pyramid scheme

[Hemihorn]

Has anybody thought about a pyramid scheme to get these

giant company monopolies's attention? I see my wife get dozens of e-mails about

jokes, pictures, and etcetera. There is

a list of hundreds of e-mailers who sent them. If you send your dissatisfaction

on to ten friends, and they send it on to ten friends, so on and so forth. Maybe you will have a mass exodus at one

time from a company like Comcast, where they do any thing they please. I had a digital cable box

installed approximately 2 years ago. At the time the installer only had a

HD box on the truck, so he is installed that box, I said I didn't

care as long as I would not get an extra charge. Well, 2 years

later I get an extra charge of $6 a month on my bill. I called Comcast, and they say, you have HD box and. you should

be getting charged. Even after telling

them the story about my conversation with their installer, and arguing with

them, they say you have HD box you should be getting charged. I said

listen this was your mistake not mine, and then you add a charge to my bill

with out any notification. I have to

waste my leisure time to call to straighten you people out for a mistake your

service department made. I said I didn't ask for a HD box. Her response was, she would have an

installer up to take it out. So now, I have to hang around on a Saturday for

them to show up, another inconvenience.

I said you people are aggravating me now, I asked for my service to be

put down to the bare minimum. I cut $20 off my bill, so it cost them. I then

called a manager with no satisfaction.

Six months ago my cable went out, my wife called Comcast and said they

would fix it. They offered a free

upgrade with the same channels we already had plus additional channels. My wife

told her, I don't want to loose any the channels my husband likes, they said no

you will have all plus more. Well guess what, my favorite channels were

missing. My wife calls them back, and tell her we can't get our old package

back.

They told her you would have to upgrade to the sports

package for an additional charge. My wife went off on them, but it didn't

matter, we had to pay extra to get back what I want and what I didn't

want.

[billybob]

Have you considered DBS/satellite? I've heard nightmare stories about cable over the years. I would research carefully though the "fine Print" aspect of services/contract period/package for your particular needed/watched programs. It is taking time but a la carte programs will finally arrive, albeit under pressure.

Sorry to hear of your predicament. Cable still acts like the only game in town. And with contract renewal, sometimes it really appears to be.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Don't get mad... But you were getting something you should not have gotten. For free.

Karma is a wild thing. Be honest with yourself, you were getting something you should not have. I, for one, could not have slept very good knowing I was ripping off Comcast no matter what the circumstances of the Installer had told me or given me. Look at yourself in the mirror? You feel good teaching your kids this way too? To take advantage of a situation, when you know deep down it is wrong or illegal?

Besides nothing was in writing, even if it was, what you were doing was not right.

Not you here, but this same mentality of the younger generation of teens to young 20's escapes me to rip off music and movies for free. Yet complain why everything is so expensive too? Who taught them this is acceptable? It is a shame they feel entitled to do so without a conscious?

sad, really sad...

[LoudnClear]

How much of the past 2 years have you had an HDTV and used the HD output of the HD cable box? That is the amount the should be paid for. If you didn't use the HD output, then I agree that you should not have been charged the HD fee because you didn't request the HD box.

[Hemihorn]

IndyKlipschFan I don't know how you came to this conclusion out of the littel bit I wrote?

Let get some facts straight.

I have a receipt and it states it was a HD box so Comcast was well
aware it was and the service rep and the district manager admitted they knew it
was.

I did not order this box I did not ask for this box and other
than scanning through channels I didn’t use the HD channels. Comcast told me to return the

Box and I said I am not going to waist my gas and my time and effort for a mistake
you knowingly made you pick it up. Now what was I to do return the box, which they
did not have an exchange for because they didn’t have in stock?
I never gave this box another thought until they sent me a bill.

Now IndyKlipschFan Don't get mad... But you passed judgment
with out getting all the facts is this what a good Christian does?.

Karma is a wild thing. Be honest with yourself, did
you jump to conclusion with out getting the rest of the story. I for
one, could not have slept very good knowing I passed judgment with out getting
all the facts. Look at yourself in the mirror do you have sandals on
and can you walk on water? You feel good teaching your kids this way
too? To take advantage of a situation, with your holy than now attitude when
you know deep down it is wrong or immoral?

[IndyKlipschFan]

Let get some facts straight. OK, I will bite... (And dig deeper)

I have a receipt and it states it was a HD box so Comcast was well
aware it was and the service rep and the district manager admitted they knew it
was. OK, so you now have a better cable box that is more than what you say you needed or wished to pay for.

I did not order this box I did not ask for this box and other
than scanning through channels I didn’t use the HD channels.

OK, try this example.. It might help you...

Let's say you order a Mercedes 300 E class car for the sake of an example using your argument. When you went to get it, or say in this case they delivered it to your house... the E class car was not there yet, so you got a S class 550 sedan "loaner." It said on the receipt, you "took possession" of the better S 550, but you know you did not order it, or maybe could afford it too? So (again) you ordered a E class car and got a much better performance S Class better model in the deal. The dealer later sais "We have your E class vehicle," but you refuse to return the S class.

