How would you deal with this situation?
By icyorchid
@icyorchid (2564)
United States
September 23, 2008 9:27am CST
I am having an on going problem with my cable company. It all started after Hurricane Gustav. I called the tech support on Sept 4th, they sent a refresh signal to my DVR box.
My DVR box I could not use after the Hurricane. I couldn't get it to work at all. Not taping, pausing, rewind, NOTHING! They sent a Tech out who checked the box, then checked the pole then talked to someone on the phone who said I needed to be rewired because I was on 3 splitters and that was the problem along with not so strong of a signal. I'd get a call to schedule this.
After a week, I called explained what I was told. Had another tech come out. Low signal on the pole, refer me to their plant. They guy from plant came out, checked the box. Told me it was a box issue, checked the pole told me I have a good signal so nothing wrong there!
OK He said to have a tech bring me out a box so if something is wrong, they are already here to fix it. Well, I called told the tech over the phone this and he said it would cost me $51 for them to bring me out a box! CRAZY!!!
So I went yesterday to get my new box, got it home, set it up, called for an activation signal and guess what! IT DIDN'T WORK!!! I am still having the same problem!
I now don't have a working box at all, so I can't view HBO or any channels above channel 77 as my TV only goes to channel 99!
I have a tech coming on Oct 1st to trouble shoot!
Why can't they just get the cable working right? Why are they giving me so much of an aggravation?
It's been 3 weeks! I got a credit of $25, and I am getting more of a credit now because the problem still isn't fixed, but this is REDICULOUS!
What would you do? Would you complain to a mgr or what?
6 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
23 Sep 08
Call and complain to customer support about your problems, complain bout the the lack of service (they should issue you a credit) and ask if they can get a tech out sooner than Oct 1 - on that can check everything - because of your outage. Since you have been out for so long, you should be high priority.
Cox is a pain when you have problems like that because their signal constantly fluctuates base don users. We had the worst problems with internet speed when we lived in River Ridge because they would overload all their nodes.
Good luck. My brother works for cox and they have problems getting the right tech out to their home.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
23 Sep 08
No, he is an accountant! LOL He jokingly told one of the tech that he wouldn't be paid if they didn't get the done ASAP (after they had 4 techs out over a 4 month period and they couldn't bother doing the work) he wouldn't get paid.
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
23 Sep 08
LOL I did call customer service that's how I got the signal to go through as the TECH was giving me a problem on the phone, so I hung up on her. lol
I find it funny that I keep saying the same thing. IT WORKED BEFORE THE HURRICANE!! They just don't hear that or they don't want to!
The tech that sent the signal last night said that was the earliest appt. they had. So I took it, but the last time I was suppose to wait a week, I waited 3 days. So I am hoping that happens again.
Is your brother a tech? Maybe he'll show up! lol
I'm not letting the tech leave until it is fixed. I am so tired of getting the run around. I have NEVER been treated like this EVER!
@o2bnocn (2992)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Yes I think I would complain to a manager. That is taking an awful long time to get the cable back on for you. I think it is kind of ridiculous. I can see if it didn't work for a couple of days after the hurricane and you called them and they fixed it the first time they came out. I don't understand why they are referring you to someone who can't fix it in the first place.
Secondly why are you having to pay the $51? I don't think that is right, maybe I am misunderstanding. I don't know. At least they are crediting you a little bit.
We don't have any movie channels anymore but a while ago we switched to a satellite company. When we first got it everything was fine, even when it snowed everything was fine. Then when summer came we started having a lot of problems. Anytime it rains we only get about 5 channels if that many.
One time after it rained and it was a couple of days after all the rain had stopped there were quite a few channels that were not coming in. Our dish is on top of our house and so my mother called them for someone to come out and see what was going on. They wanted to charge us $80 to come out and see what was going on and look at the dish. I for one think that is ridiculous as well as your story. We never had anyone come out and look at it because of the price, she just had her boyfriend go up there and look and clean the dish off. It works fine now. Or well for the most part, when it rains we still don't have a lot of channels. We are going to switch to another company once this contract is over.
It seems like more and more companies are just out for money and don't really care about customer support or helping to get the problem fixed!
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Thanks for the reply.
I think that is terrible that they wanted so much just to come out! That is totally not right.
The $51 is a delivery charge to have someone bring me something that I could get from the office myself. The idiots on the phone, never understand when you are trying to tell them you were told that by a TECH! I had a hard time getting anyone to understand what I was talking about when I said I was suppose to get a call to schedule the rewiring and never did. lol
They have contractors helping out after the hurricane and well, paperwork gets lost I guess. lol My cable is working, but not through the box, so I don't get what the problem can be. lol
This tech isn't leaving in a hurry, I hope he has lots of time, he isn't leaving until my TV is working with the box like it did before the hurricane. lol
@littleowl (7157)
•
23 Sep 08
Hi icy am not sure what you can do my reactions would be the same as yours and if that doesn't work I would probably keep trying to find someone who can do something to help...wish there was some advice I could give you...littleowl
@platinum601 (276)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Definitely. I would tell them tis is totally unacceptable. I was a customer of yours for awhile and this is what you do. I need you to fix all my problems or im gonna end my future business with your company. One time SEARS told me that they will fix my oven in 3 days! So i just complained to the SEARS tower and they told me that they will take care of it. A few minutes later sears called and said, i will fix your problem right now! LoL.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Question. Have you tried changing you coax cable? Sometimes, it can be that simple. Those thngs are not made as well as they used to be and can be broken easily without eve being able to tell by looking at it. I would start there.
It could also be a problem with the outside cables that run into your house. They may have condensation in them causing a short circuit, or there could be a small area of wires exposed. This happened to me. A squirrel chewed the cable. Mention it to the cable company, maybe they didn't think to check that.
If that does not resolve the problem, and the company is still not on the ball to fix it, I would, at the very least threaten to switch services to another company. Often times, the mere threat will light a fire under their feet and get immediate results. No company wants to lose a customer. If the threat doesn't work, I would just go ahead and switch service providers. I would rather pay a little more and have reliable service than continue paying for services that I am not able to use.
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Thanks for the reply.
It isn't anything to do with the inside cables. Everything worked fine before Hurricane Gustav. The box didn't work after the storm and now the new box can't receive an activation signal, so there is something NOT right with the signal quality or the cable outside. Don't know what, but I am very fed up.
I can't swap because I would have to go to DSL for internet and it doesn't work well with my computer. I had it before and it really ruined my computer, so I refuse to do that again. Not to mention for cable, that's the only company.
I HATE satellite dishes, had that before also and hardly had tv to watch. Everytime the wind blew, the dish went out.
I am going to make sure this tech doesn't leave to send another and I will make sure any phone calls he makes is in front of me so I know what the heck is going on because this is the LAST time I am going to try to be nice. lol
