Switching to Comcast... any advice?

[jgradyc]

I'm in Nashville and currently paying $170/month for DirecTV and $70/month for Comcast internet. (Landline is with Verizon.)  It's been about 7 years since I last changed providers. I'm thinking of going to the Xfinity Double Play with internet and cable TV with the 140 channel package, shown online for $110/month. I tried switching to Comcast a couple years ago, but they screwed up the installation so badly I cancelled the service. 

Any tips or advice on how to go about this smoothly? Or how to get a better rate? Working with these cable/satellite providers is worse than dealing with a car salesman!  In fact, I rather enjoy the banter when buying a car, but with these companies, I always get someone who can't speak English who is reading from a script. Oh well, rant over. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[Hozzie]

All I can say is get whatever you agree to in writing.  I have had to fight with Comcast every 6 months for something. 

[MacGyver]

Don't get your hopes up?

[TGO David]

I never had any problems with them for almost 18 years of service in Nashville.  I must be one of the lucky ones.

[hipower]

Worst thing I can say about Comcast concerns pricing. It seems to continually be going up.

Other than that, I've had no problems with them. I really can't say how long we've had their service; but it's been thru 2 homes. So has to be even longer than TGO David's comment.

[nightrunner]

My advice, don't, every few months the price goes up. If there is any other alternative, take it. I am switching to ATT very soon.

[E4 No More]

Wait for Google Glass. Comcast is on a program advertising 1 Gb service but if you read the document they are locking you into 300 Mbps.

Edited July 7, 2016 by SWJewellTN
stupid typo

[vontar]

I think i am the only happy Comcast customer in East TN.  No problems.

However I do own my own Modem.  Once I was on a promotion and when it expired some how the system started charging me rent for my own modem.  When I called them on it, they did fix it and reverse charges.

 

[btq96r]

I've had Comcast for a bit now.  There product service is excellent, really excellent.  My internet works as promised, outages are repaired promptly, and I can use my Comcast login where it's allowed for streaming to access HBOGo (I don't use their cable box).  No complaints on the quality of the product I'm using from them.

Their customer service, however, sucks goat scrote.  Read the details of everything you sign, research it online, and unless you're fine with paying the full price (which you need to learn on your own), be ready to renegotiate 1-2 weeks prior to your promo deal expiring.  I simply tell them I have a fixed budget, need to stay within it, and if they can't find a new promo for me, then service will stop.  It usually takes no less than 30 minutes of phone chat (including finding the right person to talk to), with them trying to sell me on a different service package at a price lower than the new rate for my old service, but still lower than my budget price.  I stay firm and eventually they realize how intractable I am.  AT&T, and soon Google are forcing them to be competitive in the Nashville area if you can stand firm and don't expect to go lower than you originally signed on for.

[Pete123]

Here's my take:

1. TDS Telecom is hands down the best choice if they have service in your area.

2. AT&T is offering low cost fiber into buildings where they already have fiber installed.  Not sure if they do this for residential.  If so, it is completely awesome.  

3. Comcast has the most reliable and fastest service.  Most people have good luck with them.  If you are one of the ones that doesn’t have good luck,  then most likely won't get support.

4. AT&T - Their residential DSL service is ok.  It’s not as fast or reliable as Comcast, but the customer service is good.  Comcast burned bridges with me and I switched to AT&T.  I’m glad I changed, even though the service is slower and not as reliable.

5.  Google fiber has not lived up to the hype in other markets.  They aren’t widely deployed here, though I personally would avoid them.

Finally,  do you need TV?  I watch a lot of video and don’t have tv service.  I watch a lot of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

Edited July 7, 2016 by Pete123

[10-Ring]

Find a Comcast outside sales rep. I used one of them once and got about half of what I would have paid just going into the office. My typical experience has been that you have to sign a contract for two years and the price will go up after one year. After the second year is up the price typically will go up every couple of months. If you can find the right person to listen to you you might be able to get it knocked down. It is not uncommon to threaten to cancel your service and the sales rep says "OK let me get you started on that."  They are typically really good about getting out and installing everything but if you're alone happens to break they will take about a week to get out to fix it. Their customer service is typically horrible. I have had to wait up to 20 minutes to actually talk to someone during non-peak times. If I had any other option I would not be using them.

[Sam1]

I just switched to the 110/month a few weeks ago without signing a contract, but the service is great so I'm going to go ahead and sign on the two year agreement just to play it safe cause they are known to jack up prices occasionally..  The 300mb internet is fantastic. That, the discovery/history channel and fox news HD is all I really cared about.

You can't beat the price.

[Caster]

 

 

The sad part is, there's no real alternative.  

 

 

 

 

.

[R1100R]

My bill is never the same price. I'm getting ready to cut the cable TV but keep the internet. 

[enfield]

15 hours ago, TGO David said:

I never had any problems with them for almost 18 years of service in Nashville.  I must be one of the lucky ones.

Maybe you're just easily pleased?

[monkeylizard]

19 hours ago, SWJewellTN said:

Wait for Google Glass. Comcast is on a program advertising 1 Gb service but if you read the document they are locking you into 300 Mbps.

I think you meant Google Fiber. Google Glass was the for-now discontinued always-on camera-in-the-glasses preferred by jackasses everywhere.

[TGO David]

5 hours ago, enfield said:

Maybe you're just easily pleased?

I have historical proof that this is not a true statement.

[Lumber_Jack]

my only complaint with Comcast is that the internet gets bogged down on the weekends and high traffic times.  It usually pops back within a few mins, but it is noticeable.  

[E4 No More]

3 hours ago, Lumber_Jack said:

my only complaint with Comcast is that the internet gets bogged down on the weekends and high traffic times.  It usually pops back within a few mins, but it is noticeable.  

I have Comcast Business Class Internet at my house, and it goes down frequently. I'm paying for supposedly superior service, but when I call in I get the same BS message that I got when I was on the commercial side. When Google Glass hits Lavergne next year I'm switching in a heartbeat.

[Lumber_Jack]

I have Comcast Business Class Internet at my house, and it goes down frequently. I'm paying for supposedly superior service, but when I call in I get the same BS message that I got when I was on the commercial side. When Google Glass hits Lavergne next year I'm switching in a heartbeat.

We've said the same thing. But we'll actually see what service/cost we'll be offered from Google. I actually like Comcast TV especially the X1.

[E4 No More]

59 minutes ago, Lumber_Jack said:

 

 

We've said the same thing. But we'll actually see what service/cost we'll be offered from Google. I actually like Comcast TV especially the X1.

 

 

I have a friend at church that quit as an installer for Comcast to go to work for Google Glass. He's pretty pumped about it. If you think Comcast treats their customer bad you ought to hear how they treat their employees.

[monkeylizard]

Google Fiber....not Google Glass.

[E4 No More]

14 minutes ago, monkeylizard said:

Google Fiber....not Google Glass.

Whatever!

[monkeylizard]

Google Fiber:

 

 

 

Google Glass:

[Sam1]

7 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

I think you meant Google Fiber. Google Glass was the for-now discontinued always-on camera-in-the-glasses preferred by jackasses everywhere.

google fiber is destroying AT&T fiber downtown.  AT&T wouldn't let them run along with them, so they are tunneling all over the city without mapping and cutting AT&T lines on a regular basis.  The guys repairing the AT&T lines are loving the $$$.