🚀 go-pugleaf

Scott in Aztl�n wrote:
> I shoulda known better.
>
> Last December, I signed up for Comcast cable modem service through a
> web site called bropadbandcompass.com which was offering a special
> promotional rate of $19.95 per month for the first three months. To
> get the service started, I got passed back and forth between
> Comcast's cable modem department and their cable TV department, since
> in order to have Comcast cable modem service you must have an account
> set up with the cable TV side even if you don't subscribe to cable TV.
>
> After jumping through all the requisite hoops, I finally got
> everything set up. I made sure to ask the rep if the special
> promotional rate had showed up; she assured me that it had. I thought
> I was all set.
>
> Today the first bill arrived in the mail. Of course, there's no
> mention of any promotional rate. After waiting on hold with Comcast's
> customer service number, I was told they don't know anything about my
> promotional pricing, and that I must have made a mistake. Strange, I
> have a printout of the signup forms right here in front of me, and it
> clearly says $19.95/month for the first three months. But wait!
> There's some fine print there on the page. It says "Prices and
> availability of promotional pricing vary for non-Comcast cable
> customers." Hmm... I wonder what that means? Do I have to be a
> Comcast cable TV subscriber in order to get the high speed Internet
> at this promotional price? Well, golly, that's *exactly* what it
> means!
>
> Gee, I wonder why that little restriction is in such small print, and
> why it's worded in such an obfuscating fashion? And I wonder, even
> though I checked the check box to indicate that I am NOT a cable TV
> subscriber when I signed up, it still showed me that $19.95/month
> rate instead of the actual rate I would be charged? Could it be to
> fool careless people like me into thinking we were getting a decent
> promotional rate when in fact we were not? Naw, that would be a
> cynical interpretation; surely two compnies with great reputation
> like Comcast and broadbandcompass.com would never stoop to such a
> scam, would they?
>
> So just in case anyone else out there is thinking of signing up for
> any sort of promotional offer from Comcast and broadbandcompass.com,
> better make sure you read and understand all the weasel words in the
> fine print!

There was a time that the new subscriber discount was never acknowledged
on the Comcast monthly bill.  The discount came in the form of monthly
coupons with the amount of the discount that were to be sent with the
payment.  I don't know if Comcast still does this, but check the
paperwork that came with the bill.

Q