The Official Comca$t Can Lick My $ack Thread

[Raven Hawk]

I just need a moment to vent.

I just got married a month ago. In the process, I had sold my condo and moved into my wife's townhouse. Doing what is wise, we cancelled all of our non-house-selling utilities such as cable. So I go and return my cable boxes and remote. When I get there they inform me that I have another analog box that is unaccounted for. I vaguely remember receiving another 15 year old analog cable box, which I never used because it never worked properly, 4 years ago when I bought my condo. They say take a look around for it and return it. I look throughout my condo for this device and it cannot be found. I don't know what happened to it, I may have thrown the piece of shit away or a spiteful ex-girlfriend might have taken it when she moved out. Regardless: it's gone.

So I get my final bill today and noticed that I was charge $150 for the ancient cable box that I lost. Realizing that the value of this cable box is somewhat below that value (like $149 dollars below that value), I decide to give Comcast a call.

First I get their general CSA who is polite and helpful and takes down my information and transfers me to their technical department. Why this is a technical issue is, I do not know. When I got the next CSA on the line, I explained my issue and asked if there was some way we could come to terms on a more reasonable value for the missing analog cable box. This person was no help as I suspected, explaining to me that $150 was the price that they paid for it when they bought it brand new. When I explained to them that this was not the case, because AT&T Broadband probably got it for less when the purchased it (prior to the Comcast-AT&T Broadband Buyout), he was quickly foiled and began to give me the "you'll have to talk to my supervisor." I told him to go ahead and transfer me.

I wait a few minutes and finally his supervisor picks up. I explain the situation to him calmly and ask him if we could agree on a reasonable value for the box. Well, it was like talking to a brick wall. All I heard over my own protests was "$150 is what that box cost us." Eventually this supervisor decided to give me an analogy that when you go to a car dealership, they have the a set price and you pay that price. He didn't appreciate my laughing at him about his car buying prowess. I figured that certain dealerships do have the "set price" philosophy, like Saturn. So I ask him what kind of car he has. He says that he has two Chryslers. I laugh at him again, illustrating the point that car dealerships are KNOWN TO HAGGLE over their prices. With his strategy foiled, he went back to the "$150 is what we paid" strategy. I then asked to speak to his manager regarding the situation. He said that he would have his manager call me.

So here I am waiting for them to call me back and try to convince me that a 1986 analog cable box is worth $150. Perhaps I should check an antiques store. Jackasses.

[Mr. Wednesday]

I think that if it's possible for Comcast to depreciate that cable box for tax purposes, they would. I don't know if it's possible or not, but if it is, then even they don't value it at $150.

[DanGarion]

I doubt you will get it reduced. It should be stated on the back of your month cable bill (or any company work orders) the cost of a lost or unreturned cable box. Regardless if the box has depreciated in value the value they charge the customer is the same. It's the same as a video store that shows the list price of a rental movie at $74.95, that is the price.

[sachmo71]

DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON COMCAST!!!!!!!!!!!!

:mad:


Let me just say that I now believe that this company is actually hoping to get OUT of the cable tv and internet industry by trying to drive every single customer they have to satellite. It has to be purposeful. There is no way that one company could consistantly piss everyone I know off every time they deal with them. It's just not possible. Is it?

[Raven Hawk]

I do believe that I mentioned the word "ammortization" at some point during my rant with the supervisor, but I can't be sure. ;)

[JeeberD]

I haven't had any trouble with Comcast in the six months that I've been using them... :)

[Raven Hawk]

DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON COMCAST!!!!!!!!!!!!

:mad:


Let me just say that I now believe that this company is actually hoping to get OUT of the cable tv and internet industry by trying to drive every single customer they have to satellite. It has to be purposeful. There is no way that one company could consistantly piss everyone I know off every time they deal with them. It's just not possible. Is it?
Has anybody else noticed that when you go to their website, an add for DirectTV pops up? I have always found this strange. Perhaps you are on to something here sachmo.

[Fonzie]

I can only assume that the next level of management will not see things your way, Raven Hawk. When it becomes clear that is the case, I recommend that you stop speaking mid-sentence, drop the phone on the ground, start gurgling loudly, noisily flop around on the ground, and then go completely silent.

[DanGarion]

I can only assume that the next level of management will not see things your way, Raven Hawk. When it becomes clear that is the case, I recommend that you stop speaking mid-sentence, drop the phone on the ground, start gurgling loudly, noisily flop around on the ground, and then go completely silent.
Oh yeah because that is completely a mature thing to do.

But then in my field (senior/supervisor technical support for a high speed internet service provider) you are used to immature reactions from customers.

