My Xfinity Nightmare!

[marko]

Maybe someone out there knows some secret phone number I can call

Venting: Here goes:
My mom died 2 years ago and two months ago I finally decided to put the Xfinity account in my name as my disabled brother is still using the service. Should be easy, right?
So I go to the local Xfinity store, they set me up with a new account, new cable boxes and a new modem; at the same time, they talk me into getting a land line connection through the modem. Good idea as my brother uses MajicJack and I don't like it.

I get back to my brother's, hook it all up and....."no signal" on the TV. After an hour on the phone, the lady says: "well, if you want the land line, you'll have to wait three or four days before you can also get TV." I say, forget the landline. She says, "In that case you have to sign up for a cell phone". I say "I don't want a phone or need one" In the end I agree to get a cell phone just in order to get TV and internet that day because that was the only way. The TV and internet came on within minutes.

Meanwhile, I get an email a few weeks ago saying that my phone as been activated BUT its for a different phone number! However online my billing shows an invoice for a landline!

Next scene: after two months the phone never arrives. I don't worry about it. Today I got a bill for $95 for the cell phone...Zero data time.
I go back to the store. The people there can't help me because they are 'just sales, not billing'. So they set me up for a video conference with a lady. She says she can't help me because this is about cell phones not the actual account. She sends me to another lady. She says that if I didn't order the phone, that is 'fraud' and the fraud department would contact me but if I did agree to the phone, she can't take it off the account unless I pay $399 for the phone (that I never got). I told her to go the fraud route but I suspect the easiest way out of this is to just buy the phone that I never got and cancel the phone account.

I just can't believe that a so-called tech-company can be so screwed up! Seriously I have never seen anything quite like this. It had to be deliberately designed this way. Arghhhhhh!!

 

[braumeister]

Look at it this way: You're making their shareholders happy.

From the most recent financial report:

“We had the best financial performance in our company’s 60-year history with record revenue, EBITDA and EPS along with significant free cash flow," said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast Corporation.

 

[Sunset]

It's not a tech company, it's a cable company

 

[aja8888]

Maybe someone out there knows some secret phone number I can call

Venting: Here goes:
My mom died 2 years ago and two months ago I finally decided to put the Xfinity account in my name as my disabled brother is still using the service. Should be easy, right?
So I go to the local Xfinity store, they set me up with a new account, new cable boxes and a new modem; at the same time, they talk me into getting a land line connection through the modem. Good idea as my brother uses MajicJack and I don't like it.

I get back to my brother's, hook it all up and....."no signal" on the TV. After an hour on the phone, the lady says: "well, if you want the land line, you'll have to wait three or four days before you can also get TV." I say, forget the landline. She says, "In that case you have to sign up for a cell phone". I say "I don't want a phone or need one" In the end I agree to get a cell phone just in order to get TV and internet that day because that was the only way. The TV and internet came on within minutes.

Meanwhile, I get an email a few weeks ago saying that my phone as been activated BUT its for a different phone number! However online my billing shows an invoice for a landline!

Next scene: after two months the phone never arrives. I don't worry about it. Today I got a bill for $95 for the cell phone...Zero data time.
I go back to the store. The people there can't help me because they are 'just sales, not billing'. So they set me up for a video conference with a lady. She says she can't help me because this is about cell phones not the actual account. She sends me to another lady. She says that if I didn't order the phone, that is 'fraud' and the fraud department would contact me but if I did agree to the phone, she can't take it off the account unless I pay $399 for the phone (that I never got). I told her to go the fraud route but I suspect the easiest way out of this is to just buy the phone that I never got and cancel the phone account.

I just can't believe that a so-called tech-company can be so screwed up! Seriously I have never seen anything quite like this. It had to be deliberately designed this way. Arghhhhhh!!

There are reasons like this why they changed their name to Xfinity from Comcast. It was to hide the fact that they are one of the worst companies to deal with in the U.S.

 

[freedomatlast]

Disappointing , but unfortunately not surprising.

Best way to get their attention is to initiate an online complaint with the FCC. Someone with actual authority to solve the issues will then get involved.

 

[Koolau]

Too bad Ernestine never did a bit on Xfinity.

"We're Xfinity. We don't have to care."

 

[braumeister]

Maybe someone out there knows some secret phone number I can call

Many companies will respond helpfully when you trash them with a tweet.

 

[MichaelB]

I think OP needs to get the Xfinity home security package as well. That’s what’s missing.

Seriously, I would file a complaint with the FCC and the State Attorney General office asking to just drop the whole thing. Then send a letter to Comcast CEO with a short summary, copies of the complaints, and ask the same thing. Just drop it.

Once that gets resolved try again, but this time just cable and internet.

In the meantime check with T-Mobile to see if they offer their 5G home internet that address.

 

[imjustawarrior]

Sorry for your pain.

A few years ago my city put in symmetric gig fiber. Everyone who knew better dumped Comcast and went with fiber. I'm so glad I don't have to play the threaten to cancel games any more.

 

[Fermion]

I have had a similar nightmare with Spectrum. I signed up for 2 years of $40 internet if you also get two phone lines for $30 each, which I did at the same time. The next month they raised my rate to $100 for the internet. I called and they said it was because I did not get two phone lines. I said I did, from them and can prove it. The guy said oh we are sorry, our fault then signed me up for a new 2 year plan without my knowledge or consent, sending out new equipment and now they expect me to get 2 MORE phone lines to maintain this rate. Over 2 hours on the phone yesterday transferred in a circle between spectrum customer no service, spectrum sales and spectrum mobile then back again and I think next month they are going to want me to have 6 phones. I also have to return the equipment I didn't need that just arrived this morning.

