  Original63 Member Username: Original63 Post Number: 449 Registered: 08-2008 |
As a resident of Detroit I have just been made aware of a Black Policy that Comcast has in Place. I call it a black policy because as usual it has a disproportionate effect on the Black community, 80% OF DETROIT. Similar to redlining they have new Discriminatory policys in place if you live in Detroit. 1) I was told by at least 10 seperate employees of Comcast that Detroiters cannot get New state of the art equipment that their suburban customers get. 2) If you live in Detroit and a technician comes out they will charge us 35-40 dollars if we need a new box brought out to our home by that service person. If we don't want to pay then we have to go to Comcast wait in line and exchange that box ourselves. If you live in the suburbs ...no such costs. 3) More importantly Comcast has now Blacked-out all basic channels in Detroit if you don't have a comcast box on that Television all channels above 22 thru 99 are blacked out. So my office TV does not have a comcast box on it so now I can't even watch espn, msnbc, cnn etc.. If I live in Farmington, bloomfield, white lake, Redford, Southfield? I do not need a box. In Detroit you are forced to have a box even if you have a New Digital ready TV, so what you need a box........... why? I have 4 tv's and highspeed internet thru comcast so I am paying them plenty. The service man who came out to my home Thursday not only acknowledged this discrimination but thought himself that it was illegal and certainly immoral in its punitive nature towards Detroit residents only. I would not be suprised if Flint, Highland Park and other Urban communities are being hit with this policy. He said people in Detroit are being treated as second, class citizens and he even had his family members leave comcast in Detroit because of this "Aparthied system" Please if anyone else has seen anything or has any insight or anecdotal evidence of this Policy in place please post. I am going to file a complaint with the FCC, City Council and the Detroit Cable Commision regarding this segregated cable system. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 8960 Registered: 12-2003 |
Interesting. I have enough clients in the near- and far-burbs to do a decent survey. I'll see what I can learn. This could be huge. | ||
Detroitjim Member Username: Detroitjim Post Number: 58 Registered: 02-2008 |
Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah ! Hey everybody lets pay 500 bucks a year to watch TV! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 8961 Registered: 12-2003 |
Regardless of their possible discrimination, at least they ARE universally hated by everyone who pays their bills...or at least barely tolerated. | ||
Original63 Member Username: Original63 Post Number: 450 Registered: 08-2008 |
Thanks I think its huge now I just touched on the bullshit I have heard from Comcast employees. | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 1851 Registered: 11-2006 |
Man, that sucks. I hope you can do something about it. And Detroitjim, this is more than just one person whining about having to pay for television. I'm sure you know that and just wanted to post a snarky comment. Not the best ever, but you are still young here. Good luck with your future posting endeavors. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 601 Registered: 05-2006 |
I went to direct tv years ago because I was sick of comcast, their service interruptions and bad customer service . I have had minor issues with Direct but not to the extent that I would ever go back to comcast even though I miss the local channel with the city council meetings. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5161 Registered: 06-2004 |
No one in Detroit has to pay for television. It's not a broadcsting dead zone. Frankly, with so much content on the internet my tv is rarely on anymore. | ||
Dlb Member Username: Dlb Post Number: 18 Registered: 01-2007 |
"Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah ! Hey everybody lets pay 500 bucks a year to watch TV!" I pay $1200 in the burbs. Its wrong I tell ya!! Call Barry, we need Hope and Change | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 1853 Registered: 11-2006 |
$1200 a MONTH? OMG, you've got to be kidding? Woh, that is just wrong. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5162 Registered: 06-2004 |
It all depends on the channel packages one chooses. | ||
Dlb Member Username: Dlb Post Number: 19 Registered: 01-2007 |
a year with internet, but I'm still looking for Hope and Change | ||
Dannyv Member Username: Dannyv Post Number: 522 Registered: 08-2007 |
