Comcast, what a joke

MagicFingers · 03-22-2003, 07:51 AM

Comcast recently bought at&t broadband cable and promised improved
service, at competative rates.
well their cable and BB internet service has been sporadic at best,
and now they inform us that our rates are going from $40 per month to $60 per month for BB internet and from $70 to $90 per mointh for digital cable.
This is an outrage, they cannot justify such a huge rate increase. They are
as bad as the energy companies that "own" this government, and have been raping our pocket books for years.
Looks like DSL and Dish for me.

so, "Hey Comcast ..l., " methinks you are going to lose alot of business over this.

SDW2001 · 03-22-2003, 08:08 AM

I hate them too. Mine won't be that high. I pay $45-50 a month for internet and $38.00 for basic and standard cable.

They keep offering those BS digital cable offers (and I have a set than can take advantage). The problem is, they offer no combo deals. One must pay the basic and standard charge PLUS the digital charge. WTF? I pay almost $90 a month now for my services. They offer digital cable for 19.95 per month....that's, oh my LORD, $110 a month. Then the price goes up to like $39.95 a month after 3 months! That's like $130 a month for cable services...with no premium channels.

Am I wrong here? Do I read this right? Look, if digital cable was like $45 a month and my internet was the same...we'd have a deal. Damn, that's still $90 a month....for friggin TV and internet. For $45 a month I can get DirectTV with local and cable channels...with digital quality. Comcast needs to do more than just run ads berating the Dish. What that really shows me is that the Dish has been successful.

Comcast also needs to offer some sort of combo package. Like digital cable and internet for $75 a month. That would be reaosnable. But $130? No thanks.

Eugene · 03-22-2003, 08:24 AM

How were you informed? I haven't received any notification of this...My last bill was for $46.95 or so, what I've been paying with ATTBI...

MagicFingers · 03-22-2003, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene
How were you informed? I haven't received any notification of this...My last bill was for $46.95 or so, what I've been paying with ATTBI...

we recieved our bill in the mail yesterday and the increases were just put on there. no notification!
and $45 a month is about what I was paying for attbi BB internet.
our bill is as follows: Digital premium TV(ALL channels) $89.99
Comcast Broadband internet $59.99

Willoughby · 03-22-2003, 08:55 AM

Does this affect ALL comcast subscribers? I've had comcast broadband all along and I only pay 40 bucks a month.

If the rates go as high as 60 a month I'm going to switch to Verizon.

MagicFingers · 03-22-2003, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Willoughby
Does this affect ALL comcast subscribers? I've had comcast broadband all along and I only pay 40 bucks a month.

If the rates go as high as 60 a month I'm going to switch to Verizon.

I'm sure it will, I mean...why not?

Outsider · 03-22-2003, 10:44 AM

I'm not a Comcast customer but at the beginning of this year Cablevision/OptimumOnline increased our rates also at the beginning of this year. And they don't even offer digital cable! Was: $29 for cable internet & $29 for TV. Now: $39 for internet and $37 for TV. Did we get notice of this increase? NO! I was outraged to say the least and have been looking for alternatives when our contract expires.

Willoughby · 03-22-2003, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MagicFingers
I'm sure it will, I mean...why not?

Different areas of the country perhaps?

Artman @_@ · 03-22-2003, 11:43 AM

Comcast. The monopoly you love to hate...hmmm, sounds familiar.

I don't have Comcast's cable internet. I've been waiting for the pricing to come down. But that will never happen. Seems that most prices for everything go up. Welcome to reality.

This week I recieved a letter from Comcast indicating that the Sundance channel will be removed from their analog line up and be moved onto their digital line up. This means I have to switch to digital to get the channel I chose in my package ("Good Times"). No options. No other cable provider to go to. And spend more money for it.

Plus, since I work 9-5 and on Saturdays now they can't get a technician to come over and switch this. I have to go down to their facilities, pick up the digital box, sign up for digital, go home and install it myself on Sunday.

Assholes. And I would like to thank the losers who in a survey chose the Home and Garden Channel and Animal Planet over Sundance for this change too. Culture is dead. Long live flowers, dog and cat shit.

alcimedes · 03-22-2003, 12:12 PM

they're moving to digital because it's almost impossible to pirate it. so then they move over premium channels first. it's annoying as hell, but since most people pirate HBO and the like, it makes some sense.

to me i couldn't justify spening $1,000 a year to watch stupid TV.