I would assume it is right at this point for you to pay for the S class car. After all, it is what your using! Yet you try and say for the last (whatever time period) you have never driven the S class hard, or at faster speeds, or enjoyed any features or benefits of the superior car. You "only" used the functions on the S class that are on the E class.... LOL riiiiiiiiiiiight.....

You claim your still too busy to return it, and see nothing wrong with this? Yet in your mind, do you still want to only pay for the cheaper E class model? Come on here... You KNOW your wrong...

Comcast told me to return the


Box, and I said I am not going to waste (<---spelling edit for you) my gas and my time and effort for a mistake
you knowingly made. You pick it up. Now what was I to do, return the box, (Yes, you should have. You, as a end user, are responsible for said box. Just like when your done with Comcast service and say you move.... it is your obligation to return it. Not Comcasts job to come get it.) which they
did not have an exchange for because they didn’t have in stock? (At that time maybe.. I doubt they are still out of stock.) Besides HD requires either HD cables or HDMI cables to scan through it..... did you use those as well? Or did you use just the digital outs?

I never gave this box another thought until they sent me a bill.

At least you "admit" to scanning through the HD channels. (Which again takes the better cables.) I find it a little hard you did not scan and then view once in a while.. HD is awesome compared to normal or digital TV. Bottom line again is this, you had access to something you did not pay for. The fact that if I had a box that had features I did not pay for, that WOULD bother me.

Now IndyKlipschFan, Don't get mad... But you passed judgment
with out getting all the facts is this what a good Christian does? Nice of you to assume and say I am a "good Christian"? But I never claimed to be. BTW, I never passed judgment on you, Just your actions. I was only able to pass any judgment with what you presented. That said, I still stand by what I said.

Karma is a wild thing. (Yes it is.. And not just from a Christian perspective too!) Be honest with yourself, did
you jump to conclusion with out getting the rest of the story. (I think I acted pretty much on what you stated. And STILL feel the same way.) I for
one, could not have slept very good knowing I passed judgment with out getting
all the facts. (Same facts really, I just have a different perspective is all.) Look at yourself in the mirror do you have sandals on
and can you walk on water? (Nope, and never claimed to be able to.) You feel good teaching your kids this way
too? I think it is every parents goal to teach kids stealing is wrong and if you do, you might pay the consequences. Either by fines or jail. Yes, teaching your kids not to steal is a good thing! I think it is THE 8th COMMANDMENT...
Yep...Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal. Yep, I feel good about teaching my kids that! Do you?

I am a little confused at this line.. To take advantage of a situation, with your holy than now attitude when
you know deep down it is wrong or immoral?

I think you know your wrong and what you did was possibly wrong or immoral. You may wanna look in the mirror yourself?

Now.........

After all this.. I will try and give you 2 outs. IF you had in writing you got a HD box that would be later exchanged at Comcasts discretion, and this was on your contract which you BOTH signed.. Yet they never contacted you..... I COULD cut you some slack, at least not to pay back expenses until the date they notified you to return it. (Which you are obligated to do again... yes, even at big gas prices and even with your busy time constraints.) After that return notice with a date, your stuck with the payements IMO, and that's just life.

Or MAYBE a simple Steve Martin line....2 simple words.. "I forgot." However, you still need to return the box asap. Or pay from here and get better visuals!

[Edgar]

A few months ago I signed up for a Comcast special deal; cable TV, internet, and VOIP telephone for $99. The deal also included free HBO, but I didn't care at all about that, so Comcast didn't bother to give me a cable box since I wouldn't use it anyway. When the first bill came in, it was a whole lot more than $99, so I called to find out what was going on. They checked into the matter and found out that because I did NOT have a cable box, the $99 deal didn't apply and I had to pay the regular price for each of the three services. To get the $99 deal I HAD to take a cable box.

It sits in the closet, unused.

Greg

[billybob]

Cable TV...just gotta love em...Satellite, they have their own share of problems but...at least there is some competition.

[dkp]

A few months ago I signed up for a Comcast special deal; cable TV, internet, and VOIP telephone for $99. The deal also included free HBO, but I didn't care at all about that, so Comcast didn't bother to give me a cable box since I wouldn't use it anyway. When the first bill came in, it was a whole lot more than $99, so I called to find out what was going on. They checked into the matter and found out that because I did NOT have a cable box, the $99 deal didn't apply and I had to pay the regular price for each of the three services. To get the $99 deal I HAD to take a cable box.

It sits in the closet, unused.

Greg

Same thing happened to my parents recently except the service was Charter.

[Colin]

First, what you describe is not a pyramid scheme; it is a chain letter.

