WHATEVER YOU ARE SO ANGRY ABOUT that you’ve wound up here, if history is any judge, is one big step closer to being resolved.
This is a site for customer-service-of-last resort. You’re here because you’ve gone through channels, talked to the call centers, explained your problems over and over and still gotten no satisfaction whatsoever. And maybe discourtesy, or stonewalling, or a pack of lies.
Because that’s how gigantic corporations often treat powerless individuals. But here’s the thing: YOU ARE POWERLESS NO MORE — because now you have the chance to publicly confront your tormenters, and to shame them. And because there are many of you, you suddenly are a force to be reckoned with. And history proves that, too.
Customer-Circus is an expansion of the website and blog ComcastMustDie.com. In a matter of a few months, ComcastMustDie helped make the world’s most hated cable company that it had to change its ways. Frustrated, enraged customers flocked there to relate their horror stories, and in short order Comcast was forced to listen. The company’s customer service record is still pretty abysmal, but it has made huge investments in turning things around. More importantly, it showed good sense and good faith by attending to thousands of individual ComcastMustDie complaints.
ComcastMustDie was created by journalist and author Bob Garfield, who has moved on to new adventures and bequeathed his project to us. Now, we’re taking that template and expanding it (for now) to 17 other companies. Here’s how it works:
- How to Use this BLOG. Click on the appropriate Category on the LEFT –> and join the conversation. Or start one.
- Explain your problem — civilly, please. Abusive posts will be removed.
- Leave behind a customer number, airline ticket number, etc – BUT NO PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS, EMAIL OR OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION – that will enable the company in question to track you down.
- If you don’t hear from the company in question within five business days, post again with the subject line: “NO RESPONSE.” We will keep track of those, and make very clear which corporate goliath is listening, and which is not.
But fair’s fair. If you do indeed get follow-up from the company you’ve complained about, come back and post about that experience, too, under the subject “THEY CALLED!”
We can’t guarantee every company will be immediately responsive, but we’re pretty confident. Because IN A CONNECTED WORLD, NOBODY CAN AFFORD BUSINESS AS USUAL. Nobody can afford to antagonize and mistreat customers. Because, now, the world is watching.
Congratulations, David, you know have a sling. So Goliath had better become one friendly giant.
customercircus.com
Beware of doing business with a company named: Gold Crown Property Management!
Some time in February 2009 we had a telephone solicitation from Gold Crown (Gold Crown Property Management, 1497 Main St. #344, Dunedin, FL 34698) to use their services to sell our time-share resort. I requested the signing of a contract as a means of formally assessing and agreeing on the conditions governing the proposed provision of services. Gold Crown agreed to submit the contract and asked for the number of a credit card to be eventually used to pay their fee. The contract was never signed and Gold Crown was notified by telephone that we were not going to use their services. However, on Feb. 14, 2009 Gold Crown proceeded to charge our credit card with a $398.00 fee. On the strength of not having signed any contract with Gold Crown we rejected the charge both verbally, by telephone calls, and by written statements to both the credit card company (the last on 22 August 2009) and to Gold Crown, but to no avail. The $398.00 remains outstanding on the credit card statement and Gold Crown refuses to refund the money. We consider Gold Crown arbitrary and unauthorized charge a premeditated attempt at defrauding the consumer with the help of a credit card company (Capitalone).
Comment by Fioravante A. Bares — November 29, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
Comcast has tone deaf and manipulative people who lie on the customers notes in the files. I kept copies of the conversations via the internet and they can’t send a simple wireless router after contacting them 4 times. Below is a history of my conversations. I hope this demonstrates to people that comcast is still full of boobs who can’t do their jobs.
On Sat, Dec 26, 2009 at 1:43 PM, Christopher X wrote:
chat id : 83e20ee5-2174-4768-8979-55b53f5c4f4d
Problem : I ordered and paid for the shipping on a modem last week. When is the cable wireless modem I ordered supposed to show up?
Christopher > I ordered and paid for the shipping on a modem last week. When is the cable wireless modem I ordered supposed to show up?
Cion Melanie > Hello Christopher_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Cion Melanie. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Cion Melanie > Hi, how’s your day going?
Christopher_ > good
Cion Melanie > That is great to know, Christopher. I understand that you ordered the wireless router online.
Cion Melanie > Let me check on this for you
Cion Melanie > I’d be glad to assist you with your concern. May I have your complete Comcast account number and the last four digits of SSN listed on the account?
Christopher_ > XXXXXXXXXX256
Christopher_ > XXXX
Cion Melanie > Thank you. One moment please.
Cion Melanie > Christopher, just to make sure that you made the order on this link: http://www.comcast.net/wirelessrouter ?
Christopher_ > yes I made the order with that link
Cion Melanie > Thank you, Christopher. As to what I can see here that the order process wasnt been able to process completely. Would you like me to re process the order here in my end?
Christopher_ > yes
Christopher_ > what was the problem
Cion Melanie > My sincere apologies that the order was not completely and successfully processed, Christopher.
Cion Melanie > But I can make sure this will be processed successfully and completely here in my end
Cion Melanie > Please hold on
Christopher_ > ok
Cion Melanie > Christopher, is the service address registered as: 16 Bradford Circle Hillsborough NH 03244?
Christopher_ > yes
Cion Melanie > Thank you, Christopher. I am seeing here that the equipment order has been processed 12/18/09. You should be receiving the equipment, 5-7 business days from the date of the order.
