Comcast and their questionable billing practices
About a month ago, after discovering my ancient Comcast-owned cable modem is so old and rickety it's causing disconnects after the newest speed upgrade (8mb down, baby!) I decided to buy my own. It just seemed easier than trying to convince Comcast that (a) there is a problem (b) the problem is the modem and (c) they should give me a newer one. Too much hassle, not worth the $60 a new modem costs and that would mean an end to the $3 monthly "modem rental" charge as well. Double benefit, really.
I hooked up my new modem, provisioned it and returned the old one to my friendly, neighborhood Comcast office.
Fast forward a few weeks. I open my bill from Comcast and there's a $99 "equpiment charge" on the bill for next month. Armed with my modem-return receipt I called the customer disservice center.
Apparently, it's standard billing practice... the conversation went something like this (although likely not exact words, I didn't tape it).
me: I have this $99 equpiment charge on my bill, can you explain what it is for?
chirpy-service-rep: Oh yes, that's because you provisioned your own cable modem and we charged you for the cost of the original modem.
me: But I returned the original modem, I have the receipt in my hand.
csr: When did you return it?
me: <quoting the exact date and receipt number for good measure>
csr: Ah, I see, it takes approximately 30 days to credit returned equipment.
me: So why was I charged for a modem I returned, again?
csr: It's standard procedure, once the return gets credited you will see a credit.
me: Okay, then I'll just not pay the $99.
csr: then your service will be disconnected for not payment.
me: Uhm, let me do the math. After paying a $3 monthly charge for several years for a seriously outdated modem, you charge me about four times its worth even though I have returned it and if I refuse to pay this I will have a service disconnect?
csr: cheerfully: That's correct!
me: <banging head on desk>
Comcast must really hate their customers! Too bad my only alternative is crappy-ass dsl at around 300kb speed (or that's what it was last time I went down that road).
Nice, Comcast, very nice.
Comments
Four Words: "Call The Utilities Commission"
Explain it to them. They'll call Comcast for you. They'll explain to Comcast that such practices do not fly. They'll charge Comcast an hourly rate for the privilege of telling them that they can't do that to the citizens of CT.
Seriously.
Posted by: Derek | February 21, 2006 08:17 PM
You can tell they really applied common sense when they designed the whole returns procedure.
Posted by: Tony Yates | February 22, 2006 11:56 AM
Common sense has nothing to do with it. They optimized it for extracting cash from their customers. As Kasia points out, they're the only game in town - she practically has no choice but to go with comcast. I wouldn't be surprised if they turn around and cost her a $100 service fee for the phone call. I can see it now: "Well, you're paying for the service of having someone at the other end of the phone here to answer your billing questions. WIthout charging you this fee, no one would be here to take your call."
Posted by: Paul | February 22, 2006 01:22 PM
Yea.... being a former comcast employee....Ill be the first to let you know that such things are common practice.
Common sense is lacking in some divisions of large corporations.
Posted by: Lukasz Kwiecinski | February 22, 2006 07:46 PM
What? You didn't see the "You agree to let us charge you for anything we damn well please" line in the 50 page contract you (implicitly) agreed to when you signed up for the service?
Posted by: david | February 23, 2006 01:56 PM
You should be glad they at least told you what they were doing... Cox pulled the same thing on me when I had them for internet without telling me and ended up screwing up my billing for six months. Checks would go in and clear and then the next bill would come with late fees for stuff not paid even though they were paid on time and on and on... Cox's billing had a hard time figuring out what was going on and I was clueless. In the end, they tried to send me to collections for 27 cents which, when I called Cox was laughed at and the account was closed and the debt was erased. I can feel you pain. I'd keep a very close eye on your next bills.
Posted by: Jeremy | March 3, 2006 06:25 PM