Comcast Doubled My Bill
#1
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
Comcast Doubled My Bill
So pissed with Comcast Xfinity. For the last year I was in a package for Internet and tv, 12 month promo for $89.95. It expired in January so I called to get my options and ended up with about the same for $95. They told me I needed to be enrolled in auto pay for a $5 discount and I was, plus my bill would look "funny" this month due to prorating, etc but not to worry. We are also moving in 3-4 months so I told them I couldn't be locked in, didn't want to pay an ETF and was told no worries.
I look at my bill to find it appears I paid $117 but still owe $26, odd but not too worried so I call to find out because the online bill has a million credits and fees. Come to find out, I'm waiting for my phone service to be installed and my new bill will be $240 in February but not to worry it will drop to $176 the following month
Best part is they say I signed up for it and I'm in a two year contract that can't be cancelled. I tell them I didn't agree but the lady says that my notes say I verbally agreed to this and it's my fault. I asked them to pull the recording, she puts me on hold forever and says she will try.
Call back to find that I am indeed committed for two years and I am paying for two modems plus two dvr cloud boxes now when I have one dvr any room plus one modem. They removed the double charges but still haven't resolved the phone service and additional cost because it is still pending and they should know by Monday.
I am furious, not my so much about the money but the fact they are basically stealing, right from my checking account and the two hours I wasted on the phone with them. Curious if this has happened to anyone else because a search online shows that Comcast reps maybe incentivized based on upgrades and even if you cancel, they still get paid.
Cliffs:
Fuck Comcast
I look at my bill to find it appears I paid $117 but still owe $26, odd but not too worried so I call to find out because the online bill has a million credits and fees. Come to find out, I'm waiting for my phone service to be installed and my new bill will be $240 in February but not to worry it will drop to $176 the following month
Best part is they say I signed up for it and I'm in a two year contract that can't be cancelled. I tell them I didn't agree but the lady says that my notes say I verbally agreed to this and it's my fault. I asked them to pull the recording, she puts me on hold forever and says she will try.
Call back to find that I am indeed committed for two years and I am paying for two modems plus two dvr cloud boxes now when I have one dvr any room plus one modem. They removed the double charges but still haven't resolved the phone service and additional cost because it is still pending and they should know by Monday.
I am furious, not my so much about the money but the fact they are basically stealing, right from my checking account and the two hours I wasted on the phone with them. Curious if this has happened to anyone else because a search online shows that Comcast reps maybe incentivized based on upgrades and even if you cancel, they still get paid.
Cliffs:
Fuck Comcast
#4
Want to read 2,000 complaints against Comcast? It?s your lucky day | Ars Technica
Want to read 2,000 complaints against Comcast? It’s your lucky day
Sep 15, 2015 12:03pm PDT
Comcast customers filed more than 2,000 complaints against the company from April to June, according to documents released by the Federal Communications Commission.
The documents were obtained from the FCC through a Freedom of Information Act request by CityExplainer, a Baltimore-based blog. CityExplainer yesterday posted an article about the complaints and made them all available to read in a spreadsheet and PDF.
There were many complaints about data caps, billing problems, service outages, slow speeds, and poor responses from customer service representatives.
"You’ll see senior citizens and others complaining about unrelenting billing errors, people complaining about alleged data throttling and data caps, and residents’ sad tales of dealing with technicians who come—or don’t come—to their homes to fix problems," the blog post said.
Some consumers claimed Comcast is violating net neutrality rules, though this was often due to people misunderstanding the FCC's regulations. One person claimed that Comcast "charg[ing] more for faster Internet services... violates the regulations on net neutrality," which is not correct. The core net neutrality rules prohibit blocking, throttling, and charging Web services for faster access to consumers, but not different price tiers for home Internet service.
Comcast is the largest cable and broadband provider in the country, with about 22.3 million TV customers and 22.5 million Internet customers (with a lot of overlap between those two groups).
TV, phone, and Internet providers are required to respond to consumers who file complaints on the FCC's complaint site. As we've previously reported, customers of Comcast and other companies have sometimes had better luck resolving problems by complaining to the FCC than to the providers directly.
Complaining to the FCC isn't foolproof, though. A Florida resident on June 27 told the FCC, "Comcast disconnected my account without reason or notice. I am disabled homebound. I moved in to my house and for 2 weeks had no new Internet service after setting up my new account. I called several times. They told me the modem was the problem. Then I called today to say there was no signal to my home. They said my account was cancelled. I asked why and they said there was no reason. I was never notified."
