masthead.jpg

switchconcepts.com, U3dpdGNo-a25, DIRECT rubiconproject.com, 14766, RESELLER pubmatic.com, 30666, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace appnexus.com, 1117, RESELLER thetradedesk.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER taboola.com, switchconceptopenrtb, RESELLER bidswitch.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER contextweb.com, 560031, RESELLER amazon-adsystem.com, 3160, RESELLER crimtan.com, switch, RESELLER quantcast.com, switchconcepts , RESELLER rhythmone.com, 1934627955, RESELLER ssphwy.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER emxdgt.com, 59, RESELLER appnexus.com, 1356, RESELLER sovrn.com, 96786, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b indexexchange.com, 180008, RESELLER nativeads.com, 52853, RESELLER theagency.com, 1058, RESELLER google.com, pub-3515913239267445, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
November 29, 2006

I Miss Comcast Cable

Filed under: Admin,Media,TV — Chas @ 10:44 am

That’s a phrase I never thought to utter.

It turns out Time Warner Cable is even worse in what they offer and their service.
I was originally going to go satellite this fall, but with the absolute chaos and housing issues we just figured on waiting until things got settled. During that time, TWC started assuming control of the area.

A couple weeks ago, I tried to order ESPN Gameplan (college football package) for the weekend. As I had done on some previous times. TWC was fully in charge now. The Customer Service Rep informed me that TWC doesn’t offer Gameplan on a weekly basis. Only the full package. Very sorry about that. Stupid and annoying, but not ridiculous. I guess. Seems like they are passing up on chances to make more money.
Yesterday, I tried to order ESPN FullCourt for the season. Couldn’t order through the cable box so I called. The CSR said that the computer wasn’t putting it through and that he didn’t know why. I foolishly agreed to let them call back rather than go on hold while he looked into it.

After over 3 hours, I called back. The CSR cheerfully explained that the callback was only 20-45 minutes away. I stopped her before she could hang-up and pointed out that since I had her on the phone and it was a queue issue, not still looking into it. Well, maybe she could just tell me what the situation was now and spare everyone the call back.

She actually had to think about it for a few minutes. Like it was an alien concept.

Finally she told me it seems that TWC doesn’t offer FullCourt in my area. At all. Not weekly, not a full package. I asked why I could locate the channel and the program on the TV. Well it seems that I still have a Comcast cable box, and Comcast offers it. Of course, TWC took over this territory from Comacast and… Hell I don’t know. Typing it out made as much sense as when she tried to explain it.

No sense as to when or if they will offer it.
So, they did it. Got off the phone and went back online and ordered DirecTV. It gets installed in a week and a half.

Congrats TWC, you drove another customer to satellite and you have made me look fondly upon Comcast. The latter just seemed to be a highly improbable shift in my view.





I have been a both a DirecTV customer and a DishNetwork customer over the last four years. While Dish is cheaper, my personal experience is that DirecTV has a better signal and therefore, more consistent service.

Even though Dish is less preferable (to me) than DirecTV, it is STILL much, much better than cable. I love the fact that I can get my local Pittsburgh HD programming with an antenna and I don’t have to pay for it.

FWIW.

Comment by LucaBrasi 11.29.06 @ 11:22 am

Chas,
Congrats on the switch. You will be happier. Make sure you order the Sports Pack from DirecTV. You will get all the FSN channels and the like that are spread throughout the country etc…Thanks again for all your hardwork!

Comment by Jason 11.29.06 @ 11:35 am

Time Warner seems to have a real hatred for Big East-friendly fans.

All football season (and through the early part of hoops season) ESPN has been fueding with Time Warner in the Syracuse region. What has resulted are games on ESPNU and ESPN360, outlets that are not supported — at least fully — by Time Warner in the Syracuse region.

Time Warner has maintained that it will not pick up the service fees in order to broadcast the games. This has caused a significant backlash in most of Orange Nation.

In the end, I guess, I have no problem with Time Warner putting together sports packages that it can make economically viable. As a sports fan, though, Time Warner (as a company) needs to suck it up and make these college games available. Else, the dish is going to start ruling the day.

As an aside, I actually pine for Time Warner over my provider — Cablevision. It makes me want to puke knowing that the Mets’ high spending is forcing me to pay an arm and a leg for my package.

Comment by Matt Glaude 11.29.06 @ 11:55 am

Agree. DirecTV is expensive, but with the sports pack, it’s pretty convenient. FSN Pittsburgh, ESPNU, and, for those who are fans of European soccer, GolTV and Fox Soccer Channel. Occasionally rain will mess with the signal, but overall it’s not too bad. Still waiting on the HD receiver with Tivo, though. Right now I have two receivers – one for HD, the other for Tivo, which is mucking up my ability to hook up surround. On the waiting list for the single HD/tivo receiver, supposedly will be available soon.

Comment by Carmen 11.29.06 @ 12:55 pm

Well good luck to you. We just switched from adelphia (which was bad) to concast (because they bought them out.) I am stunned at how bad Concast is. A : the quality is overall horrible B: when we have problems with service, which is pretty constant, we have answers like “we dont do anything until a certain number of people call with problems in you area” or “there is nothing we can do at our end, how about we send someone nout next week?” Plain and simple, avoid them at all costs if you have ANY choice at all. Do not+ belive me? Talk to your neghbors, they will tell you Concast is absolutely horrible, overpriced and not service oriented at all. I am swithcing to Direct TV and can tell you it will be IMPOSSIBLE for them to do worse. Save yourself the trouble, get something else.

Comment by I hate concast 01.21.07 @ 4:58 pm

Comcast is a joke! We switched when they “took over”. We have been being billed for movies we don’t order. We have tried numerous times to get this fixed by their so called “customer service”. We even had their technician come out and block the pay per view movie channels for us and we are still being billed for movies we did not order. We were told by a csr that the “box just doesn’t order movies by itself”. We asked to speak to a supervisor and were told no one was available. When we said we would not pay for the movies we did not order the csr said “You have to”. It took us almost 3 hours to speak to this rude individual. When we told her we would be cancelling service she said if that is what you have to do… UNBELIEVABLE. Don’t use Comcast, they are the most unprofessional company I have ever dealt with.

Comment by sue 04.18.07 @ 9:04 am

Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com

Site Meter