My bill came in this morning after I posted about being happy with streaming. I disconnected television service and returned their equipment on July 20. I still got billed for the full $220 as if i had television and was renting all of their cable boxes. I try to go online, and I get stuck in a chat with an automated system that won’t do anything but show you the (incorrect) bill and ask if you want to make a payment.
So I tried to call. Now I know why people snap. There is no way to escape the phone tree, because it texts you a link to the automated system and then hangs up on you. The only way to get through to an agent is to sit there and refuse to respond to any prompts. If you respond in any way, the system sends you a text link to the automated tree. Once there, you are back in the loop where it shows you your incorrect bill and asks how you would like to pay.
So I sat there and refused to answer by voice or push 1 for an agent, until the system put me on hold for an agent. I sat there on hold for 9 minutes before getting an actual person. That guy gave me a song and a dance about how it takes time for the computer to update.
I called to cut the television services on July 10. I made them effective July 20. I returned all of their equipment on July 20. I have a receipt. They just billed me for services from July 21-August 20 in the amount of $222. They are telling me that the system takes time to update and that my bill is really only $87.
It’s quite frustrating. However, the only options in this area are DSL or this one. DSL here isn’t fast enough and has data limits that are too low for streaming. I swear, it’s harder to get out of CATV service than it is to leave a timeshare sales pitch.
So I will wait to see what they charge my credit card. If it is a penny more than $87, I will send a certified letter to their offices, demanding an adjustment. Following that will be a complaint to the state regulatory agencies, and possibly a lawsuit in small claims court.
That’s why I keep copies of receipts and correspondence. When I move, there will be a different internet provider.
17 Comments
Brother john · August 11, 2023 at 9:00 am
I sincerely hope the cord cutting accelerates to the point that it drives and everyone in the cable TV industry out onto the street to endure lives of suffering and poverty.
The industry could have forestalled this collapse had they allowed the selection and subscription of individual channels 30, 15, or even 10 years ago; instead, they insisted on charging outlandish and ever inflating prices for garbage Made by people who literally hate us and want us dead.
Dirty Dingus McGee · August 11, 2023 at 9:08 am
Sounds like good ole Comcast/Spectrum, same as we have here. Easier to get loose from a loan shark than those thieves.
EN2 SS · August 11, 2023 at 10:20 am
To quote the CS clinton, I feel your pain, I went through that with AT&T when I cut their fiber optic service.
Noway2 · August 11, 2023 at 10:29 am
“If it is a penny more than $87, I will send a certified letter to their offices, demanding an adjustment.” If you have documentation that the bill should be $87 then you can also file a dispute with the CC. If the CC company sides with you, the cable company will not only lose the extra funds, they will get hit with a chargeback fee.
D · August 11, 2023 at 10:57 am
Pro tip if your provider happens to be Comcast. I swear the IVR has some sort of sensitivity setting for “stress words”.
Try saying “representative”, then when it casually tries to deflect you by asking more questions, shout into the phone “transfer me to a goddamned motherfucking representative you worthless piece of shit”. You might have to repeat it once or twice.
For whatever reason, it seems to work and I’m usually talking with a rep in a few minutes.
If that doesn’t work, you should have my email address. Shoot me an email and I’ll give you a better contact number.
Big Ruckus D · August 11, 2023 at 1:58 pm
I’m dying here after reading that. Nicely played. And I think there is some truth to your observations. Although the improved responsiveness under such circumstances may be more a function of your diatribe being outside the speech recognition model of the system, and by sufficiently confusing it you get to talk to someone sooner than you would by staying “inside the lines”. Worth trying in any case, because who doesn’t enjoy cussing?
Rohrbach · August 11, 2023 at 11:38 am
Same here with Comcast. Called Visa, they killed the charge AND asked if I wanted to block future charges by Comcast. Yes, please do. Sent a check for the correct a mount and never heard from Comcast again. Now with Verizon’s Internet service and it is atrocious!
