Why Comcast Sucks

I've been without any kind of service from Comcast for over a year now, so knowing that, you might wonder what would inspire me to title a post as I have done today's. And, as you might expect, I'm about to tell you.

As you also might expect, ever since I kicked Comcast out of my house, I've been getting their propaganda on a regular basis trying to woo me back. I usually recognize it on sight, laugh, and pitch it out. Today's piece of propaganda intrigued me initially, however. It was in an envelope that was clearly identified as being from Comcast (which is not their usual M.O.) and on the outside were the words "Tell us your story..." I was intrigued by this not because of any desire to switch back to Comcast, but I thought that, over a year since I cancelled my last Comcast service, that this might be some sort of survey as to why I had kicked them out and not brought them back. And, if they were interested in knowing that, I was going to be willing to give them an answer.

Well, I was rather disappointed when I opened the envelope. The "story" they wanted me to tell them was how some other provider had wooed me away with a snazzy promotion, but that I had realized what I missed about Comcast and was ready to come back to them (with their snazzy promotion to do the wooing)

You know, that really shouldn't have spawned a blog entry, except for that that kind of language is consistent with the attitude I got from Comcast in virtually every dealing I had with them while a customer and as I cancelled them. They act like they don't have any real competitors and that I as a customer don't have any real choice. Which is incorrect, and not the best way to behave even if it were correct, because that's the best way to open yourself up to a real competitor. I bailed on Comcast's TV service first (despite the fact that they are the only way I could get the channel that carries 75% of the Phillies games) because I was fed up with getting an annual rate hike in the neighborhood of 5 dollars, being forced to have all kinds of channels I didn't want just so I could have DVR service, and having to pay a significant extra fee to get all of my programming on more than just one TV. I was, however, quite satisfied with their internet service, and would have been glad to keep it, except for the fact that, in their brilliance, when you cancel the TV, your internet rate goes up 20 bucks a month and your connection gets slower. So, a few months later, there went the Internet service. On both cancellation calls the operators were absolutely incredulous, in a way not particularly common to this sort of thing, and the tech who disconnected my TV boldly proclaimed he'd be back out here in few months. It's been more than 18 so far, and no signs of his return.

I have to say that there is very little you can do as a business to turn me off than take my business for granted, and Comcast, at least to the extent that I've dealt with them, seems to make that a matter of policy. I actually do enjoy my Dish Network service (and the notably smaller bill, despite getting all of my programming on 3 TVs rather than one) more than Comcast's, even despite the lack of Phillies games, but even if I should have some legitimate dis-satisfaction with them in the near future, I can guarantee you that Comcast won't be the first place I turn.