Cable Guy's Not Gonna Install (1 Viewer)

[Samuel Des]

I'll be moving to a new place on Friday, and I want to ensure a seamless (as they say) transition. I just cannot bear the thought of a Sunday without my Bears. I made arrangements last month for this install, but the cable guy hasn't been too accomadating.

I can't get the keys until after 2:30 pm to my new place, so I asked him if he'll come some time after 4. He says he can't do any better than the 1 to 5 window. Something to do with the light of the day and setting up the cable outside.

This drives me nuts, because the other cable guy (in another market section) set up an exact time for an appointment, ~ 6pm on a Friday. Any tips on how I should deal with this? Is asking for a time unreasonable?

Actually, I'm getting kind of irritated the more I think about it. I'm not entitled to cable, but man! Why won't this guy compromise?

 

[Dan Hine]

Think you could get him to shorten the "1 to 5 window" to a "4 to 5" window? If he won't go for it I would complain to the cable company. Seriously. Saying he can come between 1 and 5 means he CAN come at/around 5. So why won't he? Especially if you have been planning the install for a month. I'm pulling for you Samuel.

Dan Hine

 

[Samuel Des]

Hey, thanks Dan! I appreciate the support. I just can't live without sports. That was a good point. I'm going to try whining for the next couple of days. It really doesn't seem fair, especially since I ask one month in advance! (Nov 2).

 

[Ryan Wright]

Call them up and ask to speak with a supervisor, manager, whatever. Tell them you want the guy there at 4:00 and that "sometime between 1 and 5" is simply unacceptable. Throw in, "I shouldn't have to put up with this shit; we can do this my way, or I can call DirecTV up and buy a satellite dish."

If they give you any crap, cancel it and buy yourself a dish. You should be able to set it up on a porch/window/etc and get reception depending on where your apartment is located in the complex.

 

[Samuel Des]

Yeah, that's what was bothering me. My only choice seemed to be cable, specifically from AT&T. There is no other cable provder in my new area. DirecTV seems nice, but I must have local channels to follow my sports. It doesn't seem fair that sattelite people can't have local channels.

 

[Craig S]

It doesn't seem fair that sattelite people can't have local channels.

Ahh, but they can now, at least in certain areas. Go to either the Link Removed or Dish site (whichever one you're interested in) and you should be able to find information about local channels and some help in determining if you qualify.
Edited to add direct links - just click on the company name above. Both companies offer this service in Chicago, BTW.

 

[DonRoeber]

If the guy does come between 1 and 5, and you don't have access to the house, just have him hook up the stuff outside, and leave it unconfirmed inside. If this house has had cable tv before, all they really need to do is throw a switch outside, and you'll be able to plug your tv into any jack inside.

I can plug any of my tvs into any wall jack in my house, not to mention my cable modem, and it all works fine. The guys never came inside.

 

[Tommy G]

Samuel, don't do the cable thing. They are the biggest rip off artists going. Go with Dishnetwork or DirecTV. I would be very surprised if they did not offer locals in a metropolitan area like Chicago. I know both companies are offering deals right now. I was actually able to get 2 receivers installed as well as my dish for free as long as I subscribed to $30 per month for a year. Heck, that was easy to do and now I own the thing. I went with Dishnetwork because I could go with the locals from my own area (Boston) as well as of my favorite sports teams (New York for hockey, basketball and football and San Francisco for baseball). Cable screwed me one time too many but for it I am forever grateful.

 

[Michael*K]

I went through the same thing with AT&T, Sam. I'm getting Internet service in early December and was told I'd have to be home all day. If I wanted the work done on a weekend, I'd have to wait until late January. Unless you go with satellite, most places only offer one cable option thanks to the monopolies they enjoy over their service areas.

 

[Jay H]

If you can speak to the manager, you can beg,plead, and complain to be the first on the list. However, that might not help you since if your timespan is 1-5pm then the first on the list would mean roughly 1-2pm. I had to go through this with my dishNetwork installer people after the first attempt went south due to the guy having van problem. Since I took off from work, I called the manager and complained enough to get on the first on the list. However, they still wouldn't give me a rough time of arrival, it was still like between 8 and 9:30am Being that our house didn't have cable, he was here from like 9 to 12, but since I could help him do the wiring on the inside (the holes were pre-drilled since we have our OTA antenna feed going to all the TVs I planned on hooking up to the dish) the internal wiring was quick and painless.

