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Lower Your Comcast Bill by $7 (or more) Without Negotiating!

Most people don’t realize this, but it’s pretty easy to cut $7 or more off of your Comcast bill without spending a second haggling with customer service! How, you ask? Let us explain…

Many Comcast customers rent equipment from Comcast such as cable modems, routers, and other equipment. Comcast charges a monthly premium to rent this equipment, usually in excess of $7. For example, a ComcastBills.com reader who contacted us has been paying this same $7 amount each month (for over 3 years) to rent a cable modem. Think about that…over 3 years, that’s a total of $252, just to RENT a modem.

After doing a quick search on eBay, he realized that he could purchase the exact same model of modem he was renting (Arris TM502G – in used but excellent condition) for $21.99, with shipping included. When you do the math, after 3 months the modem is essentially “paid off” and you’ve got nothing but savings—bill after bill. In order to complete this process, he simply bought the modem on eBay, swapped it out with his, called Comcast and had them activate it, and returned the old equipment back to Comcast. Voila! Nothing but savings after that.

So, to review, here’s how you can get rid of your Comcast rental equipment and start saving:

1) Look for the brand and model numbers of any modems, routers, and other equipment that Comcast is charging you a rental fee for.

2) Search on sites like eBay and Craigslist for the same equipment. In most cases, used equipment will be priced the lowest and yield the most savings. Just make sure that you factor in how many months it would take you recoup the investment in the equipment—3 months or less is best.

3) Buy the equipment and wait for it to arrive.

4) Unplug your old equipment and hook up the new equipment.

5) Call Comcast (1-800-XFINITY / 1-800-934-6489) or chat with a technician online and have them activate your new equipment. If you have a new cable modem, you’ll need to speak with Comcast tech support and go through a short process that involves reading them a few serial numbers and other information.

6) Return the old equipment to Comcast.

7) Enjoy the savings month-after-month.

That’s all you need to do to get rid of monthly charges like these:

It may be hard to believe, but it’s really that easy to reduce your Comcast bill without negotiating. Most people don’t realize how much the monthly equipment rental charges add up to be after a few months. You can easily purchase good quality, used equipment for only a few months worth of rental charges, and stop paying rental fees!

2 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

It Takes the City to Spark Change

So, it seems the only way for Comcast customers to be heard is not, as we hear time and time again, to call the customer service helpdesk, but to get the whole town involved! Savannah City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney and Alderman Tony Thomas are holding townhall meetings to hear the complaints raised by Comcast customers.

In mid-December, city officials asked residents to call the 311 help line with Comcast issues. Nearly 200 people called. Thomas says he received about 100 phone calls, too.

“We think this is a small percentage of people having problems,” said Bret Bell, the city’s director of public information.”

The hope is not to control the service but to bring other competitors into the downtown area.

Small-Toney also advised Comcast officials at a meeting Wednesday she was authorizing a request for proposals to see whether other franchises, including AT&T and Hargray, would provide services downtown. Comcast provides service only to a few isolated businesses north of Broughton Street, including City Hall, city officials said.

There’s something to be said about requiring the whole town to get involved in order to create change. Community involvement is great, but not when those involved are being held in a stranglehold by the only service provider in the area.

Read the full article here

130 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Cut the Cord

Here’s something interesting. Business Insider says if you cut the cable cord and cancel your Comcast or cable services and invested the money you would have spent, you could make up to $4 million in a ROTH/IRA account.

Assuming you started paying for cable at age 23 and continued until you were 80, if the bill went up about $3.75 in today’s dollars, you’d spend about $53,865 over 57 years.

To see just how much you could earn by investing, visit http://www.businessinsider.com/want-to-get-4-million-richer-cut-the-cable-bill-now-2012-1

137 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Let’s Make a Deal!

Here’s an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal:

Every three to six months, when his most recent promotional deal expires, Carey Anthony blocks out an hour of his day to negotiate with his cable company. Each time, the president of a software company in Los Angeles says he can knock $20 to $30 off his monthly bill.

Lauren Schuker on The News Hub has some tips on how to trim your cable bill, such as asking your service provider for unadvertised deals. Photo: AP

“Negotiating works every time,” says Mr. Anthony, 46, who estimates he has saved more than $350 a year over the past decade. “Sometimes you have to threaten to cancel service, or switch to another provider, or sit on hold for an hour, but I’ve never failed to get a discount,” he says. “You just have to be diligent.”

As prices for cable services have surged over the past 10 years and the faltering economy has pressured household incomes, a growing number of cable customers face skyrocketing bills.

Today, the average cable TV subscriber pays about $128 a month in fees for all services, including TV, Internet and phone—nearly three times the $48 they paid each month in 2001, according to estimates by research firm SNL Kagan.

