Cable company raising my rates

They sent me a letter saying they had to raise my rates for internet/tv about $7/mo. The funniest thing about it was that it was sandwiched between 2 fliers showing me my current price "guaranteed until 2013". What a bunch of assholes. I need to call them and tell them to lower it.

Any advice on what I should say to get off the phone in the shortest amount of time? Or should I also demand an upgrade in service? Anyone else out there deal with cable companies? My provider is wide open west btw.

Under what terms was the contract made? I personally would never sign a contract that was as open ended as to allow them to change prices to whatever works for them. Personally though, shortest way on the phone, tell them to send you the particulars for closing your account. Who the hell wants TV these days?

just be polite and you will get your way. if you are under a contract you're fine. trust me. even if there was some weird fine print they will appease you rather than lose you as a customer. just quote some phony price from a phony competitor and they will leave you alone, guaranteed. the rep takes a hit on their numbers for downgrading you, so they don't want to. i spent 5 years in the biz. i know ALL the tricks. they take less of a hit for slapping on a promo or leaving it as is.

tip top toker said:

Under what terms was the contract made? I personally would never sign a contract that was as open ended as to allow them to change prices to whatever works for them. Personally though, shortest way on the phone, tell them to send you the particulars for closing your account. Who the hell wants TV these days?

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Yeah, no doubt. Even if I didn't have Sat TV right now, I have my RSS feeds of 53 different shows I watch regularly that automatically download to their corresponding season folders.

The only reason I even have the sat TV right now is because it only cost an extra $15 a month as a bundle to my phone and internet. Never would have got it if it was the usual price. But for that cheap, I get a HD PVR so all my favorite shows can be watched in Hi-Def now, instead of standard def like before.

I keep my RSS feeds running and downloading then burn the .avi files to a data disc so I can watch any season of any show on my DivX player.

Definitely getting sick of EVERYTHING skyrocketing in price. Friggin bullshit.

You would think these companies would realize that the higher rates will destroy their customer base. This is a time when everyone should be offering all kinds of promos and discounts. Keep fucking around Corporate America, you're going to rate hike yourself right out of business.

I have no contract. It was $59.99/mo promo for 2 services. I have the internet and basic cable. They just decided to raise it because they said the promotional period was over (even though they send me 2-4 fliers every week showing the same promotional rate for new customers).

They are still much much cheaper than comcast, or any combination of internet/tv in my area. I have a feeling they just like raising rates periodically. If they raise the rates $7 on every customer, and half don't call to complain and just pay it, then they just made a SHIT LOAD of money. So I think they will try to get away with it.

Just tell them you'll be switch companies unless they don't keep your prices down. Works 95% of the time.

I would definitely call them and put in a complaint, or inquiry as to why you receive literature guaranteeing a rate lock, then another flier saying they are increasing your rates.

Sick and tired of Corporate America, Corporate Canada....the whole fuckin concept.

if i have problems with my cable or anything, I always just call and threaten to cancel if they don't straighten out the problem that I have. You would be surprised how quick they would kiss your ass to keep you as a customer

yeah $65/mo on auto pay. All they gotta do is sit back and continue to bill me and they got a sick deal. Would be in their best interest to lower it back down.

Im with Im with Time Warner and I get all the cable channle they offer HD and all.....only think I didnt get was the sports package I didnt want that.........I have Road RUNNER for ISP from em and a PHone......never use the phone but it was free........I pay 160 bucks a month with a 2 year lock on price.....well probley about 1 year left.....but i been with em 10 years. now........my speed is 2.5mbs down and 1.0mb up..........so not shabby..............just enough up to do hd video on net when I do a live broadcast.........barely as long as i do nothing ele. They like me. LOL that incluse my portable router I have 4g set up and where ever i go I can get on the net at 4g speed in my area and 4 other ppl can log on if i let em..........its pretty nifty to have....runs about 8 hour on a charge. If 4g not available it goes to 3g auto....i can use all over the usA just like a cell phone..........if near tower it works.

guy incognito said:

I have no contract. It was $59.99/mo promo for 2 services. I have the internet and basic cable. They just decided to raise it because they said the promotional period was over (even though they send me 2-4 fliers every week showing the same promotional rate for new customers).

