Cable Company - Ripping Me a New One

[VDubb]

I am currently up in Charlotte for the summer, using TWC with my Tivo HDTV. I'm going to be going back to Toledo, OH soon and decided to call up to figure out what I have to do to get a cable card. My cable is provider is Buckeye Cable and these guys want to charge me $5.95 for card (which isn't bad compared to TWC's $2) and want to charge me a $100 activation fee. :mad:

Do you guys know of any tips to talk these guys out of the activation fee, or at the very least, tone it down some. TWC didn't charge me an act. fee at all and a quick browse on these forums, seems like the most was $20. I do understand why these guys are doing it (only cable company in a moderate-sized city).

-VDubb

[knownzero]

Ask them and say that you want to go to a Dish but heard they had competitive rates and the $100 install fee will drive you to a Dish. See if they'll move on it. My brother is serviced by them in that are but hasn't tried calling yet. Let me know how it goes if you do.

[reh523]

Easy just go with the other local cable company.....

[megory]

Welcome to the forum VDub!

Sometimes, when you call back, you'll get a different service rep who will be easier to deal with.

And I agree with Known0:

If that person cannot opt you out of that outrageous overcharge (is $100 a posted standard rate?), I'd go ahead with the "I love Buckeye, but this will probably drive me to . . . satellite. Isn't there anything you can do for me? I'd hate for you to lose a good customer."

And then, if s/he cannot do anything, ask ever so sweetly for the supervisor and pass on the same suggestion.

Hope it works! Good luck.

M
Passat /vortex

[knownzero]

I posted a link to this in the other thread (http://www.buckeyecablesystem.com/downloads/TOL_docs/CableCards.pdf) and yeah, that's their posted rate for CC install.

[VDubb]

I tried the talk to supervisor and satellite options, but sadly, they wouldn't budge. I read on other forums from other people that Buckeye won't budge on it. I would go to another cable company in a heartbeat, but Buckeye is the only one in the Toledo area sadly. Thanks for the help though!

-VDubb

[MScottC]

Try calling TiVo... somewhere on this forum and on www.tivo.com is a phone number for a TiVo department that is there just to assist in dealing with cable companies that are hardnosed about cablecards... Cablecards are supposed to be made available for a "reasonable fee." $100 is certianly NOT a reasonable fee.

[knownzero]

I tried the talk to supervisor and satellite options, but sadly, they wouldn't budge. I read on other forums from other people that Buckeye won't budge on it. I would go to another cable company in a heartbeat, but Buckeye is the only one in the Toledo area sadly. Thanks for the help though!

-VDubb

Thanks for the info. My brother hasn't called yet so I'll give him this info. I have a friend that works for them (kind of...), next time I talk to him I'll get the 411 on why it's so expensive.