Tired of Crappy Support by Cable Providers, cutting the cord!

[mtrycrafts]

...
My only choice: Comcast (or ComCrap). I am doing the 59.00 75Mb Internet ...

Are you clocking 75 megs? What modem?
I am supposed to be getting at least 75, received email that being upgraded to 100, free.
Yet to clock beyond 60 even when I was supposed to get 50 some years ago.
No one knows what gives.

 

[j_garcia]

Their answer will

Are you clocking 75 megs? What modem?
I am supposed to be getting at least 75, received email that being upgraded to 100, free.
Yet to clock beyond 60 even when I was supposed to get 50 some years ago.
No one knows what gives.

Their answer will always be that it depends on where you are and how many others are using it in your immediate area. Wrong answer. I use my own modem and it makes a difference. Even though the modem is faster than the speed I'm getting, going to one with more channels still made a noticeable improvement. I'm paying for 100 and get about 117 down and 12 up, where before complaining I was getting 75 while paying for 100. If you're not getting it call and complain to see if they do anything.

 

[Cos]

Cable Modem Internet is shared bandwidth, it is usually controlled or limited to your speed, though I have found that Comcast in my area always seems to be a little faster then what I pay for.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Their answer will


Their answer will always be that it depends on where you are and how many others are using it in your immediate area. Wrong answer. I use my own modem and it makes a difference. Even though the modem is faster than the speed I'm getting, going from one with more channels still made a noticeable improvement. I'm paying for 100 and get about 117 down and 12 up, where before complaining I was getting 75 while paying for 100. If you're not getting it call and complain to see if they do anything.

One told me that it is "up to" 100. But, I think I will go after them again, thanks.

 

[herbu]

"Bless your heart" is the southern "polite way" of insulting someone. It's not even really sarcasm, it's literal pity for ignorance.

It can be... or it can be real sympathy. It is insidious and perfect for the same reason your mother told you to always wear clean underwear... because, "You never know".

 

[highfigh]

Their answer will


Their answer will always be that it depends on where you are and how many others are using it in your immediate area. Wrong answer. I use my own modem and it makes a difference. Even though the modem is faster than the speed I'm getting, going from one with more channels still made a noticeable improvement. I'm paying for 100 and get about 117 down and 12 up, where before complaining I was getting 75 while paying for 100. If you're not getting it call and complain to see if they do anything.

If it's broadband, the speed CAN change, based on the number of users in the area and if the speed decreases around the time people come home from work, I would chalk it up to the increased number of people going online near the same time.

If I were the OP, I would start by making sure the house has no unterminated cable
wall plates, multiple splitters without an amplifier and no uncapped taps on the splitter(s). I would also inspect the cabling that's visible and check for loose F connectors, make sure the cable is RG6 and that none of the F connectors are improperly installed (or the cheap screw-on type). Any cables that are pinched should be repaired or at least, remove the pinch.

Time Warner's hardware is generally decent enough and it can be set up to use a different router, even if the gateway they provided isn't a simple modem- the Arris router/modem can be and I have done this. ATT, not so much. They don't offer a simple modem, which really sucks because it's possible to get a better router for less than $35.

 

[highfigh]

It can be... or it can be real sympathy. It is insidious and perfect for the same reason your mother told you to always wear clean underwear... because, "You never know".

My mom used to say that when I was a kid. Sounded like sympathy but when an adult says it to another adult when they did something to cause their own problems, it seems more like they're saying "You poor schmuck".

 

[herbu]

My mom used to say that when I was a kid. Sounded like sympathy but when an adult says it to another adult when they did something to cause their own problems, it seems more like they're saying "You poor schmuck".

Quite often, yes. But we still retain deniability, if necessary.

 

[j_garcia]

If it's broadband, the speed CAN change, based on the number of users in the area and if the speed decreases around the time people come home from work, I would chalk it up to the increased number of people going online near the same time.

Sure it does, so you have to check consistently to make sure that's the case. In my case, it went on for months and a call to them corrected it.

 

[Cos]

It Never Ends.

Finally Comcast Honors the pricing after about 2 hours on the phone. Pick up the gear at the Xfinity Store which is 5 miles from my house. Set it up and.........It doesn't work no signal. Well I figured the outside was the issue due to WoW service. They said and confirmed a guy will be out between 8-9 to fix today. I am there, they are not. The tech support person screwed up even after I had her double check that the appointment was there.

Well normally I would have let it slide, but day 5 with no internet or TV I was pissed, I promptly cancelled Comcast and have my original appointment with WoW scheduled. Stick with the Devil I know. I wish there was more competition in my area. All Cable Companies suck equally.

 

[slipperybidness]

It Never Ends.

Finally Comcast Honors the pricing after about 2 hours on the phone. Pick up the gear at the Xfinity Store which is 5 miles from my house. Set it up and.........It doesn't work no signal. Well I figured the outside was the issue due to WoW service. They said and confirmed a guy will be out between 8-9 to fix today. I am there, they are not. The tech support person screwed up even after I had her double check that the appointment was there.

Well normally I would have let it slide, but day 5 with no internet or TV I was pissed, I promptly cancelled Comcast and have my original appointment with WoW scheduled. Stick with the Devil I know. I wish there was more competition in my area. All Cable Companies suck equally.