**hmurchison** · 03-22-2003, 03:20 PM

All I really need is sports.

Netflix keeps my DVD Coffers full and the shows I'm interested in watching like the Sopranos CSI and 24 are on DVD.

I will not pay $90 for the garbage on TV.

Ebby · 03-22-2003, 04:25 PM

I'm a comcast customer (that may change) and I got a letter in the mail. Also the newspapers around here have reported on all the complaints about the issue. I was one of the first Cable Modem users on my block. It started at $23 a month 3Mbit down, 128K up and no problems. Now it is 1.7Mbit down, 256K up and $70 a month! I also have a website ($20) and AOL Dial up ($25) when the cable cuts out. And comcast gives you a discount (-$20) if you also buy Cable TV? Why would internet cost MORE if I don't want cable TV?!

Needless to say, I am PISSED!!

SDW2001 · 03-22-2003, 05:00 PM

Artman @_@ writes:

Quote:

Assholes. And I would like to thank the losers who in a survey chose the Home and Garden Channel and Animal Planet over Sundance for this change too. Culture is dead. Long live flowers, dog and cat shit

Perhaps we should rename this the "Fvck Comcast thread". It pisses me to no end. I guess they just think that everyone will cave-in and get digital cable.

alcimedes · 03-22-2003, 05:03 PM

all i can say is thank god for direct TV.

at that way there's some competition

burningwheel · 03-23-2003, 12:27 AM

welcome to the Evil Empire

my rates arren't that high...yet!

SDW2001 · 03-23-2003, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by alcimedes
all i can say is thank god for direct TV.

at that way there's some competition

So it's good, eh? Care to tell us more? I'm considering it.

MagicFingers · 03-23-2003, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDW2001
So it's good, eh? Care to tell us more? I'm considering it.

I was considering it also, but I have 2 kids at home with thier own tv's in their rooms, add the Living room, my bedroom, and then my "man space", and it would cost a lot more money to provide cable type programming to all the rooms.
I am looking into DSL for internet, so if anyone with some experience can advise please PM me, or just give it up to all of us who are soon to be "cable refugees"

Eugene · 03-23-2003, 09:35 AM

Problem here is that there's no cable alternative and DSL of the same caliber costs just as much if not more.

$60 for 1500/256 kbit is better and cheaper than, for example, Speakeasy's 1500/128 kbit ADSL service...

That and I'm bumming cable TV...

MagicFingers · 03-23-2003, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eugene
Problem here is that there's no cable alternative and DSL of the same caliber costs just as much if not more.

$60 for 1500/256 kbit is better and cheaper than, for example, Speakeasy's 1500/128 kbit ADSL service...

That and I'm bumming cable TV...

I noticed the cost are the same for comparable service, but it is alot cheaper for about half the download bandwidth. I'm not sure if 768kbps is enough bandwidth for my mac, my kids imac and my ps2 online gaming

alcimedes · 03-23-2003, 09:50 AM

i have no idea if directTV is good, i wouldn't pay for either one. i'm just glad there's someone else out there keeping the stupid cable company honest.

Ebby · 03-23-2003, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by alcimedes
i'm just glad there's someone else out there keeping the stupid cable company honest.

HONEST???

Earth to alcimedes...
Come in alcimedes...
Over.

Moogs · 03-23-2003, 01:23 PM

Comcast pisses me off no end. I found out a few weeks ago that the telemarketing company hounding me two and three times a day was Comcast. So I told them to put me on the no call list. Calls diminish but then a couple days later I get more and the "oh, well it takes a while for that list to update". Yah OK. We still get calls on and off but I agree the whole "we care that's why we'll give you great service" routine is a load of poop. They strike me as more annoying and pushy than AT&T, not less.

BTW, lovin' the new smilies!

alcimedes · 03-23-2003, 02:18 PM

well, by honest i guess i expect that competition between the two companies will keep them from jacking prices of sky high that DOES happen every time one of them has the market to themselves.

i know in my area direct TV and Cable are advertising like politicians against eachother.

i know that this is keeping the price for digital TV down because each one is trying to undercut the other.

but then again this could be totally idealistic on my park.

