Getting Cable Requires Four Visits and the Police

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Need a cable modem installed quickly? If this guy's story is any indication of how Time Warner does things, you might want to go with another provider. :eek:

At this point, we just wanted him to leave without installing the Internet. He refused to do either. We eventually had to call the police to get this gentleman to leave us alone. I had expected the installer to leave when we called the police. However, he actually stuck around and kept on arguing until the cops came, which I couldn't believe.
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lol, what was the 4th installer's problem i wonder.
anyway, theres 1 job opening at TW now, im sure.
 
does TW do like comcast does out here on the west coast and subcontract it on to some of the shittiest installation companies alive? I had a guy come with a dirty sweat covered wifebeater on, and after a few questions he finally pulled out his lil ID that said Authorized Comcast Rep...its like come on!
 
XorCist said:
does TW do like comcast does out here on the west coast and subcontract it on to some of the shittiest installation companies alive? I had a guy come with a dirty sweat covered wifebeater on, and after a few questions he finally pulled out his lil ID that said Authorized Comcast Rep...its like come on!
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Yes, they subcontract.
 
XorCist said:
does TW do like comcast does out here on the west coast and subcontract it on to some of the shittiest installation companies alive? I had a guy come with a dirty sweat covered wifebeater on, and after a few questions he finally pulled out his lil ID that said Authorized Comcast Rep...its like come on!
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Usually, yes. All the installers I've had have been sub-par contractors. The people that come out for trouble calls are usually actual employees though.
 
XorCist said:
does TW do like comcast does out here on the west coast and subcontract it on to some of the shittiest installation companies alive? I had a guy come with a dirty sweat covered wifebeater on, and after a few questions he finally pulled out his lil ID that said Authorized Comcast Rep...its like come on!
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That's pretty much where "Larry the Cable Guy" came from.

"knock" "knock"
You order some cable? (looks at clipboard and house number) Yep it says right here you order some.

When my cusin had his dish setup, two good ol' boys had it up and running in about 20mins
 
I'm having a similar issue with Comcast right now.

I called Comcast (internet) and DirecTV (TV) on 9/9 to schedule moving my services for my move on 9/18. Everything went through great. She even said there would be no cost for the move when I first scheduled it. Both moves were scheduled for between 8 and 12.

DirecTV showed up and told me they couldn't get it set up at the new place because of a tree. That wasn't a big deal since I signed up for a promotional with Comcast for TV and internet. I just figured I'd use that and upgrade to a DVR later. Well, the Comcast guy never showed up.

I called customer service to see about scheduling someone to come out and get it installed. They tell me this is a technical issue, and I have to call back and select "2 then 2 again" on the menu to get the right people. I call them, and the first person tells me she's going send some sort of reset code to the cable modem and cable TV box to tell them to restart, and I had to call back if this doesn't work. Of course, it doesn't work because the physical connection to Comcast's system isn't even in place. So, I call again, and the next person tells me they'll send someone out to connect me.

The next installer never shows. It's noted in the customer service file that he had an incorrect number for me. I asked what number, and they tell me. It's my phone number from 1998! I haven't had that number since 2000, and somehow they still have it in their system after 11 years and 4 moves!

I call back again, and this time the lady tells me they have to charge $50 for the next call because it's a service call, not a move or install. I argue with her enough to get her to ask her supervisor to remove the charge, which she does, and then she tells me there is another $50 charge from the cancelled service call earlier in the day! I got her to get her supervisor to take that off as well.

Well, I have another service call scheduled for today to get it hooked up between 1 and 3. So far, no call, but he does have an hour and 20 minutes left.

If this one gets cancelled from some bogus reason, I'm ditching Comcast entirely, getting Century Link DSL (as much as I hate that company, they are the only other game in town) and watching my TV shows through Hulu. I will miss Doctor Who, but what else can I do?
 
dgingeri said:
I'm having a similar issue with Comcast right now.

I called Comcast (internet) and DirecTV (TV) on 9/9 to schedule moving my services for my move on 9/18. Everything went through great. She even said there would be no cost for the move when I first scheduled it. Both moves were scheduled for between 8 and 12.

DirecTV showed up and told me they couldn't get it set up at the new place because of a tree. That wasn't a big deal since I signed up for a promotional with Comcast for TV and internet. I just figured I'd use that and upgrade to a DVR later. Well, the Comcast guy never showed up.

I called customer service to see about scheduling someone to come out and get it installed. They tell me this is a technical issue, and I have to call back and select "2 then 2 again" on the menu to get the right people. I call them, and the first person tells me she's going send some sort of reset code to the cable modem and cable TV box to tell them to restart, and I had to call back if this doesn't work. Of course, it doesn't work because the physical connection to Comcast's system isn't even in place. So, I call again, and the next person tells me they'll send someone out to connect me.

The next installer never shows. It's noted in the customer service file that he had an incorrect number for me. I asked what number, and they tell me. It's my phone number from 1998! I haven't had that number since 2000, and somehow they still have it in their system after 11 years and 4 moves!

