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How I Got Comcast To Send Me $179.95
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Despite my utter distaste for how Comcast does business, I still like my ESPN, History Channel, and Oxygen so until Verizon is firmed in place (they’re still rolling out their FiOS service in my county), I have no choice but to try to enjoy the joys that is dealing with Comcast. In the meanwhile, through sign up incentives, I’ve once again tricked Comcast into paying me a cool hundred and eighty dollars to sign up for their services. While it’s not that much compared to how much the service is, getting free money is certainly better than not getting free money, right? Yesterday my three checks arrived for $100, $30, and $49.95. Cha-ching!
How did I get it? I signed up to Comcast through one of their affiliates (in this case it was Comcast Special) and those affiliate offer you big bonuses to sign up to service. The current offer at Comcast Special is:
- $110 rebate on a Cable Modem and Wireless Router
- $100 cash back for High Speed Internet
- $75 cash back for Digital Cable
I took advantage of a previous offer that didn’t include the digital cable cash back or the wireless router, so if you sign up now you’d get a better deal than me but I didn’t really need another wireless router (though I wouldn’t turn away a free one, so chalk that up to sour grapes).
If you want to squeeze more blood out of Comcast rocks, having a cable modem means you can avoid the ridiculous $3/mo modem rental fee so make sure they don’t charge you for that. If they do, they should retroactively cancel that fee and refund you any money you paid because they will have records of a modem rental if you actually rented one. Also, if you can see cable television when you hook up your coax, you can cancel the activation appointment (and associated $35 fee, or however much it is).
Anyone else have any good tips to stick it to Comcast?
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You may have talked about this, but . . .
Threatening to leave Comcast will get you a big discount in a hurry. I just call them up, say I’m not happy about their prices and want to leave in favor of satellite, and they say “well, let’s see if we can help you on the price.”
Inevitably, they give you a huge temporary (12-month) discount. In my case, their regular rate is about $160/mo. and I pay $95/mo. for 6 Mb internet, digital cable with hi def and HDDVR, and HBO/Starz, as well as the equipment rentals. After 12 months the deal ends and you get the huge bill at regular price, but then I just call them right back up and get myself fixed up for the next 12 months.
It’s a really big deal when you consider that the discount is nearly $800 each year. Try threatening to leave! It works like a charm when they have competition.
Don’t know if you did or someone else did but that’s definitely a good tactic, but you have to follow through if they balk. I love going through this process (not so much) and they actually let us cancel without offering up anything! So I was pretty happy to take $180 for my troubles.
I can’t believe they let you get away without offering you something . . . Comcast will do anything to keep customers in this area. If I’m not mistaken, the customer service reps actually get commission for turning someone who wants to leave into a customer again.
At least you got the rebates!
Maybe the rep had a bad day? I was really surprised too, the account was in my fiancee’s name and so when she called them up and said we got an offer from (whoever), can you match it? They said no. She said, okay then we’re going to cancel, he said sure. I was pretty surprised to considering they could offer us something cheaper than the $180 it would cost to get us back (plus whatever comcast special gets as a sales commission).
I got my rebates a couple of weeks ago. I loved getting a $100 check for nothing (I also got the modem rebate of $80).
what do you guys think about naked dsl? getting internet access without a phone line? I’m wondering if its worth it to get that vs. cable internet. I took advantage of 19.95 per month x 6 months through the staples special.
I’m surprised Comcast didn’t offer you a reduced price to keep you from canceling.
I did it with Time Warner and was able to save $24 per month, which was locked in for 2 years. All I did was tell them Dish Network was offering a very good deal to sign up and I could get my Internet access elsewhere.
The entire phone call was only 10 minutes.
There is no competition where I live … I have tried to stick it to Charter, but it is tough when they have a monopoly. I wouldn’t mind switching to broadcast tv only – but we live halfway between two markets that don’t quite reach our area.
I doubt Comcast would blink if I canceled, since my cable and internet bill is only $60/mo. $160/mo for TV and Internet, I can’t imagine!
ESPN, History, and all the other major networks are on basic analog cable that costs $15/mo.
$60 is still $60, the marginal cost of sending you the cable and internet is definitely not close to $60.
Jim, quite true. I’ve been considering canceling cable since I don’t watch it and switching to DSL for net since it is cheaper. Maybe they will make me an offer I can’t refuse!
If the rep won’t do something for you, hang up and call again. Eventually you will find someone. Or, go to satellite if it really is cheaper.
I’ve been able to talk them down twice although they got me for full price on HBO (damn sopranos). I’m about to call and cancel this week. They should be ready to make deals with the potention onslaught of hbo losses.
Ha, ha, Jim likes the Oxygen channel! Isn’t Lifetime good enough for you?
I was wondering when someone was going to pick up on that…
I love them Lifetime made for tv movies.
My wife and I watch Lifetime movies and make predictions about which guy in her life is going to beat up the main actress first. Good times.
Today I did the online chat with comcast and told them I was thinking of switching to at&t because I didnt want to pay for cable I didnt use. My bill is only 60 a mo for internet and basic cable. I have satellite so no need for the cable. But they force you to get it, I think it helps their numbers to be honest. Anyway my internet was reduced from 45 a mo to 22 a mo for 12 mos. I have tried to call with no results so I gave the online chat a shot.
Hope that helps