US Cable Support > Comcast HSI > [Rant] Comcast Treats Long-Time Customers Like Garbage

[Rant] Comcast Treats Long-Time Customers Like Garbage

$72 per month for 3-4 Mbps , Did you make any service calls as to why your speed is slow ?

What are you signal levels

Have you thought about buying your own modem to save the $7 per month

reply to Geno71
Hi. You misunderstood... Over those for years, my bill went up $12/month and the bandwidth only increase 4 Mbps during that same time period. Yes I could buy a modem for $100 or whatever it is, but that is beside the point. The point is

1) they should NEVER increase modem rental fees unless you actually switch out to a more powerful / expensive modem at the time. There's no justification for boosting a modem rental fee. These modems cost Comcast peanuts. They're paid for after the first year of service, easily.

2) Increased fees should mean increased service levels over time. That's not happening and no amount of "cancel and sign up again" tricks makes it OK. Comcast treats their long-time customers who get tired of the increases, like crap.

I have (what I believe to be) the Preferred level of service that in recent times was $69.95 until they jacked up the rate again this month. Apparently I have hope of getting a 2x bandwidth increase one day, but only when FiOS reaches my area and I Comcast perceives a threat.

»Report recent Extreme, Blast or Performance upgrades here

No FiOS as yet, but you can bet if it gets here first I won't be waiting around to ask Comcast for a "free upgrade" that I should've gotten over the last 4 years as part of my fee increases.

They have huge capacity to increase everyone's bandwidth but won't do it until they face the prospect of a mass exodus in a particular market due to superior product like FiOS or Google Fiber.

I'm not understanding what tier you had & what you have now.

If you have Preferred 12/2, then your previous tier would have been 6/1. So, they doubled your speeds. If you have Preferred 20/4, then your speed would have been 12/2.

Note: OP updated post declaring tier speed.

reply to Geno71
You guys are not reading the post (sorry that it's long), you need to read it. The service level "label" is irrelevant.

Think of it this way:

4 years ago I had Bandwidth X and it was OK for the amount I was paying (roughly $60 total). Since that time my bandwith has increased to X + 4 Mbps and my bill is now $72/month. Not acceptable. The crux is more and more billing for exactly the same speeds. That is crap and they do it because people just sit down and take it / they get tired of dealing with Comcast's run-around and give up.

I am at about 25 Mbps total today. As noted in my second post people in FiOS markets and elsewhere in the country are now at 50Mbps for this same $72, but that doesn't help the rest of us, does it? If I had 50 Mbps for $72 I wouldn't even be here except to say "thanks for the fair pricing Comcast".

reply to Geno71
Put another way: I never changed my service level, nor was I unhappy with my service level say 4 or 5 years ago. I am now because I'm paying a badly inflated price for basically the same speed, and Comcast will continue doing this. Next JAnuary I'll be paying $75 for it. 2015 I'll be paying $78.

When is enough, enough?

You may have not changed your service level, but Comcast has upped the speeds more than just once in those years. It is close to 4x what you originally signed up for I believe. Modem rental fees went higher once Comcast started changing to the more costly D3 modems, which you would have most likely been upgraded to shortly. You would also be hard pressed to find anything that still cost what it did 9 years ago. FYI, I hope you don't do any high speed uploading or gaming when you switch to the WISP.

reply to Geno71
Your post is not clear. +4Mbps doesn't add up to any increase. Sorry!
As for your market not being upgraded to 50/10; it's a market to market progression. The business model addresses the markets that provide the highest profit. Business is business. Comcast didn't invent it. Every corporation is the same.

reply to Geno71
Dont know where you got your fios prices but they are wrong. Here is the prices for fios. As with comcast dont mix up bundled prices because you are not bundling. This is stand alone fios prices and speeds.
3/1 $65
10/2 $75
20/5 $85
30/5 $95

reply to Geno71
Comcast is doubling the speed for free, has happened in a few areas so soon enough you will have double the speed.

Also do you have a docsis 3 modem or a docsis 2 at the moment.

reply to Geno71
It all depends on the market area you live in. I am a longtime comcast customer, I had blast 25/5,was paying roughly $60/month plus $3 modem rental then out of the blue they call me and say, "Since you are a loyal customer and always pay your bill ahead of time we called to offer you the extreme 50 tier, which in my area is 50/15, for $79.99/month plus $3 modem rental". I was like....for sure, lets do this. I don't know why your having trouble in your area but in my area they are solid as a rock, with performance, price and great customer service.

reply to rody_44
Those are odd FIOS internet speeds.

I'm also in Bucks County and here are the FIOS internet no

contract rates in my area:

15/5 $75
50/25 $85
75/35 $95

All plus the usual taxes and fees.