The customer posted a few follow-up messages saying that Comcast had gotten in touch but not solved the problem. "I still have no service and the FCC representative at Comcast never called back as promised," the person wrote on July 1. "I now have charges and have never had service. Additionally, Comcast has added TV service to my account even though I only ordered Internet for 14.99. This is the second time they have done this without my permission. It seems like an ongoing game with their office."
Even if not every complaint is resolved, Comcast employees are reading and responding to them. "We reach out to every customer (by phone and sometimes e-mail) who files with the FCC to see how we can address their concerns," a Comcast spokesperson told Ars. "We then respond to the FCC with a letter explaining how we resolved—or tried to resolve—the issue, and also send the customer a copy of that response as required by the rules. If the person isn’t a Comcast customer, we copy them on our written response to the FCC as required by the rules."
Sep 15, 2015 12:03pm PDT
Comcast customers filed more than 2,000 complaints against the company from April to June, according to documents released by the Federal Communications Commission.
The documents were obtained from the FCC through a Freedom of Information Act request by CityExplainer, a Baltimore-based blog. CityExplainer yesterday posted an article about the complaints and made them all available to read in a spreadsheet and PDF.
There were many complaints about data caps, billing problems, service outages, slow speeds, and poor responses from customer service representatives.
"You’ll see senior citizens and others complaining about unrelenting billing errors, people complaining about alleged data throttling and data caps, and residents’ sad tales of dealing with technicians who come—or don’t come—to their homes to fix problems," the blog post said.
Some consumers claimed Comcast is violating net neutrality rules, though this was often due to people misunderstanding the FCC's regulations. One person claimed that Comcast "charg[ing] more for faster Internet services... violates the regulations on net neutrality," which is not correct. The core net neutrality rules prohibit blocking, throttling, and charging Web services for faster access to consumers, but not different price tiers for home Internet service.
Comcast is the largest cable and broadband provider in the country, with about 22.3 million TV customers and 22.5 million Internet customers (with a lot of overlap between those two groups).
TV, phone, and Internet providers are required to respond to consumers who file complaints on the FCC's complaint site. As we've previously reported, customers of Comcast and other companies have sometimes had better luck resolving problems by complaining to the FCC than to the providers directly.
Complaining to the FCC isn't foolproof, though. A Florida resident on June 27 told the FCC, "Comcast disconnected my account without reason or notice. I am disabled homebound. I moved in to my house and for 2 weeks had no new Internet service after setting up my new account. I called several times. They told me the modem was the problem. Then I called today to say there was no signal to my home. They said my account was cancelled. I asked why and they said there was no reason. I was never notified."
The customer posted a few follow-up messages saying that Comcast had gotten in touch but not solved the problem. "I still have no service and the FCC representative at Comcast never called back as promised," the person wrote on July 1. "I now have charges and have never had service. Additionally, Comcast has added TV service to my account even though I only ordered Internet for 14.99. This is the second time they have done this without my permission. It seems like an ongoing game with their office."
Even if not every complaint is resolved, Comcast employees are reading and responding to them. "We reach out to every customer (by phone and sometimes e-mail) who files with the FCC to see how we can address their concerns," a Comcast spokesperson told Ars. "We then respond to the FCC with a letter explaining how we resolved—or tried to resolve—the issue, and also send the customer a copy of that response as required by the rules. If the person isn’t a Comcast customer, we copy them on our written response to the FCC as required by the rules."
#5
Needs more Lemon Pledge
When you get service, pull a Sarlacc and name your wifi network "Comcast sucks monkey balls"
Trending Topics
#8
Senior Moderator
iTrader: (2)
The only way to deal with crapcast...
Mail them a letter on lawyer letterhead stating you did not consent & your pulling service & not paying a dime.....get rid of autopay, change your CC & bank account numbers.
Someone WILL contact you & you'll get your $ back. The downside is you'll never get crapcast service under your name again.
Mail them a letter on lawyer letterhead stating you did not consent & your pulling service & not paying a dime.....get rid of autopay, change your CC & bank account numbers.
Someone WILL contact you & you'll get your $ back. The downside is you'll never get crapcast service under your name again.