Christopher_ > Is there a tracking number please?
Cion Melanie > So from the date of order, just a heads up you should be receiving the equipment on the 28th or the most is on the 30th.
Christopher_ > thank you
Print Copy Email Close
chat id : ffc2a965-1d65-4a68-b13a-cc1d635d880e
Problem : Internet modem order problems
Christopher > Internet modem order problems
Samina Louise > Hello Christopher_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Samina Louise. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Samina Louise > I will be happy to assist you with your concern today.
Samina Louise > By the way, how are you today?
Christopher_ > I am having problems with a wireless router I ordered
Christopher_ > I want to know why I didn’t receive it
Samina Louise > To clarify, you ordered via the link for wireless router.
Samina Louise > Is that right?
Christopher_ > yes
Samina Louise > Let me verify on your account.
Samina Louise > May I have the account number please?
Christopher_ > XXXXXXXXXXXX4256
- Show quoted text -
Christopher_ > XXXXXXXXXX4256
Julian > Thank you.
Julian > Sorry sir, I can see the last notes in your account and I can see that the way written here was that you go to a local office to pick the equipment up, this is the fastest way to get the wireless system.In the office you will get the self installation kit, that is why you have not received the equipment yet.
Christopher_ > That was not stated and I have the transcript from the last conversation stating it was shipped and due on the 30th of december. WHO WOULD LIE ON THIEIR NOTES?
Julian > I apologize for any inconvenience it took you, because I see in your services you only have the service you always have had, there is not any additional cost
Comment by Christopher — January 3, 2010 @ 6:36 pm
I had the unplesant experience of being employed @ Comcast. I will never forget the inital training class: Being told by Dawn Mabry ” comcast customers are I D I O T S ” so just be aware. They never properly trained employees before they threw you on the phones to take nasty calls from unsatisfied customers. Their so called supervisors refused to take calls or make callbacks to customers with issues. But always expected you to sell sell sell. They cheated employees out of their commissons and wages. When you questioned the shotages (always to Comcast advantage) you were ignored and brushed off and lied to somemore. I recall launching their digital phone service, Ceo lied in company meeting advising this is not VOIP Voice over IP like verizon (whom is our competion)It is a much better ph service. Turned out I never received any training about the service. Much later on they offered to give employees 1/2 off the service. Yes it was VOIP when you lost power you lost phone service also and the so called backup battery in the modem was another joke. Comcast call centers employees lie to people to get a sale and then pressured to get off the phone ASAP , on to next incoming call. Comcast only pays the network feed, .02 per station in customers chosen lineup. Guess what they charge the customers.. They are smiling while putting the screw it your back
Comment by Linda — March 17, 2010 @ 1:10 pm
Dear Freeverse,
I cannot get any of your game software to work. Yet your website says very clearly:
Compatible with Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard.
We have 1.1.1 of Legion. And Legion Cult of Mithras.
We have Mac OS 10.6.
This is false or deceptive advertising. Since you have refused to return my money, for the purchase of both games, since you refuse to post software that works and continue to falsely advertise games that will work on Mac OS 10.6 but done — you leave me with no other choice but to file civil charges against you for.
a.) Willingly and purposely advertises games to be compatible, working with Mac OS 10.6
b.) The forum on line is filled with other users having the same problems, yet Freeverse has not made any attempt to fix or update the software.
c.) Has refused to refund money
d.) Therefore since money has been transmitted / transacted across state lines, this constitutes a form of mail fraud. A Class 3 felony which carries a sentence of 3 years per offense or a fine of up to $10,000.
e.) The bbb forum is not working. I cannot register and have attempted to do so several times. I *do* enter in my password and user id and I do not get any access to your system. This appears to be broken and shows one more instance of a “lackadaisical” attitude Freeverse is taking to serve it’s customers.
………………..
Please send me the mailing address of your registered agent so that the court can send a certified copy of the court/date hearing for the above mentioned complaints.
– Bart Wilson
Comment by bart wilson — May 9, 2010 @ 7:23 pm
When i signed up (three yrs ago) for triple play,idid not take advantage of a dvr free for a six month period because i had my own.
I was able to record one show and watch another at the same time i am now unable to do this because of the changes you have made lately.
I now feel you should let me have one of your DVR’s free for the six months trial period,if we like the way it operates we would consider adding it to our service. We did get any satisfaction by calling on phone.We still have triple play.
Comment by hep — June 9, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
First of all, I am trying to watch television tonight and channels 2-50 are not working. It is not raining, it is not storming — there is no explanation for it.
I am originally from Pennsylvania where I was a Service Electric customer. Service Electric was not only affordable, it was 100% reliable when it comes to service. As a customer for 2 years, I never once had to call the main office to report a problem with internet or cable service. In addition, my bill was $55 per month for the fastest internet and 70 channels of cable.
As a Comcast customer here in Tallahassee for two years, I have had nothing but problems. My service goes out every time there is a storm (both internet and cable) and when I changed from a two-bedroom to one-bedroom apartment in the same apartment complex, they charged me an astronomical reconnect fee. My monthly bill for less than great internet and 70 channels of cable, not including any extras such as HBO, Starz, HD,etc., is $118.22. That is unbelievable. If I had the choice to change, I would in a heart beat. I continue to search for other options as it is absolutely ridiculous to pay this much for horrible service and basic resources. For now, though, I am stuck because of the limited resources that are available to residents at the apartment complex.