[WSUCougar]

Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39804&item=5705070346&rd=1)

[Fonzie]

Oh yeah because that is completely a mature thing to do.

But then in my field (senior/supervisor technical support for a high speed internet service provider) you are used to immature reactions from customers.

Joke.

[Raven Hawk]

Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39804&item=5705070346&rd=1)
Thanks Coug, but I already went this route with them as well. Explaining that I could buy one on e-bay for $5. They were pretty adamant about getting their own box back. It seems that it has a serial number on it that they can decipher this week's lottery numbers from . . . :rolleyes:

[Buzzbee]

"I vaguely remember receiving another 15 year old analog cable box, which I never used because it never worked properly, 4 years ago when I bought my condo."

Here is why I have absolutely NO sympathy for you. You acknowledge that you recieved the box. You didn't complain that the box was old when you signed for it, nor did you take any action to get a newer box. You admit that it was faulty yet you didn't have them replace it at the time you discovered it was faulty. You signed an agreement that stated the charge of an unreturned box, regardless of how old the unit is. Now you are pissed because they won't let you wiggle out of a situation that YOU created? Amazing.

If you had canceled your service six months after you signed up, would you still have bitched about a 15 year old box? Even though you signed a contract stating the price of the box if it wasn't returned?

While it is silly for Comcast to charge that much for a box that old, if in fact it is that old, you agreed to it when you ordered the service and accepted the equipment. You also have to consider their cost to REPLACE the box that you didn't return.

Yes it sucks, but you are as much or more to blame than Comcast.

[DanGarion]

Joke.
Yeah I figured, I wasn't really directing my comments to you :), just the comment you made. ;)

[Raven Hawk]

"I vaguely remember receiving another 15 year old analog cable box, which I never used because it never worked properly, 4 years ago when I bought my condo."

Here is why I have absolutely NO sympathy for you. You acknowledge that you recieved the box. You didn't complain that the box was old when you signed for it, nor did you take any action to get a newer box. You admit that it was faulty yet you didn't have them replace it at the time you discovered it was faulty. You signed an agreement that stated the charge of an unreturned box, regardless of how old the unit is. Now you are pissed because they won't let you wiggle out of a situation that YOU created? Amazing.

If you had canceled your service six months after you signed up, would you still have bitched about a 15 year old box? Even though you signed a contract stating the price of the box if it wasn't returned?

While it is silly for Comcast to charge that much for a box that old, if in fact it is that old, you agreed to it when you ordered the service and accepted the equipment. You also have to consider their cost to REPLACE the box that you didn't return.

Yes it sucks, but you are as much or more to blame than Comcast.
I don't disagree with you Buzzbee. I realize that some of the things that I did were stupid. I also realize that I did not signoff on any paperwork that said that this box is worth $150. When I first got it from AT&T Broadband, the penalty was $100. The $150 apparently came when Comcast took over. I never signed anything stating that I accepted this. They only assumed that I accepted it because I kept paying my bill.

I'm not saying that they are wrong for wanting money from me. I'm just saying that $150 is outrageous and that I never agreed to the $150. If it was $100, I don't think that I would have ground to argue on.

[Buzzbee]

I'm guessing that when Comcast bought AT&T they included an insert in your bill that stated their policies (maybe not specifically $150 for an unreturned box) and it probably included language along the lines of "by continuing to use our service you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this revised agreement" or some such wording. That is what most likely gives them the legal ground to charge you $150, and why they aren't willing to negotiate. Also, the cost of replacing the box is probably another driving factor in their non-willingness to budge.

[Raven Hawk]

I'm sure that they did this too. I doubt that I read it. I've seen credit card companies do this shit to. They put something in your statement saying that your APR has changed from 11.9% to 19.9% because your failed to pay your last months bill in time. To be honest, I think this to be a shady business practice. Not illegal. Just shady.

I have no doubt I have no legal recourse on this. The argument that I'm trying to make is that just because they are legally right, doesn't make them morally right.

As for cost of lost equipment. When replacing obsolete equipment, what is the cost of having the obsolete equipment in hand? They probably have to pay to dispose of it.

[Blackadar]

I think the phrase "lick my nut sack" should be used the next time you talk with ComCast. Let's see what happens.

[Raven Hawk]

UPDATE:

I am in a state of Shock and Awe. A manager called me back, as promised. The conversation was brief. He said that he had talked to his Customer Service Supervisor and asked me if $75 would be an acceptable amount. I agreed to that amount. He said "Have a nice day." I said "Thank You." That was it.