The only positive side--I have used the complete incompetence of a cable company as leverage to work down the $ of my bill. The most recent time, I got something like $35 credit each month for like 6 months.

Here is another strategy that I have done that has worked--When I called and didn't get the desired response, my GF called them back, explained the situation, and told them that what I was able to negotiate was still completely unacceptable to her. That ended up working out well when we tag-teamed them.

Needless to say--we feel your pain!

 

[j_garcia]

It Never Ends.

Finally Comcast Honors the pricing after about 2 hours on the phone. Pick up the gear at the Xfinity Store which is 5 miles from my house. Set it up and.........It doesn't work no signal. Well I figured the outside was the issue due to WoW service. They said and confirmed a guy will be out between 8-9 to fix today. I am there, they are not. The tech support person screwed up even after I had her double check that the appointment was there.

Well normally I would have let it slide, but day 5 with no internet or TV I was pissed, I promptly cancelled Comcast and have my original appointment with WoW scheduled. Stick with the Devil I know. I wish there was more competition in my area. All Cable Companies suck equally.

Unfortunate. Sorry to hear it.

 

[its phillip]

Btw I pay $49.99/mo plus tax for 60/4 from Charter. It was $39.99/mo a few months ago. They raised it to $59.99/mo but I called to complain and was offered $49.99/mo.

 

[mtrycrafts]

... I use my own modem and it makes a difference. Even though the modem is faster than the speed I'm getting, going to one with more channels still made a noticeable improvement. ...

What modem are you using?

 

[j_garcia]

What modem are you using?

Motorola/Arris SB6183. It is capable of about 3X the speed I have. Went from a 6121 to this one with the same service and it is noticeably faster. The newer ones are able to combine channels to improve your throughput even without the service speed being faster, so it could result in an improvement if your service is good in your area. Of course, that is dependent on the factors as mentioned before.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Motorola/Arris SB6183. It is capable of about 3X the speed I have. Went from a 6121 to this one with the same service and it is noticeably faster. The newer ones are able to combine channels to improve your throughput even without the service speed being faster, so it could result in an improvement if your service is good in your area. Of course, that is dependent on the factors as mentioned before.

Great, thanks. In the process of getting one and see what happens. No excuses for comcast.
My present one supposedly is capable but perhaps not.

 

[highfigh]

Quite often, yes. But we still retain deniability, if necessary.

Almost like a back-handed compliment, but in a comment that's supposed to make the other person think we care about them (the fools!). You know, like "He doesn't sweat much, for a fat guy".

 

[highfigh]

The only positive side--I have used the complete incompetence of a cable company as leverage to work down the $ of my bill. The most recent time, I got something like $35 credit each month for like 6 months.

Here is another strategy that I have done that has worked--When I called and didn't get the desired response, my GF called them back, explained the situation, and told them that what I was able to negotiate was still completely unacceptable to her. That ended up working out well when we tag-teamed them.

Needless to say--we feel your pain!

Absolutely use their screw ups against them! I do it with every provider and I'm about to have another go-round with ATT over my cell phone. I called to see if there was any way to reduce the price because I NEVER come close to exceeding the Data limit, so I called and the nice lady told me that I should be on another plan and then, in a surprise move, told me I could save more by combining my Internet and cell phone bills but the irony is in the fact that I had been trying to get that done for over two years, with no success. Supposed to be a couple of clicked boxes on their website, but it never worked. Got the next bill and, SURPRISE! It's higher. I'm not on a higher data limit plan and nobody knows how it happened or how to change it. My combined bill was supposed to be $99 + taxes and fees + the $18/month for the iPhone 6. It now comes to about $154/month. What the what?

I'm finishing a home theater and they waited to call the cable company (I don't know what to call it- Time Warner in this area was bought by Charter, but they use Time Warner trucks, TW commercials, uniforms and they answer the phone with "We're Time Warner- Bless your heart!".LOL

I think I already detailed the debacle, but.....The installer got there last Friday and left without waiting for the permission to go on a neighbor's yard, the guy who was there on Saturday did nothing and I wasted a bunch of time on Monday. I went back today and the builder told me he was there with the cable installer until after 7PM last evening and the guy had almost no tools, ability or supplies- took almost 4 hours for a one hour job. Internet was up but when I tried to set up the dinky little cable box, it didn't work. Tech support told me they'd call back in ten minutes- it has been over four hours and I'm still waiting.

Any time a negotiation is needed, call and ask for Customer Retention- they're the ones who can actually do things.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Motorola/Arris SB6183. ...

Decided on the next model up, installed, same old brick wall at 60/60.9 up.
Was told to call back and ask for a tech visit if the last reset didn't improve; it didn't so will call.
I want what I pay for, not 60% of it.

 

[j_garcia]

Y

Decided on the next model up, installed, same old brick wall at 60/60.9 up.
Was told to call back and ask for a tech visit if the last reset didn't improve; it didn't so will call.
I want what I pay for, not 60% of it.

Yep. I bought 6183 because it was on sale and I think I paid like $30 or $40. 6190 would have been a lot more and probably not given me any more speed. By the time I need one for those kinds of speeds, I expect google fiber to be in this area (next year).

They must be listening lol. Just checked and got 132 up/11.2 down.