Since the phone # to TWC has been busy for days....

I am just trying to figure out if I am getting raped worse than everyone else or if this is normal. Do they still do retention deals?

6/11/2008 4:01:56 PM

you're being raped

6/11/2008 4:04:28 PM

do you have a cell phone?

if so, you dont need that bullshit voip

6/11/2008 4:05:33 PM

I need a fax line with long distance. My girlfriend gets reimbursed for like $20 or $30 for the phone line. I would still rather get it cheaper because then the money would never have to get paid out to begin with. I used to have Vonage 500 plan but the faxes failed about 85% of the time with that. I would go back or try Sunrocket if they can guarantee quality of service.

She said she would just get the house phone in her name from AT&T if its cheaper.

6/11/2008 4:07:22 PM

$200+!?!! No way would I fork over that much a month for television.

I pay TWC $35/mo for internet ... I pay Sprint for my cell phone, I don't need a house phone ... I get OTA SD/HD content for the big screen, and download the remaining shows that I really want to watch then use the media center to watch them on the big screen.

Even if I were to pay for a TV package, no way would I fork over more than $100 combined per month.

6/11/2008 4:09:48 PM

what is up with all the DVR and additional digital cable box services?
do you have 3 TVs, each with digital boxes and DVRs of their own?

Digital Phone? You probably pay $100/month already for your cell phone. Why pay $40 more to TWC?

6/11/2008 4:09:49 PM

Quote :

"I pay TWC $35/mo for internet ... I pay Sprint for my cell phone, I don't need a house phone ... I get OTA SD/HD content for the big screen, and download the remaining shows that I really want to watch then use the media center to watch them on the big screen. "

that' exactly my setup too (minus Windows Media Center and + Mac)

[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 4:29 PM. Reason : .]

6/11/2008 4:10:35 PM

Quote :

"$200+!?!! No way would I fork over that much a month for television."

he's not just paying for television. thats cable+internet+phone+3 DVRs

$30+ of that bill is just for the extra DVRs

but yeah, he's getting raped

6/11/2008 4:12:58 PM

Quote :

"do you have 3 TVs, each with digital boxes and DVRs of their own?"

Yes and that is what sent the bill through the roof. There is one in both roomates bedrooms and one in the living room. I do not have one in my room but I don't watch much TV either.

Everyone agreed to pay the extra $20 for their DVR when they moved in but I am not even sure if that is covering it anymore. The bill is confusing as fuck, the remotes are rented seperately, and the DVR service is too (like wtf you gonna do with a DVR box with no remote or DVR service), and you pay tax on top of the box rental....

6/11/2008 4:14:35 PM

Str8BacardiL, are you under any sort of promotional pricing? It doesn't look like it.

I'd see how much that stuff would be under their current promo pricing (call and act dumb or something)

Then if its a good deal lower than you pay now, call and threaten to cancel (to go to satellite+ DSL or something) and if they don't lower your rates down to promo level then cancel service. Then have a roommate sign up for it in their name...or maybe it would even work if you waited a few days then established service in your own name. I always do the roommate trick though

Quote :

"Everyone agreed to pay the extra $20 for their DVR when they moved in but I am not even sure if that is covering it anymore."

$20/month is def covering each additional 2 DVRs

6/11/2008 4:17:26 PM

Quote :

"and download the remaining shows that I really want to watch then use the media center to watch them on the big screen"

windows media center? do you have your computer located near your tv or do you stream downloaded content over the network? do network shows like The Office, Heros etc come in OTA?

6/11/2008 4:21:13 PM

I just added it up and it came to like $19.xx per box.

addl digital tier 1.43
dvr service 7.95
addl dig box 7.95
addl dig remote .62

Comes to 17.95 and if you add 6.5% tax its $19 something.

6/11/2008 4:24:46 PM

Quote :

"do network shows like The Office, Heros etc come in OTA?"

yes..... everything on the networks comes in for free in HD OTA. NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS, CW, PBS and a couple others all come in OTA for free, and in HD for whtaever shows are recorded in HD

6/11/2008 4:32:07 PM

not trying to derail the thread, but can someone link me to an antenna i can use to try out the OTA content. it'll suck not being able to record that content tho

6/11/2008 4:33:58 PM

wtf is OTA? It sounds like it would not help me since everyone I live with watches TV a lot and wants to keep their DVR.

6/11/2008 4:36:47 PM

you can use any antenna that will receive normal analog TV to get HD. there are several threads about this. build/buy and entertainment PC and you can record
http://brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=528699
http://brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=524493

6/11/2008 4:37:37 PM

This is what I am looking at from Direct TV...

It is the "Plus Package" and includes 3 DVR boxes (1 with HD).

The only problem is the up front investment of $400. I think that would quickly be absorbed in savings on monthly service.

