Back to Verizon

DH and I are pretty unfaithful when it comes to our commitment to our cable provider - we have literally no sense of commitment to either of them. We're fortunate, really, because we live outside of the city limits, so we have the option of choosing between Comcast or Verizon (and I suppose we could also choose between Dish Network and Direct TV, but I don't really count them as cable providers.)

A totally ridiculous picture of our television that I took on New Year's Eve 2008, when they had a midget jump against a screen in an effort to get Betty White to flinch

But neither Comcast or Verizon has ever done anything to earn our loyalty, so we like to keep them competing for our attention.  You see, as soon as we agree to go out on a date with Comcast, Verizon bats her eyes at us and tries to lure us to come back.  If Comcast doesn't take us to a nice restaurant, or Verizon offers to cook dinner for us, we'll go back without a second thought.  We enjoy pitting them against each other, and catching them in their own lies ("Why didn't you call us before switching so that we could offer you the same deal?"  Ummm... we DID call you before switching and you DID NOT offer us the same deal, or even anything remotely close to it. See ya.)  We're television infidelity at it's best, and as far as I'm concerned, we'll be that way forever.

I like to think that we're keeping those guys who have to come to your house to do the installation gainfully employed.  Every six months or so we get to meet a new one, and Murphy usually tries to bite their foot off.  Sometimes I think that I should let him, although I need to remind myself that it's not the installation guys' fault that the company he works for sucks.

Here's the rundown on our most recent interactions with these 2 companies.

1. We got a flyer from Verizon offering a great rate. 
2. We called Verizon to sign up "great rate" and they told that "great rate" doesn't exist.  "But I have a flyer in my hand that you sent me."
3. Verizon "checks" on that rate and confirms that they can make it work.  Great - let's set that up.
4. Call Comcast to cancel.  They say that since there's now a "port hold" on our phone number that they can't cancel our order. We'll have to physically drive to the customer service center in the West End when we want to cancel. Jerks. 
5. Verizon sends a confirmation e-mail of the new order and the rates are $20 more that the "great rate" on the flyer. Double jerks.
6. Multiple customer service representatives tell us that there's "no way to see what rate you're signed up." Really? Aren't you sitting in front of a computer looking at my order?  The same customer service representatives tell us to "just wait for your first bill and see what the rate is then."  Yeah right.  AFTER the installation? So you can then charge us the $375 early termination fee when we're pissed that you're billing us a higher rate that we agreed to?
7. We cancel the Verizon installation when we're unable to get confirmation of the rate that we agreed to.
8. We get a bill from Comcast letting us know that our rate is going up from $113 to $177 per month.  How convenient it is that a rate increase just "happened" a week after we told you we were going to cancel?
9. We get a new offer from Verizon.  We decide to check the rates online first to see if it's real.  We find an even better price online than the new offer.  I
10. We proceed with the order but can't find anything about the term of the contract.  OH! I see, that's the catch.  It's a 2 year contract, but the price is guaranteed for the full 2 years and it's less than $100 - aka $75 LESS than we're now being billed by Comcast.
11. I chat with a Verizon rep to find out what would happen if we needed to cancel.  She basically tells me - in so many words - that "the cancellation fee is $375 but that I don't need to worry, if you do this or do this then you won't be charged, so please proceed with the order."  
12. I save the entire chat conversation so that I have it when I need to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  

But ultimately we did get the rate that we signed up for and we're now back with Verizon once again.  Only this time we're sworn to being together for 2 full years!  Dear god this is going to be hard for us!

The good news is that Verizon's On Demand features are slightly more extensive than Comcast's, including the full evening line-up on ABC (ABC isn't even offered on Comcast's On Demand.)

So, this might be the last that you'll hear me complain about cable companies for a long, long time (because 2 years is FOREVER when you're talking cable company relationships.)  But after all of the hassle that we went through the past 2 months, I think I'm ready to settle down....

And that brings us to today.  We are now, once again, living with Verizon, and Comcast won't be welcomed back into our lives for at least 2 more years.

It's sort of a blessing really.  I had to waste 2 vacation days on the debacle that was the initial (failed) Verizon installation and then the most recent one as well, because they don't install on weekends at all.  Then I had to drive to the West End, and let me tell you, if I never have to go to the West End ever again, it will still be too soon.  That whole "West End Circle" traffic pattern is a disaster waiting to happen (and in fact, I'm sure that many disasters have already happened there.)