Why Do You Need a CPA To Figure Out Your Cable Bill?

I'm on a roll after being off a week and only posting twice last week. I nailed all three of my weekly posts in nearly one day.

It shouldn’t be that hard. I should be able to have my cable, phone, and Internet all bundled up for one price. I shouldn’t have to go through a month long fight with the cable company every year to renegotiate my contract. I shouldn’t have to get in touch with Customer Service and haggle and bitch and pretty much wear down the person on the other end until they finally cave and give me what I should have been given to start. But I do.

I’ve been going round and round on this since I first bundled my services back in 2004. Now, don’t you think it would be so much simpler and better for everyone involved if Cable Companies could just have a better breakdown on a menu of services. You want Cable…here’s the option. One price. None of this, “Here’s your price, and here’s all the additional fees and charges that go along with it.” If you want more service or less service you pick it. Then we add phone and Internet and the price for each service is an easy breakdown of features. No, they have to have all these weird features and charges and then they bill you a month in advance so that if you change your service, you get dinged for a higher amount, pay it, and then fight to get the charges credited on a future bill. In any case, you end up losing a few dollars in the mix somewhere. The biggest problem is that there is no competing business in my area that covers all the services, yet. Once that happens, I think I’ll have a better chance at keeping prices stable.

The background of this chat is that my current bundle was set to expire in June…or at least I thought it was June. Comcast sent out this nifty little thing to save me money so I signed up. Then my bill went up. I thought, well that’s nice. They offer me a discount and then raise my price higher. Turns out the $20 off coupon was for unbundled customers. Then I called and said, “Hey, bundle me up. But I know it costs more to have HBO/Starz so drop that and keep everything else. Their response was that it would still be more because of a $15 DVR charge. I said, “I know that. That’s figured into my bill. I just want the bundled service minus the premium channels.” Their response, “But it’s going to cost more because of the DVR charge. Why don’t we give you the bundled service without HBO/Starz?” I said, “….Yeah, OK. Do that.” Where do they find these people? Before the words were out of my mouth, HBO and Starz channels were gone. Then instead of my bill going down it went up one month and then even further the next month.

So, Here is a wonderful little transcript with CS over my latest bill changes. I am in blue, he is in green…self explanatory, I know. My interjections are in red. Note the end of the conversation when he becomes unclear about the similarity between my service previously and what I will be billed now. Oh and look I get a smiley face to boot….awww.


Problem : Being billed too much for services. Spoke to rep on or about 5/15 about change. Billed $192 and now $224 for less services. Need to resolve or cancel service. (I know that I have nowhere else to go…I’m hoping they don’t call my bluff.)

Andrew > Hello Mongo_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Andrew. Please give me one moment to review your information.

Andrew > That would be no problem to check into your account. In order to provide any billing information, would you be able to provide your 16 digit Comcast account number?

Mongo_ > XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX <-- (What…do you think I just fell off the Comcast van?)

Andrew > Thank you, one moment please.

Andrew > The reason that your bill is higher this month is because you made a change to your billing after the previous bill printed, so there were retroactive charges, listed on "Partial Month Charges & Credits".

Andrew > Your bill next month will be $158.40 (before taxes).

Mongo_ > Yes, I see that. I just wonder why I see a $214 charge for HD bundle services?

Andrew > That is the price of the bundle for 5/16 (which is when you made the change) to 7/01.

Mongo_ > So, disregard the bill statement of $224.34 which is supposed to Auto Pay on 7/08. It will be $158.40 + tax?

Andrew > No, this statement of $224.34 is correct, after this bill is paid, your billing will be $158.40 (before taxes).

Mongo_ > So, I change my service on 5/16. I get billed $192 on June 07, and now I am going to be billed $224.34 on July 08? How is that? When I called in May, I asked to be put back onto a bundle plan which would be $158 + tax. Why is it taking two months plus additional charges to reflect this? HBO and Starz were turned off at the time of my call to Customer Service. I don't have an HD television and I communicated that to the CSR who I dealt with then.

Andrew > It should be one more moment.

Mongo_ > ok

(5 minutes later)

Mongo_ > How's it coming?

Andrew > Ok, I greatly appreciate your patience.

(2 minutes later. I've noticed throughout that there is a lot of "Analyst is typing" and then nothing...which means he's deleting, waiting, and then typing, again.)

Andrew > I have found that we did not credit you for the DVR service from 6/02 to 7/01. I am going to credit you $14.95. (Why did they do that? Not that I am complaining but I know I have that as a charge. I think they just find things to credit you on and tell it was a mistake. Instead of admitting that they are screwing your eyes out. I've worked in Customer Service before, I know how to polish a turd.)

Andrew > The rest of the charges are correct, since you changed your package on 5/16, and your current promotion is more expensive then the promotion that you had on 5/16, there was retroactive charges from 5/16 to 6/01.

Mongo_ > Just so we're clear, I am on a bundled service for $158 + tax, now. Retroactive charges from the half month of May for HBO/Starz are appearing on June's bill detailing May without a bundled service per se. Does that cover the $192.00 for the month of May? Now, what about June? If my bill is going to be $158.00+tax starting 07/01 then I am being billed somewhere around $60 for something that won't be there in July, less $14.95 for the DVR charge? Is that all correct?

Andrew > Everything that you stated is correct, your May statement is covered. The partial month charges and credits for your June bill is:$52.67. I have credited $34.95 (Where did that little gift come from?) of that, the remaining balance for the partial month charges and credits is: $17.72. (Apparently, he understood what I said. I didn’t.)

Mongo_ > Ok. What will be the final amount being drawn on my account on 07/08? Just so I am sure to have it all there at the time of withdrawal. (It’ll be in my account, but I want them to actually tell me so I can finish this and not call back. Although, I know my bill will be different from Andy here is about to tell me.)

Andrew > The new amount is $189.39, the credit that I have applied should deduct the current balance by 7/08, just in case it doesn't, you will see the credit reflect on your next bill.

Mongo_ > Ok. From then on it will be $158.00 + tax? Is that the same service I had previously, minus the HBO and Starz? I know I have the DVR in that mix. (He and I both use the terms before and plus tax. Notice how they never tell you what the final amount is. I’ve noticed that taxes and fees change monthly. My bill is always the same plus/minus a dollar or two in change.)

Andrew > That is correct, as far as the promotion being the same as before, I believe so, but I cannot say for sure, since that bundle has expired and I cannot see the exact break down of each service that was in it.

Mongo_ > Understood. I appreciate your time in this. (I'm missing the Penguins parade for this. I'm done.)

Andrew > You are very welcome. I am here to assist you. (And all your base are belong to us.)

Mongo_ > Thank you.

Andrew > Would there be anything else I can assist you with today?

Mongo_ > Nope.

Andrew > If there isn't anything else, I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to assist you today! Remember, if you need us we are here 24/7 at your convenience.

Andrew > Have a great day! :)

Andrew > Analyst has closed chat and left the room

Mongo_ > is left to yell and kick and scream at what just happened.

end of line

I guess I should be thankful, I got this resolved, somewhat. That would be the case if I knew this wouldn’t have to be revisited, eventually. I love how I dropped service but am still paying more. Isn’t it nice that in this economic downturn, Comcast can still boast a profit. You’re welcome, Comcast…You’re welcome.