6/11/2008 4:38:58 PM

OTA = Over The Air

you know, like back in the 80s when you were a kid and you picked up fuzzy channels for free, then you got cable and thought that only old and poor people would use over-the-air, and the rest of the world would get cable or satellite?
well now OTA is back, because you can get full, uncompressed HD signals for free, over the air. It's only for network channels, and if you want to record it, you need a tuner or a PC to capture it. If your a cable fiend, then this wouldn't work, but if you watch mostly network TV and only a few cable shows, then OTA is the way to go. You can either torrent your cable shows or watch them online at places like hulu.com

look here or those other threads for info http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

6/11/2008 4:40:50 PM

holy crap thats a ton of up front costs. u have to sign a contract with them too? and of course youd have to purchase internet and phone separate too...but that wouldn't tack on too much. did you go to directtv.com to get that quote?


also have you checked what TWC's promo pricing would be for the stuff you currently have?

6/11/2008 4:42:42 PM

I can't get through on the phone. I guess it is busy because all of the problems with box upgrading. I have tried calling like 10 times today and get a busy signal.

It seems like a huge up front investment but I am at my breaking point I had to pay over $400 yesterday because the bill was late.

I am thinking if there is a VOIP phone for like $15 a month that is dependable for faxing. (Sunrocket says it will work) and I can get RR or RR lite I am still gonna be saving a TON monthly.

Even with full RR there is savings.
RR $46.00
Sunrocket/Vongage $20
Total Phone/Web $66

So everything together (DTV $65 + Phone $20 + RR 46) would be $131. I am paying $218 now with TWC for everything. I should be saving $87 a month unless I missed something.

6/11/2008 4:46:16 PM

I get RR standard + Digital Cable (no DVR, one box) for $99 / mo.

I am considering adding a DVR because it doesn't make a lot of sense to have cable that I can never watch because I don't schedule my life around my favorite show's time slots. Is it worth the $7.95?

6/11/2008 4:53:34 PM

^ Yeah DVR is worth it, unless you do not even watch TV a lot then drop digital TV altogether. I would go all or nothing on that.

6/11/2008 4:57:23 PM

Finally got through to TWC lets see what they say.

EDIT: It is 5:34 and I would love to leave work but am still on hold

6/11/2008 5:19:40 PM

[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 5:39 PM. Reason : .]

6/11/2008 5:39:02 PM

FUCK TIME WARNER CABLE

6/11/2008 5:55:24 PM

i think i pay 125 a month for the best package for cable and the fastest internet with one hd box and dvr. No digital phone

but like you said I think i'm committed for a year, doesn't matter to me, someone's splitting it with me.

[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 6:31 PM. Reason : ehh]

6/11/2008 6:31:09 PM

no contracts for suddenlink

6/11/2008 6:36:57 PM

I have triple-play w/ comcast, $99/mo., and after 12 months they offer you the same deal again, even if you aren't a new customer, it's part of their retention policy I guess, so it's $111/month after fees, etc.

Basically we get Digital Voice for free, since this is about the same cost of Cable TV & Internet if you got those services alone. Also we need Digital Voice for our security system, otherwise we'd be forking over $8 more per month to ADT for a "cell-based" security system.



[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 6:47 PM. Reason : .]

6/11/2008 6:43:30 PM

That bill in the first post is about twice (edit: didn't see dig phone) 1.5 times what you should be paying. "Renting" a DVR is bullshit.

Pretty sure you can buy a used DVR and use it with DirecTV.

[Edited on June 11, 2008 at 7:59 PM. Reason : ]

6/11/2008 7:58:19 PM

Yeah I wanna get DTV but the upfront cost is.

6/12/2008 3:19:50 PM

Thanks comcast!
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=12061

Quote :

"Comcast ... today announced it is increasing upstream speeds nationally for its Performance and Performance Plus residential high-speed Internet customers at no additional cost. Comcast will nearly triple the upload speed of its 6 Mbps / 384 Kbps Performance tier to 6 Mbps / 1 Mbps and more than double the upload speed of its 8 Mbps / 768 Kbps Performance Plus tier to 8 Mbps / 2 Mbps."

6/12/2008 4:11:11 PM

^Awesome

6/12/2008 4:17:28 PM

GOODBYE TWC

I HAVE DIRECT TV COMING THURSDAY AND VONAGE COMING SOMETIME THIS WEEK TOO

SHOULD SAVE ABOUT 100 A MONTH

6/17/2008 3:18:59 PM

Got two free DVR's
One HD DVR for $199
An extra box (might send this back since one is in the closet.

total monthly bill will be $65 for HD channels and 200+ package.

6/17/2008 11:31:02 PM

what are you doing for internet now?

6/18/2008 1:14:13 AM

I still have Road Runner Standard

I am looking at earthlink cable
http://www.earthlink.net/access/index.faces

It is actually the same internet as Road Runner, they are just a reseller. I can get promo rate of $29 for six months, with TWC I am paying $46.

I can't do RR lite with as many computers as we have plus VOIP phone.

6/24/2008 12:44:44 PM

yup

earthlink is cheaper for the first 6 months

it's also cheaper if you don't have digital cable

if you do have digital cable, RR standard is $39.99/month

6/24/2008 1:03:39 PM

^^RR will give you a "promotional rate" of $35/mo for 12 months if you sign up new ... or threaten to leave like I do. When the "promotion" is up, just call them up and request the lower rate again, they'll oblige you the same as me.

