Which internet & cable co. NOT to get!

**ComputerWorks** · 01-29-2011, 09:18 AM

I'm asked on average ten times a month, "what internet/TV service do I recommend".
This week I switched from Dish and Century link to Mediacom, What a disaster!
First, they show up with USED, FILTHY, equipment!
Did you know bugs/roaches like to nest in electronics because of the heat (it's a fact). Well, one of the boxes had bugs in them. In the company's defense, the tech said, "they spray the equipment with Lysol before delivery". The other cable boxes were scratched and dirty as well as the modem for internet.
We called Mediacom and they said that is what they have, they can switch them out but not till next week.
In the meantime all my other services have been disassembled by the technician and he said he does not know how to reconnect it, including TV, internet and a high end surround sound system that should have never been disconnected from simply connecting a cable box from a dish satellite box!
Out of our 3 TV�s we opted to leave one setup with their service until next week. Before the tech was leaving asking us to sign and pay the bill I said, "what about the TV picture quality?", when are you connecting to cable? He replied, "It is", I said that's snow! He said well, that's a high definition flat screen TV, you are used to looking at high quality satellite from dish, that's how our cable looks. I did not even bother to comment. This was a picture from the 1960's on my parents Zenith with rabbit ears on UHF! I then proceeded to test my internet connection speed on my sticky filthy cable modem and it has speeds of a 14.4 dial up modem!
In the end, suffice it to say, "You get what you pay for", there was supposed to be a small savings by switching, which was my motivation but I will be switching back.
I know the company is huge, but they are destin for failure.
I guess my own business practices are so completely opposite of this experience, it probably bothers me more than the average person. If I get an order to deliver and set-up a computer system, it will be Brand New, it will not be less than expected in any way, and oh, I will not go in and out of your new immaculate house or office without wiping my feet!

**DuneAHH** · 01-29-2011, 11:11 AM

STellaR Rant!!

Do you feel any better?

There's so little competition that shopping around is akin to ping-pong. My beloved trees block clear sight lines, so Dish not an option for me. But I still have TV choices: Media-con or No-TV!

**ComputerWorks** · 01-29-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by DuneAHH

STellaR Rant!!

Do you feel any better?

There's so little competition that shopping around is akin to ping-pong. My beloved trees block clear sight lines, so Dish not an option for me. But I still have TV choices: Media-con or No-TV!

Media- CON, omg I LOVE IT! YOU MADE ME LAUGH! Now, I feel better, thanks for that!

**rdelong43065** · 01-29-2011, 11:20 PM

I've been in an ongoing battle with Mediacom for the past few months. I keep dropping service and have to unplug all the cables from the modem and restart it. This has to be done many times a day. They send someone out that has no clue how to even follow a wire. He said the problem is probably in the bedroom where it comes in. The thing is, it ENDS at the bedroom connection. He wouldn't even disconnect it at the splitter to see my point. So it seems that I know more about cable than the Medicaom professionals. I'm trying to get them to give me a brand new modem but not much luck there. I'll probably just end up buying my own modem. My rant is finished.

I still don't feel better.

**DuneAHH** · 01-30-2011, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by ComputerWorks

Media- CON, omg I LOVE IT! YOU MADE ME LAUGH! Now, I feel better, thanks for that!

Glad I could make you laugh.
SJ gets the credit... he's the first SoWaller I saw use that term.

**DuneAHH** · 01-30-2011, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by rdelong43065

I've been in an ongoing battle with Mediacom for the past few months. I keep dropping service and have to unplug all the cables from the modem and restart it. This has to be done many times a day. They send someone out that has no clue how to even follow a wire. He said the problem is probably in the bedroom where it comes in. The thing is, it ENDS at the bedroom connection. He wouldn't even disconnect it at the splitter to see my point. So it seems that I know more about cable than the Medicaom professionals. I'm trying to get them to give me a brand new modem but not much luck there. I'll probably just end up buying my own modem. My rant is finished.

I still don't feel better.

MC is my only TV option... but I changed to centurylink for internet because I just HAD to DO something to feel like I had some shred of choice in my life. It's a little slower (I don't perceive that paying for faster speed actually GETS faster speed). So far there is less down time (almost every morning between 8-9:30 it drops signal for a couple minutes, but comes back up fairly quickly). None of that MC modem reset crapola that is "YOUR connection, not THEIR equipment".