I call back again, and this time the lady tells me they have to charge $50 for the next call because it's a service call, not a move or install. I argue with her enough to get her to ask her supervisor to remove the charge, which she does, and then she tells me there is another $50 charge from the cancelled service call earlier in the day! I got her to get her supervisor to take that off as well.

Well, I have another service call scheduled for today to get it hooked up between 1 and 3. So far, no call, but he does have an hour and 20 minutes left.

If this one gets cancelled from some bogus reason, I'm ditching Comcast entirely, getting Century Link DSL (as much as I hate that company, they are the only other game in town) and watching my TV shows through Hulu. I will miss Doctor Who, but what else can I do?
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If they don't show send them a bill for $50 just like they tried to hit you with!
 
I have had FIOS with Verizon almost since we've had it available in the Virginia Beach area. The only time I had to call and have a tech come out was when a Cox installer was putting in cable for our neighbors and CUT the fiber line running to the house. I went out, saw him do it and tried to explain to him what he did, but english wasn't an option evidently. Needless to say Cox got a call about him, got the number off of his truck etc. Very happy with Verizon FIOS internet and television services!!!!!!
 
Lorddeth said:
I have had FIOS with Verizon almost since we've had it available in the Virginia Beach area. The only time I had to call and have a tech come out was when a Cox installer was putting in cable for our neighbors and CUT the fiber line running to the house. I went out, saw him do it and tried to explain to him what he did, but english wasn't an option evidently. Needless to say Cox got a call about him, got the number off of his truck etc. Very happy with Verizon FIOS internet and television services!!!!!!
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I really wish we had that kind of stuff available in Denver. All we have is Comcast (cable) or Century Link (formerly Qwest, formerly US West DSL). They're both horrible for customer service and service quality. Any other competition would be nice here.
 
I had to call TW 7 times over the course of 4 days to get them to acknowledge an area wide problem. I hate them with a passion, but I have no other choice.
 
SuicidalGoat said:
I had to call TW 7 times over the course of 4 days to get them to acknowledge an area wide problem. I hate them with a passion, but I have no other choice.
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I had the same problem. Internet & HD TV service would go down after 9pm everyday. After 2 weeks of calling and screaming at indian customer service agents and 3 service tech calls during the day when everything is fine the issue finally gets fixed.

Gotta love how it took a tech supervisor the think outside the box and listen to the customer. If shit goes down at night you can't fix it during the day when your NOC is incompetent.
 
At that point, Time Warner sent a supervisor and a very courteous and professional installer to set up the Internet, which apparently was possible despite the fence.
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demotivational-posters-explanations1.jpg
 
Well I've never seen anything near that bad here but the contracted installers do suck ass that's for sure. Here Cox does the installs themselves for business class lines, and contracts out for residential. My cable modem is business class and I've had nothing but good experiences with them. Fast, professional, knowledgeable, etc. They know their shit, and are actual Cox employees. For awhile I had residential Cable TV (since supplanted by Netflix). That installer was a contractor and was dumb as shit. Not a jerk, but just didn't know anything. He couldn't figure out the setup I had and was getting flustered and saying it wouldn't work (though it was working fine) so I just had him hook up the TV by itself, which made him happy, then he left and I hooked up everything how I wanted.
 
protias said:
The turnover is very high for cable installers. It is a terrible job to have.
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More like "The turnover rate is very high for cable installers. They hire dumbass douchebags all the time."
 
Well, at least he wasn't like the Comcast guy who was wanking off in front of someone.
 
Having been a very longtime TimeWarner customer, this must be an isolated incident. While I really hate TimeWarner, I have to admit that their techs have been very courteous and professional when they come out. That 4th installer doesn't even want to see my house, because it is very difficult terrain on each side of the house where the lines come in through the splitter. Each time, they promptly put on shoe covers when I request them to do so and are always very nice. I have to pin this on the fact that this was in NYC and NYC is just full of assholes.
 
i used to install dishnetwork, directv, hughesnet, direcway. i never had an issue with a fence. i did require a permission slip from the landlord to install if it was a rental property, maybe the fence denoted some property line issue?

wasnt a bad job at all, paid $150 per install usually.
 
oh and getting the cable installed actually required 5 visits, including the one who finally installed it.

/smartass
 
I had nothing but problems with ATT DSL. My bill was different every time I got the statement. And on top of the I constantly had collection calls from the previous owner of the number, and that asshole that had the number last was somehow charging shit with the phone number and sending the bill to ATT. Then ATT sent the bill to me! Then for some ass clown reason, they would not let me change my number without charging me $50 to do so. Fuckers...

I'm with Cox Comm right now, and they kick ass! I told them that I already have a box and modem, and I was able to get setup in less then 10 min right over the phone. I never had to let someone in. I did have a issue with my line a few weeks ago. I had no internet for about 2 days, and having an Ooma Telo, it was HARD to get a hold of Customer Service. They had an actual Cox Employee come out and fix the line. Something went wrong on the pole. Cox even compensated more for the month because of the outage!