Comcast has a lot of work to do to improve its reputation. It’s service is not up to par and its customer service representatives need to be taught common social skills as the majority of them don’t seem to understand that their job requires them to treat customers with respect. I hope that Comcast will improve its resources. However, I hope that I will be able to figure out a different way to receive cable and internet and not have to be a customer for much longer.
Comment by Johnna — August 9, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
Comcast is now officially interfering with my new job. Years ago, I had a dispute with comcast because of them over charging. I had internet/cable service at a set price. i am not the type to watch every bill and i have not paid very close attention to these things since now. I realized that i was being over charged for my services. Bills were showing up in the wrong amount. One slipped and i paid it. I was locked in battle with comcast over these amount. A customer service rep had told me no problem, i would receive a credit. Next month ..the same thing. over charged. I proceeded to cancel my service with them, and told them i would no longer conduct business with them. fast forward to the current time. I am in the process of obtaining a new job. My (hopefully) mew employer has informed my credit is less than perfect. I have been unemployed for a year. I asked “what can i do?” So i begin to look at my credit reports to find everything as i knew it would be, except for a collection on my reports that stem from comcast. i also had one with verizon, that was removed on the very first phone, and it came with an apology. Comcast filed a collection against me for what was ultimately an over billing situation. Now how do you fix this one. No love from comcast at all. The point here is ..if you have a misunderstanding with a company, and it is not resolved to your satisfaction…well you better check your credit..because thats where they will go next. Fingers crossed i can get this resolved, and start my new job.
Comment by Jasen — August 25, 2010 @ 1:26 pm
COMCAST & ADA Violation
Jesse Miller
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street S.W.
Washington D.C. 20554
Re FCC IC File Number: 10-C00226035-1
Ticket Number: NA000015268118
August 26, 2010
Dear Sir or Madam:
Thank you for your letter of August 18 with your control no. 1000954/kah. At the end of this letter, you urge me to contact you if I have any further questions or require additional information. Because of Comcast’s cavalier, if not deliberate misunderstanding of the nature of this issue, I would like to make this a formal complaint now.
I appreciate your attention in this matter, but from my point of view, the issue I raise is not addressed at all, by Comcast or your offices. Comcast, in their letter forwarded by your offices (Comcast itself sent nothing) stipulate their reasons for deploying their download limit threshold. I have no issue with the SIZE of their threshold … but I have a lot of fear with regard to the fact that they (Comcast) feel the need to establish a threshold at all. If as they say, such a very small percentage of users fill up their download limit, then clearly, Comcast is entering a framework for the future, when bandwidth presumably will be more precious than it is today. With their limit in place, tightening that limit according to their needs, which I perceive as primarily making money, as opposed to providing a high quality experience for virtually captive users such as myself. Of course I expect Comcast to make money, but I resent the deflection on the issue I raise on the grounds of “providing a high quality experience.”
The writer of the Comcast letter, Mr. Eric Robinson, states that ADA has no specific rule with regard to bandwidth limitations. To me, this is like saying there is no ADA regulation with regard to facility on our lunar colony. I have not been talking about life for the disabled on a lunar colony. ADA DOES provide for equal access for the disabled where the provision of such access does not render an impractical condition for the company or institution.
Common sense tells me that the imposition of a limit on bandwidth where none existed before is a matter of setting a potential stage for increased future limit. Again, I am not trying to throw a flag with regard to the size of the limit, but to the establishment of a limit at all, regardless of the subject matter. I take the United States Postal Service as a first class example: Free Matter for blind people. Of course we pay first class postage for Postal Service, and we expect to, but when it comes to … materials for the blind, including yes, books from the Library of Congress, these things are exempt from postage charges, and I submit, should be also exempt from the Comcast Bandwidth limit … no matter how large that limit is presently. Even someone living on the banks of Big Wheeling Creek, here in West Virginia knows that bandwidth usage is increasing, and contrary to Comcast disclaimers, the customer is NOT first under the Comcast Empire.
I hope your offices will find a way to address this matter!