Moogs · 03-23-2003, 10:44 PM

My observations of DirecTV vs. AT&T Digital:

1. Better picture quality on most channels, relatively few movie channels with the banding / dithering problem we had with AT&T. Particularly in dimly lit scenes.

2. The Menu system is much more flexible.

3. I get the same number of channels plus a premium sports package for slightly less money over the course of a year.

4. DirecTV has pestered me precisely one time in the 6 months or so we've had the service. AT&T called at least once a month if not more.

5. No billing errors like we had with AT&T.

For this household, it's been no contest at all. I'd never go back unless there was an extremely compelling reason (content-cost wise) to do so.

03-22-2003, 07:51 AM	#1
MagicFingers Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Buchanan, MI Posts: 547	Comcast, what a joke Comcast recently bought at&t broadband cable and promised improved service, at competative rates. well their cable and BB internet service has been sporadic at best, and now they inform us that our rates are going from $40 per month to $60 per month for BB internet and from $70 to $90 per mointh for digital cable. This is an outrage, they cannot justify such a huge rate increase. They are as bad as the energy companies that "own" this government, and have been raping our pocket books for years. Looks like DSL and Dish for me. so, "Hey Comcast ..l., " methinks you are going to lose alot of business over this. Who Wants Pie

03-22-2003, 08:08 AM	#2
SDW2001 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: West Chester, PA Posts: 10,538	I hate them too. Mine won't be that high. I pay $45-50 a month for internet and $38.00 for basic and standard cable. They keep offering those BS digital cable offers (and I have a set than can take advantage). The problem is, they offer no combo deals. One must pay the basic and standard charge PLUS the digital charge. WTF? I pay almost $90 a month now for my services. They offer digital cable for 19.95 per month....that's, oh my LORD, $110 a month. Then the price goes up to like $39.95 a month after 3 months! That's like $130 a month for cable services...with no premium channels. Am I wrong here? Do I read this right? Look, if digital cable was like $45 a month and my internet was the same...we'd have a deal. Damn, that's still $90 a month....for friggin TV and internet. For $45 a month I can get DirectTV with local and cable channels...with digital quality. Comcast needs to do more than just run ads berating the Dish. What that really shows me is that the Dish has been successful. Comcast also needs to offer some sort of combo package. Like digital cable and internet for $75 a month. That would be reaosnable. But $130? No thanks. www.newredmajority.com

03-22-2003, 08:24 AM	#3
Eugene Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Hillsborough, CA Posts: 8,198	How were you informed? I haven't received any notification of this...My last bill was for $46.95 or so, what I've been paying with ATTBI... I can change my sig again!

03-22-2003, 08:55 AM	#5
Willoughby Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: my desk Posts: 1,452	Does this affect ALL comcast subscribers? I've had comcast broadband all along and I only pay 40 bucks a month. If the rates go as high as 60 a month I'm going to switch to Verizon. Be quiet, Brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-tip

03-22-2003, 10:44 AM	#7
Outsider Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,766	I'm not a Comcast customer but at the beginning of this year Cablevision/OptimumOnline increased our rates also at the beginning of this year. And they don't even offer digital cable! Was: $29 for cable internet & $29 for TV. Now: $39 for internet and $37 for TV. Did we get notice of this increase? NO! I was outraged to say the least and have been looking for alternatives when our contract expires. I'm no square but isn't that counter-indicated by my operations manual?

03-22-2003, 11:43 AM	#9
Artman @_@ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 2,546	Comcast. The monopoly you love to hate...hmmm, sounds familiar. I don't have Comcast's cable internet. I've been waiting for the pricing to come down. But that will never happen. Seems that most prices for everything go up. Welcome to reality. This week I recieved a letter from Comcast indicating that the Sundance channel will be removed from their analog line up and be moved onto their digital line up. This means I have to switch to digital to get the channel I chose in my package ("Good Times"). No options. No other cable provider to go to. And spend more money for it. Plus, since I work 9-5 and on Saturdays now they can't get a technician to come over and switch this. I have to go down to their facilities, pick up the digital box, sign up for digital, go home and install it myself on Sunday. Assholes. And I would like to thank the losers who in a survey chose the Home and Garden Channel and Animal Planet over Sundance for this change too. Culture is dead. Long live flowers, dog and cat shit. I AM THE Royal Pain in the Ass.

