dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
578
whiteyonenh
join:2004-08-09
Keene, NH

whiteyonenh

Member

And the point is...

Everyone charges a change of service fee for changes on an account, especially the major cable companies. I got a charge from Time Warner for upgrading my service from Roadrunner Standard to Turbo. While I can understand the issue with the fee in this instance, it is still wasting time of a CS rep and still has to be processed through the system and still shows as an account change. While it may have been something that should be coded in as to not charge, I don't see how this is any different than any other major company. While I detest Comcast in general and don't recommend it to many people, any other cable company that I know of will do this.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: And the point is...

Please show me any other company who considers direct mail advertising (not just crap stuffed in bills) to be a 'service' the customer has contracted for? This is not the same as adding a channel tier or changing your HSI package.

If Comcast's billing systems are so antiquated that they cannot handle a simple junk mail opt-out request they need to spend a few less $million on PR fluff and more on back-end systems and personnel.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: And the point is...

said by RadioDoc:

Please show me any other company who considers direct mail advertising (not just crap stuffed in bills) to be a 'service' the customer has contracted for? This is not the same as adding a channel tier or changing your HSI package.

If Comcast's billing systems are so antiquated that they cannot handle a simple junk mail opt-out request they need to spend a few less $million on PR fluff and more on back-end systems and personnel.
I read this to be a complaint about inserts in the bill, and not seperate mailings/sharing info with partners, sent via comcast.
Do you know (via some source not shown in the consumerist story) that this was seperate mailings?
if so, I would agree that a fee to opt-out is wrong and likely illegal. if not,( bill inserts only) then as I explained in my other post, I believe the fee is reasonable.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: And the point is...

Bill inserts are not 'junk mail'.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: And the point is...

said by RadioDoc:

Bill inserts are not 'junk mail'.
You are correct, I mis-read the story/complaint.
the fee (obviously an error) was wrong.

Comcablrtl
join:2003-10-25
Midwest

Comcablrtl to RadioDoc

Member

to RadioDoc
It was a mistake. Direct mail opt out does not fall under a change of service, and should not be treated that way across all of Comcast's footprint. A change of service fee applies to things such as upgrades, downgrades, adding a premium channel, etc. This is a dumb story, and should not be wasting space on this site.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: And the point is...

Maybe it is a dumb story, but it was precipitated by a dumb act by a Comcast employee. Something Comcast seems to be becoming quite adept at.

DaveDude
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey

DaveDude to whiteyonenh

Member

to whiteyonenh
said by whiteyonenh:

I got a charge from Time Warner for upgrading my service from Roadrunner Standard to Turbo. While I can understand the issue with the fee in this instance, it is still wasting time of a CS rep and still has to be processed through the system and still shows as an account change.
Thats insane, charging a customer for ordering service, because the poor company needs to take to orders to make money. Hello. Maybe companies should just close down, because paying a rep is so cost inefficient.

hopeflicker
Capitalism breeds greed
Premium Member
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA

hopeflicker to whiteyonenh

Premium Member

to whiteyonenh
Some people say "this is standard business practice". If that is so, how come we dont see:

FEE for VOD service (just to have the option)
FEE for filling up company vehicles (gas)
FEE for tech support
FEE for offshoring tech support
FEE for swapping out a bad box at the office
FEE for adding premium movie channels
FEE for removing premium move channels
FEE for monitoring RF leaks for your neighborhood
FEE for reactivating STBs that went into brick mod
FEE for paying for mouth pieces at FCC hearings

Yes, all of the above are ridiculous, but then again so is this junk mail fee issue.
whiteyonenh
join:2004-08-09
Keene, NH

whiteyonenh

Member

Re: And the point is...

said by hopeflicker:

Some people say "this is standard business practice". If that is so, how come we dont see:

FEE for adding premium movie channels

Yes, all of the above are ridiculous, but then again so is this junk mail fee issue.
In my market for Time Warner and I'm sure others have these fees as well, anything you add thats not at the time of installation adds a change of service fee. The above would fit into this fee structure.
JamesH5100
join:2005-08-17
Akron, OH

JamesH5100

Member

Re: And the point is...

I've made changes to my account with Time Warner and didn't get any fees. And yes, I do check my bill monthly.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to hopeflicker

Member

to hopeflicker
FEE for digital cable
FEE for remote control insurance
FEE for cable box warranty
FEE for indoor wire maintenance plan
FEE for finding piracy
FEE for electrical usage (watts) that come down your coax
FEE for electricity lost in distribution
FEE for power supply battery recycling
FEE for batteries in power supply
FEE for switching channels to avoid a locally inserted ad
FEE for not watching enough TV (ads) each month (enforced through remote control activity, dont be smart and leave the box on)
FEE for squirrel damage insurance
recovery FEE for Ms. Utility
FEE for corporate image support (lobbying)

hmmmm, cant think of any more

hopeflicker
Capitalism breeds greed
Premium Member
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA

hopeflicker

Premium Member

Re: And the point is...

said by patcat88:

FEE for digital cable
FEE for remote control insurance
FEE for cable box warranty
FEE for indoor wire maintenance plan
FEE for finding piracy
FEE for electrical usage (watts) that come down your coax
FEE for electricity lost in distribution
FEE for power supply battery recycling
FEE for batteries in power supply
FEE for switching channels to avoid a locally inserted ad
FEE for not watching enough TV (ads) each month (enforced through remote control activity, dont be smart and leave the box on)
FEE for squirrel damage insurance
recovery FEE for Ms. Utility
FEE for corporate image support (lobbying)

hmmmm, cant think of any more
I like these:

FEE for electrical usage (watts) that come down your coax
FEE for power supply battery recycling
I see this coming real soon

factchecker
@cox.net

factchecker to whiteyonenh

Anon

to whiteyonenh
said by whiteyonenh:

Everyone charges a change of service fee for changes on an account, especially the major cable companies.
Interesting, but not true. Cox did not charge my account a change of service fee when I changed my digital lineup a few months ago, nor did they charge me a change of service fee when I added DVR service.

They also have never charged me for talking to a billing rep in order to sort out some billing errors on their part.

So, no, everyone does not do it.