Dissatisfied with Comcast
Fall brings cooler weather, beautiful scenery and, once again, a rate hike from Comcast. In the short year and a half since Comcast has taken over the old Suscom system, cable consumers have been subjected to no less than three rate hikes and yet, very little, if any, additonal content or service.
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The service that Comcast offers is no different, and in many ways substandard, to what we enjoyed only two years ago, but we pay more and more for the service. Is Comcast accountable to anyone? Should they be? The lack of competitive alternatives leaves the consumer hostage to the whims of cable executives. Currently, there is no incentive for Comcast to reduce costs, improve services or focus on consumer goodwill because there are no other competitive alternatives. Comcast uses a large percentage of our rates to ensure that it mainains this monopoly, ensuring that competitive providers cannot gain a foothold in our service territory.
Cleary the old system of regulation is not working and now only serves to protect the largest and most powerful companies to the detriment of the consumers. Even when polls show that a majority of people are dissatisfied with Comcast's service, it does nothing to enhance customer relations. Up to now I have resisted moving to satellite service, but more and more it seems to make sense.
Unfortunately, in the grand scheme of things, my one cable account or opinion will not make a dent in Comcast's bottom line or change anything. But perhaps if more and more people express their unhappines, federal regulators may get the hint and finally bring cable regulation into the 21st Century.
Robert Eckenrod
Yoe
Not only have the prices increased and the service remained the same, they also started transmitting sports over the TV Guide channel during prime time. When do they think people want to see what's on? Midnight?
We have satellite service and will never switch to cable. I recommend getting a satellite and getting rid of cable!!
what about on demand , faster internet, and telephony.
yeah exactly the same a suscom, idiots.
you probably think that the cheaper stereo from walmart sounds better too.
Ah yes, the semi-annual rate hike letter from Comcast telling me of all the wonderful new services that my additional $$$ will buy. Things like on-demand video (I'd rather rent a DVD or use the free Netflix on-demand feature, thanks), faster internet (the basic deal is plenty fast, thanks), and telephony (tried it. canceled after a month of calls cutting out or disconnecting, phone ringing when nobody called, phone NOT ringing when somebody did call, and of course no 911 service). I forget- what great new services does my annual rate hike buy again?
DirectTV, I hear ya callin'
Comcast is not at all better than what we had before. Unless you want to shell out the bucks for digital cable, the service is lack luster, the channels are lacking and the quality is poor. For nearly a year, on channels 2 through 6 we have had poor reception. The channels are fuzzy and unclear. When contacting Comcast, you speak to someone not even close to York County and get little to no resolution.
Our Internet service isn't even close to what it is advertised as. It is slow a lot of the time and we are constantly having issue.
As for the channels, Comcast actually eliminated many channels. For sports enthusiasts, ESPN News and ESPN Classic were removed. For Soap fans, the SOAP Network is gone. While MASN 2 is offered it does cover the the TV Guide Channel. Plus...NO BIG TEN NETWORK!
The prices increase and yet nothing gets better.
What I still don't understand is Comcast's explanation for not having the Big Ten Network, yet, they have the Golf Channel. Talk about catering to a very small audience...
Ever since comcast took over, our service has gotten increasingly bad. both our tv and internet signals constantly flicker on/off. almost as if the system locks up for a few seconds. it does this pretty much every 15 min. movie channels, local channels, doesnt matter.
cant wait to get satellite!
Unfortunately my apartment complex doesn't allow satellite dishes or I would have gotten rid of cable long ago. My boyfriend has DirecTV and it costs half of what my cable does and is a lot nicer.
I too have been very unimpressed with the current Comcast service. If it weren't that we need the internet service for work, we would get Direct TV tomorrow.
Here's a novel thought.How about turning off the tube and reading a book.Hell maybe two books.Who knows,you might even like it and find it refreshing.Afterall how much mindless gawking at a tube can one do ???
I am looking into Direct Tv, Because comcast has no competition in this area, they can just keep raising their rates. What a shame there is so much greed in this world?
My wife and I got tired of seeing the commercials regarding On-Demand and PPV Movies of which we had neither of. We did have PPV for special events and smut though and a much higher bill. Comcast didn't seem to care when we switched to DirecTv. I miss the Balto. channels and PCN, but love the overall content much better. Did keep the Internet service which fortunately is paid by my wife's company.
Has anybody read the story of the 75 yr. old woman who took the hammer to the Comcast office in VA. See the Money Section of the October 21st York Sunday News. I called her to let her know that she is my idol. I was without service for 13 days after the cable line was struck by lightning (Act Of God according to local Comcast representives) Dont you know that you are supposed to take the cable conections off of all electronic devices in the event of an electrical storm???? What would happen if everyone had the "triple play" (you sold your soul to the devil Cal Ripkin) and you had no commuication links to the outside world.. NO PHONE, NO INTERNET and NO CABLE for an emergency broadcast system alert in the event of a national emergency. 13 Days of wait to find out what to do if TMI has ANOTHER PROBLEM. What if you were bed ridden and had to reach 911 and your service was out for 13 days. Comcast advised me that in that case you should use your cell phone. Can you spell LIABLE. Back to the 75 yr. old VA woman. When I got in touch with her she told me that one of the items that the AP article did not mention was that Good Morning America ran a segment about her hammer weilding episode this past Friday and just as they were leading into the story, the cable went out in the Northern Va area where Mrs. Shaw is from. She and all of her chuch friends missed the segment due to "technical difficulties" with Comcast??? She loves Direct TV and her new internet provider. As for her phone service she is still trying to figure out the voicemail system which is getting overloaded with all of the calls of congragulations she is getting. As for me I have the old fashioned phone, YISI internet and subscribed to Direct TV today. Will let you know how I make out. So far the internet from YISI has not let me down and the phone is working great.
P.S. I think that I have convinced Direct TV that Mrs. Shaw the "Hammer Lady" could carry more advertising weight than Cal the "Triple Play Man"
Well, we've just received news that our cable and internet company that we've had NO problems with and paid a very reasonable amount of money to (Viking Communications) has been bought out by Comcast. Lovely. And upon searching, I find out that there really are no alternatives if what you want is basic cable and high speed internet. Apartment complexes usually do not allow satellite dishes. I agree with those who say "Read a book! Shut off the t.v.!" -- but unfortunately, my husband refuses to live without cable and we both need internet for school.
The "reasonable amount" we've been paying for Viking is $54 a month with cable and internet combined. Never had a single issue in the last year and a half with the service. Comcast's rates, as I'm sure we all know by now, are much higher as well as packed with "small print" fees/taxes/general rip-off charges.
This is so frustrating. Anyone know of any other companies that serve York?