I'll join this rant. We moved into Calvert a couple years back into a new neighborhood. Comcast was the only service available to us (no Fios, etc.). I am not entirely sure if Dish/Direct TV was a viable option for internet service. We were more or less told our only option was Comcast (didn't know about this supposed monopoly). Anyhow, with a new (and higher) mortgage and three young kids who were becoming more aware of the TV (as opposed to books, outside, etc.) - we committed to cutting the cord and really downsizing our TV package to just some smart TV access (Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.). In talking with Comcast to set this up, we were informed that limiting our subscription to just internet was actually more expensive than packaging internet and TV. This was their attempt to stave off cutting the cord. Didn't like this, but had no choice and signed their standard two year contract which gave us their internet package along with ONE STANDARD DEFINITION cable box (simply because we had to). Over the course of those two years, service was as you would expect. We'd deal with the occasional outage and the semi-frequent downturn in data leading to a lot of lagging or failures to connect. We'd have to constantly cycle our modem or have Comcast "flash" it. We managed ....... and I think our package cost us $120 total (including taxes, etc.). High in my opinion, but this was the basic package they offered.
Move ahead and our two year term apparently expires. We're not notified (our problem for not being ahead of this), but our bill jumps from $120/mos to $180/mos. Again, basic internet and one SD box. We call on a Sunday and ask WTF and am told our special pricing expired and this was our new rate. We ask what other plans are offered and we're told none. My wife, in a fit of rage, tells them they can go ahead and cancel our account. We're told they cannot cancel on Sunday's and we'd have to call back on Monday. I explain to my wife that we need to assess because many things in our house rely on the internet (our house phone, a lot of our TV content, basic browser access, Alexa, security items, etc.) and unfortunately, we cannot simply bail.
I jump online Monday morning to prepare myself for a phone call with Comcast. I go to explore their available packages. Their website funnels you to specific options that pigeon hole you. In other words, you cannot get new customer pricing. If you state you are an existing/previous customer, you have to provide them information which directs you to your account. AND FOR THE KICKER, when you log into your account, you are now not allowed to see what packages are available to you ....... you must now call to speak to someone. To be clear, as a customer, I have no ability to research what my options are without speaking directly to one of their reps.
Anyone tried calling in there? Protip ..... use the prompts to tell them you want to add service .... you'll get right through. Tell them you want to cancel ...... you will wait, and wait, and wait to speak with someone. And when you do get through, even if you are dead-set committed to opting out, they won't let you do it timely. Be prepared to be on the phone for 30 mins.
In our case, we worked out a negotiated rate. They wouldn't honor their introductory pricing. They basically acknowledged we had no other provider to pin them against and stated we simply had to make a choice of whether we wanted service or not (and of course, they stressed it was OUR choice). So now, I pay $145/mos for home internet and one SD box. FML.
Comcast is hands down the biggest POS company that exists. Aside from the guys who actually troubleshoot their physical lines, they are all worthless. Fios would get such a huge bump in switch over simply for NOT BEING COMCAST that I am surprised that they haven't pushed that agenda. The conduit/infrastructure is already in for most areas. If the County doesn't allow that competition, then they need to police Comcast.
Second protip ...... call Comcast constantly. Anytime we have a service interruption (talking pixilation or an outright outage) .... even for seconds, we call. We tell them quality is crap and/or we lost service and we demand our account is credited. Last week, we lost service for 30 minutes. They credited me back $25. Each time we cycle the modem .... we call. Each time they tell us we should cycle the modem .... we call. As I've explained each time, you all want to charge me a ridiculous rate, than I am going to expect ridiculous service. I am going to hold you accountable in that my payment is proportionate to full time use and access and when i don't get it, my payment is to be adjusted. Sh!t, i will look up when outages happen overnight during periods in which I am sleeping. Doesn't matter. F them. I've had them tell me they had no reported outages in the area and I will play the "not my problem what your computer shows ..... all I know is that at about 3AM, I couldn't watch my dirty shows." Ching ching.
Sorry for the novel but I hate these fukkers.
When we moved to Broomes Island in 1998, there was no cable option, until Comcast, finally, came through there. We had a tv antenna on the roof. We left Calvert almost two years ago, and went with Direct TV that did the price hike, too, after a year. We have Hulu right now. The fire stick sounds awesome, but I refuse to give any more of my money to Bezos.