Service Providers (Internet, TV, Etc)

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BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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It's not really that bad IMO. Just say that you want to cancel and when the retention people ask why tell them the service costs too much and you think you can do better elsewhere. No need to be combative, these negotiations are what the people on the other end do all day every day. They will tell you what they can offer, you decide if it's worth it. You can even straight up tell them what you want and they will say whether or not they can do it. Even if they call your bluff you can always call back right afterwards and say you changed your mind and they will probably take you back. There's really no need for it to be uncomfortable, it really is their job and as soon as they hang up with you they are going to be talking to somebody else that is canceling. I can't speak for all companies but this has been my experience with DirecTV and Comcast.
 
Tarrant

Tarrant

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Comcast pays their peeps around $14 an hour starting out at their retention call center here.

And much like Brutul said, there's little need to go off on them. They don't have anything to do with your bill. They do have access to a few things to try and lower it a bit or to raise your package for no or minimal increases to make it more worth it in your eye, but these people get paid commission to keep you, they -WILL- do whatever they can to keep you. Assuming they won't until you yell at them and threaten to switch is not only wrong, it makes them not want to help you as they would rather just move on to the next person whom they feel they have a better chance at getting to stay.
 
Tarrant

Tarrant

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Arative_sl said:
I don't see this going over with the FCC very well. Pretty much proves the data caps all bullshit.
http://stopthecap.com/2015/11/19/com...own-data-caps/
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Are Comcast and T-Mobile ruining the Internet?

The worst part, perhaps, is that the FCC doesn't think this violates the letter of the law or even the spirit of the law with regard to net neutrality. In fact, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler thinks Binge On is a good thing. "Its clear in the Open Internet Order that we said we are pro-competition and pro-innovation," Wheeler told reporters just yesterday when asked about T-Mobile's Binge On program, according to Ars Technica. "Clearly this meets both of those criteria. It's highly innovative and highly competitive."
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If they think Binge On is good, they wont have issues with Stream TV.
 
Tarrant

Tarrant

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Arative_sl said:
I would think the difference is that T-mobile isn't exempting just it own the service but that of competitors as well. Comcast is exempting only its own service from data caps, while enforcing data caps from its competitors.
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Tmobile still forces companies to pay to be apart of it, which is a slap in the face of net neutrality as well.
 
Palum

Palum

what Suineg set it to
26,543
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So in a moment of weakness recently I was considering a basic cable TV package, I just really wanted local news and dumb things like a football game every once in a while.

Figured I'd give a TV UHF/VHF antenna a try just in case, so ordered this:Amazon.com: AmazonBasics Ultra-Thin Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna - 50 Mile Range: Electronics

Holy hell, coming from being a kid in the woods with shitty 1970s TV to digital TV signals is amazing. No need to get local TV from the cable channel now. I get something like 35 channels. Took all of 30 seconds to set up, too.
 
Woefully Inept

Woefully Inept

Karazhan Raider
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"The plaintiffs are also expected to argue that the rules violate service providers' First Amendment rights to free expression by forcing them to carry other parties' content with the same performance they give their own."

Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit.
 
LachiusTZ

LachiusTZ

Rogue Deathwalker Box
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Uverse going to charge for data overage? Guy on the phone swears they don't, I am sure they do, but haven't had uverse in a while.

I sometimes hit 500+ gigs a month.
 
Chanur

Chanur

Shit Posting Professional
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My shit ass cable company has a cap but have never ever charged me for hitting it in a year and a half. Some companies have that in case they want to raw pound you in the future.
 
Big Phoenix

Big Phoenix

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
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Eyashusa_sl said:
what is the best way to get companies to lower your monthly bill? just online chat and threaten to switch to a competitor? I am starting to get sick of $150 a month for the second to worst internet and the no movie channel cable package from ATT...
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Pretty much. When I had to cancel dsl when I moved literally the first thing out of the woman's mouth was if the price was to high.
 
Palum

Palum

what Suineg set it to
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Of course that only really works in some areas where you might have a competitor. Where I used to live Comcast reps just said "sorry, but we do have less expensive packages if you want to come back" because they were literally the only game in town.
 
popsicledeath

popsicledeath

Potato del Grande
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When I complained in a Comcast office I had a manager come over to 'help' the customer service agent and tell me he didn't give a shit if I canceled or not because there were only so many choices and I'd be back! Like literally said he didn't give a shit. So, I canceled.

Got home to complain via the Comcast 800 number and they were a) not surprised and didn't seem to doubt my story at all and b) rightfully appalled and gave me a 'really great deal for my trouble' which was basically the same rate I'd always paid and c) asked me to please call them directly and ask for the loyalty department in the future because they acknowledge in-office interaction is usually terrible customer service.

The next time the rate was going to jump I called, asked for the loyalty department, told them I thought the price I'd been paying was fair (knowing I could have haggled for better). They said sure, gave me free HBO and I was on my way.

But, yeah, never ever do anything at a local office or in-person unless it's turning in equipment (and last time I did that there was no trace of it and I had to call the 800 number of course).
 
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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popsicledeath_sl said:
When I complained in a Comcast office I had a manager come over to 'help' the customer service agent and tell me he didn't give a shit if I canceled or not because there were only so many choices and I'd be back! Like literally said he didn't give a shit. So, I canceled.

Got home to complain via the Comcast 800 number and they were a) not surprised and didn't seem to doubt my story at all and b) rightfully appalled and gave me a 'really great deal for my trouble' which was basically the same rate I'd always paid and c) asked me to please call them directly and ask for the loyalty department in the future because they acknowledge in-office interaction is usually terrible customer service.

The next time the rate was going to jump I called, asked for the loyalty department, told them I thought the price I'd been paying was fair (knowing I could have haggled for better). They said sure, gave me free HBO and I was on my way.

But, yeah, never ever do anything at a local office or in-person unless it's turning in equipment (and last time I did that there was no trace of it and I had to call the 800 number of course).
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I have the exact opposite experience with going to the Comcast office. I went in there multiple times and told them that my price was too high and they gave me a better deal without even having to threaten to cancel. I think your local dude is just an asshole and hopefully you pushed him a step closer to being fired.
 
Tarrant

Tarrant

<Prior Amod>
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Yeah anytime I call to cancel I get my bill cut by 1/3 and get two movie channels of my choice free for 6 months to a year. I dont ever have to be a dick about it.
 
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