Bear with me, please.
Topic-->Comcast cable installation. TV and Internet connectivity.
First, I ordered cable service for internet and TV for my SF place. At the time, I request a purchase of a cable modem from Comcast to prevent paying $7/mo for a box they never update. I once paid that fee for over five years and when I had a problem, they came out and said, "You need a new box and we'll replace it for free because you rent it." Let see, 60 months times $7 per month is $420 for a Motorola box that cost under $100 when purchased through Comcast (and a lot less than that from Best Buy or Fry's). That is not free! So, NOT this time!
Second, brand spanking new cable modem arrives as promised from Comcast telephone sales person.
Third, service man arrives and then connects cable modem and declares, "This modem doesn't work. I'll install one of the rentals and when you get the cable modem exchanged, you can bring the rental to the Comcast office." Huh?
Fourth, when I ask him to install a cable card into my TV, he responds (after getting a message from his supervisor) that "Those things don't work, I'll give you a regular cable box instead." Excuse me, I have two of those working just fine in my TiVo's at my other place, so what is the problem?
Fifth, as I comment that the image looks terrible. "Well you have a HD TV and this is a standard cable box. You probably want a HD cable box." So I respond, go ahead, install the HD box. "They don't give us those to install, you have to go to the shop to exchange the one I am installing now."
Sixth, since the cable box is not HD, then lets just plug the coax into the TV and it can get the HD signal from the cable. Connection made, no image or sound on the TV screen after several channel scans.
My observations:
If Comcast sold me a broken cable modem, why didn't he simple do an on-site exchange with his working modem and my broken modem instead of making me go exchange the modem? After all, he goes to the shop daily and its far more routine for him to turn in a broken modem than for me to do it.
Why the BS about cable cards?
What are they thinking? Who wants a standard def cable box anymore? They actually do not stock the trucks with HD boxes? And, I have to go get the store and do an exchange? (Note, as a mid-60 year old, unscrewing the cable connections with arthritis is no picnic but now the wrong box is MY problem.)
So the score is: Internet connectivity is working. Trip needed to Comcast to exchange SD cable box with HD cable box. Exchange needed with on-line sales for broken modem. Trip needed to Comcast to return rented modem.
The last straw? They called, emailed me and texted me multiple times for a Tuesday appointment. I think I got daily texts, emails and telecons starting four days prior to the service call to make sure I would be there. Never once did they ask if I wanted HD TV service or a cable card type install.
Never once did they inquire after the service call if everything was done correctly. They did call and ask if the service person was polite (he was extremely polite) and competent (he screwed everything together just perfectly) and clean (he was meticulous in my place) but the NEVER asked if management had done the correct preparations for the service call. NOR did they ask if I was satisfied with the service call, only with the service person's behavior. When I started to volunteer some of my issues, I got "Here is toll free number to call...."
The bottom line? I should have listened to my friend Scott Ashkenaz :-(