Jay

 

[Samuel Des]

Hey, thanks alot guys for the tips!!! I really really appreciate your support.
I really would *never* have thought about satelitte until I followed the links and found that my area gets local channels! But I've get to check whether my home association will allow a dish on my balconny before calling my local provider. A local provider is also cool because I will be able to deal directly with one person dealing with my account!
I mean, what average Joe working person is going to be able to meet those blocks? And here's another thing. For the last three months, I've asked for the automated billing option form. They haven't sent me jack.
So, yeah - Direct TV here I come!!! Plus, I heard that you can get real Dolby Digital with Direct TV!
The pluses are piling up!

 

[Ryan Wright]

The rule is cited as 47 C.F.R. Section 1.4000 and has been in effect since October 14, 1996. It prohibits restrictions that impair the installation, maintenance or use of antennas used to receive video programming. The rule applies to video antennas including direct-to- home satellite dishes that are less than one meter (39.37") in diameter (or of any size in Alaska), TV antennas, and wireless cable antennas. The rule prohibits most restrictions that: (1) unreasonably delay or prevent installation, maintenance or use; (2) unreasonably increase the cost of installation, maintenance or use; or (3) preclude reception of an acceptable quality signal.
Effective January 22, 1999, the Commission amended the rule so that it also applies to rental property where the renter has an exclusive use area, such as a balcony or patio.
On October 25, 2000, the Commission further amended the rule so that it applies to customer-end antennas that receive and transmit fixed wireless signals. This amendment became effective on May 25, 2001.
The rule applies to viewers who place antennas that meet size limitations on property that they own or rent and that is within their exclusive use or control, including condominium owners and cooperative owners, and tenants who have an area where they have exclusive use, such as a balcony or patio, in which to install the antenna. The rule applies to townhomes and manufactured homes, as well as to single family homes.

 

[Tom Meyer]

hey sam -- definitely go for the DirecTV. ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN & FOX are available now along w/ a national feed of PBS. Local feeds of WTTW & UPN are coming after Jan 1.

While you're at it, head down to Circuit Shitty and get a $99 DirecTivo. You won't regret it !!

Also, I'd be sure to keep an antenna around just in case you can't get things hooked up in time for the bears game.

 

[Samuel Des]

Ryan, you are AWESOME! The thing is, the Best Buy people say they won't install without a letter. Ugh.
Edit: Hey Tom, how long have you had it?
The more I think of it, the more excited I am to get away from AT&T! I really was feeling trapped there.
Edit2: Forgot to also ask if you guys use the Direct TV DSL connection. It sounds pretty cool, and I've been thinking of upgrading my connection.

 

[Ryan Wright]

The thing is, the Best Buy people say they won't install without a letter. Ugh

Who cares. They're just needlessly covering their asses, anyway. Tell 'em to forget it and install it yourself. It will take you half an hour max. It's really very easy to do. Put the dish together (5 minutes & a few bolts), plug the receiver into your TV, plug the dish into the receiver, point it at the sky and aim in the proper location. It will give you a nice signal meter on your TV along with a beeping noise. Sweep back and forth across the sky slowly until you get a signal. I took a couple of FRS radios, put one in front of the TV and set it to VOX, clipped the other to my belt and climbed up on my roof. Instant portable homing beacon. When the beeping went from "beep....beep... beep" to "beepbeepbeepBRRRRRRRRRRBEEEEEEEEE", the signal was locked. Tighten the bolts and enjoy TV.

EDIT: As for their wireless Internet connection, it's nice, but worthless for multiplayer gaming. Lag is incredible. If you're just surfing the web and downloading files, go for it.

 

[PaulG]

Sam,

You can always watch the game at a bar. The Bears are on in alot of them. There is even a coffee shop I know of that has the Bears games on.