Very respectfully
Jesse Miller
Comment by Jesse Miller — August 26, 2010 @ 1:46 pm
I have had comcast for two years. I have had so many problems with it. Never ending. And several billing errors resulting is disconnection. The cable is paid along with my rent to the housing authority. Twenty four dollars is added for 100 channels. I paid it for two months after they shut my internet and phone off, which was a seperate thing and bill altother, and still no cable. Finlly the housing authority refunded me forty eight dollars. Then I had about 9 local channels. I had the Discovery Channel coming thru my internet speakers intermittenly and when I ask them to rectify that a service man pulled into the complex, got his little ladder and disconnected the tv i did have. I am disabled and have end stage cirossis. On disabilty at a fixed income. They had billed me $251 when the correct amount was $81 for the two months that were owed. So of course i paid the $81 amount when they sent me the correct bill. However my service was still off. Even though the bill was paid and it was thier billing error. By the way Discovery still comes thru my internet, thanks a bunch comcast. Your service cable dumb guy didnt knock or say squat to anyone. I had no idea when he would be here. Now after ordering the 25 channel line up three times on my new account (dont ask me why i needed a brand new account) I have spent around 5 hours in chat and two days waiting to see if anyone shows up. So far im thinking of selling the damn big screen. What a dumb ass company. No tech has the faintest idea what they are doing. An your canned type. Sure you care how i am. Where do you live? The Phillipines? Ever been to america let alone Denver? Why cant you even text in proper english? Not matter how many times you tell me you can fix the problem i think your high on opium or something. Do you ever make notes? Can you remember my name address last 4 digits or freakin acct # for more than 10 seconds? Do you even know how to open my account? Why do I have two accounts , maybe 3 or who knows 356, one for each day of the year. Im a new customer eh? I see. Why wont you send me my billing statements from the very first day? Why do you say I started my service on Oct 1 when it was actually 2008 in september? Why cant you give me the set up I had? Why cant you get the bill right, ever. Who ordered HBO on my account and where are all the fancy adapters and dvd gadgets you say i have and oh , by the way , how do they work? Can you give me a clue what they look like? Bigger than a bread box say???? Can you please give me your id number. Please give me your id number. Say things over and over. joe blow 1314 poplar street apt 32, worthington colorado 87633. If i call you i get this girl who says “did you know?” Ah yeah dumb ass, I know. You told me 500 times while i wait for a real person. What are you anyway, senile you crack addict? Where do you get these names Cherry White? WTF? My name is Bog Yama, sure it is buddy. Seniors are getting stolen from with all the bill goughing. I suggest you look at all the comcast bills in this hud low rent housing unit. A lot of these old crippled people who worked all thier lives and now cant even walk got some money coming attorney general. Comcast is even a worse nitemare than Qwest or AOL or MCI. All total rip offs. Lets see Comcast give you the price they promise. Show everything in black and white. And then I have something to take to the BBB. Believe me I may have to crawl to Denver but I WILL file a complaint with them. And anyone else who offers me a complaint to file or a class action suit. I just began to investigate comcast and thier errors and lies and promises and bull today. Amazing what I found. Many sites directed at Comcast and lots of people treated like they did me. I have three orders in for the same o same o forensic files, tru tv. reruns, foreign lauguages, shopping channels, informercials and more. All for only , Spin the Big Wheel Vana, 3.7 times your real bill. Wow congradulations. We here at the show sure hope you enjoy the wake up calls that come with comcast. Also we have taken the care to make it a recorded call so you can call back when ever you feel like a days wait. No thanks necessary. Its my pleasure to assist you and let me assure you I can fix this problem. What is the error code you are getting? I am sorry but I will have to hand this over to an rep in that department, keep the window open while i contact someone please. Hello I am Jan Foo your comcast rep, how can I help you? Holy crap. Easier to forget the net and sell the tv and buy a cell phone ( I already have). I have a library across the street comcast so maybe you can shut me off for this but you cant shut me up. I want to see you die too. Like a real circus. All of us in the bleachers crowed around in the big top, elbow to elbow, comcast and the lions….. guess who the cheers will be for? Big old baby cats, dont be scared now lol.
Comment by wayne ewing — October 18, 2010 @ 11:07 pm
I upgraded my service recently with my comcast cable from basic to economy package. I was charged 16.00 as an “upgrade service fee”. This is NOT the charge for the partial month or for the new service, from what i understand it cost 16.00 to make a phone call and request an upgrade in service. The actualy change in service cost less than the phone call. This is hypocrisy.
Comment by Pamela — November 9, 2010 @ 9:50 pm
I recently moved and Comcast came in an installed cable for TV, phone and Internet services. None. None of these is working properly. Comcast has been out three times now with no improvement. I get booted off my sloooooooooow Internet connection everyday. “Network error” is always popping up and I have to reboot my computer. It can 30 minutes just to sift through a few emails. Comcast came out to “fix” the problem and once the moment the worker left, I had NO Internet service. Thanks. Glad I waited from Noon to 6:00 for that. My computer-savvy friend had to come and fix what Comcast had destroyed.
The TV sound and picture are out of sync. This I am told is because my connection is weak, but again, Comcast does nothing to improve its service. They don’t have to. They have the monopoly. I hate Comcast and its employees are about as useful as Postal workers.
Comment by Diana — January 19, 2011 @ 12:38 pm
Last month, I noticed that my internet connection was incredibly slow (200ms+ pings, 2mbps dow nand 1.5 Mbps up on average). I called comcast and they sent a technician who told me that everything from the street to my computer was working fine. But, the line into our street connection was dropping packets. He said he’d refer it to line maintenance to fix. After another week of slow service, I called again (#2) and explained the problem and what the tech had said. They insisted they needed to send another tech to my house who repeated the tests and confirmed it was a line problem into our street connection. After another week and still slow service I called again( #3), explained the problem and wanted to know when the line would be fixed. Phyllis, the rep would not let me speak to a supervisor when I requested it. She said she would contact their line maintenance and call me back tomorrow. The next day, NO followup-call from Phyllis. But, I noticed that the tech was back. He said he told his boss it was a line problem. But, his boss told him to come out and check again. Still same problem, a bad line. Any suggestions on how I can get comcast to fix this. i’m paying for high speed internet and getting DSL speeds. I hate monopolies and comcast
Comment by JOEL OSPA — February 4, 2011 @ 12:00 pm
I have not been a Comcast customer for several years, however, some of my neighbors are. There is a Comcast cable box attached to the side of my townhouse. On Tuesday, 2/1/11, strong winds blew the lid off the box and the lid is dangling from the cable box with a cable wire h olding it up, posing a danger to anyone passing by. It is also banging loudly against the side of the building.
