For the longest time, I vowed that I would never pay for cable or satellite TV.
For the first 33 years of my life, I didn’t, and I got along just fine. My wife and I do enjoy movies and TV, but we have found ways to get our favorite shows without paying the high cost of TV service.
This past month my wife and I decided to get cable TV. I didn’t want to get cable, but my wife wanted to because she doesn’t enjoy the process of watching streaming video through our video game console as much as I do.
She enjoys the ability to just turn on the TV, flip through the channels, and just watch something without having to look up a certain show. She also enjoys the social aspect of watching TV by being able to talk with friends about certain shows the day after they air. Me? Not so much.
I understand her reasoning for wanting to get pay TV service, so I gave in. However, that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to do my best to get a great deal.
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Researching The Best Cable And Satellite TV Deals
Once we had decided that we were going to get cable TV, I moved into the next phase – research mode. I started saving all of the cable and satellite TV flyers that we received in the newspaper and the mail looking for the best possible deal on cable. The deals I found were okay, but nothing to write home about. I kept them all just in case I could hobble together a deal of my own.
Next, I tried finding a good deal or promotion on TV service through an online reseller or physical store. A lot of them will have rebate programs available that will give you big incentives if you sign up. One offered me a $100 Amazon gift card if I signed up. The only problem with a lot of these sites or stores is that most of them are selling you cable service at a higher price than you should be paying. For example, for cable TV service with Comcast (who we ended up going with), most of the resellers were charging $54.95 for the package we ended up getting for much less. You may be getting rebates and bonuses, but you’re usually paying for it through higher monthly subscription prices.
After checking all the reseller sites trying to find a deal I moved on to one of my favorite resources, online deals forums. Through those forums, I was able to search for all of the latest deals that people had been able to find through Xfinity, Direct TV and DIRECTTV STREAM . Many of those deals were much better than anything I had been able to find online or in the newspaper.
After some more research, I found that most people weren’t able to get great deals on their cable bill just by ordering service through the website, or by phone. The trick was to go on the company’s online chat and to work with the sales agents there. From what I could gather, the agents when you call are Comcast employees, and they toe a hard line on giving discounts or special deals.
The chat agents are outsourced and are more likely to give you a deal. I found the chat agents much more helpful later on when I was ordering.
Ordering Cable TV Service
After doing our research we finally decided that we’d rather have cable TV service since we didn’t want to have a satellite dish mounted on our garage.
The pricing seemed comparable – as did the channel lineup. So we proceeded to try and find the best deal through the website, over the phone, and through the online chat.
Through The Website
Cable TV in our area comes mainly through Comcast, so we set about finding the best possible deal on digital cable through them.
After checking the website for special deals or discounts, the best deal that I could find on service was for 6 months of their digital starter package for $29.99 plus a $15 rental every month for the HD DVR cable box. That comes to a total of $44.99 a month for the service we wanted. After the first 6 months, the pricing would revert to $54.99 a month plus $15 rental. So that would be $69.99 a month after the first 6 months!
No thank you.
Over The Phone
Next, I called Comcast’s phone agents to see what type of deal I could talk them into over the phone. Over the phone, they offered me a similar deal to the one I had seen on the website, except they offered to throw in the HD DVR box for 1/2 price. So it would be $36.99 a month for 6 months for everything.
That’s a little better than on the website, but I wasn’t satisfied.
I hung up and called back to get another agent. This agent wouldn’t go any further than the other one, they would give me 1/2 off on HD DVR service, but no free premium channels or further discounts. Even after telling the agents that I knew other people had gotten a better deal, they wouldn’t budge. Time to move on to the chat.
Through The Online Chat
I clicked on the chat icon through Comcast’s support section, and was quickly transferred to the “sales chat”.
I told the agent that I was trying to get a deal that I knew several other people on the forums had gotten. I wanted to get the digital starter package for $29.99 with 1/2 price HD DVR, for 1 year without a price increase. I didn’t want to worry about the price going up after only 6 months.
