Cable firms to FTC: We shouldn't have to let users cancel service with a click | Hacker News Reader

Cable firms to FTC: We shouldn't have to let users cancel service with a click

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78 pointsthunderbong24 comments

I called to cancel my Internet service with Cox after signing up for Verizon 5G internet. Of course they attempted to retain me by offering a discount. A couple months later and the Verizon 5G wasn’t reliable enough for my work from home needs, so I reached back out to Cox. They offered me a sizable discount from what I’d been paying before, such that I could keep Verizon as a backup and have Cox, and be paying less than before. Seemed like a reasonable plan, as it allowed me to remain grandfathered in on Verizon’s crazy low priced 5G, monitoring them for reliability improvements. Two months pass, and I check my bill. Cox didn’t honor their discount. I called, and they said they would need to research and I’d have to call back. Three more months have passed and my bill hasn’t gone down, so it’s time again to call Cox. Just ranting. Another reason I’d like better regulation. For all intents and purposes they have a monopoly on my household internet, and yet the government regulates them like they’re selling chocolate bars. I blame the previous administration’s Reeces Peanut butter coffee cup guy. Thankful the cable companies are getting regulated again

I had to cancel Cox Internet a few years ago because I was moving to a different state. When I called to cancel they asked why and I declined to say. Why should I provide them with another data point for their executives to see in a report? It's enough that I want to cancel the service. They don't need to know anything else.

Yet they just kept asking, refusing to take "no answer" as my answer. I had to get almost belligerent before they finally agreed to cancel the service. Was it petty on my part? Yes. Were they entitled to a reason? Fuck no.

Internet service should be a public utility at this point, or at least ISPs should be much more heavily regulated.

> Internet service should be a public utility at this point, or at least ISPs should be much more heavily regulated.

Then we can have as great a service as going to the DMV. How about instead abolishing local monopolies by allowing anyone to run an ISP? Worked great for Romania(1).

1. https://old.reddit.com/r/Romania/comments/gkkt4b/why_is_the_...

That would be wonderful! Most DMV stuff can be accomplished online in seconds, and if the task has to be done in person I can schedule my time and wait in a virtual line. I hope someday private companies will be able to match the government in efficiency

Whelp, my experience is waiting 6h in line, despite doing all of the above, because there's only one DMV, and they know they've got you by the cojones. Damn monopolies, amirite?

The difference, of course, being that I can't startup a private enterprise offering my own license, certifying folks to be on the road. Whereas the existing of municipal or public infra would not preclude the existence of private competition. They'd just actually have to compete.

My city runs symmetric gigabit fiber internet. It’s the best option in town, the best internet within a hundred miles, and cheaper than Charter or Xfinity ever were. Government utility internet consistently beats commercial options.

You might be on to something.

The UK online government portal is excellent, so much better than dealing with BT. I would love an internet service that is as great as our government.

> I called, and they said they would need to research and I’d have to call back.

This kind of thing is why it's a good reason to record your calls.

For anyone worried about the legality of doing so... are you calling one of those places that states something like "This call will be recorded for training purposes"?

If yes, then you're fine as they've already stated the call is being recorded. :)

You can also just say "yes, the call is being recorded"

I've had the opposite. I called complaining about the poor service and they offered a discount. What they were in fact doing was adding additional charges to my bill each time I called.

Have also seen cases where this extends the contract period for the customer because a change was made to the account. /grimmace

File a complaint with the FCC with a title along the lines of "Dishonest billing practices."

I had a similar issue with my cable internet provider, and got a call from their Executive Customer Team the next day after I submitted my complaint. It helped that I saved the chat logs (or rather their website saved them so I could later download them) where I was promised a lower rate than what was billed and submitted those with my complaint.

I just had a discussion about this exact thing with 3 friends and we all had the same experience of being quoted a discounted price, signing up, and then being billed something higher.

> For all intents and purposes they have a monopoly on my household internet

I thought you said you’re using Verizon now so I really don’t see why you think Cox has a monopoly on your household internet.

5G is junk for household internet.

The 5G just isn’t reliable enough yet. Maybe in the future. But for high speed, reliable internet, Cox has a monopoly.

Yeah, there needs to be some teeth in rules against such things. Not simply honor deals, but a deal that's offered and then not given should be made more favorable to the consumer.

And we need to go to nationwide one-party recording rules.

> Out of millions of cancellations, complaints received by NCTA members amount to only a tiny fraction of 1 percent

If I need anything from my cable company, I ask to be directed to their cancellation/retention department. This looks like others have figured out that trick, too.

Surprisingly using bbb.org has worked for dealing with terrible customer service.

At this point, 100Mbps up/down broadband should be a public utility. The telco's reneged on their promise to expand real broadband access at reasonable prices in exchange for the lifting of regulations. Time to re-regulate them.

Nooooo you cannot make it easy for people to leave my paid subscription!!!! they will do it!!!

I kind of think it's crazy that the cable companies said that it would take millions of dollars and increased office supplies to make the change. Really?!

Does this also extend to gym memberships? I can sign up for a workout online but canceling the thing takes an act of $DEITY!

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