On Saturday, 2/5/11, a Comcast technician was in the area. I asked him if he could put the lid back on and he just got in his truck and drove off. On Monday, 2/7/11, I called Comcast, explained the problem and requested they send someone out ASAP because of the possible danger. I was told a tech would be out on Wednesday. Late Wednesday afternoon I called Comcast to get a status of the technician. I was told a technician would not be out until 2/16/11. I asked to speak to a manager. After waiting on the phone for more than 20 minutes, I was told a manager would call me back. Today is Thursday, 2/10/11m 6:40 p.m. I have not received a call back.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SOMEONE FROM COMCAST NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR EQUIPMENT ASAP!
Comment by Sylvia — February 10, 2011 @ 8:00 pm
I have been a customer for many years, Comcast service SUCKS!!!! Just recently we have had to exchange our DVR box several times…. They have replaced our main line twice.. Replaced our modem twice and just in the last three months, we have been having problems getting On Demand.. They were supposed to come out twice in the last week to look at the DVR box, but when they called and I answered YES we will be here, No one showed up!!!! Now it’s my birthday and All I want is to watch a movie, and am unable to.. SO after calling the customer service three times in the last 24 hours, I have no service, waiting for the cable box to reset yet again!!!!!!!! this is the second time they have done this reset! Not including the unplug routine several times too..My wife, My children and myself ARE NOT HAPPY CAMPERS!!!!
Comment by Kevin Kiper — February 12, 2011 @ 7:54 pm
I am going to return the Comcast (Motorola) HD DVR cable box. I would have returned it already if Comcast had not made a mess of the the transition from phone/internet cable modem (which I also have to return) to my customer owned modem. Apparently changing the MAC address for the modem I use also has to take 2 full hours on the phone with five different Comcast employees.
But that is another story. First I want to post here why I will return my cable box. This will also be presented to Comcast in a lette when I bring them the equipment, but I have little hope that anything will be done with that.
Dear Comcast,
I am returning the HD DVR cable box because I find that the design and technology of this device is very disappointing. Only the complacency of a de-facto monopoly can explain the lack of thought and forward thinking that is apparent in this Motorola device. I have listed some of my specific complaints below in the hope that you will take another critical look at the device you offer with your premium cable service and look for a better product in the future (such as the MOXI).
I advise you to study the interface of the latest Tivo, MOXI and even the old ReplayTV DVR units and seriously attempt to improve on the best features of all of those. You do have to deal with competition from iTunes/Apple TV and other online suppliers and instead of attempting to fight them off with internet service bandwidth restrictions. I would hope you will adopt a more honest strategy and compete fairly by offering better quality for competitive prices. Ultimately this could lead to profits without irritating your customers.
Regards,
Ronald Ouwerkerk
Complaints about Comcast HD DVR
The device is positively hostile towards people with a hearing disability.
- The closed captioning subtitles can only be switched on and off on the setup menu that can be made to appear when the DVR is powered on. Unfortunately the closed captioning shields most of the user interface menus so operation of the DVR/cable box is nearly impossible with closed captioning on.
The method for accessing the menu to switch to another live show, on-demand program or DVR recording is:
o Switch the DVR off
o Disable the CC in the setup menu
o Go to DVR, on demand or program guide
o Find what you need
o Now switch the device off again
o Reactivate CC
o Go back to the now obscured menu
o Pick the item of choice by navigating the menu from memory
o Watch the show.
o Repeat the procedure for any other shows you want to watch.
Who is the interface design wizard that came up with this workflow for the hearing impaired?
- Even if not hearing impaired, I want CC: When my kid is just sleeping I like to keep the volume down. To still get catch soft spoken dialogue I need CC. Not possible with the Motorola DVR/cable box! The volume has to be extra low because the volume in advertising is invariably way too loud. This prevents me from having the volume on a level where I can hear conversations in the content I want.
- I understand that if I switch the link between TV and DVR/cable box to an inferior non-HDMI linkage I might regain control over the CC through the TV. Deaf and hard of hearing should make do with less image quality?
- The problem is however not the link. It is the total absence of a CC on/off button on the Motorola remote combined with the menu layout that is set to overlap with CC when it is on.
Highly irritating PIP in the top right hand corner.
- The Picture In Picture (PIP) is an unwanted feature. It serves no purpose whatsoever when using the guide. The PIP then continues to shows the program that I am trying to leave by going to a channel guide or on-demand or DVR menu. If I wanted to continue watching it I would stay on that channel.
- The PIP is also to blame for the aforementioned conflict between CC and the menus. If only we did not have to watch the PIP showing the current channel, (or in the On-demand menu, promotions for On-demand shows) there would be no sound and thus the CC would not have to be there at all, covering the menu! Also, the menu layout could be better so any lingering CC is in an area where it does not interfere.
- The PIP showing the current channel could be on anything we watched the night before. So, if my child wants to pick a show recorded on DVR it may be set to HBO showing Larry David at 7PM using inappropriate language.
Do not even think about telling me to use parental filters etc.. I do not feel that I have to block something that I do not pick. I seldom need to see the current live channel when my intention is to pick a DVR recording. Get rid of it! Use the pace to make the menus more ergonomic. Or, at least give a setup menu option to remove it.
- The PIP will often show a live channel with advertising This means the volume is suddenly much, much, higher than in the rest of the program content. I need to lower the volume when all I wanted to do is pick a show. Comcast should regulate the volume of the content so I do not have to continuously adjust the volume between ads and actual useful content.
- If advertising is shown in the little screen it means I am exposed to and add without getting the content sponsored by that add (since I do not intend to watch this channel at all). If I need to pay extra to watch content without adds, I in return need to be paid for having my life invaded by ads without getting anything else in return for it.