The chat agent quickly agreed to the deal, which made me realize that maybe I could get a little more out of him. I told him I still wasn’t sure I wanted to move ahead with it. He said that if I signed up now, he would also throw in HBO free for 1 year. Normally HBO can cost up to $15/month. With that I agreed to sign up.
So here’s what I got.
- 1-year Digital Starter Cable TV Package: Normally $54.99/month – we got it for $29.99/month. (we got an extra 6 months of this deal by chatting)
- HD DVR cable box: Normally $15/month – we got it for $7.00/month.
- Free HBO: Normally $15/month – we got it for free for 1 year. We’ll cancel after that.
- Total: Normally our cable package would end up costing $84.99/month. We’re currently paying $36.99/month.
Things To Remember When Signing Up For Cable Or Satellite
When buying cable or satellite TV there are a few things you can do to ensure that you get the best possible deal.
- Research the best deals: Save all the flyers and circulars you get, do internet searches for online resellers, and check deals forums to find what kind of deals other people are getting on service. Once you know what deals others are getting, it’ll give you a better idea of what to shoot for.
- Figure out what kind of deal you want: After finding out what deals are available, figure out what package you want, what price you’d like to pay, and what (if any) extras you want. Since you’ve already researched to find out what the best deals are that others are getting, you can now use those as a baseline for your deal.
- Contact the company through phone, website, chat: Contact the cable or satellite TV company through different contact methods. Sometimes you’ll find that one method is more successful than others at getting you discounts, free premium channels, and other bonuses. For us, the online chat at Comcast had the most friendly agents who were willing to give the best deal. Make sure to get it in writing!
- When your promo period ends, re-negotiate your deal!: One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of people make is to not re-negotiate their cable deal when their 6-month or 1-year promo period ends. That means their monthly bill jumps from $30-40 up to $70-100! Don’t make that same mistake. Make sure that you re-negotiate your deal when it comes due, and make sure that you continue paying only as much as you need to. If they don’t give you the same or a better deal, cancel!
Do you have your own suggestions or tips for getting a good deal on cable TV? Do you have ways that you save on your TV bill? Have an experience signing up for service that you’d care to share? Tell us about it in the comments!
- The Great Big Cord Cutting Manual For Cost-Conscious Consumers
- Shop Your Service Providers Regularly To See If There’s A Better Deal
- How I Save… By Cutting Costs On Things I Already Pay For
Always have a way out. Getting the best deal means you have to have another option so you can negotiate.
I agree with Craig, you have to be willing to walk away or you risk getting sucked in. These same tactics can help you get improved deals on your current service. Do your research and save some money.
P.S.
Glad to see you have joined the 21st century. ;-)
Kyle´s last post ..My Identity may have Been Compromised
Whew, I wish I had read this a week ago when I was signing up for cable/Internet/phone services with ATT/Directv.
I did try the website first, and they had the best prices, but when trying to order services, for some reason, the online form would not accept my new address, so it directed me to call by phone to order my services.
Of course, when I called in by phone, the pricing was different, and not only that, I ended up not really getting the best deal for what I wanted, just because of the general confusion caused by trying to order these types of services by phone, mainly because there are so many options and details to consider and the customer service reps keep pushing options on you.
However, I did have some redemption by complaining a little after I had already ordered, and I did receive an additional discount that I wasn’t first given, just because I decided to complain about their bait and switch tactics used over the phone.
I’m actually still in my battle, trying to get better rebates and discounts, you really have to stay on top of these companies and all of the discounts they offer, as they’re not always applied as promised.
Oh well, I’m stuck in a contract for a little while now, so we’ll see how it goes, but if I only knew then what I knew now…
Max´s last post ..Cashbaq Shopping Rebates Network $5 Free Registration Bonus
I would just like to point out that people talk about corporate greed all the time, but consumer greed is just as bad or worse. I”m not sure what’s worse, trying to pay as little for as much as you can get, or charge as much for as little as you can give.
