Comcast Sucks. Really.

With the ever rising cost of cable television, and the ever dropping customer service and usefulness of programming, I decided we didn't need cable TV anymore. I wanted to keep my high speed internet connection from Comcast, as we leave out in the boonies, and DSL hasn't gotten to us yet.

So I contacted Comcast to cancel my TV service...


user Chris_ has entered room

chris(Tue Jan 22 12:18:44 EST 2008)>I'd like to cancel my cable TV service. ONLY the TV service. Thanks!
analyst Timothy.17924 has entered room

Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:18:52 EST 2008)>Hello Chris_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Timothy.17924. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:19:02 EST 2008)>While I am pulling up your account records, can you give me a brief run-down on the issue you are having today?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:19:37 EST 2008)>We don't use the cable TV service, so we'd like to cancel it. We do want to keep our other comcast services, though.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:19:48 EST 2008)>I will be happy to help you with that today.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:20:03 EST 2008)>Comcast is dedicated to protecting its customers against unauthorized access to their accounts. In order to verify your identity, I must ask you for the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:20:13 EST 2008)>XXXX
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:20:23 EST 2008)>I do apologize, but I am afraid that the number that you have given me does not match the Social Security Number that I have on my records. Is there another number that may have been used when the account was created?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:21:01 EST 2008)>It should be on my SSN. XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:21:18 EST 2008)>O'Kennon.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:21:29 EST 2008)>Possibly under OKennon.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:21:32 EST 2008)>This is probably our mistake. But unfortunately, I cannot access your account without verification. I suggest that you go into your local office. They will reconfirm your Social Security Number and update our records.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:21:34 EST 2008)>For the moment, however, in order to confirm your identity, may I please have your full Driver's License Number?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:21:48 EST 2008)>XXXXXXXXX (same SSN).
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:23:03 EST 2008)>XXaddress entered hereXX.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:23:19 EST 2008)>May I please have your Driver's License Number?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:23:37 EST 2008)>Just gave it to you. XXXXXXXXX.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:24:00 EST 2008)>I do apologize, but the number that you have given me does not match the Driver's License Number that I have on my records. This is probably our fault, but unfortunately, I cannot access your account without verifying your identity.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:24:04 EST 2008)>For the moment, however, in order to confirm your identity, may I please have your full Comcast account number?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:24:27 EST 2008)>Let me see if I can find that...
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:25:40 EST 2008)>XXXXXXXX-XX
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:26:07 EST 2008)>Thank you.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:26:37 EST 2008)>I can remove the cable, but the overall price of your service will rise by $3.88, and your speed will drop to 33% its current rate. Is this all right?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:26:58 EST 2008)>Why will the speed drop?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:28:17 EST 2008)>Because with the cable line restricted, to remove the channels, the available bandwidth is reduced.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:28:42 EST 2008)>What will the speed be? 12 Mbps?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:29:32 EST 2008)>4 Mb/s. You are currently receiving 6 Mb/s.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:30:25 EST 2008)>I suppose I don't have much choice. Under what circumstances would it be 12 Mbps, like the website says?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:31:18 EST 2008)>You get that speed in burst mode, getting the first ten megabytes of large files.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:31:56 EST 2008)>And after that its 4. Ok.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:32:45 EST 2008)>What would be the effective end date of service for the TV?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:33:19 EST 2008)>You still wish to cancel television service?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:33:30 EST 2008)>Yes, just the TV service.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:33:58 EST 2008)>I apologize for the inconvenience, but it will take me a few moments to process your order. May I please place you on hold?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:34:06 EST 2008)>Sure.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:38:59 EST 2008)>Thank you for holding. I apologize for the delay.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:39:06 EST 2008)>No prob
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:39:16 EST 2008)>There will be a one-time charge of $14.70 for this transaction, and your new monthly rate will be $57.95 plus applicable taxes and state fees. This includes any and all Comcast services that you now have on the account.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:39:39 EST 2008)>What's the charge for?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:40:07 EST 2008)>The technician will need to climb a telephone pole.
Chris_ (Tue Jan 22 12:40:40 EST 2008) >We don't have a telephone pole.
Timothy.17924(Tues Jan 22 12:40:40 EST 2008)> What?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:40:41 EST 2008)>Not sure that's my problem, anyway. Why should I pay for him to do that?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:41:17 EST 2008)>It is the standard fee to downgrade or disconnect service.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:41:57 EST 2008)>Do you have a supervisor around who could wave the fee? It would save me the trouble of writing one of those angry customer letters.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:42:24 EST 2008)>My supervisor would be unable to waive the fee. Should we do so, the local Comcast office will simply add it back on.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:42:54 EST 2008)>Love the red tape. Ok, go ahead, I'll deal with that later.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:43:38 EST 2008)>What date and time would you most like the work done on?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:44:07 EST 2008)>25th or 26th would be good, any time.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:44:31 EST 2008)>How about 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:44:40 EST 2008)>That's fine.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:45:04 EST 2008)>I do apologize; that is on January 25th.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:45:09 EST 2008)>Ok.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:45:27 EST 2008)>I have booked a technician for Friday, January 25th, between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM. The technician will call approximately thirty minutes before arriving. Please ensure that someone is at home who is eighteen years of age or over.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:45:47 EST 2008)>What would we have to do?
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:46:06 EST 2008)>The technician will confirm your disconnection, and collect the analog cable box.
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:46:26 EST 2008)>Ok.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:46:42 EST 2008)>Is there anything else that I may assist you with today?
Chris_(Tue Jan 22 12:46:50 EST 2008)>That would be it.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:47:07 EST 2008)>Thank you for contacting Comcast. We value your business.
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:47:08 EST 2008)>If you need additional assistance, you can find product support information on our web site at http://www.comcast.com/Support/
Timothy.17924(Tue Jan 22 12:47:08 EST 2008)>I hope that you have a great day.


So, in order for me to STOP using their service, I have to pay them, AND be home to confirm what I just told them I wanted to have done.

I am SOO getting the Dish.