is cold out. :confused:

I have had comcast triple play for almost 2 years and have had no problems whatsoever. I am very satisfied with service, but $250 a month for the triple play, I think is a little excessive.

My horror story with Comcast began last summer. Started getting "weak signal" notice on the screen. Called for service. When he came out, we were told that we had too many jacks activated in the house, thus watering down our signal. Mind you, we had all of them activated for 3 years with no problem. Tech decided that we had to deactivate the tv portion for our computer which has a media center. So now we could no longer use the computer fot tv for which we had paid extra. 3 weeks ago, started getting the weak signal notice again and no On Demand or stations above100 including the premium channels that we pay for. Called customer service and was told to come in and pick upa new box. After waiting in line for 1 hour (only one service rep was open although there were 3 behind the counter), we were given a new box. Mr. Mac9 connected it and we recieved the same weak signal notice and stillno On Demand or stations above 100. Called for service which wasn't available for 5 days. Tech came out and told us that we needed a "booster" but, of course, he didn't have one on his truck. Gave us a new box and that seemed to work...until he left and then it started acting up again and so did another tv that hadn't had any problems. Tech came back 30 minutes later and seemed to fix the problem. Told us that he would put an order in for the "booster" and that the office would call. No one called, but 3 days later another tech came and "tested" everything and said that all was well. However, I am not getting the hi def that I pay for one one tv and no channels 2-30 and 32-70 on the New box. He tells me that I am not paying for them. I ask how can I not be paying for the basic cable channels, yet have the premium channels? Good question. He checks the outside box and says that there is a problem there but he can't fix it. Calls his supervisor who states that he will be out today between 9-12. It's 12:15 and no supervisor and no phone call. So now I have paid for jacks to be activated that were deactivated, still do not have the initial problem solved, and now have problems with another connection that did not have problems until the tech "fixed" everything. All of this great service for $191. a month!:cus::boxing2:

I feel for you. I've had Comcast for years both here and elsewhere and also have many customer service horror stories I can share. That's why we finally made the switch to DirecTV.

Be sure you mark on your calendar all the days you've experienced any loss of service, even if only partial loss. Then give the Comcast billing office a call and ask them to credit you back for all those days. They seem to be a little more responsive when it's costing them for every day you're not satisfied.

I have had Comcast for years. The few problems I have had were dealt with satisfactorily. Reading the prior posts have convinced me to stay away from satellite.

Call Comcast and ask them to put you back on the introductory rate. You may need to call them back a few times, but eventually they will probably give you a new "deal" rate.

How did you do this, Tom? :shrug:
I never get an actual person when I call Comcast. I get the automated reply woman... "OK, let's see if I have this straight". . . and they always wind up reprogramming my TV, which does nothing. How do you get to a real person? Do you call the 1 800 COMCAST number? My Comcast bill doesn't have a phone number on it.
Judy

Hi uujudy,
I have been able to get a live person at 1 800 Comcast. There's a trick. No matter what number they tell you to press, press 0 'til you get someone.

PTurner, thanks so much for the tip! :thumbup:
Silly me, I actually press the numbers they tell me to press. No more! It's zero for me!

The local number if you live in TV is 352-687-2758. I always get a real person when I want technical assistance. I might have to wait 10-15 minutes sometimes but there is always a real person at the other end.

Comcast Charge for Disconnecting
 

We will be snowbirds and Comcast told me it was a fee of $30 for internet, $30 for Cable to stop service with no reconnect charge when we return. They also said $6.95 a month for phone when gone.

Another Comcast number
 

I got a real person when I called 352-787-7875

Now we have two numbers!

I inquired about internet service with them a couple of months back. Can't remember the fees they quoted to me......but I DO remember there were restrictions on the time frames and number of times you could do the connect/disconnect dance with them during the course of a year. If you are true snowbirds, it would work o.k. (other than their fees not being fun). But if you do the snowflake thing (in and out of TV multiple times during the year), it wouldn't work as they only allowed something like two connect/disconnect events during a year.

I thanked them for their time and the information...................... :)

Bill

This morning my wife was quoted $20 for internet and $30 for cable. When we go and stop service it won't surprise me if we're told $30/30 and wind up being sucker punched! http://www.n1nj4.com/images/smiles/c...nch_smiley.gif

Thanks! I'll try it next time!