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People who also complain about the general high cost/rising cost of TV should really focus on the people who actually control the pricing. The networks, not the providers. Just as you have to pay your TV company for programming, they in turn have to pay networks for the right to carry the channels for consumers. So the pricing really starts at the networks, which no one can really call and complain at.
Consumer Greed??? Spoken like one who stands to lose something at Corporate Headquarters. Reading your comment, which is over 3 years ago, has got to be a premature attempt at trying to say something that shows you just may know what you’re talking about. Like I said….. Premature attempt. Corporate Greed is Real and the threshold has no limits. In other words, Corporate Giants of the world, who provide essential services to consumers have been and will continue to price gouge us into submission without mercy. Well, no mercy on a consistent level to actually earn the respect of a consumer who has been victimized by their tactics. Or anyone else for that matter. If you think there is such a thing as consumer greed, then it is not here in the above article. The OP was only seeking to get the same deal offered to others and he had no intention of taking it further. That shows respect my friend. Alot more than big Corporate Giants show the Consumer. A corporate Employee will be trained to take as much as they can from a Consumer and even refrain from informing us about details in the fine print that end up soaking us for even more. The tactics used by Coporate Greed are leaps and bounds above what would even be considered SOMEWHAT fair. Not telling a consumer their rate will increase after 6 months on a 12 month committment is just one way to make a consumer think they are getting SOMETHING when they actually are taking right back at the 6 month mark. Such a tactic is not always mentioned by the sales reps when negotiating a package either. Which just goes to show you how they operate. At least a Consumer is straightforward and says yes or no to a deal. When it’s a game, good sstrategy is necessary to come out with a win. And why shouldn’t the Consumer be applauded for using good strategy to get the same great deal as was given to many others? That’s not greed and making a comment that insinuates Consumer greed is a valid term, it certainly is not appropriate in this situation. It makes little to no sense. Consumer Greed isn’t even a valid term in general because anyone who would BE so excessive to push the limits beyond what is reasonable for an unrealistic Consumer deal should not even be considered a consumer. That would be a con artist. And I would not hesitate to say that most of them are probably working for the Corporate Giants in the first place. Which is probably why we see so many Consumers trying to gain some ground so they are able to pay a relatively fair price for an essential service in the second place. I would never believe someone like you, who isn’t admitting they support the corproate giants, is not one of them.
TO ALL CONSUMERS!!! KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!
Well said and more realistic to the truth of the matter!
I might add to your comments of Corporate Greed is the “bate and switch game”. This has been played on me. Extra fee’s that make no sense. Telling you if you have automatic billing you save $10.00. Jack your rate up, you see it on your bill, too late Call they give you some line. All you can do is cancel or call better business. you really can’t do anything. And my favorite the last bill is ALWAYS extra. this includes cell Phones, cable, internet service, loans, credit cards even sometimes medical bills.
Example of comcast fees that are made up
Broadcast TV Fee: about 5.00
Regional Sports Fee: Comcast (NBCUniversal) owns and operates several regional sports networks in the areas it serves.
Regulatory Recovery Fee: In spite of what the name implies, this fee is not required by any state or federal law.
[Internet] Sales Tax: Most states where you the customer lives does not have a levy or tax on Internet access itself, because that’s illegal. However, its standard 6% sales tax — like you’d pay to buy items in a retail store — applies to “the sale, lease, or rental of tangible personal property. ”Think the Internet isn’t tangible? Think again: This tax is specifically on the $10 Comcast charges for renting the wireless
How about the $100.00 gift cards they promise and never seem to send you. If you call the provider you get the run around. ..
Bait and Switch
Give me a break. Corporate bs man is all I can say to you
also try and have no contract
Becky Rivera´s last post ..Today I am 30
Well a happy belated birthday to you. I hope you enjoyed your day write me soon.
Dean
Great tips although it does seem somewhat time intensive to try each of the avenues of phone, email, and chat to get a deal (although it very well could be worth it depending upon the deal one is able to work out and for how long the special pricing will last). BTW I loved your other post that you linked to and I am going to try out Playon ASAP for my XBOX 360. Thanks!