For me, $75 for the lowest internet tier is outrageously

expensive. Just like Comcast, Verizon jacks up the rates

every year. What is that 15/5 tier going to cost 5, 10, 15

years down the road?

I keep looking for a reasonable priced internet service to

come along and stomp on the local Comcast/Verizon

overpriced duopoly. No real competition with only 2

players.

reply to Geno71
Don't feel special, they treat *all* their customers like garbage.

reply to jeb9876
this is the promotion i get when i enter my bucks county address and its promo pricing

xxx Reservoir Rd, Quakertown PA 18951
Frequently Asked Questions

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Packages FiOS
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Service Charge $54.99/month $64.99/month
Initial Charge $69.99 $69.99
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Service Charge $54.99/month $64.99/month
Initial Charge $69.99 $69.99


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reply to Geno71
Good luck with your new broadband company. I truly hope you find one that meets your needs.

My comcast experience on business class has been far better than that, but then

* there is no promo discount period and
* I understand that prices rise over time

Last I checked, the gas they sell me at the "pump and go" isn't 3 times better at $3.50 a gallon than it was when they charged me $1.17 for it not that long ago.
--
My place : »www.schettino.us

reply to Geno71
I've had a speed bump in a year within my Biz starter contract for the same price I signed up for...

reply to Geno71
Well, I do understand. Nobody likes paying an increase for anything...however, what commodities/services never go up in cost?

Yes, my internet service has risen in recent years...not as much by percentage as the cost of gas, postage stamps, most fresh produce, coffee, electricity to my house...I could go on and on, but you get the idea, right?

I think that it is anyone's right to decide that a price increase is beyond what they are willing to pay - no argument there, but it does not in any way constitute being treated badly as a customer - Long-Time or not.

I do not blindly ascribe to Comcast as some sort of benevolent super customer friendly entity, but I have sure seen worse!
--
Deeds, not words

reply to Geno71
You know it's a bit of an OT comment in my own thread but I have noticed everyone from customer service people to regular customers in places like this, routinely skip over the majority of details in every post then offer an opinion.

I have two people here accusing me of incorrectly naming FiOS prices and I never named any! lol I have no idea what FiOS prices are and I don't care. I brought FiOS up because it is in cities with FiOS service (apparently never coming to Chicago because Verizon was paid off to sell off their IL service / license to some no-name company, which is now conveniently going out of business).

So unfortunately I think the fellow who said "I'll be getting double speed soon" is incorrect. Nobody in Illinois is getting FiOS, therefore they are not going to get Comcast's 2x boost for existing tiers. Another unfair practice: charging $72 for 25mbps in one market and $72 for 50Mbps in other markets.

The bottom line is, Comcast has a regional monopoly in every big city it operates in, and that is how they get away with annual price increases, with no annual improvement in service quality. I am willing to bet most of you saying "no big deal" are too young to remember when increased costs = increased benefits.

No it's not illegal what Comcast is doing but is is unethical the degree to which they do it. I ask again, how many times adding $3 to the bill for the same 25Mbps, before it becomes "sketchy" as they say? $75 is going to be OK for you guys. What about $78 or $81? Too much? Should I expect more at $84?

You guys are overlooking the fact that it does not cost Comcast one penny extra vs. last year or the year before to deliver my service. In fact because of capital costs being paid off in my area over time it probably costs them LESS than it used to maintain and deliver the facilities that make this service possible.

People need to expect more for their money over time and not stay silent. Simple as that. Otherwise you're going to be a generation of people who get screwed by everyone from insurance to internet.

Nothing I'm suggesting here is unreasonable.

You do know you pay the same as us. We have fios available yet your comcast costs the SAME as us. Fios came about because you stated fios changes the rules. Im pointing out it doesnt but this is why dios pricing was brought into it. as you can see fios is more expensive and doesnt change comcasts prices unlike what many like to think.

I have (what I believe to be) the Preferred level of service that in recent times was $69.95 until they jacked up the rate again this month. Apparently I have hope of getting a 2x bandwidth increase one day, but only when FiOS reaches my area and I Comcast perceives a threat.

»Post here: Blast 50/10 or 50/15 or Extreme 105/20 upgrades

No FiOS as yet, but you can bet if it gets here first I won't be waiting around to ask Comcast for a "free upgrade" that I should've gotten over the last 4 years as part of my fee increases.

They have huge capacity to increase everyone's bandwidth but won't do it until they face the prospect of a mass exodus in a particular market due to superior product like FiOS or Google Fiber.

reply to Geno71
I'm not picking on you, but you assume we don't read your entire topic because portions of your topic isn't clear; hence why you edited your topic 4 times.