Be Wary When Trying to Reduce Internet/TV/Phone Costs (sales, lease) - Salt Lake City area - Utah (UT) -Salt Lake County - Davis County - Weber County - City-Data Forum

SouthernBelleInUtah · 03-17-2009, 09:46 AM

I want to warn others who may be trying to find a way to reduce their internet/TV/phone costs. I have had Comcast for years and liked the service but I could not get my bill below $100 - and that was w/o HD cable box. So I called Qwest to see if one of their new-customer promotions would be cheaper. Big mistake!

The saleman I got must have been trying to reach a quota of sales b/c he outright lied to me. I asked him several times if the price he was quoting me included all 3 service - he insisted my bill would be $56/mo for the first 3 mos. then $89/mo thereafter, and I would have a lot moe channels with DirectTV. No installation fee. So I signed up. The phone service was not as clear as my digital phone from comcast but I could live with it. The TV went out the night we had some snow. The internet had more "not connected" messages. But for the price I could live with it.

Then I got my first bill - $182. I went ballistic and called Qwest. Some very nice ladies went over everthing (I had apologized in advance if I was rude but I was soooo mad) and decided the guy must have been looking at only Qwest prices, not adding in the TV. Was he incompetent or a crook? I'll never know. But since I was within the first 30 days, I was able to cancel everything with no charges. Since Comcast had never been out to cut off my cable, I was able to go pick up a modem and cable box and hook them right back up. The bad part is that I had a grandfathered plan, from when it was ATTBI and I could not get that old, cheap plan back. SO I now have cable TV and internet but no digital phone. I'll just have to use my cell phone.

So, I know many others are trying to figure out ways to reduce their monthly expenses in these difficult economic times, but be very careful of what you are promised! I should have remembered that "if it's too good to be true, it is!"

Tim Tim Tim · 03-17-2009, 10:24 AM

im surprised you like comcast. I cant tell you how many peoples house I go to that absouletely hate it and cant wait to get it out haha. It sucks that there arent many choices for tv, internet and phone here. In florida we had brighthouse (similar to comcast, verizon FIOS (fiberoptic to your door) that both did the bundles. With verizon, we got 10mbps internet, digital phone and like 2 hundred something channels for 100 a month.. cant even come close to that here

SouthernBelleInUtah · 03-17-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Tim Tim

im surprised you like comcast. I cant tell you how many peoples house I go to that absouletely hate it and cant wait to get it out haha. It sucks that there arent many choices for tv, internet and phone here. In florida we had brighthouse (similar to comcast, verizon FIOS (fiberoptic to your door) that both did the bundles. With verizon, we got 10mbps internet, digital phone and like 2 hundred something channels for 100 a month.. cant even come close to that here

WOW! That almost makes the humidity worth it, LOL.

dcisive · 03-17-2009, 11:58 AM

I used Comcast way back when I was a renter. They sucked royally. I would not even consider them on my radar to use. As for Qwest, indeed I've been misquoted myself. They bundled me with the long distance, DSL and DirectTV very competitively. also allowed for some ongoing discounts. The ONE thing I will say for Qwest is that if there is a mistake made, or you are very unhappy about something, they DO take the price in discrepency off of your bill immediately and make it right to keep you happy. Also a reason i stick with AT&T cellular. They are about the ONLY competent and agreeable cellular service provider. Sprint couldn't give a rats patootie and Verizon is arrogant, so i stick with AT&T there. My phone service has been great as has been my internet service. Nice, fast and reliable. The DirectTV is actually superior IMHO to the DishNetwork I used prior. The prices are about the same so indeed there are NO free lunches out there. But I do NOT compare the cable with satellite. Satellite IMHO is far superior and a LOT more consistent. I'm nto even sure how Comcast stays in business. Their customer service people should be shot at sunrise. As inept as they come. Pretty much the opposite from Qwest. Just stay away from the salespeople and you'll be fine. Customer service can and has saved me money with the correct bundles and adjustments to my bills.

Tim Tim Tim · 03-17-2009, 02:49 PM

I kind of disagree about direct being superior but that may be because I work for dish haha.

mitsuturbo · 03-17-2009, 02:59 PM

This is typical of Qwest. I once had a landline with them for a few months, and after they overcharged me time, and time again... I decided they'll never get another penny from me if i can help it. I wouldnt even get DSL when it was available to me and cable wasnt, regardless of the service being from another company. Anything over POTS lines in UT puts money in Qwest's pocket. Anyone who provides DSL still has to lease their lines from Qwest. Qwest has had huge class action lawsuits filed against them (and lost) in 9 out of the 11 states they provide service to FOR A REASON!!!

SouthernBelleInUtah · 03-17-2009, 04:59 PM

It's so funny, we all have had different experiences. My comcast TV never went out in a snow storm over 8 yrs but DirectTV did in a mild snow. My digital phone sounded fine each time I used it and my Qwest landline never sounded right, too scratchy. My Comcast internet VERY rarely has a "lost connection" message, like maybe once every couple of weeks but my Qwest internet would get that message a couple of times a day. And the Comcast service people have been great for 8 yrs but their customer service people aren't so great. Qwest customer service people were great, except for the idiot that misquoted my price in the beginning.

mitsuturbo · 03-17-2009, 05:08 PM

I doubt you were misquoted as a "mistake". These "mistakes" as they call them, are all too commonplace, and have been happening for far too long. Yes, i hate qwest and their business practices, and i have no qualms about letting everybody know. Comcast has been ok for me, aside from the fact that their call center employees don't know the difference between a bad ethernet cable and a modem that won't pull a TFTP file.

Tim Tim Tim · 03-17-2009, 08:31 PM

I think comcasts internet is the best choice for alot of people, the people who cant get the fiber to there home (i believe its utopia offering that). for tv id say satellite, obviously id say dish since I work for them. They do have far superior technology and if I remember correctly typically run a few bucks cheaper per month. yeah, in a snow storm satellite could go out but typically if its a dish tech and not a retailer or something there going to try to put the dish low enough were you can just grab a broom and brush it off.

SouthernBelleInUtah · 03-18-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Tim Tim

....... yeah, in a snow storm satellite could go out but typically if its a dish tech and not a retailer or something there going to try to put the dish low enough were you can just grab a broom and brush it off.

That's what my neighbor does but I am handicapped and I am not going outside when it's snowing. And I am short so there's no way I could reach it with a broom. It was installed by someone sent by DirectTV but it might have been a contractor. The dish faces southeast on the lowest part of the roof.

I do wonder if that sales guy was just trying to make his quota for the day/week.