The increase is largely the result of sharply rising costs of programming, particularly sports. The TV networks pass those additional costs onto the operators, which in turn pass them onto consumers.

Cable-company executives have said publicly that they’re worried rising costs could drive consumers away. The largest U.S. cable company, Comcast Corp., lost 442,000 video subscribers in the first nine months of this year, though this was fewer than in the same period last year. No. 2 Time Warner Cable Inc. lost 319,000 over the same period.

Read the full article here.

142 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

How to watch the latest season of Dexter and Homeland for almost nothing!

Not everyone knows this, but Comcast offers Premium Channels such as SHOtime and HBO on a “pro-rated basis”. What this means is, if you are savvy, you can watch full seasons of the latest, hottest TV shows, for practically less than the cost of one DVD rental. I just watched all of Dexter, Homeland and Boardwalk Empire next to nothing.

Here’s how you do it.

You call Comcast (1-800-266-2278) and activate a premium channel, in this case let’s say it’s SHOtime. The current promotion, at the time of this writing, is $10/month for your first 12 months.

You will be charged a one-time fee of $1.99 for activating the channel. OK, so be it.

Now, if you go to your On-Demand menu, and look up your Premium Channel for SHOtime, you will see that they have stored all of the episodes from the most recent season of “Dexter”, or the new hit show, “Homeland.”

You can now start at episode 1, and watch the whole series in order. Then when you are done, you can call Comcast back and cancel the service. You will only be charged for the days you’ve used, at the rate of $10/month, or $0.33/day.

In my case, I activated Shotime last week after reading that Barack Obama thought Homeland was one of the best shows on TV. A quick google search showed me that the program aired on SHOtime, and that the final episode was this Sunday. I looked through my guide and I could see all of the episodes were available for SHO time subscribers. I activated the service and then spent a week watching all 12 episodes.

As soon as I was done, I canceled the service. In all it cost me $4.66 to see the whole series. $1.99 was for the upfront fee, and then $2.67 was the pro-rated cost of 8 days of SHOtime.

If I waited for the DVD version of the season to come out at my local video store, I’m sure there would have been 4 or 5 discs at a rental cost of $4.99 each. Doing it this way let me watch them all for a sixth of the cost.

We hope this helps some of you save some money on your Comcast Bills!

153 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Comcast is a Monster

Here’s a comment we just got about how horrible Comcast is:

Allow me to share my Comcast tale with you.

I called in on the 6th of September, cancelled, had TDS put in, then found out today they have no record of me calling in and I’m still being charged for cable and internet. They said I only cut off my phone with them. I now see why people take guns into places and shoot up the building. Comcast is a monster and I hate everything about them down to the automated voice recordings. If I could wage war against them without being arrested, I would. I’d love to release a disease covered rodent into all it’s buildings. I’d love to find out the owners address and continue to send him invoices for NOTHING, and turn in his credit when he doesnt pay them. If I was rich, I’d buy Comcast, just so I could run it into the ground. With every fiber of my being, I hope they go under due to the stupidity of their employees.

235 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

COMCASTBILLS Update

Due to the overwhelming traffic and number of frustrated Comcast customer inquiries we’ve been getting lately, we are exploring ways to reactivate this site.

We understand and feel your pain and we’re going to be posting more ideas and solutions on how you can lower your bills, and find quality alternatives, in the near future.

Please bear with us we get back online. Risk free alternatives in the interim include:

For Internet:

- Clearwire.com

For Televison Programming:

- Hulu.com

- Netflix.com

Thank you,

The Comcast Bills Team

305 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Want a Lower Comcast Bill plus Upgraded Service?

Our most recent bill shared came with this interesting note:

“Final bill for the next 11 months, with promo. Old bill was about $200 (since old promos lifted) until I called and complained, and they lowered the price down, plus upgraded our services.”

So, just give our old friends Comcast a call, complain a bit, and you too might just get your Comcast Bill lowered, while getting better service.

One more reason to think it’s all a crock.

619 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Replace Your $90 Comcast Bill for $10

The simplicity of this message is so good, I had to share.

One member over at GetSatisfaction.com says they cut their $90 Comcast bill by getting a $10 Netflix account. One more way to save money on your Comcast bill.

See the post here.

656 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

Comcast Would Rather Lose a $3,000 per Year Customer Over $200

This is a good one. I received this in my inbox the other day and it’s pretty unbelievable. This conversation was orignally posted on CraigsList, but I’ve copied it here for everyone to read and marvel at the craziness of this company.

