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dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

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[Price] Comcast Eliminating One Annoying Fee By End Of Year

From Consumerist.com:

»consumerist.com/2014/10/ ··· 10182888

Cable companies are notorious for their fees — modems, set-top boxes, HD service, DVR service, repair visits, early termination fees; the list goes on. But Comcast tells Consumerist that it is ditching one annoying little fee over the next few months.

We found out about this after Consumerist reader Steve wrote in to say that Comcast tried to ding him for a few dollars when he called to get rid of a sports package on his service. The customer service rep he spoke to explained that the fee applies for any change to his existing plan.

Steve was able to get the fee waived after pointing out to a supervisor that it was silly for the company to risk losing a customer who pays Comcast hundreds of dollars a year just to squeeze two or three bucks out of him.

We asked Comcast about the fee and reps for the company explained that in some markets, there is a few-dollar fee (it varies by market) for subscribers who make TV package changes over the phone. Changes made through the Comcast website did not incur the fee.

This sort of fee isn’t unheard of; we’ve heard similar complaints about other pay-TV companies, and the airline industry is leading the way with surcharges for dealing with a human.

Much like those airlines who charge fees for booking tickets or changing reservations over the phone, it’s about trying to nudge customers toward using online tools that don’t drain a company’s limited human customer service reps.

Comcast, which everyone agrees could use some good PR, says that it has decided to respond to customer gripes about this charge and is phasing it out. Reps for Kabletown say the phase-out began in September and will be complete by the end of the year.


camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper

Premium Member

said by dishrich:

...Comcast, which everyone agrees could use some good PR, says that it has decided to respond to customer gripes about this charge and is phasing it out....

 
So Comcast eliminates the couple dollar fee that it charges to a few customers who change their TV plan over the phone, and then raises the modem fee for millions and millions of HSI customers by a buck or two.

Sounds like a plan....

Spiderman865
join:2005-12-27
Joliet, IL

Spiderman865

Member

Has anyone been successful in downgrading service on-line like Comcast says you can in the linked article?
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

3 recommendations

Kearnstd to dishrich

Premium Member

to dishrich
the fee they need to kill is the "HD Technology" one, It made sense when HD was new. But today it should almost be flipped to an SD Technology Fee to pay for upkeep of legacy systems. Though elimination is much better but no company will give up a gravy train fee like this one id imagine.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

2 recommendations

telcodad

MVM

said by Kearnstd:

the fee they need to kill is the "HD Technology" one, It made sense when HD was new. But today it should almost be flipped to an SD Technology Fee to pay for upkeep of legacy systems. Though elimination is much better but no company will give up a gravy train fee like this one id imagine.

Yeah, but I think they only stopped charging that other "Color Technology" fee a few years ago.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich to Kearnstd

Member

to Kearnstd
said by Kearnstd:

the fee they need to kill is the "HD Technology" one,

Unfortunately, since U-verse, as well as DISH AND DirecTV charge this stupid fee (sorry, but new subs ONLY get FREE HD as a promo) not sure if CC is going to stop it.

What I'm really curious about, is what happens to the Time-Warner subs that do NOT pay "HD tech" fees...when they transition to CC, will they start getting hit with them? Or will they maybe be "grandfathered" w/no fees?

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

1 recommendation

DaveDude to telcodad

Member

to telcodad
said by telcodad:

said by Kearnstd:

the fee they need to kill is the "HD Technology" one, It made sense when HD was new. But today it should almost be flipped to an SD Technology Fee to pay for upkeep of legacy systems. Though elimination is much better but no company will give up a gravy train fee like this one id imagine.

Yeah, but I think they only stopped charging that other "Color Technology" fee a few years ago.

Im surprised they dont still charge for it. I wish there was an alternative to comcast .
logger
join:2012-06-14
Carmel, NY

logger to dishrich

Member

to dishrich
said by dishrich:

We asked Comcast about the fee and reps for the company explained that in some markets, there is a few-dollar fee (it varies by market) for subscribers who make TV package changes over the phone. Changes made through the Comcast website did not incur the fee.

A fee was charged when I made TV package changes at the local office. No fee was charged when I canceled service, although the change fee was in the then up-to-date rate card at that time.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad to dishrich

MVM

to dishrich
Karl has a news item up on this now: »Comcast is Actually Eliminating One of Their Annoying Fees [9] comments
lmacmil
join:2001-01-26
South Bend, IN

lmacmil to Spiderman865

Member

to Spiderman865
said by Spiderman865:

Has anyone been successful in downgrading service on-line like Comcast says you can in the linked article?

I'm disappointed no one responded to this. I have been unable to figure out how to downgrade service online either.

Spiderman865
join:2005-12-27
Joliet, IL

Spiderman865

Member

Honestly, I don't think it's possible at least if you have a triple play bundle as I do.
rawboard
join:2004-08-05
Woodbury, NJ

rawboard to lmacmil

Member

to lmacmil
said by lmacmil:

said by Spiderman865:

Has anyone been successful in downgrading service on-line like Comcast says you can in the linked article?

I'm disappointed no one responded to this. I have been unable to figure out how to downgrade service online either.

Well you can cancel things like HBO, or downgrade your channel package thru their online chat. However if you want to completely cancel a service...be it phone, internet, tv or all they say you need to call them.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to dishrich

Premium Member

to dishrich
speaking of fees... is X1 a service or just a new box model? As in will everbody eventually have X1 boxes simply due to replacements being issued.