Second, people like the Taliban are not the enemies of peons like you and me. Our enemies are the faceless corporations we do business with every day. They try to rip us off all the time.

Third, I’ve had cable companies try to collect for boxes they left behind; even when it wasn’t my account! I had to drop them off.

Fourth, you sometimes get better results with a letter.

Fifth, cable companies are regulated monopolies. You definitely get better results writing to their regulators.

I make regular monthly payments to my electric company. When my payment one month was a dozen dollars less, they cut me off, without notice. Guess what? They can’t do that. I immediately paid the difference, asked for a refund of fees. No avail. I looked up the Fla laws, went to the public utility commission site and filed a complaint. The company called the same day, apologized and refunded the re-connect fee!

[Guest srobak]

Indy> While he might HAVE an HD box - they have to enable the HD services & subscription. Lots of companies (like charter and comcast) use full blown HD/DVR boxes, but do not enable all the services and features unless you pay & agree to them. There is truly no reason they should charge him extra money for the box when they regularly hand them out to do the lesser package services without the higher end items enabled to begin with. I would even be willing to bet that he takes the unit back, and they give him and IDENTICAL unit in return... with a DVR and HD tuner in it and the whole 9 yards, but of course with those items disabled. As they are addressible units - they can enable and disable the services at will.

I do agree on the points in your analogy - but it doesn't completely apply here. This whole thing likely started because they did an audit of their on-network addressible boxes, and found it didn't match. Kinda like when they also do an on-site (read: outside) audit of connected apartments or townhouses... they see a missing tag, or something not labelled correctly - and instead of figuring it out, they disconnect the customer and then drive away, and wait for you to call in to complain, then send the truck back out again to reconnect you. Have had this happen more than once - and they NEVER re-label things correctly, and it results int he entire cycle all over again.

That being said - my cable is far superior than any dish service.... while ithas it's issues once in a great while - I get amazing network speed, and plenty of the programming that *I* want, and at a decent price.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Indy> While he might HAVE an HD box - they have to enable the HD services & subscription.

Good point.. And , he could justify his position too, if that was true. If you have ever worked in customer service or been in a return department you get to the point you have heard it all. You have to give the customer the benefit of doubt to a point. I was just going off of his info here.

When I lived in a apartment after college, I had sat tv. Now the girl above me.... how do I say it in a nice way, was very "polite" and "generous" to the sat tv guy. She had all the channels for free, and said if I wanted she could probably get me a descrambler if I also wanted. Not that I am a goody two shoes.. but I just knew it wasn't right and refused. Sure, I wish I had HBO and Showtime for free and the other networks too... But I slept better knowing I did the right thing.

As for possession of the box... When my mom moved they packed it up till after she moved a few months with a different providor. Now obviously, she did not have the use of the box at the second house...BUT.... She was responsible for the box fee for a few months, even though her cable fee had stopped on the day she cancelled it. It was a mistake.. But one for a few months she had to pay for.

In every case, your cable providor is not a pick up service. At the end of the day you need to pay up, or take it back!

[toddvj]

Sorry, but I'm with Indy on this one. You got a free upgrade for 2 years, they aren't charging you for the 2 years, just from now going forward. Doesn't seem like something to even waste energy worrying about. I'd just drive to the service center and swap the box out. Or better yet, pay the upgrade and keep the box. You seriously don't watch HDTV? It's 2008 for crying out loud.

Has Comcast been the cable provider all along?

[pauln]

"You seriously don't watch HDTV? It's 2008 for crying out loud."

Hmm... I've never seen HDTV; quit watching TV back in the 80's.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Wow, never seen 1080p or at least 720p on a great set? Shame on you!

Sports will never be the same when you do!

[johnyholiday]

Push your face deep in the mirror, keep the little people out of it

[oldtimer]

First, what you describe is not a pyramid scheme; it is a chain letter.

Second, people like the Taliban are not the enemies of peons like you and me. Our enemies are the faceless corporations we do business with every day. They try to rip us off all the time.

Third, I’ve had cable companies try to collect for boxes they left behind; even when it wasn’t my account! I had to drop them off.

Fourth, you sometimes get better results with a letter.

Fifth, cable companies are regulated monopolies. You definitely get better results writing to their regulators.

I make regular monthly payments to my electric company. When my payment one month was a dozen dollars less, they cut me off, without notice. Guess what? They can’t do that. I immediately paid the difference, asked for a refund of fees. No avail. I looked up the Fla laws, went to the public utility commission site and filed a complaint. The company called the same day, apologized and refunded the re-connect fee!

Colin put your head in the sand if you want but the taliban and al quaeda are your personal enemies. They have said as much. You will either be killed or converted, that is their motto. Enjoy!

[IndyKlipschFan]

Colin, put your head in the sand if you want, but the taliban and al
quaeda are your personal enemies. They have said as much. You will
either be killed or converted, that is their motto.

Hate to just say ditto... But this one deserves it. DITTO!!