03-22-2003, 12:12 PM	#10
alcimedes Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 5,481	they're moving to digital because it's almost impossible to pirate it. so then they move over premium channels first. it's annoying as hell, but since most people pirate HBO and the like, it makes some sense. to me i couldn't justify spening $1,000 a year to watch stupid TV.

03-22-2003, 03:20 PM	#11
hmurchison Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,463	All I really need is sports. Netflix keeps my DVD Coffers full and the shows I'm interested in watching like the Sopranos CSI and 24 are on DVD. I will not pay $90 for the garbage on TV. Mac mini - 2 , iPod Nano- 1 G4 Cube - 5 , iPod Shuffle -1 Bloggity Blog

03-22-2003, 04:25 PM	#12
Ebby RIAA's Most Wanted Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Over Yander Posts: 3,101	I'm a comcast customer (that may change) and I got a letter in the mail. Also the newspapers around here have reported on all the complaints about the issue. I was one of the first Cable Modem users on my block. It started at $23 a month 3Mbit down, 128K up and no problems. Now it is 1.7Mbit down, 256K up and $70 a month! I also have a website ($20) and AOL Dial up ($25) when the cable cuts out. And comcast gives you a discount (-$20) if you also buy Cable TV? Why would internet cost MORE if I don't want cable TV?! Needless to say, I am PISSED!! horrid misuse of cool technology SSBA.COM

03-22-2003, 05:03 PM	#14
alcimedes Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 5,481	all i can say is thank god for direct TV. at that way there's some competition

03-23-2003, 12:27 AM	#15
burningwheel Stand-up Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: a higher state of grace in my mind Posts: 1,813	welcome to the Evil Empire my rates arren't that high...yet!

03-23-2003, 09:35 AM	#18
Eugene Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Hillsborough, CA Posts: 8,198	Problem here is that there's no cable alternative and DSL of the same caliber costs just as much if not more. $60 for 1500/256 kbit is better and cheaper than, for example, Speakeasy's 1500/128 kbit ADSL service... That and I'm bumming cable TV... I can change my sig again!

03-23-2003, 09:50 AM	#20
alcimedes Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 5,481	i have no idea if directTV is good, i wouldn't pay for either one. i'm just glad there's someone else out there keeping the stupid cable company honest.

03-23-2003, 01:23 PM	#22
Moogs Macsimus Maximus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Home Office Posts: 4,287	Comcast pisses me off no end. I found out a few weeks ago that the telemarketing company hounding me two and three times a day was Comcast. So I told them to put me on the no call list. Calls diminish but then a couple days later I get more and the "oh, well it takes a while for that list to update". Yah OK. We still get calls on and off but I agree the whole "we care that's why we'll give you great service" routine is a load of poop. They strike me as more annoying and pushy than AT&T, not less. BTW, lovin' the new smilies! Aldo is watching....

03-23-2003, 02:18 PM	#23
alcimedes Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Midwest Posts: 5,481	well, by honest i guess i expect that competition between the two companies will keep them from jacking prices of sky high that DOES happen every time one of them has the market to themselves. i know in my area direct TV and Cable are advertising like politicians against eachother. i know that this is keeping the price for digital TV down because each one is trying to undercut the other. but then again this could be totally idealistic on my park.

03-23-2003, 10:44 PM	#24
Moogs Macsimus Maximus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Home Office Posts: 4,287	My observations of DirecTV vs. AT&T Digital: 1. Better picture quality on most channels, relatively few movie channels with the banding / dithering problem we had with AT&T. Particularly in dimly lit scenes. 2. The Menu system is much more flexible. 3. I get the same number of channels plus a premium sports package for slightly less money over the course of a year. 4. DirecTV has pestered me precisely one time in the 6 months or so we've had the service. AT&T called at least once a month if not more. 5. No billing errors like we had with AT&T. For this household, it's been no contest at all. I'd never go back unless there was an extremely compelling reason (content-cost wise) to do so. Aldo is watching....

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