The math is fuzzy somewhere
Recently I found out some of the games and tricks our local (monopoly) broadband service provider like to play.
We have the broadband internet, cable television, and phone service package. After the trial period was over, the bill doubled. So I called in to inquire and see if we can adjust the subscriptions.
I waited on the phone for 40+ minutes (at 2 a.m.) Not kidding. Thank goodness for speaker phones. I’ve tried to contact them during human hours before but could never get through. At least I was still up working..
When the elevator music was finally over, this lively person named John came on the phone. I said I want to cut back on some of the services because we aren’t using them anyway, so I’d like to look into what options I have etc. He balked and tried to convince me it is unwise to do so. As he explained it, it would cost us more to take out the phone service (or anything for that matter) than to keep it. Huh?! I was not happy with that because, I don’t want to keep paying for things that we’re only using 2% of the time. He continued to explain…
For the 3 services (and I didn’t realize we were being charged some nonsense wire maintenance fee for the whole time that we’ve lived here!), the total is $89.85 And if we want to cancel the phone service with them, and keep the cable tv and broadband, it would cost $100.90.
It’s the same with the trash service. For a 96-gallon trash can, it’s $13 (I’m pulling the number out of the hat as I don’t have that bill in front of me). For the 32 gallons it’s $12.50. Coincidentally the trash service is also the monopoly in the area.
O_O <— that’s me, wide-eyed and speechless.
Coming back to the broadband service provider here, I’m porting our number somewhere else, and will attempt to slash the other prices into half. If it comes to it, we’ll just junk the TV somewhere and be done with it. After all, we don’t even have time to watch it.
February 15th, 2008 at 10:19 am
My husband works for the only cable company here in our town and one of the things he knows for sure is that if someone calls and complains and threatens to leave if they don’t give them back the intro price that they will be given back that price. It’s just a thought. Sometimes the squeaky wheel really does get the grease.
Brandy’s last blog post..A Little Better
February 15th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
How strange that they did not even want to work with you any. We typically call up right before our rates jump (I have it marked on our calendar) to renegotiate our rates. It works every time.
February 16th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I guess if we added our satellite service, internet fees, cell phone and phone…yeash! We pay more than this. Our trash is included in our taxes so the price is hidden.
Christine’s last blog post..In The Groove
February 16th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I know it!
I keep trying to convince my husband to drop HBO, but he likes to watch an occassional boxing match and the PPV costs more than a month of HBO. I just like watching Big Love, but nothing else. I rent new release DVD’s from our library for FREE, it may take a month or so to get to the top of the list, but it still seems like I see them before they are on HBO.
I ranted about our cable company on my blog yesterday! And you’ll notice that someone from Comcast commented on my blog!
Leeanthro’s last blog post..Superbowl?
February 17th, 2008 at 9:13 am
we’ve had the same thing happen, i let my hubby handle it and basically it did nothing. i think its bogus that they make you pay so much for services you dont even use. of course, my hubby was 3 months late in cancelling the ‘on demand’ stuff that i’d been bitching at him to cancel, so we went right from paying ‘low’ to ‘jeez’ and then we cancelled ‘jeez’ and the very next month the bill went up to ‘oh my god’ good grief!
jill’s last blog post..It all seems too perfect…
February 17th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
this sounds like comcrap to me…
Dawn’s last blog post..Weekly Winners
February 17th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
In my past life I worked for a phone company and the big cash cow was “wire maintenance”. It is the most useless thing ever.
melissa’s last blog post..Another Shameless Plug
February 17th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I gave up both cable TV and high speed internet in favor of a simple internet card. I am so over being held hostage by Time Warner.
Nina’s last blog post..Sin of the week, 2/17/08
February 19th, 2008 at 4:18 am
That sounds like a bunch of c - - p.
Well it’s good that you don’t take that for answer.
Are you going to move your phone service elsewhere as well ?
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