Comcast High Speed Internet & Cable Deals
I’ve used Comcast for the last two years and have, on the whole, been satisfied with the service they’ve provided. My only complaint is that they’ve been really expensive and there hasn’t been much I’ve been able to do about it. You can get their high speed internet package for $20/month for six months but then it jumps to around $40 a month. The basic cable is about $50 a month with little wiggle room. Packaged together, basic digital cable and high speed internet comes out to $80 plus tax and service charged. That’s when I learned about the rebate games and the “Ditch the Dish” program which saved netted me a few hundred dollars in rebates, a free cable modem, and $25 off a month for 16 months. (This was originally published 3/21/05 but I updated it 11/14/06)
Ridiculously Generous Rebates and Freebies - Updated 2/8/08
It used to be that the various companies taking Comcast high speed internet and digital cable signups didn’t communicate so you could sign up to multiple rebates and have them all fulfilled. It’s still possible that they don’t communicate but people have been having problems lately. Below I’ve listed the best (highest dollar rebates) for the high speed internet signups.
- ComcastSpecial.com Triple Play
- Comcast just improved their ComcastSpecial offer by replacing a broadband internet only rebate offer with a ‘triple play’ that includes broadband internet, cable television, and digital voice telephone with up to $275 back in rebates:
- Comcast High Speed Internet Deal - The standard $19.99/month for six months offer plus, $100 CASH, a D-Link DCM-202 Cable modem (may not be this unit), a wireless router, and no contract required! Getting your own modem will save you $3 per month.
- Comcast Cable Television Deal - While the rate you’ll pay isn’t disclosed (starts at $39.99/mo), you’ll get a $75 statement credit which is as good as money in the bank just for signing up!
- Comcast Digital Voice - A flat monthly rate, $100 cashback and your first month free. I use a cell phone as my primary phone so I’ve never used Comcast for this service.
- Dell and Staples Rebates - I originally listed a couple rebates from Dell and Staples but they’ve since expired and haven’t been replaced, so I’ve removed the links.
- Comcastoffers.com - Get the 6 month deal, $75 cashback, and a free cable modem (after a $89.95 modem rebate). The free cable modem will help you avoid a monthly $3 hardware service fee to use their modem (and you get the keep the modem afterwards).
“Ditch the Dish” Program
In their constant battle with DirectTV and similar satellite cable providers, Comcast has implemented the “Ditch the Dish” campaign. Basically you sign up for service, turn in your satellite dish or cable box, and you receive $25 off your bill for the first sixteen months. Details of the program are here (The page says New England but it’s a national program). If you don’t have a dish and don’t know anyone who is getting rid of one, try Craigslist or Ebay. A cable box on Ebay can be purchased for around $15. Sometimes you’ll be lucky and the guy coming to do the installation won’t even take the box with him (installations are contracted out to local companies).
Extending the $19.99/month plan past 6 months
Threaten to quit. Usually they’ll extend it, if they don’t then hang up and try again later. Eventually a customer service rep will give it to you.
Avoid Installation Fee
Get the self-installation kit, it’s some coaxial cable and a cable modem, and hook up the stuff yourself. They’ll charge you $35 to do it for you, a complete waste of money.
If you are looking for high speed internet and cable deals but don’t have Comcast (or hate them), Broadband National (who runs the ComcastSpecial.com listed below) has the capability to search for all sorts of providers including Time Warner, Qwest, AT&T, Covad, and many more providers.
There are more offers out there if you poke around at other sites but they come and go month to month. Office Depot, Office Max, and a few other places usually offer deals that allow you to double or triple dip. The most bang for your buck is the Comcastoffers free cable modem offer because it’s worth the $90 for the modem but also $3 each month so it’s “worth” $126. You may be able to find free after rebate cable modems though, so then the Staples $105 back is the best deal. Regardless, always do the “Ditch the Dish” promotion! Good luck!
14 responses to “Comcast High Speed Internet & Cable Deals”
Blueprint for Financial Prosperity » Always Ask to have a Fee Refunded/Waived responds:
Posted: March 30th, 2005 at 10:21 am
[...] ou seen the latest Bank of America offer of $100 for opening a checking account? How about Comcast willing to pay you $25 a month to trade in you [...]
Jose responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2005 at 2:53 pm
I recently ditched Verizon DSL in favor of Comcast.
Got tired of the slow speeds on Verizon.
Satisfied now with Comcast.
bob responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2005 at 5:30 pm
I have verizon DSL for 29.95/month with 3.0 MB download and 768 upload….it’s great!
nickel responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
I’ve had a terrible time getting a discount out of Comcast. All of the calls in my area go to a local call center, and they just won’t budge no matter what I say. They keep claiming that the only deals that they have are for new subscribers, and that they can’t offer them to existing customers. I finally called their bluff on internet service and switched to BellSouth DSL. Much to my surprise, they let me cancel without lifting a finger to try and retain me.