So what I’m hearing is that this is 36.99 a month that isn’t going to good causes, and time spent nickle and diming that wasn’t spent doing good deeds. Shame.
You sir, sound likea legalistic pharisee that turns many away from God. As you say, shame.
Some companies won’t deal. I was a Verizon FIOS person from the early days and when I told them that Cablevision (Optimum) was going to give me a better deal they said good luck. Part of the negotiation is with what company you talk to. Market share is king.
You’ve got a good point there. In our market there is at least a little competition, which makes it easier to get a deal. You also have to be dealing with a company that is willing to give you a deal.
After a year though, you’re gonna be paying through the nose and you’ll wish you never signed up. Plus, Comcast will start upping your rates every other year or so. You’ll lose in the end.
We won’t be paying through the nose at year’s end because we have a couple of cards up our sleeve – we are willing to cancel, and we have a backup plan.
Great post and clearly a hot topic. Thank you for the mention. I’m glad to see that the forum community at FatWallet was of value as a resource for you.
Laura Pagles
FatWallet.com
I love Fatwallet Laura, i used them in my search for a good TV deal as well. The only problem with Fatwallet is that it has TOO many deals to be had, resulting in overspending! :)
This is pure bull. I’ve tried the Comcast., Directv, Dish Chat and those people cannot give you a better deal than by phone! The Chat is outsourced and given fixed guidlines.
Not sure what to tell you. It worked for me with Comcast. Your mileage may vary.
I chatted online with Comcast yesterday as well as spoke to them on the phone. No deals to be had. They would not budge off the promo price of $44.95 for digital preferred for 6 months. All I asked for was the promo price for one year and that I was willing to turn the satellite off. Market share does not seem to be a priority with them; profits are at the top of the list.
I like trying all of the different meathods to contact the cable company. We have only tried over the phone and been successful with that, but we will be trying the chat and website. Thanks for the great advice!
I use to be with Comcast before I started working for DISH Network and never was able to get a deal like that. I spoke to a few different people outsourced and all and they all have different stories, but same prices. With DISH Network it was so easy to set up service. The customer care agents were very nice and all had the same story and promotions. It made me wonder if the Comcast agents knew what promotions were going on. I love DISH Network and they have the cheapest prices out their compared to any cable provider.
We tried the DISH and did not keep it for even a year. First they had to drill a hole through our outside wall and then, since we live in Florida, every time it rained, the DISH went out, not just until it stopped raining, but sometimes for a day later! Since Spectre took over Time Warner, our service is really bad and now that they are going digital next month, we are supposed to buy kits to update all of our TV’s for $5.99 each AND every month they are also going to charge us the same $5.99 for each kit WE install!
Excellent information. It’s somewhat mind boggling researching all the different Comcast choices through the authorized dealers. Shall now try the “sales chat”. Thanks…and again GREAT info.
It seems most of the people commenting on this blog just cant afford the luxury of cable and internet. Might i suggest going to the library for internet or a friends house to enjoy TV. I can only assume you sacrifice the luxury of both internet and cable cause you waste your money on things such as going out to dinner and bars. Even earning minimum wage, you can afford a 100.00 a month cable and internet bill (equaling 3.33 a day) Quit complaining and just accept the fact you may be able to afford such a cheap luxury if you would have went to college or just used a condom.
Sdpunker- Take a deep breath. It sounds like you’ve had a bad day. In with the butterflies, out with the bees… Feel better? I hope so. If not, take another breath. Commission sales is a rough business. Is that your vocation by any chance? I’m guessing that it is, and you have my apologies if there is some other reason this blog got on your nerves today. If so, understanding the mindset of us frugal types might ease your frustration and maybe even boost your sales. We like people who “get” us.
Some people simply place a relatively low value on tv entertainment. The same amount of money per year can equate to some pretty cool things- Disneyland tickets, a week camping on a lake, or any number of motorized toys on Craigslist. It’s a matter of priorities and self control.