A little background:

A Comcast customer contacts the online chat support after having received an email saying his account will be suspended or deleted. The conversation goes back and forth, and what it boils down to is that there is confusion in the Comcast system as to whether or not this customer has returned their old, outdated, $200 converter box.

He pays almost $3,000 per year to Comcast… You do the math.

Here goes:

Dumb Comcast conversation (Hollywood, FL)

Date: 2010-07-18, 1:35AM EDT

See how dumb Comcast is. Read this ridiculous conversation with a Comcast rep with their service department on line. Lose a $3000 per year subscriber over an old cable box from over 4 years ago being accused of not being returned.

Customer Edward_ has entered room

EDWARD>
Hello, I got an email message saying to contact you here or my email address will be suspended or deleted? I have a lot linked to this email address, it has been mine for almost 10 years. Please help me, I don’t understand what the problem is.

analyst Walter has entered room

Walter>
Hello Edward_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Walter. Please give me one moment to review your information.

Walter>
Let me begin this conversation by letting you know how sorry I am for the trouble you are experiencing right now. I understand what you are going through and this has not been a simple inconvenience. To completely rectify this situation, as your Comcast service representative, I want you to know that issue resolution and your satisfaction are my top priorities for today. I believe you are the right person to work with with this issue. Together, we can work this out.

Walter>
I understand you have a Comcast email address associated to your disconnected account at a former address, right?

Edward_>
I’m not sure what you mean. I moved to Florida from New Jersey 3 years ago, I’ve had a comcast account for years.

Walter>
I can resolve this issue for you today.

Walter>
May I have your Comcast account number please?

Edward_>
1 moment

Edward_>
i am looking it up

Walter>
Thank you, Edward.

Edward_>
i get electronically billed, the last 4 digits are 7846, so can you ask me another question

Walter>
Allow me to look it up for you.

Walter>
May I have the last four digits of your Social Security Number, this will verify the security provided to your Comcast account, so we can proceed.

Edward_>
7—-

Walter>
Thank you very much, allow me time to process this one for you.

Walter>
Kindly give me two minutes to process this for you.

Edward_>
Thanks!

Walter>
Alright, I found your current and active account:

Walter>
SHEILA KLE—–, 4917 xxxx TER HOLLYWOOD,FL 33312, correct?

Edward_>
correct

Walter>
Alright, and the Comcast email in question, es****@comcast.net is associated to a disconnected account at 70 ******* LN MONROE TOWNSHIP,NJ 08831M, under your name.

Edward_>
I lived there 3 years ago then my work moved us to FL.

Walter>
Yes, and now Comcast detected this and is asking you to transfer this email to your active account at Hollywood, FL, so it will not be deleted in the system.

Edward_>
yes please.

Walter>
However I checked the former account in Township, NJ, there is an unreturned converter box, you need to return this first to the local office for us to proceed.

Edward_>
????, we dropped it off to them 3 years ago and they gave us a pink or yellow form. If you ask me now to provide you with that form, I will flip out….This is 3 years later!! I can’t believe this.

Walter>
I am very sorry for the inconvenience, may I know which local office you dropped the converter box please?

Edward_>
It was 5 minutes away from our house in the next town over. I think it was Jamesburg

Walter>
Thank you.

Walter>
I need you to call the local office near Jamesburg.

Walter>
New Jersey – NJ
Burlington County: 609-871-6900
Central New Jersey: 609-655-1300
Garden State: 856-354-1660
Gloucester County: 856-853-7474
Jersey City: 201-432-1234
Long Beach Island: 609-494-8300
Meadowlands: 201-997-6600
Monmouth County: 732-542-7603
Northwest New Jersey: 908-689-3355
Ocean County: 732-920-2288
Somerset: 732-652-2700
Toms River: 732-286-2971
Trenton, Mercer County: 609-394-2288
Union: 732-602-7400
Voorhees: 856-354-1660

Walter>
So they can scan their records and have it cleared as soon as possible.

Edward_>
By the way, do you know that we are talking about a box that is analog and obsolete?? They were calling me to switch to digital because the box was going to be outdated and I told them that I was moving in a couple of months anyway and that I would be returning the box so to just hold off.

Walter>
After that, kindly chat back or call, so we can proceed with the transfer.

Walter>
I understand, however that box is a property of Comcast and I believe you were renting it base on the billing ledger here of the account.

Walter>
I do believe you returned the box, however local office did not clear it here, how I wish we can, but it needs evidence and only from them has that slip of evidence they can scan from their archive.

Walter>
May I know from the local offices I posted above, which one is nearer Jamesburg please?

Walter>
I am noting this down, so this will be properly investigated.