Programming the device to record how and when I want is difficult
- Programming a show by title search does not always work. On replay TV I had the DVR programmed to record all shows with “cycling” in the title from the Versus channel. This cannot be achieved on the Motorola. When is something a series and when is it an individual show?
- When I get search results it could be that several individual hits are what I want to record. The list of search hits does not show the time and channel until I pick an item.
- -I can restrict the programming to one channel only but not to one weekday only or one timeframe only. This was possible on the replay TV.
- -If I see a show that is halfway through I cannot set up a series recording to recorded future showings and repeats. If I select find shows to record in the DVR menu I may find the show that I want to record, but while it is still playing the DVR switched to watching the show in progress instead of allowing me to set up a recording (so that I can record a rerun of the episode without spoiling the plot by watching the transmission that I half missed).
- Once I picked an item from the search list I cannot go back to the search hit list pick another item without initiating a new search.
The user interface is poorly designed
- Apart from the afore mentioned PIP and resulting shortage of screen real estate the interface is badly designed in terms of menu navigation. When going into On-Demand submenus the only way back is the ‘last’ button’. Good menu design always includes a menu option to go one menu level up (i.e. a way back with the navigation buttons instead of looking for a special ‘last’ button on the remote).
- From On-demand he return to guide can work out two ways: If I choose HBO on-demand (which is not an obvious subcategory of the general on-demand) I need to go via channel 299. When I exit HBO on-demand I land on an arbitrary previously chosen other channel, not on or near 299. Thus, going in and out of HBO on demand can entail a lot of channel travel or extra menu steps. The general On-demand exits into the channel guide at channel 1. Why not next to the HBO channel guide or be a submenu of On-demand?
- The channel guide is a mix of HD and normal channels with a lot of the normal channels duplicated in HD. Why not have ABC normal and ABC HD next to each other, or some switch HD to non-HD?
- The alphanumeric input (as used for searches) is cumbersome. The device does not allow a Bluetooth or USB link to a keyboard or computer.
- There is no Wifi or other wireless link to my computer network that would allow programming the DVR from a decent GUI on a computer. Bluetooth, USB and Wifi have been around for a while! Use it! I should be able to control the box from my computer, iPhone or iPod touch.
The remote control is poorly designed
- As mentioned before, the switching on-and-off of the closed captioning is cumbersome. This should be a function on the remote.
- The skip forward button is not obvious (hidden as an up triangle or an A?). Skipping forward is one of the most important functions of a DVR. It allows me to avoid ads.
The channel guide menu is hard to navigate
- Too many channels and too few lines make it hard to search channels for content. If you need to travel from channel 40 to one of the HBO channels (300+) you are bound to overshoot or undershoot by about 50 channels.
- The movement through the list is jerky. There are two speeds: too slow and too fast.
- If you know all of the channel numbers the direct addressing method works well for channel numbers > 99, but if less than three digits are entered the operation is less transparent.
- There is no filter to reduce the number of displayed channels. A filter could reduce the list to only sports, movie or news content.
- If HD and non-HD versions of the same network were displayed on the same spot, as I suggested under interface issues, the guide listing would be much shorter.
- Why is there no guide listing filtering possible as there is on the web listings of Comcast programming?
- The channel guide shows channels that I do not have a subscription for. Why are they there?
Programs often fail to record
- Some programs do not record or do not play back. I have found shows recorded that on playback show the green progress bar with the correct program duration (e.g. 2:01 for a two hour program) but the screen is black and skipping ahead does not advance the pointer nor result in anything other than more black screen.
- When a show is recording and I switch to On-demand and pick a movie, the recorded show will be incomplete. No warning is given. Only upon replay of the recorded show we find that the recording failed.
- Some programs do not record at all. This can be due to a priority setting. Usually because a rerun of a show we have already seen gets priority over a new episode. If only we could lock the time slot per show!
HD recordings are not really HD
- During playback recordings of HD transmissions have black bands on all sides. I am not one of those people who do not want black bands ever. I would like to automatically always get the right aspect ratio, but at the maximal possible screen filling, whether this be with bands below and above or bands on the sides. There is however never a good reason to have black bands on al sides. I can set my TV to zoom, but why do I have to do that and why is the recorded signal less than 720 lines vertical I have a 32 inch Sony Bravia with a max of 720 lines, the TV will interpolate any signal up or down (when it is true 1080) to that resolution. The only reason the black lines are visible is because the DVR sends them to my TV as content.
The skip function is not very good.
- My old ReplayTV 5040 could automatically skip ad blocks. Not always flawless, but it worked most of the time. Advance in technology should by now have this functionality perfected. ReplayTV has not updated much since designing this machine, but a newer DVR such as the HD Motorola should be better. In fact why not save disk space by not recording the ads at all? I will skip them anyway!!
- The skip forward button location on the remote is obscure. This should be a button labeled >>| (and it ought to skip to the next segment of real programming).
- The skip forward is longer than the skip backward and not an integer multiple thereof. If skipping forward I overshoot by one button-press, I have to skip multiple jumps back, but one skip back does not get me to the previous jump point.
- There is no slider functionality that would allow me to instantaneously go to halfway a two hour show. Going forward one hour in 30 sec. jumps or fast-forward with 4x or 8x play speed is very tedious.
- In the time bar shown during skips of fast forward there is no clear demarcation of the position of the add blocks. This makes them hard to avoid (which is the whole point of a DVR).
