Always nice to see this in your Cable bill: Funny that the title is “Demand more at Comcast” and it is talking about how they are increasing the price of a service. Just another way they charge for the littlest thing.
Just happen to be watching the weather channel this morning and saw a scrolling ticker that said a bunch of channels were changing.. Said to go to comcastdigitalworld.com to find out more. Well went there and found this:
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Guess we will be getting a couple of new HD channels… I wish they would fix the stuff they have first. My HD DVR box cuts out the audio almost every couple of minutes… Going to have to call to get it replaced. Funny thing about the channels changing, they have not sent out any info on it so far, and the only reason I saw it was because I was watching the weather channel, which looks like it is moving too. Also looks like they are removing HGTV from the line up? (They are putting the Weather channel on channel 58, which is where HGTV currently is, but no signs of where HGTV is going to.)
I have started to get really mad at comcast lately. I had set the DVR to record a show on Mojo the other night. Went to watch it tonight, and guess what…. Comcast pre-empted the show with FOX Sports again! So I decided to use their Chat thing tonight and chat with them to see why they are doing that, here was the outcome:
Why is FOX Sports Pittsburgh HD showing up on the Mojo channel?
analyst James has entered room
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:34:03 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Hello Me_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is James. Please give me one moment to review your information.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:34:11 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Good Evening
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:34:23 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
hello
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:35:07 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
That happens because Comcast does not carry FSN Pittsburgh in HD, but the Penguins games are aired in HD on that channel.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:36:07 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Uh, yeah they do…channel 769 is “FSPHD” which is Fox sports Pittsburgh in HD. It is currently airing the exact same thing as in on Mojo.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:36:28 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
We do not carry that channel in every area.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:36:48 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
It is frustrating because when I try to tape something on mojo, 9 times out of 10 I get something else.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:36:58 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:37:49 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
can they not change the channel guide to show when they are going to pre-empt a show that is supposed to be on mojo with what ever they are going to simulacast from FSP?
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:38:19 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
like right now it says London Live should be on, but it is a pittsburgh pirates game.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:38:21 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
The channel guide is controlled and maintained by TV Guide
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:39:03 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
So there is really no way to ever know if I am going to get what I set to get recorded?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:39:36 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
I am very sorry for the inconvenience, Comcast does not control the information that is displayed in the Program Guide.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:40:48 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
ok, just very frustrating that my bill keeps going up and up, and when I want to watch something, it is usually what is not there. Don’t understand why there are 30+ Test channels that they could use for the same purpose, but they end up pre-empting some other channel.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:41:33 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
I apologize for the frustration.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:43:02 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
is there any possiblity that this may be “fixed” in the future?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:43:45 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Yes there is a possibility of it being fixed. Unfortunately, I am not able to provide a time frame on when it will be resolved.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:46:05 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
ok, just getting tired of the service price going up and up, and the quality of service going down. Paying almost $200 a month for cable and it is almost exactly the same amount of content that I was getting 5 years ago and paying half the price. Is there any where to submit formal complaints about things like this?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:47:09 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
I can see what I can do to lower your bill for you if you like.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:47:27 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
that would be great….
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:48:19 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
the only thing extra I have even gotten in the last 5 years has been the HD+DVR.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:49:22 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
I can bring your bill down to 159.84 plus taxes for a period of 6 months for you.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:50:44 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
You currently pay 171.85 plus taxes
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:51:33 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
yeah and I received a letter the other day saying it was going to be going up even more.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:51:47 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
after taxes I will be paying almost $190 a month
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:52:03 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
what is the deal with the 159.84?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:53:46 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
That is everything you have now, although the only promotion I am able to provide you with is an Internet promotion that is $19.99 a month for 6 months. You would be gaining some channels as well. You would be removed from the Adelphia grandfathered package and put into the Digital Premier package (that includes Digital Preferred and all the movie channels) and the Sports and Entertainment Package.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:54:59 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
that is what I have now, I have nearly every single channel except the new sports ones added in the last week, and I am not interested in any more sports channels as I don’t watch the ones that are there now.
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:55:43 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Without the sports package it would be 151.89 plus taxes per month, for a period of 6 months.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:56:25 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
and that keeps everything I currently have access to?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:57:16 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
You will loose some channels without having the Sports and Entertainment package, those channels that you will loose will be listed in the mailing you received.
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 19:59:13 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
and what would the price go up to after the 6months?
James(Sat May 24 2008 19:59:37 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
174.85 plus taxes
Me_(Sat May 24 2008 20:01:49 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
well thanks for the help, but since it would only change it for 6 months it is not really worth me changing anything I will just keep what I have now and reevaluate whether I will switch to dish or not.
James(Sat May 24 2008 20:02:18 GMT-0400 (EDT))>
Ok, I am sorry I was not able to assist you any further today.
Then as I was reading through the news tonight I see this article: Comcast trying to sell 46 outlying cable systems
Which is funny as now our system will probably be sold to Time Warner… I am so so so tempted to go get a Dish Network system. But I still need the cable modem, so it is almost not worth it yet.
What makes me mad about the whole conversation with the comcast dude is that he kept using the cost not including taxes. But by the time you add in all the taxes, it is almost another $10+ to the bill. Let alone that just this year so far my bill has went up $10 since january (with no change to service) and will go up another $3.00 in June with get this a lost of service.. Right now I have every Movie channel on the system (HBO/Cinemax/ShowTime/The Movie Channel/etc), after June I have to pay more just to get The Movie Channel. The best part is that “no action is required!” my bill will go up, I will lose channels, and more than likly I will cancel more of the service. What is where is if they can keep giving these “promotions” why don’t they use that for the price all the time.
It would be cool if we had something like FreeView or SkyTV here in the US. I would gladly pay for the hardware if the service was free. Sort of like back in the early 80’s when we had the BUD (big ugly dish) at my parents house. We could get nearly every channel for free off of the satellites before they started encrypting them.
This week the weather has went from 77 degrees to 40… I think it is beause Com(pression)cast has actually done something good… They finally made the local broadcast channels that are in clear QAM show up on the channel numbers they should be. So instead of using 108.2201 for the local NBC affiliate, now you just have to use 11.1 which makes much more sense. Now if they would just make the rest of the channels in the clear it would really make my day.
For the last two days comcast has called and started out by saying that since you are a current subscriber we have a bundle for you that will put all your bills on piece of paper.. They then go on to try to get me to sign up for their Digital voice package. Which is stupid because I use Packet8.
The first day the lady asked if I was spending more than $40 a month on phone bills. I told her no, and she said “really, you don’t spend more than $40 on your monthly phone bill?” I said no, and then she said ok have a good day and hung up.
Today another different woman called. Started out with the same speech. I then cut her off and told her that I had already got called and said no to the “deal”. She was surprised I said no and then said ok good bye… I wonder if I don’t get another call before the week is done. Funny that it is coming from the same phone number (978)848-5001. And looking at my phone log it looks like I have already been called 3 times.
Which brings me to my second point about being mad at comcast. Why is it that they keep adding crappy channels to the system and making the HD channels almost as bad as the SD channels. Why are there 38 different channels that say “Test”? Now they are also running tickers that say they are getting rid of more channels(specificly the asian ones), but they will still support those people with programs and community activities.
If it weren’t for their cable modem service, I would probably drop Com(pression)cast and get a Dish, because the HD service just keeps getting worse.