I was compelled to reply to your comments because I disagree with your conclusions, and I don’t like to see nice people get insulted. Those with too little education and too many kids already have cable. It is their main (sometimes only) source of escape, sad as that is. Frugal does not equal poor, and the uneducated are not as deliberate as this audience when it comes to researching the best deal possible before signing a contract with a multimillion dollar corporation.
The last time my wife and I moved we opted not get satellite until we missed it…6 years ago. Every business trip I go on reinforces that decision. I turn on the tv at the hotel and there’s nothing on that I like.
Would I still enjoy a DVR loaded with my favorite programs? For the right price…hence my visit to this blog.
Peter- Keep up the good work.
How about a bill for over $190 a month? Does that sound like a retired person can afford the luxury of restaurants and going out to see the newest movie or going to a bar???
I just spent almost an hour chatting with someone then his supervisor at Comcast about a deal for internet only service I saw on http://www.Fatwallet.com. I was following Peter’s advice.
They told me that my address was not “serviceable” by Comcast which means it doesn’t show up in their system. (No surprise, I’m not an existing customer.) They would have to send someone out to “connect” my home to their lines before they could determine what deals would be available to me. Many of my neighbors have Comcast, so I know they service my area. I said it made no sense for them to come out to “connect” me unless I decided to sign up with them which I couldn’t do until I knew what the cost of service would be. I was flabbergasted. As I was trying to clarify things with the supervisor, the chat line “experienced difficulties” and the next thing I knew, I was no longer in the chat room. What a waste of time and a total run around. My interpretation is that they don’t want new customers to negotiate service deals using the chat line. (Perhaps they’re on to you, Peter.)
I should make clear that I was professional and curteous throughout. I know that people can be real jerks so it’s no surprise that they get hung-up on.
I guess I know what customer service would be like if I went with Comcast!
I just tried Peter’s advice with Comcast using the chat option to ask about an internet-only deal I saw on Fatwallet.com. Almost an hour later and nothing to show for it.
I was unable to find a way to chat with a salesperson online so I contacted customer service using the chat option. I said I was not a customer but was interested in learning about internet-only options with Comcast. Fastforward 45 minutes. I was told my address is not “servicedable” which means it doesn’t show up in their system because I am not connected to their lines. (No surprise there; I’m not an existing customer.) Here’s where it got interesting: They would have to send someone out to connect me to their lines before they could tell me the prices they could offer. My neighbors have Comcast, so I know they service my area. I told them it made no sense for them to come out to my house to “connect” me if I didn’t know if I wanted their services which I couldn’t do until I knew what the cost would be. At that point, the chat line experienced “technical difficulties” and the next thing I knew, I was no longer in the chat room.
I should point out that I was professional and curteous throughout. My interpretation is that they don’t want new customers to inquire about deals via the chat option because others have followed Peter’s advice and gotten good deals. (They maybe on to you, Peter.)
I have the full transcript of the chat. It’s really ridiculous. Any advice?
Sorry for the repeated comment. It didn’t appear to have gone through the first time.
—Department of Redundancy Department
I love Comcast. I have had them for 12 years and have never paid full price. The trick is to call in and then follow the options to the “I want to downgrade or discontinue service”. This gets you to the save agents responsible for keeping you as a customer. Tell them about the deal you see with a competitor and tell them you are leaving if they cant do something for you. I have never hung up without being offered a new promo. If you are in Utah and are looking for a deal feel free to contact me – I have already done the research :-) arrivesync@hotmail.com
There are always promotions, you just have to know how, when & who to ask.
For example; you have a better chance getting a deal shopping during peak moving/back to school seasons due to the already aggressive promotions and throw-ins. Before major sports events is another good time to call. When you see alot of TV commercials for cable being broadcast during prime spots you know you can call in and push for deals.
Don’t even try and push for deep discounts off-season like in between seasons and deep in the summer. You will get shot down like a spring duck, not only will you not get a discount, you may notice their prices are raised! Don’t be surprised, sit back and wait it out a few weeks till that next big game to call your providers and try to save a buck.
