Slashdot Mirror
Comcast Charges $90 Install Fee At Homes That Already Have Comcast Installed (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Based on our tests, signing up for standalone Internet or TV service on Comcast.com often requires payment of a $59.99 or $89.99 installation fee, depending on where you live. (The fee was $60 in two Massachusetts suburbs and $90 at homes in Houston, Texas, and Seattle, Washington.) In cases where the $60 or $90 fee is charged, the fee is required whether you purchase your own modem or rent one from Comcast for another $11 a month.
The installation fee might be charged even if the home you're buying service at has existing Comcast service, and even if you order Internet speeds lower than those purchased by the current occupant. That means the fee is charged even when Comcast doesn't have to make any upgrades at the house or apartment you're moving into. Internet speed makes no difference, as the fee may be charged whether you purchase 15Mbps downloads or gigabit service. You can avoid the installation fee by purchasing certain bundles that include both TV and Internet, but the fee is often mandatory if you buy only TV service or broadband individually. The $60 or $90 fee is also charged when you buy phone service only or a "double-play" package of phone service and broadband.
The installation fee might be charged even if the home you're buying service at has existing Comcast service, and even if you order Internet speeds lower than those purchased by the current occupant. That means the fee is charged even when Comcast doesn't have to make any upgrades at the house or apartment you're moving into. Internet speed makes no difference, as the fee may be charged whether you purchase 15Mbps downloads or gigabit service. You can avoid the installation fee by purchasing certain bundles that include both TV and Internet, but the fee is often mandatory if you buy only TV service or broadband individually. The $60 or $90 fee is also charged when you buy phone service only or a "double-play" package of phone service and broadband.
I recently moved. None of those had an initiation fee for me. The only one which would have had a fee was phone, which I couldn't care less about because I don't have an landline anymore.
Stop being an apologist.
I've never been charged an initiation fee for power, water, phone, internet or trash.
The closest think I've had to pay is a refundable bond for power when I was younger. Understandable as I had never had a power service before and it's paid in arrears for actual power used.
Sometimes internet/phone packages come with minimum 12 or 24 month terms, but those usually give you something in return, like free modem or discounted monthly fee. Upgrading to fibre cost me a 24 month term, but in return I got free install, including connecting the fibre to my home and a termination device. Also got a free router to handle the gigabit connection that retails for over $200.
Things are much better when wholesale is separated from retail, breaking the monopoly and eliminating the capital required for competitors. I could have bought my internet service from literally dozens of providers.
So my landlady died, and her son (my boss at the time) took over. And all I wanted to do was to change the billing name. TW tried to tell me i had to pony up like $60 for a (something), and then tried to claim it was a state law. Of course that was a full on lie and I called the NY PSC and they straightend that out. This suprises me not at all.
Last time we upgraded service with Qwest the billing/support folks insisted that we needed a new modem and that a technician HAD TO come out to our house.
When the tech arrived he had our same exact modem and looked at us like we were crazy for having him there. We stood there while he called up the office and told them to cancel the charge for the visit and to, essentially, "push the button" to change our service as we'd requested. We thanked him for his time and we didn't get charged.
Had we not had a great tech or if we hadn't been paying attention, you absolutely better believe Qwest would have charged us for the "visit."
This isn't unique to Verizon, it's shitty telecom/internet behavior all around.
-1, "I don't like the truth of what he said" is not a valid moderation.
Someone needs to permanently take away the moderator's ability to moderate.
p.s. Sibling replies accuse parent of defending the practice, which is apparently why it's modded down. (Hint: "Don't shoot the messenger.")