imported_Dave Dahl

Comcast has really no idea...

Hi all,

I live in Crystal Lake, IL and I work in audio/video sales. Anyhow, over the past few months I've been calling Comcast to see when the HD cable and high speed internet access would be availible. Last month I got the answer that the system would go live on September 22nd. Today I got the answer that our signal is coming out of the Carpentersville branch and that it would not be upgraded until the middle of next year. That is frustrating.

What makes it worse is that I have already received litrature in the mail announcing that the system has been upgraded and urging us to subscribe. Also, at work we have been given HD cable gift boxes to sell (a promotional package to pitch when we sell an HD television). That's fine and dandy except to say nobody in the area can get HD cable.

Why do I feel like I'm listening to the story of 'The Boy Who Cried Cable TV'?


-Dave

Peter Miller

Here is my Comcast HDTV story:

I live in San Jose, CA and Comcast launched HDTV in the Bay Area a few months ago. I called asking if it was available in my area and the rep told me "Yes it is!" so I went ahead and scheduled a time for the guy to come out and install my new box.

A week later the installation day arrives and during the 4 hour window I'm waiting for him to arrive (which I'm taking off from work) he calls to tell me that HDTV isn't actually available in my area.

WTF??!!

He says, "I have no idea why they are taking orders and setting up appointments for installation but your area has definitely not been upgraded to receive HDTV yet." He then told me it probably wouldn't be upgraded until sometime in the 1st quarter of 2004.

Thanks Comcast.

Peter Miller
Pete\'s Movie Page | My DVD\'s | My Blog

Al Shing

Before our area was upgraded, calling Comcast (AT&T at the time) and asking techs who came out on truck rolls about upgrade information usually resulted in bogus information. This is why I am usually skeptical about any information about Comcast unless I see a press release or a channel show up on the system.

You'll know when the upgrade is happening when you get a door hanger informing you that your neighborhood is going to be upgraded within the next 30 days. You'll get up one morning and discover that all your channels have been mixed around and you have 80 of them instead of 66.

Until then, close by neighborhoods may have been upgraded already, and that is why regional AV dealers might get information about advanced Comcast products. Part of your zip code could be upgraded already and that is why they may be sending upgrade info to your zip code.

It's frustrating, but every cable subscriber has been there.

The rest of us are doing the weekly wait routine for ESPN HD, local channels, INHD, Cinemax HD, Bravo HD, HDNET, Discovery HD, etc. This wait is also frustrating.

Dave Miller

I too am waiting on Comcast HD in my area. Our neighboring city is up and running w/ Comcast's HD service, but I have high speed internet and no HD service. I call Comcast about once a month and get the answer "We don't know when HD will be available in your area. They have to rebuild the system." That is all the CSR is ever able to tell me.

Who makes these decisions and why can't I talk to them? Week after week, I miss Monday Night Football in HD while they figure out when they will "rebuild the system." Very frustrating!

Peace,

DM

"We all end up dead, the question is how and why."

Glenn Overholt

The last thing you want to do is to talk to a CSR. They are the last people to find out anything.

If you can find a truck in your neighborhood, ask the installer what is going on. You might get a much better answer. They have to know what and when is going on.

I was flipping through some cable channels once and found a channel going where there was none before! Yes, they were trying out their new equipment, and about a week later, publically announced it. I got some premium channels for free for about a week.

Dave Dahl - I wonder if a CSR gave you some bum info. If the cable line is on a pole, can you sort of trace it back to one/or another of their offices? Insist that since you got the info in the mail, they have to set you up or you're a victim of false advertising. September and next March are not the same. Can you switch to Dish/Directv?

Glenn

Dave_Brown

I just moved recently (in the past 30 days) and have had to swtich from Charter to Comcast for cable services. Needless to say I'm less than thrilled with the quality of pictures and the channel line up I'm dealing with now. I do have the HD in my area which is amazing in and of itself. The CSR is clueless when it comes to questions about high speed internet, though. I think their scripted answer when asked about cable internet is "within the next 3 months!" Well, I guess they have been saying that for just over a year now.
I agree, if you have a question about available services talk to the field engineers when you see them in the area. When they came out to do my install I asked him about the internet option and how I was told it should only be 3 months. He chuckled a little bit and said "those CSR's don't have a clue. We have to rewire your whole area and that part hasn't even been scheduled yet. I would say you should have it by around this time next year, if they start the upgrade." So instead I have poor quality TV with hardly any channel choices on a digital package and signed up for DSL internet.

Nathan_F

See the Comcast HD Services thread by me below for dealings with Comcast CSRs. I have HD service available from Comcast, but I can't get a consistent answer on what it comes with or how much it costs.