You might be able to accomplish the same thing with Earthlink, no idea.

6/24/2008 1:12:23 PM

Time warner would not give me the promo. I guess it would not hurt to try calling again. I have been using my nc.rr.com e-mail adress since 2003, I do not really wanna lose it but on the other hand if I go ahead and bite the bullet then I can do whatever ISP I want from now on.

6/24/2008 1:21:37 PM

They are being like omg satellites dont work in the rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

I told them I am still cancelling.

6/25/2008 11:55:25 AM

So now it is gonna be $59 but once the number port goes through for the phone it will be $29.

6/25/2008 12:00:32 PM

I would like to bitch about TWC for a moment...

Today I had them come out and replace the standard digital box with a DVR. They also noticed that my ground wasn't installed well and the connectors in the box were old, so they did some housekeeping. They had to try 3 different boxes to get it to work, when finally they called some number and asked a TWC person to do something and the box finally booted. It came up, and both them and myself had somewhere to be so all was good and we all went our separate ways. I come home and try it out, and now when I bring up the guide it crashes and reboots.

I called the national technical support line and got a message that said "We're having technical difficulties, call back later". "Click." So I call the local number and get a busy signal for the first dozen tries, then finally got to this annoying bitch who was very excited that she "found my account!" (do you want a cookie?) and has been transferring me to some other number for like 10 minutes before I started writing this post. It's still ringing. I am getting close to telling them to come out here and get all of their shit out of my house.

6/25/2008 3:09:02 PM

Its all a shell game. I was with Time Warner, went to Directv, went back to time Warner, and now I am back with DirecTV.

After the promotions runout and you get tired of calling to get promotions, you'll end up fed up and switch.

6/25/2008 4:06:04 PM

MONTHLY SERVICES/EQUIPMENT
07/01-07/31 DIGIPIC 4000 63.45
Includes Basic, Standard, Digital Variety, Digital
Cable Box, Digital Remote, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime
Unlimited, Starz and Premiums on Demand
07/01-07/31 HD DVR Service Charge 2.95
07/01-07/31 RR Standard 39.95
07/01-07/31 Turbo Charge Roadrunner 9.95
FEES AND TAXES
North Carolina State Sales Tax 4.68
Franchise Fees, FCC Fees and Taxes .62
TOTAL CURRENT CHARGES........................ $121.60

_____

6/26/2008 1:17:23 AM

Earlier I was bitching about my new DVR not working. I finally got through to a human last week and today a TW guy came out to have a look. My signal was shit. He rolled off like 120 feet of new cable to go from the street to my house (which they will have to come bury later), added an amplifier to the digital lines, and got rid of some unnecessary splitters from the junction box.

The contractors that came in last week had a 2 way to split Cable and RR, then a 3 way with one going to the living room, another was empty, and another going to a 4 way. It was a mess.

Anyway, it works great now. gg TWC.

7/1/2008 4:12:47 PM

Quote :

"Embarq Solutions $29.95 Local Services $.00 Internet $24.95 Long Distance $15.00 Entertainment $85.94 Total Taxes and Surcharges $19.83 Total Charges $175.67"

i just made some changes to my account, so that won't be the amt i pay next month. also, that includes a ppv charge. next month will be $-37.00.

this is just the Dish part:

Quote :

"HD BONUS -$10.00 BEE MOVIE $5.99 BUNDLE DISCOUNT -$5.00 DISH NETWORK DVR SERVICEFEE $5.98 DISH HOME PROTECTION PLAN (DHPP) $5.99 SHOWTIME UNLIMITED $12.99 DISHHD ULTIMATE $20.00 DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE AMERICA'S TOP 200 WITH LOCALS $49.99 Total Charges $85.94"

[Edited on July 1, 2008 at 4:28 PM. Reason : ]

7/1/2008 4:25:42 PM

Quote :

"^^RR will give you a "promotional rate" of $35/mo for 12 months if you sign up new ... or threaten to leave like I do. When the "promotion" is up, just call them up and request the lower rate again, they'll oblige you the same as me."

I tried this and they just gave me RR Turbo instead.

7/1/2008 6:49:24 PM

For anyone who is wondering the picture quality is far superior with Direct TV even in Standard Definition, apparently DTV does not compress the signal as much as TWC (or that is what the installer said). Either way the picture is noticeably better than digital cable.

Also so far we have not had any storms knock us offline.

TWC would not give me standard speed RR back for 29.99, I am going to order internet from earthlink next time I get paid and get back to 7.0mbps (instead of 1.5 with rr lite )

They have six months at 29.99, by that point I will be eligible to get the new customer promo from TWC again. I just wish I had not PWNT myself years ago by using my nc.rr.com e-mail address. I think it was because they had pop3 and none of the free services did at that time. I am probably going to have to make an e-mail added on to one of my domain names and then change everything over prior to canceling.

It is gonna be hard to remember everythig I have signed up for sine 2003 though.

7/1/2008 9:59:24 PM

time warner reems me for 45$ every month for internet.

as far as TV i just have OTA

7/2/2008 1:13:14 PM

set'em up

7/2/2008 7:37:41 PM