How much is Starlink?

 

[5Miler]

I used to fight the Xfinity wars all the time as I used my own equipment (tuners and Extenders) for Windows Media Center with reliance upon Xfinity cable cards in my tuners. Always dropping random channels or no service which the help desk always said required re-pairing my tuners to the cable cards but was never the issue.

Finally AT&T ran fiber through our neighborhood a few years ago so I went with fiber internet and YoutubeTV and couldn't be happier. Saved a lot of money as a bonus and no service disruptions in several years now. I would just use Windows Media Center with my OTA tuners but DGF must have a few channels not available over the air so YoutubeTV it is.

 

[SnowballCamper]

Yeah they suck. I wish I lived somewhere with choices for internet besides satellite/cell phone. When I called for new service for my new home several years ago it took them three months to send a crew to run the cable to my house. The cable is buried about three inches deep in the street right of way, not in a conduit.

 

[youbet]

. It had to be deliberately designed this way.

Why yes, yes it was. Very perceptive and insightful on your part. Few get that detail.

In my belief system, Xfinity is God's way of punishing us for our transgressions. You'll need to meditate and determine where you crossed the line and brought this hell on earth upon yourself.

 

[Koolau]

The cable is buried about three inches deep in the street right of way, not in a conduit.

I guess they figure it will be easier to get to when it breaks. Real smart.

 

[aja8888]

Why yes, yes it was. Very perceptive and insightful on your part. Few get that detail.

In my belief system, Xfinity is God's way of punishing us for our transgressions. You'll need to meditate and determine where you crossed the boundary yourself.

Comcast punished me for 20 years. Now that the beatings are over, I am on 1 GB clean, new fiber!

 

[youbet]

Comcast punished me for 20 years.

Confession is the first step to rehabilitation!

 

[aja8888]

Confession is the first step to rehabilitation!

I'm in maintenance mode now that I have fiber!

 

[Koolau]

I'm in maintenance mode now that I have fiber!

I hear it's also good for gut health.

 

[marko]

Many companies will respond helpfully when you trash them with a tweet.

Update: I went to "X" and instead of finding a place to trash them found a Xfinity account for customer service. Short story: they've agreed to cancel the cell phone service. It took over 4 hours of back and forth texting but there were periods of 45 minutes of dead time. So maybe about a true half hour total

Now whether it actually happens is another story........

Meanwhile, I'm going to take MichaelBs advice and sign up for the home security package!

 

[marko]

Sorry for your pain.

A few years ago my city put in symmetric gig fiber. Everyone who knew better dumped Comcast and went with fiber. I'm so glad I don't have to play the threaten to cancel games any more.

Our town is exclusively Xfinity. No other hard wired options are allowed.

 

[youbet]

Our town is exclusively Xfinity. No other hard wired options are allowed.

I have a choice of ATT or Xfinity. ATT is DSL via the telephone twisted pair. Xfinity comes in via the cable TV coax.

I'm in purgatory. You're in hell.

Currently I have the ATT DSL which is usually OK. But from time to time I revert to using my Verizon cell phone as a hot spot when the DSL slows to a creep.

Sometimes I miss the good ole days of dial-up "you've got mail" AOL service before deregulation!

 

[Time2]

Our town is exclusively Xfinity. No other hard wired options are allowed.

I'm happy we have competition in our area Comcast/Xfinity and Knology/WOW, I have had Knology, for 30 years, did threaten to leave a couple times to get my bill reduced. I dropped cable TV 7 years ago and just have internet now. I should complain as the price is now up to $55. I have a friend that only pays $45. I also have 125 ft of frontage where AT&T fiber runs in the right of way, but not into the neighborhood.

 

[marko]

I have a choice of ATT or Xfinity. ATT is DSL via the telephone twisted pair. Xfinity comes in via the cable TV coax.

I'm in purgatory. You're in hell.

Currently I have the ATT DSL which is usually OK. But from time to time I revert to using my Verizon cell phone as a hot spot when the DSL slows to a creep.

Sometimes I miss the good ole days of dial-up "you've got mail" AOL service before deregulation!

Here’s my take:
Cons: Unbelievable, breathtaking incompetence when there's a problem, worst website ever designed for viewing your bill or resolving issues, pretty expensive. (~$275 a month for middle of the road package) No one to talk to.

Pros: Very reliable, good access to other apps (Netflix, YouTube, Prime etc), voice search and easy recording.

When things work, they work. They fall down incredibly, amazingly, mind boggling bad when there's a problem. There's no words for how difficult they are to work with. Astounding and beyond excuses in the age of the likes of Amazon and other smooth running companies.

 

[Koolau]

Here’s my take:
Cons: Unbelievable, breathtaking incompetence when there's a problem, worst website ever designed for viewing your bill or resolving issues, pretty expensive. (~$275 a month for middle of the road package) No one to talk to.

Pros: Very reliable, good access to other apps (Netflix, YouTube, Prime etc), voice search and easy recording.

When things work, they work. They fall down incredibly, amazingly, mind boggling bad when there's a problem. There's no words for how difficult they are to work with. Astounding and beyond excuses in the age of the likes of Amazon and other smooth running companies.

So you're saying they make Vanguard site look good!

 

[rembrandt]

I had a similar situation with Optimum. It took them a month to figure out why my wifi was not working!