Thanks to living in a rural area and Comcast’s monopolizing practices, we are stuck with using Comcast as our cable television provider (unless we want to pay out the ass for satellite) and as our internet service provider (unless we want to use dial-up). I resent being stuck with one particular company, especially since they seem to realize that and thus don’t go out of their way to provide any kind of prompt help or information when something goes wrong.

Every little bit some ugly issue with Comcast rears its head. The most recent one happened last week. On Friday, November 2nd, I called Comcast to find out how much my bill was. I was quoted with X amount by two different representatives, as I was accidentally disconnected during the first phone call and had to call back. Once I confirmed that X amount was indeed the amount owed, I made a payment online. By Monday morning, that payment had cleared out of my account.

So, going on the assumption that our bill was paid, imagine my surprise when, on Wednesday morning, I discovered that we had no cable television service or internet service. And without internet service, we have no phone, since we use Vonage. More than a little annoyed, I went over to my mother’s house to use her phone (we do not get good cell phone reception where we live). I called Comcast, and was told that our service was suspended because there was still money owed on the bill. I was told that while I paid X amount, I really owed Z amount. The phone monkey had no answer as to why I was quoted the same, incorrect amount by not one but TWO other phone monkeys. I was very annoyed, but agreed to pay the difference owed between Z amount and X amount.

Now we move on to payment fun. Comcast has a policy where checks are accepted, but if service is suspended, that check must clear before service will be restored. As I’m sure you know, it can take three to five business days (remember, I was calling on a Friday!) for a check to clear. Now I was pissed, because as I informed the rep, I did not have a credit/debit card for my checking account, because it was a new account and the card had not yet been sent out. I told the rep this, and he blew me off as if I never said anything, yapping on about paying with a credit/debit card. I told him AGAIN, after reprimanding him for not listening, that I did not HAVE a credit/debit card, and would be paying with a check. I also informed the phone monkey that I should NOT have to wait for a check to clear in order for my services to be restored, because it was not my fault in any way, shape or form that I was quoted the same, incorrect amount by TWO different Comcast representatives.

After speaking to a brick wall, excuse me, the Comcast representative, for another five minutes, and getting nowhere, I demanded a supervisor. It was like talking to another brick wall with a different voice. By now I was through being nice, and told her straight out that I was disgusted with her inability to LISTEN, and beyond disgusted with the incompetency of the apparent idiots Comcast hires to man the phones. She finally agreed to take a check and restore our cable services immediately, but would be unable to do anything about the internet service. Go figure. The one service I really want and NEED (for our phone, and also so I can work!), she can’t do anything with. I asked her how she can work at a job that does nothing but infuriate and inconvenience customers, but surprisingly, I didn’t get an answer.

In the end, I got nowhere, except to vent my frustration to two fucking idiots, and had to drive twenty miles each way to the bank and Comcast service center to pay the remainder amount in order to have our services turned back on.

TELL me you wouldn’t be pissed if you had the situation I had to deal with.

7:15pm