Cox Rocks!
 
I have Verizon Fios, never had a problem at all ^^

I've had comcast as well, never had a problem with them either. I'm from Boston, though. Not sure if the massachusetts area is any different :p
 
Let me throw my 2 cents and bitch about TWC also. The worst part is that there's no competition! ATT's DSL is a joke, no other cable providers.

I had to transfer my account from my roommates name to mine, they charged me an early termination fee on my roommate's account, half a month of overlap paying fees on both accounts and a had to wait a week for them to show up and 'transfer' my cable (it was hooked up before, it's hooked up now the exact same way) and a 20 dollar bill for that.

Grease dude shows up "man it's a lot of work maaaan" wtf, just do it then!
 
I live in Central NY, and the installers in our area are mostly outsourced to other companies as previous posters mentioned. Therefore, you really have a mixed bag of anything from knowledgeable/helpful ones to complete assholes.

Time Warner in general, just sucks. Existing customers get screwed while they offer discounts to new subscribers, so you either have to cancel and sign back up every year or call and threaten to leave for a satellite provider (those are about the only two options in this area). Unfortunately, many other companies are starting to follow this trend as well by offering new customers discounts while loyal customers get the shaft .... Newegg comes to mind.
 
Odd to hear so many complaints about TWC. Here in KC, they've been reliable and quite helpful with issues. Only problem we had was a lot of runaround when we moved (2 blocks) about 5 years ago, but besides that, they've been golden.

Sister has Comcast (TWC isn't available in her neighborhood), and I hear the horror stories all the time. And she gets about 1/10th the speed she's paying for, but is too lazy to call them on it.
 
Its annoying for me to read this crap, you think its bad for the customers?

About 3 years ago I worked for Comcast, I was a Technician, I specialized in phone setups and internet. I didnt have to do much TV because I had proven my skills with phone more than the other techs that I was lead phone tech at this point.

Its 4:30, and I get a call from another tech, he tells me, "hey man, need a favor, I need to leave early, and I need you to do my last 3 calls" I proceed to tell him, 1) I am not on call, if you need someone to take over your work, get ahold of the on-call technician, thats his responsibility. 2) Unless I receive official paper-work (in form of work-order over phone) that I cannot do the job anyhow since my name would not be tied to the work. He says, "okay" and is cool.

5:15, I get home after finishing my last job (cut line off pole). I get a phone call from our dispatcher asking if I went to said jobs. I told the dispatcher that at no point did I ever recieve any work order to do the work and I am not on call. He tells me, "okay, I will get our on-call tech to do the work". and is cool.

The next morning I walk in and am immediatly escorted to the supervisors office where the HR rep, Op manager and my supervisor are sitting. HR lady hands me my termination papers. I ask, "Hey, whats up with this?" At this point the HR rep informs me "One of those jobs you missed last night was for a Senator of the state, his internet was never fixed, you job was to do so." I looked at the rep and stated planely "What job, I never recieved a work order for the job to be done." Supervisor loads up his computer and shows me a job that was given to me, at 10:00PM that night, after I had gone to bed........ I point out the time, and point to phone logs (thank god I print them every morning) and said that was done way after the fact.

To late, they were out for blood to save face with the senator.

After 3 years of faithful service and dedication (I was about to become a ComTech4, which is a maintenance tech) I was terminated to provide the company with a scapegoat. After which, I applied for un-employment, which I was denied, due to bogus "warnings" the company had apparently supplied to me, more than several times throughout my career with the company. Only 1 of the 6 bogus warnings had a signature tied to it from me, the others I never even heard of nor was ever informed of, nor ever did!

Its a shame to me that this crap happens within the company, than you have the installers that DO make it a crap shoot. I feel bad for this person, but not everyone inside the company is hunky-dory either!
 
This sucks i would be mad as hell, I would be demanding a manager or something of that. i would be calling the BBB on them and who ever else i could to get them to see you wont put up with that.

I have buckeye here in toledo and they are great you call them for a problem they will send someone out and take half of your bill off. and if you want a manager they transfer right away no qestions asked. i asked to speak to a Sr. Manager and i got a call the next day and my whole mouths bill wiped off and my service fixed the same day and all new modem and cable box.
 
here is my unbiased view: the customer was a dick first off, and the installer wasn't educated enough to know how to "work around" the fence. The company brought their bestest of techs, I'm sure, along with the supervisor to finish it up

The customer was wrong, in the fact that the first techs did not even attempt to install the package... so in fact, he was a liar and the worker guy was right (partially) in that sense.

The worker lost the battle though, as the entire argument was over installing it anyway he could (which was obviously possible)

But that doesn't remove that fact that the customer was a lying asswipe who thought he knew it all. He should have just been nice, and told the noob 4th guy to get someone better (he even told the customer he would call his boss, I would have said GO AHEAD!)... than he would have won all the fights plus the debate. And it would have been even more ownage by the customer, because the 4th tech guy would have been there and gotten totally schooled by the better tech guy who knew how to work around the fence!
 
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