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AO Install Same Trip? Don't trust Comcast billing with CableCARDs
Just a friendly reminder to not trust Comcast billing when performing CableCARD self-installs.
I've had my InfiniTV4 setup since day 1 of release (well a couple days before) and two ATI DCTs before that. Each time my wife went to the local Comcast office and picked up a CableCARD for a self-install. She even did the initial pairing with Comcast over the phone. My Comcast bill would increase by $1.50 for each additional CableCARD past the initial one (here in Houston you get one “free” Digital Cable box and one “free” CableCARD per account.)
Almost two months ago I picked up my fifth CableCARD for testing a second (borrowed) InfiniTV4. I typically don’t check my Comcast bill since I have it set to auto-pay but I happen to check my online usage today and found my bill higher than expected. I skimmed the bill and noticed under Other Charges & Credits for $21.94. I had no clue what that was but the date matched the additional CableCARD so wasn’t hard to guess.
I called Comcast customer service billing inquiry department to ask about the charge and was told it was the trip fee for installing a CableCARD. I told the representative that it was a self-install and asked to have the charge removed. The representative began telling me that they didn’t support CableCARD self-installs so I couldn’t have possibly performed a self-install…I cut her off there and asked to speak with a manager. The manager apologized and had the charge reversed and assured me I was have a credit in my billing statement.
I can understand that billing mistakes happen and policies change but it seems to happen too frequently with Comcast. Verizon, why don’t you offer FiOS in my area?
- Michael Welter's blog
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Comments
Hey, at least you get to call up and complain to get the charge removed. When my Ceton arrives in a couple weeks, I believe Cox Cable will force me to pay for an install. According to their rate sheet the price is an outrageous $75.
Do they allow any self installs? If memory serves the FCC changed the rules in their last meeting - so if you can self install anything, you can self install a CC.
Last I heard, Cox doesn't allow self-installs, but I'm certainly going to try. The unfortunate part of the FCC ruling regarding the self-install is that MSOs have 9 months (~8 months now) to allow self-installs if they allow self-installs for anything else in the service portfolio.
That sucks, you could always loan me the card for 8 months while you wait
wow, that is just insulting highway robbery!!! just be glad, when i had my 8 ATI OCUR tuners, you don't even want to know the HELL Comcast was with 8 cablecard tuners. And the ridiculous charges as well
Had a comcast install today, to add service to my Premiere (which I've used for OTA only for the last couple of months). I had run the guided setup this weekend, and reread some of the comcast/cablecard threads, so I was as ready as i could get. Installer showed up, said he had two m-stream cards, yeah, he'd done TiVo before. As we're talking it was obvious he did know what he was doing, and he stated that 'it really depends on who you get on the phone on the other end' He gave the person on the phone all the numbers, we waited a minute or so when the premiere changed screens saying it was downloading channel info (or something like that). A minute later, tried a number of channels including the hbo etc, and everything was there. Done, all good, no problems. So, in less than an hour, tv, cable card, phone and Internet from comcast without a single problem, this easiness remind me about cash advance loans online. I'm still in shock, i've experienced the he'll and incompetence that comcast usually is...