#9
Race Director
Anytime I make a call like that, I always call from my IP app (Line2) which has an option to record the call....
#10
Team Owner
Blessed that they don't offer service at my new house. But I asked them for a bill at their all new fabolous store armed with idiot monkeys and took them 30 mins to print it for me. Mind you I have a router that I owe them (I wasn't told so but at this point fuck it) and they can only give me a serial #. No brand name, model, nothing. Oh and it took them a week and a half to tell me they don't service where my new house as they were supposedly sending a guy out to set up the "outside" part. I would've had service set up before I moved in but CUNTCAST. PEACE!!!!!!!!!
#11
Senior Moderator
#12
Senior Moderator
Don't they have the lowest customer service rating of any communication company? Followed immediately by TWC (my only option )?
I wish Google Fiber would make it out into the woods.
I wish Google Fiber would make it out into the woods.
#13
Team Owner
I was glad Comcast rebuilt their local stores at least. It used to be one line with 2 angry old women acting as "customer service agents". So damn depressing. At least you can sit on a couch while waiting for your idiot.
#14
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
Well, glad to see I'm not alone. Called two more times because they never called me, like they said they would and got it resolved. They have no record of pulling the call and the second guy told me not to worry, I'm within 30 days so they can change it and refund me
He said it's a Comcast policy, 30 days to change and he wasn't sure why no one else told me. My bill is under $90 now and while I want to change on principle, I don't want to go through this was ATT.
While I'm happy it got resolved, I've spent over three hours on the phone with these people and they all said I was in a contract and couldn't change it, when clearly, they could. It makes me think they are all working together in this scam, to keep people from changing in the 30 day window. I fucking hate Comcast and after writing this, I need to change my service.
He said it's a Comcast policy, 30 days to change and he wasn't sure why no one else told me. My bill is under $90 now and while I want to change on principle, I don't want to go through this was ATT.
While I'm happy it got resolved, I've spent over three hours on the phone with these people and they all said I was in a contract and couldn't change it, when clearly, they could. It makes me think they are all working together in this scam, to keep people from changing in the 30 day window. I fucking hate Comcast and after writing this, I need to change my service.
#15
Senior Moderator
TWC increased my internet rate in January and reduced my discount. They also decided to start charging me for their modem for the first time in 6 years. I installed my new modem last night and called to activate it, but I still get to look forward to the 1 hour trip to return theirs and the 1 hour call to get my rates down.
The communication market is a shithole full of monopolistic policies and companies. It really grinds my gears.
The communication market is a shithole full of monopolistic policies and companies. It really grinds my gears.
#16
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
FUCKERS!
They told me I had the same channel line up but my wife just told me Bravo is gone. Sure enough, FX, USA, TBS, ESPN, etc are gone. I'm not sure what effing channels we get but I'm done. I wanted to call tonight to cancel but I don't want to make a scene with my wife and her friend staying with us
Edit - it gets better, I just got an email saying they are sorry to see me go, they are cancelling my service, wtf.
They told me I had the same channel line up but my wife just told me Bravo is gone. Sure enough, FX, USA, TBS, ESPN, etc are gone. I'm not sure what effing channels we get but I'm done. I wanted to call tonight to cancel but I don't want to make a scene with my wife and her friend staying with us
Edit - it gets better, I just got an email saying they are sorry to see me go, they are cancelling my service, wtf.
Last edited by 1StGenCL; 02-09-2016 at 07:40 PM.
#17
Senior Moderator
Wow. If only they cared about your business.
Honestly, I cut the cord a year ago and never looked back. I just have Internet and stream everything. I do have login credentials from a family member with DISH though, so I get a lot of online cable content, including Bravo for the wife.
Check out Sling TV.
Honestly, I cut the cord a year ago and never looked back. I just have Internet and stream everything. I do have login credentials from a family member with DISH though, so I get a lot of online cable content, including Bravo for the wife.
Check out Sling TV.
#19
Team Owner
Wow. If only they cared about your business.
Honestly, I cut the cord a year ago and never looked back. I just have Internet and stream everything. I do have login credentials from a family member with DISH though, so I get a lot of online cable content, including Bravo for the wife.
Check out Sling TV.
Honestly, I cut the cord a year ago and never looked back. I just have Internet and stream everything. I do have login credentials from a family member with DISH though, so I get a lot of online cable content, including Bravo for the wife.