- The skip forward and skip backward jumps are much greater in an on-demand viewing. This inconsistency means that often when I mean to skip an ad I end up 5 minutes or more forward in the program. Since viewing DVR recording involves an inordinate amount of ad skipping I often make the mistake to use the skip button when viewing on-demand and with that I overshoot the target and have to skip back. This does not enhance my viewing pleasure at all.
Programs sound volume levels vary too much between channels
- When switching from one channel to another the sound volume level varies too much. If it is technically possible to have al commercials at the loudest level it should also be possible to limit the sound level differences between channels. As it is now we need to constantly adjust the volume even if we switch between two channels that have the same type of sound content (e.g polite conversations).
Comment by Ronald Ouwerkerk — February 20, 2011 @ 10:07 am
First I want to say I am 100 percent disabled!!! My account was past due so I called my son and asked him if he would make a payment on my comcast account!!! All I can do is watch Tv, he said yes and came over and went on line to make a payment for me, In red letters it said call a comcast agent we can not except your payment at this time!!! So I call make a payment. My son gets a call from his school saying his check bounced, Why because took the payment from me then when my account was up to date the computer took another payment and gave me a credit on my account!!! So for two weeks now I have been fighting with them!!! Telling them that Bank of America has told me that it is happening alot with comcast!!!! So I told them what they did was make my son not able to get his books for school or I give him the money and I become homeless!! If anyone else has had this happen please send me and email at juliapalter@gmail.com because I have over 50 people who will be part of a class action LAW SUITE!!!!! They don’t care that I will be sleeping in my car, I won’t let my son fail!!!! So please let the world no what they are doing!!
Thank you
Comment by julia larini — May 3, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
I have been trying to explain to the technicians at comcastrations that when service for television is interrupted during business hours.It is a problem in suply and not a problem in receiving. All they want to do is send a technician out. Why? I don’t know. Unless they try to charge you for it. I’ve been calling and calling. And yes I’ve gotten temporary help and never have they offered to send a tech. Not until I asked who I can make a formal complaint to. The way this company is run you might think its one of those government owned ones. Not only is that non constitutional but it should be unlawful.
Comment by john smith — June 6, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
Our Comcast cable has been out for 9 days.
My mother, a teerminal canceer patient, relies on television to keep her distracted from the pain and anxiety of facing death. I have informed Comcast of our situation daily. Daily I have been promised that we would be taken care of very soon. Last night I was told that someone would be here today to finish the job ( I am told we need a bucket truck for about 5 min.) So when I called to see where the bucket truck was I was informed that the earliest we could expect service was July 5 (today is the 23rd of June) that is twelve days away and we have already been without service for 9 days.
So much for corporate compassion.
Comment by Donna Suttle — June 23, 2011 @ 11:48 am
I have been using Comcast for there services for a little over a year now. When i set up my services i got the 12 Mbps internet and also i got the basic cable package. I wanted a bit faster internet so on top of the 12 Mbps i added 10 Mbps to it to total 22 Mbps. This was added on for only an extra $22 a month with my bill totaling around $125 a month. When i got on the internet for the first time i did a speed check and the results were 22 Mbps then it would drop within about 1.5 seconds to exactly 12 Mbps. I had always thought that the problem was on my part because i had an outdated rougher and an older motherboard in my PC. Over the coarse of the year after first starting the service i had finally replaced everything on my end that had to do with my internet connection. The problem still persisted never getting above 12 Mbps. I got on live chat with a Comcast “rep” witch after she looked over my account said that there were two internet codes on my account… one was for my 22 Mbps that i have been paying for for over a year now and another code for 12 Mbps. The rep then deleted the code and reset my modem from her end. Once she finished up she told me to do the speed test witch turned out great…. I was now getting my full speed! I was so happy but now the only problem that i had was my over paying for the year that i have had the service. The rep said it would be no problem and she gave me a number to call for the billing department.
The next day i called the billing department and that rep saw what the problem was after looking over my chat with the rep the previous day and she offered a refund. The refund would span over the next YEAR AND A HALF…. yes thats right… she offered me $20 a month for 6 months then $10 a month for 12 months off of my bill. I declined the offer and so she had to put me on hold for a supervisor. I guess the problem was escalated because of the amount of money witch was $240 for the $20 extra a month for 12 months i had payed. The rep got back on the phone and said i would get a call from the sup. the next day.
The third day i got a call from the supervisor. She reviewed the notes on my account and then started asking me questions like i was in an interrogation for committing a crime. she wanted to know why it took me a year to get my internet speed problem resolved…. i told her as she can read in the transcript from my live chat that i thought the problem was with my equipment. ( wireless router or my motherboard) and after i finally got it all replaced i still didnt see a change in my internet speeds so that is why i got on live chat and the rep told me about the extra code in your systems. The supervisor i had to explain my problem to again then told me that she did not think that i was going to get a refund because there was no proof that it was there fault and it took me a year to get it fixed. I guess that is when i went off…. lol She then got off the phone to talk to her supervisor. Once she got back on she said that she had put a claim in and that i will be hearing from the department the next day. She also guaranteed that if i did not hear from the department then she would personally call me that day to take care of the situation. I did not believer her so she gave me her name and ID NUMBER witch is (((((((((( Amia ID # 2z6)))))))).