Edward_>
It obviously looks like their records will say I didn’t return the box because they are a bunch of losers. How much is this going to cost me to make this whole?

Edward_>
How much is the box?

Walter>
I understand, let me check, as you know the estimate is with the source or the local office.

Edward_>
You can’t be bringing this to my attention 3 years later. this is unbelievable.

Edward_>
This will be ending our relatinship if this isn’t resolved. I pay over $230 per month to comcast. they can kiss my ass goodbye if they delete my account over the bullsh-t.

Walter>
Yes, I strongly advise you now, to call local office in New Jersey near your account was, so they can have this “unreturned converter box” cleared so we can transfer your active Comcast email associated to the disconnected account to your Florida account.

Walter>
I checked, the analog converter box, is being estimated by our local office only. All we have here is its rented rate per month.

Edward_>
What local office and what’s the number of the office??

Walter>
And they will be personally be the one to process the transfer of e***k@comcast.net to your active account in Florida, to avoid its deletion.

Walter>
I personally apologize if I am not very familiar with the geography of New Jersey, kindly choose from these local offices we have in New Jersey state please:

Edward_>
My wife told me the office is in Twin lakes or Twin Rivers, NJ. Which office would that be?

Walter>
Alright, you may call any of the local office, or be redirected by them to the office associated with the one closest to Twin Lakes.

Walter>
Kindly give me two minutes, let me search our national directory, I can pin point the exact local office for you.

Walter>
Alright, be right back sir.

Walter>
Here are the closest three offices in your New Jersey neighborhood:

Walter>
East Windsor
Address: Hours:
90 Lake Drive
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Phone: 609-655-1300 Mon-Fri- 8:00 AM-7:00 PM, Sat- 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
2. East Brunswick
Address: Hours:
3 Auer Court
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Phone: 732-238-3300 Mon, Wed, Fri- 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, Teus, Thursday- 10:00 AM-7:00 PM, Closed for lunch from 12:50 AM-2:00PM, Sat- 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
3. Hazlet
Address: Hours:
1316 State Highway 36
Hazlet, NJ 07730
Phone: 732-739-3100 Monday – 8:30am-7pm, Tues – Fri – 8:30am-5pm, Closed Sat and Sun

Edward_>
I won’t be calling NJ to join on some easter Egg hunt and be part of a “he said she said, so pay us $200 for an old worthless box” game.. Our relationship with Comcast will be over once you delete my email address. I’ve also copied this entire conversation to send to regulators, my local congressman and your CEO, so that your CEO knows how dumb some of the policies at his company are and why they lost a customer that pays almost $3,000 per year in subscriptions….over a worthless box issue that I am being accused of 3 years later!!! I’m late to work now and stressed out because of this, have a nice day. Good bye.

Walter>
I am truly sorry Edward for this.

Walter>
I am noting this so we can make a drastic adjustment in our end.

Walter>
How I wish in my end, I can remove the tag on your New Jersey account, I truly know how you feel.

Edward_>
Save your company Walter. Don’t join the “Knucklehead Gang”. Take this conversation and escalate it. HAve an intelligent supervisor that has some power fix this and make it right. Have a nice weekend.

Walter>
I understand your point, allow me to inform my supervisor right now, and what she can provide, kindly hold for two minutes please.

Edward_>
ok

Walter>
Thank you, allow me to brief her shortly with what I have discovered here and the situation you are in and the policies we have, I understand you were already given an email about this transfer you need to do for e***k@comcast.net.

Edward_>
Comcast sends me emails of programs, movies, specials, etc…I delete every one of them. I get 1oo emails a day. I pay my comcast bill every month, you think I read emails from Comcast?? This one caught my eye because it had some kind of warning that looks like I have not paid my bill.

Walter>
I understand, I am glad you have paid attention to that important email, regarding this, I am confident this can be resolved and we can work this out.

Walter>
So you can start your day again fresh and in good mood, we don’t want to cause bother.

Edward_>
Please Walter… Imagine, $3,000 per year for 10 years = $30,000…gone to AT&T over a worthless Cable Box which I returned to a miserable Comcast lady behind a bullet proof glass who didn’t say thank you nor look up at me, just gave me a slip and I said goodbye

Walter>
Edward I thoroughly informed her the situation, she understand, and base on the process, she would likely tell you the same as what I said earlier for the resolution. Would you still like to chat with her?

Walter>
I can picture that, Edward, and I am embarrass with the picture. Truly sorry I am.

Edward_>
No, I’m signing out now. This will be a story I will be telling for a while to friends and family and at the water cooler at work if they cancel my email over this nonsense. Save your company, tell your supervisor to make sure they don’t cancel my email address.

668 days ago by ComcastBills.com 0

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