Check out Sling TV.
#20
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
Cable TV free now but I do have comcast internet because my wife travels a lot and uses the xfinity wifi. I REALLY want to get Uverse for internet but she loves having wifi pretty much everywhere so....
We are going to see how Netflix works for us via Apple TV. So far, I like it but there is so much to sort through. If we keep it, I may get the new Apple TV (started to love the Xfinity voice remote at the new ATV has voice) or a Roku. That combined with Plex channels, should be good but we'll see.
I really wish there was a place to file a complaint but they don't matter.
We are going to see how Netflix works for us via Apple TV. So far, I like it but there is so much to sort through. If we keep it, I may get the new Apple TV (started to love the Xfinity voice remote at the new ATV has voice) or a Roku. That combined with Plex channels, should be good but we'll see.
I really wish there was a place to file a complaint but they don't matter.
#21
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
(Northeast Florida)
iTrader: (1)
I cut Comcast cable TV four years ago and got a Roku 3 and fucking love it. Only thing I pay for is Netflix and Hulu, and I haven't looked back since. Even got my uncle and parents a Roku 3 and they wondered why they didn't do it sooner. I still have Comcast internet, but until Google fibre comes to Jacksonville, I'll stick with Comcast.
#22
Senior Moderator
Went to the TWC "store" today to return the modem, and I walked straight up to the counter. Also asked what the new bill would look like, and she said something around $6-7 more than last year. We'll see when the bill comes, but maybe I can skip that call!
Searching through Netflix can be painful. I like to stream through the Chromecast because I can search through the app on my phone which is a breeze. Maybe the Apple TV has something like that?
Searching through Netflix can be painful. I like to stream through the Chromecast because I can search through the app on my phone which is a breeze. Maybe the Apple TV has something like that?
#23
Team Owner
Oh and DirecTV set up my shit yesterday. No delays, the guy was on time, programmed the remotes to the TV, I got a call from the service narrowing down the window of arrival, I left out HDMI cables for my gf but he didn't need them. Comcast doing all that puuuulllleeeaseeee. Plus the equipment and software is so superior.
#24
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
STILL have $100 bill!!!! This is crazy, I am spending an hour a day trying to get this taken care of, I don't get it.
Netflix is hard to browse but love the no commercials.
Netflix is hard to browse but love the no commercials.
#25
Stage 1 Audi S5
Thread Starter
FCC complaint brought some justice and now I just have internet and an apple TV 3 and a 4. Netflix was great but I grabbed the 4 and loaded Kodi and it is awesome, no cable TV needed.
#26
Team Owner
Me and my gf both canceled around the same time since we moved and switched to UVerse. They have some fucked up billing thing where instead of the regular bill that you owe they accelerate like 2 or 3 payments worth and show you have a monster balance due. Luckily the store guy is in front of you instead of some retard on the phone and squared it away.
#27
Another bill increase on the way.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...18-25-a-month/
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...18-25-a-month/
Comcast raises cable TV bills again — even if you’re under contract
11/26/2018
Comcast is raising its controversial "Broadcast TV" and "Regional Sports Network" fees again on January 1, with the typical total price going from $14.50 to $18.25 a month.
The newly raised broadcast TV fee will be $10 a month, and the sports fee will be $8.25 a month, Cord Cutters News reported last week. The new fee sizes are confirmed in a Comcast price list for the Atlanta market.
About a year ago, Comcast raised the broadcast TV fee from $6.50 to $8 and the sports fee from $4.50 to $6.50.
The new price hikes will take effect in most of Comcast's regional markets across the US on January 1, but some cities will get the increase later in 2019, a Comcast spokesperson told Ars. The fee sizes can vary by city based on which stations are available, so in some cases they could be less than $10 and $8.25, Comcast said.
The fees, which have become common in the industry, are controversial because they are not included in Comcast's advertised prices and because Comcast imposes fee increases even on customers who are under contract. The broadcast and sports fee increases will also be applied to customers who pay Comcast's promotional rates, which typically last one year, Comcast told Ars.
Equipment rental fees are rising, too. Comcast last year raised its modem rental fee from $10 to $11 a month. The new price list for January 1 lists an "Internet/Voice Equipment Rental" fee as $13. Comcast confirmed to Ars that the modem rental fee is rising $2 a month. Customers can avoid that fee by purchasing their own modem.
