What is an acceptable fee to have cable and internet setup?

Question

I just called Comcast to have cable and internet set up in my new home. Everything was going fine until the lady (who I could barely understand) started rattling off a list of installation fees:

$32 to activate cable in the first room

$11 to activate cable in a second room

$18 to activate the DVR box

$50 to activate the internet

I have had cable set up with other companies in the past and have NEVER been charged like this. I have cables running to the living room, my bedroom and my office where I will be needing the cable and internet.

Are these charges legitimate or is there a way to talk my way out of them? In the past it has been fairly straight forward...you plug in the cable box to the wall...and presto...you've got cable. I know they probably need to activate SOMETHING...but not $111 dollars worth of something! I'm technologically savvy enough to be able to hook my TV up to the cable box and to get the modem hooked up to the router...

Answer 1

Wow, in my neck of the woods Comcast is giving away a free WII when you sign up for the "triple play" deal.  I guess this is how they are making the money back.

I wouldn't pay for that.  Not a chance!  More likely than not it's a free install UNLESS they have to drill holes and put in a ton of wire.  Which now that I think about it, DirectTV is doing the same thing that if they have to come out to your place it's an instant $75 fee, plus their time.

I would call them back and get a different person, make sure you can understand them and dont' forget you can always "speak with their supervisor" it's powerful words and works!

Take care,

Chad

Answer 2

When we had cable installed it was free.  Sounds like the charges are to pull cables throughout the house.  I'd have them run the cable to a single room and then have your electrician wire the rest of the house.  Probably would be cheaper...

Answer 3

Call back and negotiate.  Ask to speak to a supervisor.  The tell them you are going to look into DSL and satellite.

Anyone else service your area like WOW?  

Get some other prices and call back and negotiate some more.

  If nothing else, maybe they will throw in something for free like programming.

Answer 4

A similar thing happened to me.. We moved and i know the people who lived there before had Bell phone.. well we called bell and they told us they would have to charge us because they didn't own the lines (i know they did..)

BUT. Its possible the company does not Own the lines. That means they have to pay to switch the lines over to their equipment. Its kind of like, they have to buy the rights to give you service.

You can complain alot, suggest you'll do it yourself, or threaten to switch companies. If you call back a few times and they have a call center you'll usually get someone willing to drop the charges. Remeber you also have to pay for their time.. And they have to find the right line to hook up to their equipment if its anything like DSL. Thats actually not a bad charge at all,... for those things.. I know regular DSL internet around here is about 30-35 dollars.. switching your phone number is 35 dollars... we are getting a new home phone line thats costing us 155, wireless internet is 99... one place i looked at for phone and internet was 55 for each phone and internet

So i would say those charges are reasonable but you can still try to talk them out of it.