It is day three of waiting on Amia ID # 2z6 and or the claim department to call me. Also my wife witch is also on the account called and filed a claim with the billing department. She is supposed to hear from them tomorrow…. lol
I will get this resolved and i really dont care what it takes.. To me it is about PURPOSE now.
ACC # 8220177091238116
Comment by Garret — August 19, 2011 @ 3:08 pm
Didn’t think Comcast customer service could get any worse but somehow they’ve managed!! After finally bypassing their endless voice recognition loop, I was transferred 6 times to 4 different departments and a never ending stream of employees with no interest in the customer, no interest in helping and absolutely no knowledge about how to fix the problem. Oh and did I mention that in order to receive their non-existent help and customer service I was also on hold for over 90 minutes???? Isn’t there anyone in that company who cares?? Their leadership and customer service trainers should be fired.
Comment by R. Russell — September 20, 2011 @ 9:56 am
Comcast interruped my service incorrectly. By incorrectly, I mean they screwed up. I spent over an hour working my way through their phone system only to be cut off three times. After finally, finally struggling through the insanity, a very polite computer voice told me “Please call back between normal business hours”. If only I could have asked ‘what exactly are normal business hours’, I might not have thrown the phone.
Comment by Michele — September 22, 2011 @ 5:08 am
I started the process of getting internet service from comcast Xfinity site on the 9th of
September. I was given a time of the 14th between 4pm and 7 pm to have this installed. No one showed up and I called customer service to find out why no one showed up. After telling my story to three different people I was told they never received an order. That person then said they would reschedule this for installation (huh reschedule….I thought you never received the order). She was going to “Call dispatch” and have them come out sometime tomorrow between 3pm and 5pm. I told her I would be out of town but that I would drive back over which I did 2 1/2 hours drive one way. Needless to say no one showed up and I again called Customer service and had the exact same run around on the phone for close to an hour having to tell each person the story. I finally got to a rep that told me she would “email dispatch” and she would call me to tell me what time they would be there that night. She said that she would call me back to let me know one way or the other. No call back, no one came so I decided it was time to say screw Comcast and use a broadband wireless card. Monday morning Comcast shows up and ofter over an hour of trying to install they say the wiring doesnt have a good enough signal and they need to get new wire run. I called customer service????? again same run around as always and then was put on hold. 2 hours later I hung up and decided Comcast Xfinity has major problems and is not something I want to spend my hard earned money on. Comcast has a Nightmarish system and the lack of service and disregard for customer complaints and issues are ridiculous. WARNING WARNING WARNING………COMCAST XFINITY WILL LEAVE YOU FRUSTERATED AND ANGRY DO NOT SPEND YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON THIS HORRIBLE COMPANY. I AM GOING TO PUSH FOR THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO BOOT THEM OUT OF HERE AS MANY HERE ARE TIRED OF THEM!
Comment by John Black — September 28, 2011 @ 11:32 am
The above is from Panama City Beach, Florida where I live at Baypoint Resort. I am having signs made right now that I will be placing on vehicles as well as bumper stickers.
Comment by John Black — September 28, 2011 @ 11:34 am
I was a Comcast subscriber for many years until I decided to try Qwest (now Century Link) in 2010. In November 2011, I decided to give them a try once again because of an advertised deal (6 months $30 internet + digital preferred TV). What a joke!! Within a few hours after I was connected, I called Customer Service to ask if I could upgrade to the next TV tier because the included channels in the deal where only my local Seattle stations which I can pick up (clearer than cable) with a digital antenna. When they advertised “Digital Preferred”, I assumed I would get the locals plus a few extra channels like Discovery, Travel, ect. This deal didn’t even include CNN or MSNBC!! The CS agent I spoke with told me my bill would increase to $110/month if I decided to upgrade to the next tier because the “deal” would be null and void. Alas, I didn’t upgrade.
I called CS on the 29th day to cancel my service under the Comcast Customer Satisfaction Guarantee. I spoke to “Raven” who told me the service would be cancelled that day and I would owe $0 as long as I returned the equipment (which I did a few days later). I called back later that afternoon because Raven failed to give me a cancellation number,and spoke with “Brian” who told me I was indeed cancelled and my cancellation number was the date (12072011).
Today, I received a bill in the mail for $201. I called Comcast @4:35pm PST and spoke to “Janet” in billing, explaining that I should owe nothing because I cancelled on the 29th day. She put me on hold for a few minutes to check the history on the account. Janet came back on the line and told me the account was cancelled over 30 days after connection, therefore, the guarantee did not apply. When I asked to speak to a Supervisor, she told me she could not. When I asked why not, she said she would take down me phone number and a Supervisor would call me back within 48 hours (unbelievable!!)I told her I would be willing to wait on hold to speak to someone, but she insisted that they will call me back.
I received a call from Janet (not a Supervisor) about 20 minutes later and sent it to voicemail. She stated on the voicemail that my account has been adjusted to $0. I am saving the voicemail because I don’t trust them and will use it in small claims court or as evidence in a complaint to the WA Attorney Generals office if I have to.
I will NEVER subscribe to Comcast again. I am very happy with the speed of my Century Link internet connection, and love my Roku!! Listen up Comcast, STREAMING IS THE FUTURE, I hope your company becomes obsolete soon. I will never consider Comcast again, even for Internet only.
By the way, I wonder how many people would have just paid the bill without calling them? I’m sure they make millions of $$ in billing errors.
WE ARE THE 99%!!
Comment by streamer98101 — January 23, 2012 @ 8:47 pm