TRX · August 14, 2023 at 8:17 am
Comcast and Verizon have been in the top five of the “worst customer service in the US” lists for at least a decade.
I feel your pain; Comcast is the only broadband option where I live – no DSL – and Verizon is the only cellular provider that can provide a reliable signal. Dealing with either is like drilling holes in your head to let the evil spirits out.
Don W Curton · August 11, 2023 at 11:57 am
I’ve been trying to convince my wife to cut the cable for years. But she just can’t get comfortable with going to 100% streaming. Quite literally, the only channels she watches is ID and HGTV, everything we watch together is streaming – mostly 30 to 50 year old sitcoms.
One of these days I’m just going cancel it and then she’ll have to learn to use 2 remotes.
Jen · August 11, 2023 at 12:26 pm
Happened to me years ago with spectrum when I cancelled. Takeaways: 1. never ever let them do auto deduct; they will keep bleeding your account for months after you cancel.
2. Call the number for signing up for service- they always answer that one promptly.
3. Go into the office and demand the cancellation and proof right there.
FTR, Verizon pulls the same crap.
JNorth · August 11, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Sounds like they don’t want to put in good DSL cause they can’t charge as much, in my AO it’s more then enough for streaming and no limits but we have a couple local (well, Statewide) companies so we aren’t stuck with the big crappy guys.
Elvis 68 Comeback Special · August 11, 2023 at 1:40 pm
Internet is now $10 a month after getting rid of landline with crazy speeds of large file (400-500mb) in several minutes.
An elder got a bill from insurance for $500 increase just for reaching octogenarian level, they immediately applied with a different insurer.
Good old capitalism.
Family still watches that teevee horseshit but the headphones are nice and loud.
Divemedic · August 11, 2023 at 3:11 pm
No one, DSL, cell, or anyone else has ISP costs at $10 a month anywhere near here.
Boneman · August 11, 2023 at 2:36 pm
We just got ANOTHER bill from Cape Coral for WATER and SEWER in the amount of $286. For the months’ of June and August. Inclusive of a “Late Fee” of $25 for June. That was AFTER dealing with a LIVE PERSON on the line on the 1st of July… and FAXING them PROOF that we NO LONGER OWN the PROPERTY.
All that AFTER we did all the “Pre Work” CANCELLING our service effective June 2nd of this year.
Not to mention that the dicks that BOUGHT our property have very conveniently NOT signed up for Water and Sewer service with the city….
And they wonder why people start SCREAMING at them…..
Grumpy51 · August 11, 2023 at 4:33 pm
I NEVER allow a company access to my bank accounts (company initiating a draft), I’m a SLOW leaner.
I have no problem doing ‘Bill Pay” FROM my bank (I initiate the transaction). I also tend to cancel credit cards frequently (claim I lost them), to weed out the “hidden leeches”
joe · August 11, 2023 at 6:51 pm
tell them you are recording them…they hang up so fast…did that to direct tv…they don’t like it…live in tx…it’s a one party state…me being the only party that has to know…
Nemo · August 14, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Back in the day I had internet access through my local phone company. Dial up, yes it was that long ago. more than twenty years. Anyway, I subscribed to cable through that largest internet/TV provider out there, including my landline phone. I told the new internet etc provider I wanted to keep my old phone #, since it was kind of unique. I kept in contact with both companies almost daily for a week or so, The new company told me that my phone number has been released, but there was still some kind of hold on it from the old company. I called the old company and asked what the problem was, apparently techs from both companies needed to talk to each other to effect the change and the tech from the old company said he couldn’t find the release ok on his list. So, I called the attorney general’s consumer affairs line and explained the problem I was having. They said they’d look into it with me expecting more delays after speaking with them, knowing the notorious reputation of .gov workers nor doing their job. About 15minutes after I got off the phone with the AG, the old company calls me and tells me that everything is all set and they had released the number with the excuse that the number was at the bottom of the list and the tech didn’t scroll down far enough.
Moral: make .gov work for you. Utilities will stand up and salute when they get a call from state regulators, at least in my state.
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