They are still much much cheaper than comcast, or any combination of internet/tv in my area. I have a feeling they just like raising rates periodically. If they raise the rates $7 on every customer, and half don't call to complain and just pay it, then they just made a SHIT LOAD of money. So I think they will try to get away with it.

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not to be "one of those people", but it's a PROMOTION. they didn't "raise your rates", you knew the price was temporary. but as stated in my first post, all you have to do is quote a phony price from a competitor for a certain set of services. the retention depaertment will be more than happy to put you in another promotion if you tell them you are cancelling the service. i'd bet my left tit on it. they EXPECT you to do this. no worries, i swear to god.

Can we see the left tit before the bet goes down?

stona lady said:

not to be "one of those people", but it's a PROMOTION. they didn't "raise your rates", you knew the price was temporary. but as stated in my first post, all you have to do is quote a phony price from a competitor for a certain set of services. the retention depaertment will be more than happy to put you in another promotion if you tell them you are cancelling the service. i'd bet my left tit on it. they EXPECT you to do this. no worries, i swear to god.

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It was an open ended promotion though. They litter these fliers everywhere. When I called after moving in (about a year and a half ago) they tried to charge me more. I was like "wtf? I'm holding a flier that you delivered to my house that says $10 less than the 'promotional' rate you are trying to give me. whats up with that?" and the lady I was talking to started bumbling her words and said something to effect of they don't like to give that price out, but since I have the flier she will do it. So they started right off the bat trying to rip me off. The price I had was never in a contract. And I believe the exact wording in the letter they sent me was that they were going to "raise my rates".

I really hate calling companies. Even when I need a service. I just hate talking to people.

if you can have a woman call for you do it. have her voice crack like she's gonna cry because she can't feed her kids. guilt trips work wonders. remember it's just some schmoe on the other end trying to feed his family like everyone else. i can't tell you how much free stuff i gave out because someone played the cancer card and i just wanted their whiny ass off the phone.

I'll go Jackie Moon on them.

"Suck my cock, i'll murder your family!"

i am the self-titled master at getting cable copanies to comply with my wishes.

trick is to be super nice to everyone you speak to and get to a manager if you need. my favorite line to the first rep is "i know you are doing everything you can, and i appreciate that, but may i please speak to your manager?"

if it doesn't work the first time, call back. over and over again. be polite everytime.

my most recent quibble was over a $10 charge for hbo which i never watch. i called them up and told them i did not want this and don't remmeber signing up for it and they said they removed it. i asked if they removed the hbo or the charge. they said they removed the hbo and i'd be getting $8.32 refunded. i asked them to cancel my service for charging me $1.68 for something i never watched. they asked why i would cancel my service over $1.68. i asked them why they would lose a customer of 4 years over $1.68. they had no response. i then used my favorite line, and not only did the manager refund the $1.68, they also gave me $15 off per month for the next 6 months.

before that was one i feel kind of guilty about. i was unable to log into my account to pay my bill since i moved. they tried to fix it but it sent me in this loop of never ending verification and i never got logged in. they called me a couple months later when i was 3 months behind on my bill. i told them of the ordeal in great detail and very politely. i also asked why i should keep doing business with them when they couldn't even fix such a simple matter. they asked what they could do to keep me. i asked for a full month, they offered half a month, i stayed at full month. dude got approval and refunded a full month service and i paid off the other one.

so far i have bargained at least $1000 out of my cable companies over the years.

i am thinking of opening up a business that provides this service as too many people allow themselves to get bullied and jacked by rate hiking companies.

im sending you my bills UNCLE laugh get me a good rate LOL