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Cable/Satellite provider negotiations
- Thread starter bigboxes
- Start date
thedarkwolf
Diamond Member
playstation vue $30 a month and don't bother to negotiate
s0me0nesmind1
Lifer
I call up Comcast every 6, 12, or 24 months (whenever the contract promo price ends) and basically go to the cancellation department. First thing they do is try to reel you back in with another promo. It's such a sad pathetic game where customer loyalty is no longer valued.
A Casual Fitz
Diamond Member
Cable companies are struggling to stay profitable, or at least as profitable.
JoeBleed
Golden Member
I've reduced my CenturyLink DSL bill for internet only from about $65 down to $34-$38. It wasn't hard, it's just stupid. I've gotten a new promo deal, had a loyalty discount of about $5 but they did away with that shortly after i got it. some other discount that i forget the name. Then i finally gave in and signed up for their auto pay discount to get me below $40. they charge my cc not bank. If i have to dispute something the bill still needs to be paid and if things really go south, i can dispute it through my cc.
There were no threats to cancel. i just called up and asked. In the past, the first rep would handle it with no fuss. Now they have to transfer to you "retentions dept". there they also try to up sell you on shitty bundles. But they give you whatever discounts they are allowed at that moment. From the sound of things, it varies often with them. Even if you're not due to renew, call and ask if they can lower your bill. Be nice, don't sound aggressive. Just ask and see. That's been my approach for a while.
I'm more pissed at CenturyLink no longer offering dry loop dsl and their "Broad Bad recovery" fee on top of having to pay taxes and fees for a voice line i don't have/want.
There were no threats to cancel. i just called up and asked. In the past, the first rep would handle it with no fuss. Now they have to transfer to you "retentions dept". there they also try to up sell you on shitty bundles. But they give you whatever discounts they are allowed at that moment. From the sound of things, it varies often with them. Even if you're not due to renew, call and ask if they can lower your bill. Be nice, don't sound aggressive. Just ask and see. That's been my approach for a while.
I'm more pissed at CenturyLink no longer offering dry loop dsl and their "Broad Bad recovery" fee on top of having to pay taxes and fees for a voice line i don't have/want.
SKORPI0
Lifer
Wanted to cut my cable tv/phone service, but retain my Blast! Internet with Xfinity/.Comcast.
Pay $189.99/month (Triple Play) not counting the equipment fee (1 PVR, 1 box, 1 modem)+tax. Visited their office less than a mile away.
Found out if I removed phone service but kept cable and internet , fee would go to $149.99. Internet alone (150 Mbps) would be $89.99 with no cable/phone service.
Was offered $119.99/month (same service)+ equipment fee+tax. Bought a Aris TG862G/CT for cheap activated it online, returned same model modem to the office the next day to save $10.
So it's cheaper if you keep the bundle.
Pay $189.99/month (Triple Play) not counting the equipment fee (1 PVR, 1 box, 1 modem)+tax. Visited their office less than a mile away.
Found out if I removed phone service but kept cable and internet , fee would go to $149.99. Internet alone (150 Mbps) would be $89.99 with no cable/phone service.
Was offered $119.99/month (same service)+ equipment fee+tax. Bought a Aris TG862G/CT for cheap activated it online, returned same model modem to the office the next day to save $10.
So it's cheaper if you keep the bundle.
bigboxes
Lifer
Sorry I didn't give more specifics. I'm currently on Time Warner. Been with them (in one form or another) for a long time. We have TV and internet with them. Currently, our plan is a 50/5 plan. I just hate the effin game you have to go through when your promotional rate ends. Spent well over an hour on the phone trying to convince them that I was serious about going to AT&T. The first time they put me on hold I went to AT&T's website and found something similar for less, plus whole home DVR service and all equipment was included. They were also offering a $450 gift card. I tried to get TWC to match and give me a gift card. I saved $50/month in my negotiations, but I have not gotten the whole house DVR (just the living room) and no gift card. I'm going to prep them in the coming month if they don't do better. It shouldn't be so hard. But I just kept my cool and kept repeating how the competition had the better deal and I was going to go with them. I did get them to throw in the optional sports package as well.