If you want additional $10.00 a month discount for 10 months use my account as a referral when you sign up. Call 1-855-906-3473.
Give them A/C# 58250512 tell them Joseph Rowe is friend and you are my friend if you use my referral account, I need the referrals. And tell them my zip code is 22443.
Thanks and enjoy the $100.00 credit.
If you are an existing customer of a company, call the RETENTION DEPT!!! I have done this with COMCAST Twice a year for at least 5 years and have received discounts every time. I mention that I am getting calls from the competition and ask what can you do for existing customers? Shut up and listen and let them speak. If you speak first you lose!!
It is worth a 5 minute call, just call the toll free number and ask for RETENTION!!! The best deal I have gotten is $25 off a month, free HD DVR for a year and free HBO for a year. ( I have Digital Preferred and Internet only for now. I have been thinking about the Triple Play which has discounted service and savings too!! ) They will tell you what they can offer you because they want to RETAIN your business and not lose you to the competition!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!
I appreciate reading how you have studied the ways and products of cable TV.
I have had a good run with Fios but after 2 yrs they refuse to negitiate.
I will be losing my 2014 rebates and they basically said “is there ant=ything else I can do for you?”
I have not signed anything for the contiued contract so I believe I am in limbo for now.
Our next competiter is LI cable Optomum But know they are no batgin.
all I am lookin for is basic cable that doesnt cost a hell of alot in new york state area? can not afford time warner cable prices. thanx
Do you want cable tv or tv+internet?? and how much you can pay?
I Had Directv for 9 years we had (2) DVR’s & (1) basic box that we used for our Motorhome during Glamis Season we paid about $60 monthly with insurance on all the boxes well needless to say every year the price went up to the point we were paying $120/monthly my standard box went out & I called to warranty it the rep on the line said “We stopped using that particular box 5 years ago but you can buy our newest box for the shipping price of $70 we don’t warranty boxes that we stopped using” I was livid I asked her why they charged me $5/month for 5 years Insurance on a box they had no intention of warranting she just apologized and said it’s not their policy to refund my $300 they stole from me I canceled & went with dish now 2 1/2 years later I’m paying $115/month for (1) Hopper & (1) Joey everthing recorded glitches and I’m still dwn a box I have to get another Hopper just to get another box plus a Joey and I need both for my Motorhome for the Glamis Season I wish that their was a 3rd Satellite Company so I will not have to go back to the rip-off Directv.
So they accepted 5 years worth of payments for a service they couldn’t even provide?
I’d have threatened her supervisor that I was ready to lodge complaints to the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau, and my state District Attorney’s Office AND contact consumer watchdogs of several local TV news stations, unless THEY paid for shipping the new box to me AND credited me for the difference of that $300 in bogus insurance charges. They should have notified you of the impending discontinuance of the old box in time for you to choose whether to accept the upgrade or cancel; someone on their end clearly dropped the ball, and they should eat the cost for it.
Just can’t believe they could get away with ripping you off for 300 bucks over 5 years like that!
This is so helpful. I’ve used the chat function before with CenturyLink and have had some luck.
I found some promo prices online that I’m going to use when chatting with a Dish online rep. It says $24.99 a month for a month
Think they’ll honor that even if there are no promo dates on it?
Thanks for the advice! My brother in law just passed away after 40 years of marriage to my sister. She asked me to help her find out in research a deal for cable cell phone and Internet. I live in Alaska, she lives in Chicago, she never had children and I am her only family member! She is a court reporter and is currently paying $50 for a hotspot 4 gigs , he is paying $39 a month for basic cable tell next month then it goes to $69. She uses a Verizon pay-as-you-go unlimited for $25 a month.
I am physically unable to go and physically be with her, however it blesses me that I can help her in these other little ways! I would love to bless her with the best deal in the whole world! I feel her biggest need is a much more generous Internet… Which would help her be able to do some of home.
Thank you so much for spending the time to write this article… You are helping a lot of people, or shall I say Jesus is using you to help a lot of people!
