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On Hold for Cable TV Tech Support
After waiting for 30 minutes to speak with technical support, I got “accidentally” disconnected, and now I’m back on hold. These are the times that try a woman’s soul.
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I feel your pain. The amount we pay for cable and the numerous times it doesn’t work just doesn’t jibe. But I can’t bring myself to cut the cord. My younger friends all stream and download from the internet and wouldn’t dream of paying for cable. It’s still a comfort to channel surf and watch sports, news and other stuff in real time. I’m sure in the next few years I’ll reconsider.
It’s just so weird when I know more than their tech people (or should I say their outsourced tech “readers.”)
I once spent 2 hours on hold trying to get my provider. Maybe 15 minutes before someone answered I decided to walk down to the corner store a block and a half away and get a bottle of wine. Three houses from home, someone came on the line. When I told them it would take me 30 seconds to get into my house, they tried to tell me to hang up and call back “when I was ready.” I tore them a new one and told them that if I could wait on hold for 2 hours, they could wait for 30 seconds. They did wait, but still couldn’t solve the service disruptions I had been experiencing for MONTHS at that point.
And that was the moment, Jules, that I decided to cut the cord. It doesn’t work for everyone, but since I live in a city (would also work nearby), I get PLENTY of live TV with a cheap indoor antenna (if you own a house, a SMALL roof-mount antenna – the digital ones are only about 2′ wide x 1′ tall, not an eyesore at all – would get even more from even further away). I have an affordable computer tower + TV tuner card that works as a DVR for over-the-air TV (cost me only 8 months of cable + DVR fees, and will last for years). I also use that to stream Netflix and other things on the internet (the Daily Show with a one-day delay, MLB TV so I get my sports, etc.). I also went with a local provider for high-speed internet, who charges $25/month less than the big guy and has EXCELLENT customer service. So, I get to watch loads of HD programming on my big TV without the hassle of a rude, expensive, unreliable cable provider.
I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing AT ALL. I can watch all the bigs (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, other locals, LOTS of PBS from 2 different cities, and some other stuff) and more, MORE RELIABLY, for less money. Comcast can shove it.
What bugs me the most about these phone calls is that 50% of the time, we get disconnected. And even though they say at the outset that they’ll call me back, and I always check to make sure they have my callback number, they NEVER do.
This is inspiring. I live in Los Angeles so should be able to figure this one out. I need MLB, ESPN, Tennis Channel plus MSNBS. Listen to me , “need” . Save me from myself.
Now that Nate Silver’s moving to ESPN, I’ll be watching it even more!