Freejack2
Diamond Member
Ever since Charter bought Time Warner, it's good luck getting a deal. I tried to renegotiate my deal, when my promotion expired. Their offer was to raise my bill by almost $40 more, than the post expiration price.
My response is I only have internet with them now.
bigboxes
Lifer
I hear you. I just love less competition. Yay. I was just firm with the CSR. Didn't raise my voice. Just said, I wanted a reduction in price. Their competition had a better deal. They put you on hold for ungodly amount of time. While I was on hold I was checking out their competition. And told them so when they came back to the phone. They want to see how long you'll hold on before you just gave up. I started telling them that they had my number and could call me when they figured something out. In the meantime, I was calling their competition. Finally, their best offer was less than I was paying, but I couldn't get them to include the whole home dvr and the gift card. Just kept the services I currently had and threw in the sports package. I swear it is frustrating. My wife is the one who loves the DVR. I just download whatever I want via torrents and watch it at my leisure. I don't blame you for getting rid of the tv and just going with the internet. Playstation VUE sounds like an alternative. Right now my best deal is $125/mo. for the digital cable, 50/5 internet, DVR and sports pass. I bought my own modem last year and they keep finding ways to jack up the price. Hell, you should be allowed to purchase the cable boxes. If I was single things would be so different...
Freejack2
Diamond Member
We have Netflix and Amazon prime, so we have plenty of options for tv. We went with Vonage for phone. Before taxes, we're paying $75 a month for their fastest Internet (50/5) and phone, but that'll go up by $20 in a year, unless Charter starts charging their $119.99 for that Internet. 🙁
Zstream
Diamond Member
Taxes on that is all government unfortunately.
sourceninja
Diamond Member
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evident
Lifer
The Verizon installer dude was telling me how they are losing money on me because I didn't rent any DVRs and set top boxes (using a cable card w/ my HTPC) and have the lowest tier of cable tv
Cry me a freaking river.
Sonikku
Lifer
There are several ways to get your bill down.
-Don't pay for phone service. No "bundle" is worth paying $40 for an Obhai box and setting up a google voice account for free landline service.
-Get your own modem and router. I was paying $10 a month for "modem rental". I paid $30 for a used SB6121 off Ebay. It netted me 5% more speed and paid for itself in three months with everything after that being pure gravy. Also buy your own router instead of leasing it. You can get one dirty cheap off newegg these days.
-Look up internet speeds offered by competing companies, even those that are only 6 month "promotional" rates. Call your provider and ask for the Retention department. Tell them that you were given a better offer and be ready to quote them but that you wanted to give them a chance first to beat it before taking your patronage elsewhere. If you have been a customer for years be sure to mention it. If you always pay your bill on time be sure to mention it. Be polite and courteous but firm and hammer home the notion that you're a great customer they would be foolish to let go and you might get some wiggle room.
I do say "may" though. I've done this for years but with Time Warner recently they've started playing hardball. The last time the rep offered me 35/5 for $49.99 or get $5 off my 15/1 plan that they had raised from $30 to $40 which prompted the call. I asked her if she could do $5 off the 35/5 $49.99 plan she offered and she said she would have to ask her supervisor. She came back and relented. I'm now getting 35 down and 5 up for $45 a month which admittedly still sucks but is less bad than the alternative. I wish google would lay down some fiber optic so I could drop TWC but they're the only option so I have no choice.
-Don't pay for phone service. No "bundle" is worth paying $40 for an Obhai box and setting up a google voice account for free landline service.
-Get your own modem and router. I was paying $10 a month for "modem rental". I paid $30 for a used SB6121 off Ebay. It netted me 5% more speed and paid for itself in three months with everything after that being pure gravy. Also buy your own router instead of leasing it. You can get one dirty cheap off newegg these days.
