I have written about my frustration with providers (namely Comcast and AT&T) which seem to value new customers over the ones who have been with them a long time and have been great customers(i.e. pay their bills on time). After several phone calls to Comcast's customer service about my rising bill for bundled services (Xfinity, phone, internet) I decided to give AT&T a call. They made me an offer that was great for similar services (Uverse, phone, internet). After talking to my husband we decided to take the plunge and switch.
So after AT&T was installed I called Comcast to cancel our service. This is where I discovered the secret to life (or at least the secret to getting a better rate with Comcast). I was sent to the "customer retention" department. After hearing all the ways I would be unhappy with AT&T the woman finally said that she could get my Comcast bill (that had been a little over $200 a month) down to $115 for the same service.
I just lost it with her. I told her I had called many times and was told that the best they could do was reduce our bill about $30 if I returned all the unused receivers in my house. She offered me new installation, new equipment, wireless receivers for free and just about anything else I wanted. I told her it was too late. I have already made the switch and was not going to make it again. I also said I was extremely unhappy that I had to go to these lengths to find out they did value me as a customer and wanted to work with me to get my bill down to something manageable.
So here is the secret to life with cable or AT&T. If you are unhappy with your cable/internet provider don't call customer service. Call and threaten to cancel your service. Then you find out that there are many ways they can bend the rules to keep you and lower your bill.
Our journey with AT&T has not been without bumps. The internet is not as fast or as reliable at Comcast - as Comcast predicted. The worst problem is that AT&T does not offer CBS On Demand in our area. So we have to remember to DVR our favorite shows on CBS to watch them later. Who watches live TV any more? That works out all right until football runs over on Sunday night and everything gets delayed. Of course football will be over soon.
So the jury is still out on this. My husband is not totally happy with AT&T. We may give in and call Comcast. At least we will be a new customer and will be eligible for all the new stuff, installation and equipment as well as the best rates.