Although I don't think that the equipment is worth $75. I respect that it is actually a value that is lower than the contract that I had signed. I am happy with the outcome, I just wish that it wasn't such an unpleasant experience to get to this point. I don't fault the CSA, they can't make decisions like this. However, I would have hoped that the Supervisor would have been easier to work with. Oh well, you live and you learn.

The moral of the story is: Read all the legal crap that comes with your bills. They can't ALL be privacy statements.

[Rizon]

I'm pretty certain Comcast will drop it. I would figure there would actually be no cost to replace the box for them, since the box wouldn't go to someone elses home since you said it was 15 years old. They'd just toss it into the garbage anyways.

If they do decide to charge you, buy one from Ebay. Yeah, they said they track by serial numbers, but 1) Everyone has shit for records, so they're probably bluffing. Everytime I've been in this situation the company was bluffing. 2) If it doesn't match, and they call you on it, claim that's the box you were given. They screwed up tracking the serial numbers. They'll drop it. It's not worth going through all this effort for them to get the exact box, when they have one that's the same.

For what it's worth, I've never had problems with Comcast in the year I've had them.

[sabotai]

OR, the moral is bitch, bitch and bitch some more and you'll save $75. :D

[Draft Dodger]

no, the REAL moral of the story is stay far, far away from Comcast.

[Fonzie]

So does this mean they only need to lick half your sack? If so, which half?

[Blackadar]

So does this mean they only need to lick half your sack? If so, which half?

Any guy knows it's the under half... :)

[Raven Hawk]

So does this mean they only need to lick half your sack? If so, which half?
Lol :)

[Philliesfan980]

I think that if it's possible for Comcast to depreciate that cable box for tax purposes, they would. I don't know if it's possible or not, but if it is, then even they don't value it at $150.


They just expense them as I get them, I imagine. Not sure if its worth depr. a $150 asset.

Bottom line, its tax deductable for them.

[Philliesfan980]

Dola.

FWIW, other than the high fees, I don't have any problems with my comcast service. Currently I have my internet through them for $42 a month (not too bad for 3meg/256k service around here), and my cable through them for $70 a monthfor 2 digital cable boxes (and as many regular cable outlets as I feel like splitting/installing).

[sachmo71]

It's not the service so much. It's the customer service, or lack thereof. Wait until you have a problem...my favorite is the online billpay. Wait until your credit card expires and you are sent a new one. Hehehehe! :)

[JeeberD]

I haven't had any problems with on-line billpay. Of course, I don't have them automatically deduct it from my account, so maybe that I has something to do with it...

[Samdari]

Just curious, do you need to get cable in your name where you are moving in?

If I am right in assuming your wife's townhouse already had arrangements for tv service, I would not pay a damn thing for that cable box. Clear your bill except for that exact amount and get on with your life.

[Raven Hawk]

Just curious, do you need to get cable in your name where you are moving in?

If I am right in assuming your wife's townhouse already had arrangements for tv service, I would not pay a damn thing for that cable box. Clear your bill except for that exact amount and get on with your life.

No, I don't. I did think about this. But as we will be buying a new house in less than a year, I didn't want to have difficulties with getting credit. If I knew that I was going to be here for awhile, I probably would have done this.

[Schmidty]

I have stock in Comcast. You cost me money. I hate you.

[Draft Dodger]

actually, if it was me, I would have just told them I returned it some time ago, and they must have lost the paperwork on it.

[Schmidty]

I have stock in my religion. You cost me credibility. I hate you.

[Rizon]

I just need a moment to vent.

I just got married a month ago. In the process, I had sold my condo and moved into my wife's townhouse. .

Did you ever think of keeping both, and renting out the other to pay for half your total mortgage?

[Raven Hawk]

Did you ever think of keeping both, and renting out the other to pay for half your total mortgage?

Considered it. However, with interest rates so low, the rental market is pretty bad. My sister and brother-in-law have been renting their place while they are living in the Czech Republic. It seems like its off and on, they keep losing renters. Also their horror stories of how renters treat the building completely disuaded me from the idea.

[Samdari]

No, I don't. I did think about this. But as we will be buying a new house in less than a year, I didn't want to have difficulties with getting credit. If I knew that I was going to be here for awhile, I probably would have done this.

If everything else is ok, the little cable box thing would not make a whit of difference (if it even showed up - I have never seen entries from anyone but licensed lenders of money on mine). Since you guys were both in good standing on mortgages (presumably) you would be golden.

[QuikSand]

...the contract that I had signed.

This is probably the most important phrase in the whole description.

Glad you were able to get a pretty reasonable settlement, but with a signed contract, the other guys basically hold all the cards.