Kathy langer
Nice article, but I’m going through this process now. I get nothing from the online chat folks. I ask point blank for their best deal, but they just quote the same online packages I already knew about. Couldn’t even get any relief on the install. And, even if I do find a deal, yo know that there is a slim chance that Comcast will actually, honor it. Been there done that more than once. I’m going to Fat Wallet before trying to talk to a “live person” at Comcast, and I use that term loosely.
Hi,
I just wanted to say you have a refreshing blog! Great info w/o trying to get people to buy something. I’ve really enjoyed reading thru several of your articles & have gotten some useful tips I haven’t found on the net otherwise so thank you! I’ve bookmarked your blog!
Have a splendid day!
I pay $160.00 a month for digital cable and internet through Comcast and get nothing, but repetitive shows and movies. The premium channels rotate who gets to show a movie one month, then it expires on lets say HBO, and then moves on to Showtime. It’s a total waste of money. Their Encore movies haven’t changed in years. I’d drop them in a second if my wife didn’t want cable so bad.
Peter’s article was very easy to understand and very easy to follow unlike the many flyers and other advertisement resources that we get —–it’s very confusing anyway you look at it but thanks to Peter I think I’m ready to chat tomorrow…. Who would’ve guessed that chatting, calling and communicating in various ways we get so many different options made available to the consumer and it absolutely fascinates me as it opens up a lot of other doors to help protect my resources while enjoying the resources of these cable companies who really are not out there to service us in anyway.
You gave me alot of great information to work with. As of right now we are paying $100.00 a month for 3 boxes and money is very tight so I will be doing research.
Hi Pete! It’s great to be able to talk with a fellow Christian and know you have my best interest at heart. My question is: I am currently in a Comcast 2 year contract and paying $197 for TV, Internet & Phone. I just cannot pay this crazy price anymore. My brother lives with me as I am handicapped and he & I agreed that since we both have cell phones, we don’t need a house phone. Internet is important to me too. Is there a way that I can get out of my contract without penalty?
Thanks so much and God Bless!
Debi, I’m not aware of an easy way to get out of the contract if you signed one unfortunately. You can always try calling and seeing what your options are, but typically I don’t think they’ll just let you out of the contract. For me I ended up waiting until I was out of contract to avoid fees if I remember. It may be a matter finding out if paying cancellation fees is worth the cost. Once the contract is up if you still want a home phone you could look into something like Ooma -which is what we use – which costs about $5/month. We also dropped cable and went with Philo for $16/month. So we went from paying about $200 a month for phone/internet/TV, to about $81 or so, most of that being fast internet.
Which Cable tv or itnernet company offers best “Contract Buyout” package??? And what’s the criteria to avail this?
Do some homework first. Make a list of deal-breaker shows or channels and check to see if they’re available on streaming services. Identify your browsing needs and other requirements and it’s always good to compare the different providers and plans available so you can get the most out of your money and the best service possible.
1. Always check the service coverage in your area by going through the provider’s website and entering your zip code before signing up.
2. Check your Internet bandwidth and data needs and requirements. There are many sites offering free data calculator that you can use to determine how much data you need on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
3. When it comes to the TV add-ons, check the contract and hidden fees included such as automatic charge after a free trial of HBO, Starz, Cinemax, or Showtime.
4. Always read the fine print to make sure the real deal you are trying to enter. It bears the most crucial information about the services you’ll get the fees involved.
5. It is best to work with a company that is transparent with you upfront without hidden charges of increasing rates upon the duration of your contract.
Final Thought
I always prefer doing the math first and all above mentioned pointers are based off of my personal experience with Spectrum. For ease and reference the link is: https://www.localcabledeals.com/Spectrum
Follow the steps i mentioned earlier and i’m pretty sure you’ll get very good value for your money
Has anyone else found yourself owing a cancelation fee when you didn’t sign a contract for a 2 years or 3 years? I never signed anything and had to cancel due to the fact I was moving out of the area. I returned all the equipment and made my last bill payment Comcast has placed that amount on my credit rating.