It's made me feel better... temporarily

**eyecandiphotography** · 02-01-2011, 09:08 PM

I had a terrible experience with Mediacom and now they lock you into a 2 year contract, so it is almost impossible to get out of it-unless you pay! Terrible customer service, awful cable & internet connections, horrible location (new & old) to go to an office for help & I won't even mention the equipment or tech...I wish I had another option. UGH!

**KISH7374** · 02-02-2011, 12:55 PM

It could be worse. We just switched to ATT U-verse and it seems to be doing great. We have the fiber optic cable. We could not switch phone for complete bundle since the security system is not compatable with fiber optic cable. We finally switched from TWC and one of the reasons was that when you called customer service and spoke with a live body, in your next bill you were charged $5.00 for speaking to a person. We kept having problems wth the picture locking up and we would call and be charged so we finally switched. The picture quality is wonderfu. I have a older 36 in Toshiba and it made a world of difference in picture clarity.

**rdelong43065** · 02-03-2011, 09:22 PM

Well, I just signed up for Centurylink DSL. I'll have it next Wednesday. I'll tell y'all how it goes. Can't wait to cancel the Mediacrap service.

**DuneAHH** · 02-04-2011, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by rdelong43065

Well, I just signed up for Centurylink DSL. I'll have it next Wednesday. I'll tell y'all how it goes. Can't wait to cancel the Mediacrap service.

Enjoy the moment!!

**soappedaler** · 02-04-2011, 03:43 PM

I wasted 2 hours today with Medicom, ready to switch, have waited this long because I don't want the ordeal of changing my email address. What I do now is call the sales dept. and tell them I'm not receiving full service and should not pay for today. Usually they credit me, I'd rather have the service but figure if enough people do this or cancel sooner or later they improve because they are loosing money. They obvious don't care what the customer thinks about the lack of service.
And we have crappy reception too, the service guy said we needed a booster and put one a couple of years later another service guy took it off.

**laserteq** · 02-14-2011, 01:49 PM

Right now I have Century link. I had to pay $200 for installation. The phone sounds bad at times the Internet is slow. They only use
DirectTV for your TV. Had to spend a lot of money to cut trees back for Satellite.

I had Mediacom first. They just seem so mickey mouse when it comes to customer service. They finally got the service to work good after months of visits. The young man that showed up replaced a wire underneath the house. The first installer said he installed that wire so he knew it worked and didn't bother replacing it. Then they kept suspending my account for downloading illegal movies. We weren't even here when they said we did it. This is frustrating in itself. A simple phone call would have done it to get me to fix the problems.

I run online businesses and they would disconnect at the worse times. They cost me money. I did find some viruses on my computer that could have done it. Put passwords on the computer so no one can access it while I am gone. I have software and books available on the internet and don't like people downloading my products illegally but this company goes overboard and treats you like a little kid. Why don't we have more choices than just these two? They suspend you first then ask questions. With the lousy support they are really to much to bear. I have now set up stronger security on my Wifi. (Caught some young men picking up their email parked outside my driveway. I am pretty sure I was breached.) Both of these companies I would say work fairly well if you just keep your mouth shut and put up with their shenanigans.

I have had Att business high speed and Comcast. Even with Comcast's pinching every dime out of you and charging you for every TV in the house, their sevice was super fast and quick. At&t high speed never gave me a problem except the bill kept getting higher every couple of months.

We need more choices. Why do we have to put up with such services just for the privilege of living by the beach? All the others will not come up this far. Does anyone know why we cannot get other choices up here by 30A?

Thanks for letting me vent.

manny

**rdelong43065** · 02-26-2011, 04:25 PM

YES!!!!!! I did it!!!!!! Today I canceled my Mediacrap internet service. It's so freeing! Funny thing is when the service rep ask why and I went into detail on how bad the service has been and the quality of the service personnel, she didn't even flinch. Now all I have to do is return the modem. It's going to be hard not to beat the Mediacrap out of it with a bat like that scene from Office Space.