Dawn responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2005 at 9:11 pm
Alrighty- try the chatrooms for discounts too- chatroom link
Also when you call 1/888-266-2278 keep trying, the discounts are there, it’s the agents that aren’t always in the know about what they are. Also try the disco option as well, the “save team” might help.
Just a little inside info.
Gilgamish responds:
Posted: June 15th, 2005 at 11:11 am
I have had comcast for the last four years, through two moves. Those rebates are only offered to new subscribers. Sometimes, depending on who you talk to, they may get extended, but often times not.
Me and a few co-workers conducted an experiment, threatening to cancel our Cable service if we didn’t receive a rebate.(two of us were males and the other co-worker is a female).
The female co-worker was able to extend her rebates and deals for another 3 years, whereas me and the other guy, had our bluffs called everytime.
So currently I am a satellite dish subscriber and soon DSL.
Walter Nelson responds:
Posted: November 8th, 2005 at 8:38 pm
Currently have Satelite service with Dish TV 4 recievers.
Currently have Comcast internet service.
Currently have Verizion service for my telephone.
Want to consolidate my TV, Telephone and Internet into one service with Comcast.
I am a returning Comcast TV customer. Want to keep my telephone number xxx-xxx-0112.
Do I need a converter for my LG HDTV with built in reciever and credit card slot?
Walter Nelson
(Edit: Walter, I removed your telephone number, I don’t want your number getting on some list because of htis site)
Cleona25 responds:
Posted: March 17th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Hi There, I am moving into a new apt by the end of this month and my new complex gives you the option of having a satellite dish or Comcast cable. I’ve been with Dish Network for about 2 yrs now and with Bellsouth DSL. I am not satisfied with Bellsouth and their services. I am trying to find the best way to save money with my move. I’ve heard on the radio previously that Comcast gives you $400 for turning in your dish to them..Has anyone heard of that before? I can’t seem to find anything about the offer online. I live in the Metro-Atlanta area and maybe it’s a local offer. I am looking for digital cable service + DSL. If anyone has any suggestions for me, I honestly and truly would appreciate it.
Thanks so much!!!
jim says in reply:
Posted: March 17th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Cleona25 - The $400 you’ve heard about is the Ditch the Dish promotion that I wrote about above.
Matt responds:
Posted: March 18th, 2006 at 5:21 am
I had Comcast back in the days when I wasn’t 100% sure I’d be living in the same place long enough to sign a DSL contract. The one (ONE! ONLY ONE!!!) virtue of Comcast was that they’d turn you on (kinda sorta) right away, and then turn you off again without penalty when you told them you were moving.
But in 18 months of service at three different locations, I had MAYBE five weeks during which I had connectivity on all seven days. Quality of service was terrible. And unlike with DSL, they refused to provide credit when their service was down for weeks on end and successions of repair techs were unable to diagnose or fix the problem.
Never again!
~Dawn responds:
Posted: April 3rd, 2006 at 3:07 am
Another Note:
If you rebate falls through and you went through the comcastoffers or broadbandoffer.com sites, you would want to call them about the rebate, not comcast. These people are affiliates for Comcast and many times offer things that Comcast does not.
Adamflynn responds:
Posted: July 26th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
I can relate to Gilgamish’s comment, I have been a comcast customer for 4 years, and have watched the rates climb, 2 years ago I went on disability.
now on a fixed income, I had gotten on a 6 month prmo when my area upgraded to digital Basic, well the 6 months ran out and my bill more than doubled, I complained and was basically told too bad so sad. I switched to Dish and Dsl, a month after switching comcast called me and offered me what I now call “The 6 Month Trap” again, when I told tham i had aquired other services I was asked why I left them, I explained my situation and that with current services I waqs now paying less than i would be in thier 6 month trap he said if I had called and explained my situation they would have lowered my price, I told him i did and if that is the case they had better learn how to communicate with thier different offices.
there will always be some kind of pricewar going on, look at gas prices now, until we as the people who are forced to pay stupidly inflated prices take some kind of stand and do somthing about it together I can see no end to it in sight.
(steps off soapbox) apoliges, I tend to get carried away somtimes.
S. Adamson responds:
Posted: March 14th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Broadbandoffer.com is a scam. I got a modem rebate form from them and they started playing me all around by including a requirement that I should purchased the cable between 02/01/07 to 03/01′07 when they have been running the promotion since January 2007. I feel real cheated and that’s why I’m considering ditching my comcast cable this month no matter what.
himani responds:
Posted: February 8th, 2008 at 11:50 am
comcast has a very poor service…..infact very bad. i was about to take their service as a new customer for high speed internet and they have scheduled my appointment for wednesday. i take a leave from my work that day but to my surprise nobody came. i even called them several times but they don’t have any reason to not to come there infact they can’t give proper answer to me….so i cancelled my servvice and switched to verizon….so you really need to think before being new customer to comcast and personally i think verizon is very good than comcast