Negotiating Comcast rate discounts...
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:25 pm
So, I've been on my current cable plan for just over two years. I did the two-year contract thing.
First year - the quoted price (before add-ons) was $119.99, subject to signing a 2-year contract. With broadcast TV fees, adapter fees, DVR fees and taxes, the all-in price was about $165. Not terrible! This is for the Digital Preferred Triple Play, which includes 230+ channels, many of the sports channels, Starz, Encore, Blast! internet, and unlimited phone. I also have the X1 platform, although I only have an X1 DVR box connected to one TV in the house. I use my own router, not Comcast's. During all of year 1, I did use the Comcast ARRIS telephony modem.
Second year - the all-in price went up by a little more than $10. I negated that by dumping my Comcast modem rental and purchasing my own from Amazon for $90. That brought my monthly price back to around $165.
At end of year two - my fee skyrockets by $25. Why? Simple. My promotional rate expired. Just one month later - my fee rises by another $10. Why, you ask? Well, my two-year contract term was over. So, the $10 discount from being under contract went away.
I simply cannot tolerate a $201 per month cable bill. The only thing I use their phone line for is my burglar alarm system. (I use Ooma for everyday phone service inside the house, but ADT and Ooma don't always play nice together.) I highly recommend Ooma, by the way! I've had little issue with call clarity, and all of the telemarketer calls I had been receiving pre-Ooma have completely disappeared!
I don't need the crappy Starz and Encore channels. I can get all the movies I could ever want thru Netflix or On Demand.
So, within the last hour, I called up Comcast customer service. I have to admit - I'm quite pleased with what resulted!
The call went something like this:
- At voice menu prompt: "cancel service"
- Overseas call center clerk picks up. I got thru immediately. Zero hold time. She was extremely polite. I kindly inform her that I've been investigating cord-cutter TV options such as Sling and Directv Now. I mentioned that my bill has increased quite a bit recently and I cannot justify paying $200 per month. I indicate that I will consider staying if I can be offered a more reasonable rate.
- The clerk politely asks me about my TV viewing and internet usage habits to find a package that "will better suit me" at "a price I can be happy with."
- After a few minutes, she offers me the Digital Starter triple-play for two years at $94.95 per month, before add-ons. The all-in price was roughly $155. OK - great! She tells me Big Ten Network and multiple other sports channels are included.
- I ask: "But what about NBA TV and NFL Network?" She responds - please give me a minute or two to look and I will let you know. Ultimately, she informs me those channels are NOT part of the package.
So, I then ask - what type of deal can you give me on the Sports Entertainment Package? She says, "normally, we sell that for $9.99, but since you've been a great customer and have been with us since 2013, I'll be glad to offer that to you for just $4.99 per month for the first year."
SOLD!
I then find out that the price she originally quoted me was before considering the $5 monthly discount I receive for being on Auto Pay.
So, long story short...
- I lose some channels I almost never watch.
- I pick up some regional sports nets, niche sports channels, and some outdoors channels that I didn't receive previously.
- I keep MLB, NBA TV, NFL Network, et al.
- No change to my internet, DVR, or phone service.
- Taxes and all fees & services included, my bill will be right around $150 per month for the next year and $155 per month for the year after that.
Sure beats the $201 I had been paying!
If I were to cut the cord, my guess is I'd be paying at least $55 per month for IP-based TV, I'd have limited if any DVR functionality, my channel options would have been dramatically curtailed, and then I'd probably still be paying $80 - $90 a month to Comcast for internet & phone service.
I am satisfied with how things turned out. In Q1 of 2021, I'll be calling them back in hopes of cutting a similar deal.
First year - the quoted price (before add-ons) was $119.99, subject to signing a 2-year contract. With broadcast TV fees, adapter fees, DVR fees and taxes, the all-in price was about $165. Not terrible! This is for the Digital Preferred Triple Play, which includes 230+ channels, many of the sports channels, Starz, Encore, Blast! internet, and unlimited phone. I also have the X1 platform, although I only have an X1 DVR box connected to one TV in the house. I use my own router, not Comcast's. During all of year 1, I did use the Comcast ARRIS telephony modem.
Second year - the all-in price went up by a little more than $10. I negated that by dumping my Comcast modem rental and purchasing my own from Amazon for $90. That brought my monthly price back to around $165.
At end of year two - my fee skyrockets by $25. Why? Simple. My promotional rate expired. Just one month later - my fee rises by another $10. Why, you ask? Well, my two-year contract term was over. So, the $10 discount from being under contract went away.
I simply cannot tolerate a $201 per month cable bill. The only thing I use their phone line for is my burglar alarm system. (I use Ooma for everyday phone service inside the house, but ADT and Ooma don't always play nice together.) I highly recommend Ooma, by the way! I've had little issue with call clarity, and all of the telemarketer calls I had been receiving pre-Ooma have completely disappeared!
I don't need the crappy Starz and Encore channels. I can get all the movies I could ever want thru Netflix or On Demand.
So, within the last hour, I called up Comcast customer service. I have to admit - I'm quite pleased with what resulted!
The call went something like this:
- At voice menu prompt: "cancel service"
- Overseas call center clerk picks up. I got thru immediately. Zero hold time. She was extremely polite. I kindly inform her that I've been investigating cord-cutter TV options such as Sling and Directv Now. I mentioned that my bill has increased quite a bit recently and I cannot justify paying $200 per month. I indicate that I will consider staying if I can be offered a more reasonable rate.
- The clerk politely asks me about my TV viewing and internet usage habits to find a package that "will better suit me" at "a price I can be happy with."
- After a few minutes, she offers me the Digital Starter triple-play for two years at $94.95 per month, before add-ons. The all-in price was roughly $155. OK - great! She tells me Big Ten Network and multiple other sports channels are included.
- I ask: "But what about NBA TV and NFL Network?" She responds - please give me a minute or two to look and I will let you know. Ultimately, she informs me those channels are NOT part of the package.
So, I then ask - what type of deal can you give me on the Sports Entertainment Package? She says, "normally, we sell that for $9.99, but since you've been a great customer and have been with us since 2013, I'll be glad to offer that to you for just $4.99 per month for the first year."
SOLD!
I then find out that the price she originally quoted me was before considering the $5 monthly discount I receive for being on Auto Pay.
So, long story short...
- I lose some channels I almost never watch.
- I pick up some regional sports nets, niche sports channels, and some outdoors channels that I didn't receive previously.
- I keep MLB, NBA TV, NFL Network, et al.
- No change to my internet, DVR, or phone service.
- Taxes and all fees & services included, my bill will be right around $150 per month for the next year and $155 per month for the year after that.
Sure beats the $201 I had been paying!
If I were to cut the cord, my guess is I'd be paying at least $55 per month for IP-based TV, I'd have limited if any DVR functionality, my channel options would have been dramatically curtailed, and then I'd probably still be paying $80 - $90 a month to Comcast for internet & phone service.
I am satisfied with how things turned out. In Q1 of 2021, I'll be calling them back in hopes of cutting a similar deal.