-Look up internet speeds offered by competing companies, even those that are only 6 month "promotional" rates. Call your provider and ask for the Retention department. Tell them that you were given a better offer and be ready to quote them but that you wanted to give them a chance first to beat it before taking your patronage elsewhere. If you have been a customer for years be sure to mention it. If you always pay your bill on time be sure to mention it. Be polite and courteous but firm and hammer home the notion that you're a great customer they would be foolish to let go and you might get some wiggle room.
I do say "may" though. I've done this for years but with Time Warner recently they've started playing hardball. The last time the rep offered me 35/5 for $49.99 or get $5 off my 15/1 plan that they had raised from $30 to $40 which prompted the call. I asked her if she could do $5 off the 35/5 $49.99 plan she offered and she said she would have to ask her supervisor. She came back and relented. I'm now getting 35 down and 5 up for $45 a month which admittedly still sucks but is less bad than the alternative. I wish google would lay down some fiber optic so I could drop TWC but they're the only option so I have no choice.
JoeBleed
Golden Member
Yes, the voice line taxes are government. But i had dry loop dsl before with no dial tone and no taxes. then when CenturyLink came about. (centurytel bought embarq) they started saying they couldn't offer dsl without dial tone.....
My experience with negotiating with them leads me to believe it is nearly completely ineffective. However, if you are willing to go without a particular part of your plan for a month you can get counted as a new customer, at certain providers, with the low introductory rates.
I had basic cable, internet and tv card with time warner. My rate was like $62 a month. Promotion went up and they started jacking rates $5 a month until I noticed (my wife pays the bills) and it was over $90 a month. Called up and said "Umm yeah, my bills have gone up almost $30 a month over the last 6 months. Lets get that knocked down or I'm done"".
Rep said "Ok, let me see what I can do". And came back and said "well we've got a discount we can apply that will bring your bill down to $72 a month". I took that. For now. But PS Vue for $30 a month sounds good.
Rep said "Ok, let me see what I can do". And came back and said "well we've got a discount we can apply that will bring your bill down to $72 a month". I took that. For now. But PS Vue for $30 a month sounds good.
Sonikku
Lifer
What pisses me off is when random extra charges wind up on my bill with no explanation. I take the bill in and question them on it and they're fix it, shake their shoulders and shrug. No idea how it got there. How convenient. I sure as hell never saw any such "bug" happening that ever worked to my benefit.
But it seems to me by slipping a little something extra in from time to time is just smart business from their perspective. Because if the customer doesn't catch it it's free money, but even if they do they just change it back. Everything to gain with nothing to lose.
But it seems to me by slipping a little something extra in from time to time is just smart business from their perspective. Because if the customer doesn't catch it it's free money, but even if they do they just change it back. Everything to gain with nothing to lose.
sze5003
Lifer
I have to call Comcast every 6 months and tell them to cancel. I just say I only need internet. They usually say no and then I call retentions and someone pulls something out of their a**.
Kind of screwed for now since my ex called to complain last year and they gave us a deal which ended up being a 2 year contract. I live in an apartment and they are the only provider, not even on a lease anymore.
I pay about $123 with all the taxes for digital preferred , no HD, and I think blast internet which they upgraded to 100Mb down at some point or it may be 75, but I remember an email saying it was upgraded.
I use my own modem and they now are staying the modem is on the end of life list so the speeds won't be as advertised. I find that BS as I'm getting the speeds I'm registered for.
I plan to move at some point closer to work and apartments there are expensive as hell but are wired for fios and Comcast so I'll be playing the switch around deal every 6-12 months.
Kind of screwed for now since my ex called to complain last year and they gave us a deal which ended up being a 2 year contract. I live in an apartment and they are the only provider, not even on a lease anymore.
I pay about $123 with all the taxes for digital preferred , no HD, and I think blast internet which they upgraded to 100Mb down at some point or it may be 75, but I remember an email saying it was upgraded.
I use my own modem and they now are staying the modem is on the end of life list so the speeds won't be as advertised. I find that BS as I'm getting the speeds I'm registered for.
I plan to move at some point closer to work and apartments there are expensive as hell but are wired for fios and Comcast so I'll be playing the switch around deal every 6-12 months.