Comcast agreed to improve fee disclosures
Comcast faced a class-action lawsuit over the TV and sports fees, but the company settled out of court in May. Comcast did not disclose the terms of the settlement when asked about the case today. We contacted the plaintiffs' lawyer and will provide an update if we get one. (UPDATE: Plaintiffs' attorney Dan Hattis told Ars that the plaintiffs voluntarily allowed the case to be dismissed. However, Hattis is representing other plaintiffs in a newer, bigger class action against Comcast. The newer suit was filed on behalf of 2 million California residents.)
Separately, Comcast this month agreed to pay $700,000 in refunds and forgive debts for more than 20,000 Massachusetts customers to settle allegations that it used deceptive advertising to promote long-term cable contracts. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey found that Comcast advertised a $99 lock-in rate but "did not adequately disclose equipment costs and mandatory monthly fees" that would add to monthly bills and "failed to adequately disclose that the fees could increase while the customer was locked into the long-term contract."
As part of the settlement with Massachusetts, Comcast also agreed to improve the disclosures it makes to customers before they sign long-term contracts.
Comcast and other pay-TV operators that charge broadcast TV and sports fees say the fees are necessary to cover the rising costs of programming. But payments to programmers are a standard expense in any cable TV company's business, and those contribute greatly to the general monthly rates that customers have to pay. Breaking some of these programming costs out into separate fees allows Comcast to raise customers' prices each year even if the customers have multi-year contracts.
. . . .
[ SNIP ]
11/26/2018
Comcast is raising its controversial "Broadcast TV" and "Regional Sports Network" fees again on January 1, with the typical total price going from $14.50 to $18.25 a month.
The newly raised broadcast TV fee will be $10 a month, and the sports fee will be $8.25 a month, Cord Cutters News reported last week. The new fee sizes are confirmed in a Comcast price list for the Atlanta market.
About a year ago, Comcast raised the broadcast TV fee from $6.50 to $8 and the sports fee from $4.50 to $6.50.
The new price hikes will take effect in most of Comcast's regional markets across the US on January 1, but some cities will get the increase later in 2019, a Comcast spokesperson told Ars. The fee sizes can vary by city based on which stations are available, so in some cases they could be less than $10 and $8.25, Comcast said.
The fees, which have become common in the industry, are controversial because they are not included in Comcast's advertised prices and because Comcast imposes fee increases even on customers who are under contract. The broadcast and sports fee increases will also be applied to customers who pay Comcast's promotional rates, which typically last one year, Comcast told Ars.
Equipment rental fees are rising, too. Comcast last year raised its modem rental fee from $10 to $11 a month. The new price list for January 1 lists an "Internet/Voice Equipment Rental" fee as $13. Comcast confirmed to Ars that the modem rental fee is rising $2 a month. Customers can avoid that fee by purchasing their own modem.
Comcast agreed to improve fee disclosures
Comcast faced a class-action lawsuit over the TV and sports fees, but the company settled out of court in May. Comcast did not disclose the terms of the settlement when asked about the case today. We contacted the plaintiffs' lawyer and will provide an update if we get one. (UPDATE: Plaintiffs' attorney Dan Hattis told Ars that the plaintiffs voluntarily allowed the case to be dismissed. However, Hattis is representing other plaintiffs in a newer, bigger class action against Comcast. The newer suit was filed on behalf of 2 million California residents.)
Separately, Comcast this month agreed to pay $700,000 in refunds and forgive debts for more than 20,000 Massachusetts customers to settle allegations that it used deceptive advertising to promote long-term cable contracts. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey found that Comcast advertised a $99 lock-in rate but "did not adequately disclose equipment costs and mandatory monthly fees" that would add to monthly bills and "failed to adequately disclose that the fees could increase while the customer was locked into the long-term contract."
As part of the settlement with Massachusetts, Comcast also agreed to improve the disclosures it makes to customers before they sign long-term contracts.
Comcast and other pay-TV operators that charge broadcast TV and sports fees say the fees are necessary to cover the rising costs of programming. But payments to programmers are a standard expense in any cable TV company's business, and those contribute greatly to the general monthly rates that customers have to pay. Breaking some of these programming costs out into separate fees allows Comcast to raise customers' prices each year even if the customers have multi-year contracts.
. . . .
[ SNIP ]