ISP policies for new modem install

[Rockhound]

Is there any reason for a major broadband ISP to charge a customer a $49.95 install fee for setting up/"provisioning" a new cable modem bought by the customer other than pure greed when the customer is capable of doing this and not having a tech come out and waste his time? All that is needed is the MAC address to be supplied to the ISP basically, so why ripoff the customer?

 

[mikebb]

Pure greed sounds about right for a major cable company....

 

[mixmastertarzan]

I guess it really depends on who your using for service. Around here in GA Cox and Charter are the bloodsuckers. But every time I move I find it easier to sign up over the web or calling their sales dept to set it up. The people who usually work at the office dont really know much, and are just following protocol. When you talk to a more experienced person, or just someone who has worked there a while, they have always been very accomidating. If you dont get the answer you want from one rep, call back. Youll eventually get one that will be willing to help you. I just basically tell them up front i will be using my own modem when i make the order.

Hows that for my 1st post

 

[Rockhound]

 

[Rockhound]

Well, we are talking about RCN in Chicago. Was going to set this up for a friend of mine, they called and were assured that this could be done without a fee or a tech visit. Unfortunately, the techs on the phone were not cooperative. This was even after the modem they used for the initial setup died a week or two after the installation. So they screw the customer with a defective modem (knowingly I might add, tech admitted that they don't use 3com anymore) and when the customer wants to install their own store bought one they want to charge them $50 for something that is going to take maybe 15 minutes time to setup.

I connected the modem myself (too easy!) and called tech support to report the Mac addr to them to get connected, but they said no way. I mean, what the hell is a tech going to do differently? This isn't rocket science. I would think they would want to send the tech out to do a new install rather than waste their time for $50. So, my friend told them to get lost. They end up losing $40/month over a one time $50 fee. Pretty pathetic! RCN are you listening? Bad business policy.

 

[cmetz]

Rockhound, provisioning does cost them money. Every phone call you place to them uses some employee's time not to mention telecom infrastructure and facilities overhead, and if things don't work right, that's more employee time troubleshooting. And they probably recoup the cost of the multi-hour/multi-person troublesome installs through the money they don't spend on the easy customers. Does it cost them $50 for every customer? No. Is their average cost per customer for provisioning about $50? Probably. Folks here who immediately say it's corporate greed have the luxury of not knowing how much these things really cost. When you as a customer pick up the phone and talk with a customer service type, it costs the company a lot of money. (unfortunately most companies see this and say "gee, better find a way to make the call center cheaper" rather than saying "gee, better find a way to make things JUST WORK so customers don't have to call as much")

As a customer, I feel your pain. Nothing steams me more than getting nickle and dimed while also receiving bad service.

 

[Rockhound]

Originally posted by: cmetz
Rockhound, provisioning does cost them money. Every phone call you place to them uses some employee's time not to mention telecom infrastructure and facilities overhead, and if things don't work right, that's more employee time troubleshooting. And they probably recoup the cost of the multi-hour/multi-person troublesome installs through the money they don't spend on the easy customers. Does it cost them $50 for every customer? No. Is their average cost per customer for provisioning about $50? Probably. Folks here who immediately say it's corporate greed have the luxury of not knowing how much these things really cost. When you as a customer pick up the phone and talk with a customer service type, it costs the company a lot of money. (unfortunately most companies see this and say "gee, better find a way to make the call center cheaper" rather than saying "gee, better find a way to make things JUST WORK so customers don't have to call as much")

As a customer, I feel your pain. Nothing steams me more than getting nickle and dimed while also receiving bad service.

But it would cost them the same amount of money whether I do it or the tech does it. Even more if the tech actually comes out to the customer. Tech phone support is already sitting there anyway. Either way, they would have to take the time to do this. So how does it cost them more money if I simply call tech support versus sending a tech out to take care of this? Again, the tech could be doing a new install making 'X' amount, and tech support is still going to be waiting for phone calls. Doesn't make sense. I am trying to save them money, not cost them by doing this.