Well this AM (4/2/2008) we woke up and couldn’t use our phone or internet. Now we all have cell phones these days, and in fact I don’t use our Comcast phone for that reason, both Squish and I have cell phones and use them, but the internet, that is a whole other ball game!

I called this AM and they told me that they were doing some line work in the area, and it should be back this AM. It wasn’t. I called around 1PM and the internet service woman tried to reset the line again, and then asked me if I had dial tone. I responded no, that my phone was down also, and she immediately asked me to hold, and transferred me to the phone unit. The unit told me the phone was down and that my internet was back up, I was at work so I couldn’t check. They proceeded to tell me that the earliest appointment I could have for a service person to come out was Friday afternoon. I signed up for that apt, and asked if they were indeed done with the line work in my area, to which I got the response, oh they were not doing any line work in your area. Ok, well I called Squish and she informed me that although I was told differently that the internet was indeed still down. So I got home and called again. This time I actually got someone on the phone that was helpful. We spent an hour trying everything we could to get this thing working. I actually tried 3 different computers on it. No luck. He and I came to the conclusion that something was indeed wrong with the modem box, and he informed me that the repair person scheduled to Friday would be able to fix it, whether a phone or a internet issue. I asked if I could go to the Comcast payment center on Columbus Blvd, a block and a half away from my home, and get a new modem, he said sure. “What time does it close?” “in ten minutes.” We rushed over there (honestly I was expecting them to have the doors locked early, as I have experienced on more than one occasion in the past), but they were still open. I waited for the 6 people a head of me, watching one of the women behind the glass doing paper work, and cracking jokes, as the other 2 worked. When I got to the window, they informed me that they couldn’t exchange the box, the repair person was the only one whom could. Fine but why don’t they tell the people on the help line this? Every other box you could exchange there. Seems silly.

Well we will see what happens Friday, or if they even make the appointment. When I first got Comcast service, they blew off my first 2 appointments, which I took off of work for. And the third guy wasn’t able to install my cable because he had the wrong work order, finally the fourth could. I hope I have better luck this time. Maybe Arlen Spector could spend more time actually helping his constituents instead of shooting the NFL with Comcast’s Magic Bullet. In essence, if your business depends on any of Comcast’s services, run quickly to Verizon FIOS, or really anyone else, because Comcast will not come to your aide. If its up its great, but the second you have an issue, they don’t, won’t, can’t help you. But what is worse is they will gouge you for services in the meantime. Let’s not even get into how they get government monies to help wire your towns, and how they pay very little in taxes once they are in town. Is it a nice free ride Comcast?

Oh and if you don’t believe me try these stories:

http://lonelymachines.org/2007/10/27/comcast-and-fallout-control/

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9829267-7.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/73353/comcast_horrible_service_reps_terrible.html

http://www.hookedongolfblog.com/2008/03/27/comcast-customer-service-sucks/

http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2008/02/06/comcast-new-terms-of-service-recipe-for-discrimination/

http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-12-03-comcast-complaints_N.htm

http://brand.blogs.com/mantra/2005/02/i_hate_comcast.html

http://www.thisisvlad.com/werd/archives/2006/04/28/comcast-customer-service-sucks/index.php

http://www.benstanfield.com/thrash/2005/10/comcast_sucks.html

http://www.comcastsucks.org/

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=34831

http://www.saschameinrath.com/2008/feb/23/why_comcast_sucks_its_not_what_you_think_k_why_you_couldnt_read_my_blog_last_week

http://digg.com/tech_news/Comcast_is_an_Evil_Corporation_that_Sucks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeFIjB43zQ4

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/432288/comcast_sucks.html

http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?t=178850

http://www.chuckscorner.com/ComCast%20Sucks.htm

Is that enough? If you want more if you Google “Comcast Sucks” you get over 100,000 links! Imagine if you do “Bad Comcast”? “No Service Comcast”?

UPDATED 1: If you read my comments, you can see a Mark C. from Comcast left me one, asking me to contact him. I tried via phone (he left me his number, which I omitted from his post, as a courtesy), and it rang and rang so I sent him the following email:

Mark-

I just tried calling your office for the 3rd time since getting your comment to my Blog. The reason I have called 3 times is because it rings and rings and no voicemail. Maybe you are using the same system that you have given me, and it is not working, I am not sure. But in any case I can not get thru to you. Thank you for your attempt to get in contact with me. Feel free to reply to this with a good phone number or the questions you need answers to.

Sincerely yours,
C R Speers

UPDATED 2: I got an email back from Mark Casem at 2:45PM 4/3/2008:

Hi Charles,

Thanks for writing back! I am sorry you were not able to get through. If you could please send me a number where I can reach you, I will be happy to contact you.

Thanks again,

Mark Casem
Comcast Executive Offices

I replied with my number at 3:08PM 4/3/2008.

UPDATED 3: Well I got another email from Mr. Casem: Thanks for the information. I just called the number you have provided and I left a message with my direct line. Please feel free to call me at ### ###-#### at your earliest convenience. Also, if it is alright with you, will you please provide me with your account address so that I could look into this?

Mark

I called him back and gave him the requested information at 3:43PM, and he told me that someone would be calling me back.   I also asked which number he called me to leave a message for me, and he gave me the number that I gave him, but when he called he told me it was to a generic mailbox with a woman’s voice, not mine, interesting as I get calls all day on my direct line which I gave him.