I get letters. Man, do I get letters. And nothing I’ve written in recent memory got as many letters in the form of e-mail messages as my recent column on Comcast and my misery over losing the History Channel when the company went all digital March 27.
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Most weeks, my e-mail is split pretty evenly between people who agree with me, people who disagree and are pleasant about it, and people who start their messages with "Dear Sir, You Cur" or "Dear Nitwit." In other words, most of my readers have trouble agreeing on things.
If I write that the sky is blue, I can almost guarantee that someone will write to tell me it’s azure and someone else will write to tell me it’s an optical illusion and only an uneducated idiot claims otherwise.
But after the Comcast column – in which I bemoaned the fact that I can no longer get theHistory Channel and a couple of others (unless I rent set-top boxes for every television in the house), and griped about Comcast’s woeful automated phone systemand customer service- my readers were in unanimous agreement.
They all hate Comcast. Here, for your enjoyment, is a sampling of what some of them had to say.
Dan from Brick: "Your experience with Comcast was typical. … Their voice mail system can only be compared to water boarding. There are plenty of items on the menu, but never the one you need. It is nearly impossible to speak to a human being and there is a very real chance that you will be cut off after waiting 15 minutes or more for someone to answer. I am going to cut it [your column] out and forcemy wife to read it. I’m sure she thought I was exaggerating and even whining a little when I was dealing with Comcast. I could tell she thought throwing wadded-up notepaper at the TV screen was childish, but it was that or the remote."
Here’s Tina fromRed Bank: "’Thank you for holding. And holding. While your call is not in the least important to us, we want to express our appreciation for the amusement afforded our staff by the doggedly determined manner in which you, and other deluded souls, seek help through our 800 number and Web site. … We at Comcast have no intention of helping you … and we’d like to think that our ‘enhanced services’ will enable your ulcer to perforate sooner.’ … I am taking back the infernal box tomorrow and downgrading to the cheapest possible package. Without Turner Classics, what’s the point?"
Alan from East Brunswick: "My boss just gave me your article on Comcast to read because being from East Brunswick, he said reading the article was like talking to me the last couple of weeks. I, like you, hit the ceiling when all this took place … I tried calling and got tired of cookingmy entire dinner while on hold and not talking to a [human] body. … I wonder if they are taking tips from the oil companies."
Here’s Pamela: "Unless you live in an area not serviced by FiOS (Verizon), I am surprised that you stuck with Comcast! I had the opportunity to usemy friend’s computer at her home. … I was stunned by how much quicker the Verizon Internet connection worked. … Comcast was not happy when I called to cancel my service. This is not an ad for Verizon; [but] I have been very happy and every TV has a box."
This came fromPat: "I just read your article about losing the History Channel. I thought I was the only one getting hysterical about it. … There is really no reason for Comcast to move channels to higher numbers if you don’t want their box. It’s just their [Comcast’s] way of forcing us to spend more money."
Sandra suggested I get rid of all paid cable services and buy a satellite dish and a TiVo: "You can take away my phone, my home delivery of mail, even my husband, but I will not give up my TiVo. It is the best thing invented since the toaster!"
Here’s what Skip says: "Years ago, I solved my similar problems with cable by getting satellite DirectTV, 1-800-531-5000. Love ’em. You’ll get a $25 to $50 credit, and so will a DirectTV customer you say told you to switch. Look for a neighbor with the round thing on the roof. No hassles, they always agree with you, apologize, then do the right thing."
Peter said local governments may be to blame for not negotiating a better deal with Comcast: "You have spoken for all of us. Please keep us informed on the status of your pursuit with Comcast, whose despicable one-way decision is just another example of the problem with the cable monopoly and insufficient check and balance by the local government."
Well, Peter, here’s my status. I still get fuzz on Channel 56, where the History Channel used to be. And I still haven’t talked to anyone at Comcast, even though I’ve called (admittedly, I gave up each time after waiting on hold for 10 minutes).
I’ve spent the last two weeks watching a very nice bunch of new-releasemovies from Netflix.And like a heroin addict whomakes it through the worst symptoms of withdrawal, I’m slowly getting over my History Channel addiction. When I start to waver about going down and getting some of those stupid boxes, I read a couple of supportive emails and that givesme the strength to soldier on.
Besides, I haven’t had much time to spend calling Comcast lately, because I’ve been trying to call Sears to set up an appointment to get my lawn mower serviced. And if any of you readers out there have tried to call Sears in the recent past, you’ll know that the hellish Call Purgatory Sears has invented to prevent us from speaking to a human being makes the Comcast systemlook like an attempt by rank amateurs.
Here’s my challenge. If any one of you can find when the Sears repair center on Route 1 in New Brunswick is open by calling their toll-free repair center line at 1- 800-366-7278, or looking on the company’s Web site, I will put your name in the paper and proclaim you a genius, superior among all men and women.
Personally, I don’t think it can be done. I spent almost two hours last weekend trying to navigate the automated phone system and swearing at the cheery sounding recorded voice of the Sears lady. In spite of my persistence, I never could find out what time the service center is open.
I couldn’t find the information online either. I finally got so frustrated I said to heck with it, and drove to the location, only to discover it had closed an hour before.
Maybe one of you will have better luck. If you take the challenge and get an answer, you’re apparently much smarter than I am and deserve some recognition in print. Call on!
Gregory Bean is executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. You can reach him at [email protected].