O63, By all means you should dump Comcast for Direct TV or whatever alternative is available to you. I moved from Detroit three years ago and took my attitude about Comcast in Detroit with me when I subscribed for cable TV with WOW (WideOpenWest). I've had issues with WOW but they have all been favorably resolved. I don't have any suburban experience with Comcast to compare. My understanding with Detroit Comcast is that Barden sold 49% of his franchise to McNeil-Hunter, a Canadian company, to install the cable system in Detroit. From what I've been told they put in a bare-bones cable system. When Comcast bought the Detroit cable system from Barden they needed to make updates to the system. This doesn't excuse them from what you have described if it is true. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5163 Registered: 06-2004 |
I didn't have internet through Comcast before and just signed up for their 6 months @ $19.99/mo. promotion which, because it's coax service, allowed me to cancel my landline phone. My limited basic cable tv package is about $23/mo. When the 6 month internet promo is up the price goes to $42.95 or so. At that time I'll probably dump the tv service if I can't find another internet deal that doesn't require a landline phone. | ||
Original63 Member Username: Original63 Post Number: 451 Registered: 08-2008 |
But as a publicly regulated service....there should be no differences in service levels, city or suburb. This is more than just changing service its about corporate sanctioned discrimination, or Institutional racism, that has a tangible affect on Comcast customers. | ||
Sumas Member Username: Sumas Post Number: 618 Registered: 01-2008 |
I'll check around too. I don't have cable but I have friends in the burbs and Detroit that have Concast. Though most in the burbs switched to WOW. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5165 Registered: 06-2004 |
I know there are differences city-to-city because cable companies have exclusivity contracts with some cities. Rep. John Dingell held a Congressional Subcommittee hearing on some of these issues last January http://www.reclaimthemedia.org /broadband_cable/why_todays_co ngressional_heari%3D5761 | ||
6nois Member Username: 6nois Post Number: 789 Registered: 11-2006 |
Lilpup you can get DSL through ATT without a landline for 19.95 a month that is what I have. I don't have cable, I couldn't find a reason to pay Comcast, and I can find most shows online. | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 3181 Registered: 02-2007 |
Quote: "But as a publicly regulated service....there should be no differences in service levels," File a complaint with the Michigan public service commission. I'm pretty sure they oversee the cable as well as DTE and the phone companies etc. http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/0 ,1607,7-159-16368_16415---,00. html | ||
Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 975 Registered: 08-2004 |
Get AT&T. Screw Comcast. | ||
Russix Member Username: Russix Post Number: 178 Registered: 11-2006 |
Check out http://www.wirelessinnovationa lliance.com/ which explains that the FCC recently voted for the White Space Coalition(sounds bad considering this thread started with "Black Policy", but purely refers to the soon to be available old analog tv signals). They are gonna try to retrofit the old tv broadcast systems to broadcast internet signals to a white-space device, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W hite_space_(telecommunications). Hopefully this will give residents living in a strong analog tv signal areas a 3rd option, might even be free! | ||
Otter Member Username: Otter Post Number: 505 Registered: 12-2007 |
Turn off the TV, read books and listen to the radio instead!  Yeah, I know that most people aren't up for that, but it's worth a plug. I used to get Comcrap digital cable w/HBO. Liked HBO stuff a lot, but decided I'd rather not spend the extra, so dropped it. Didn't miss it. Canceled my cable when I moved in July, haven't gotten it back since. Of the little TV that I did watch, all of it was on cable (mostly movies, police procedural reruns) so I thought I'd want it again when I settled into my new place, but I don't miss it either, and I've got other things I'd rather do with ca. $70/month. I'll watch a low & order rerun on basic once or twice a week, but that's about it. O. | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 75 Registered: 01-2009 |
The told my Lilly-White Suburban Butt I need a box for $6.99/mo for my "cable ready" TV come Feb 17. I could pay for an appointment, or I could stand in a short line at the office and do it myself. Why is EVERYTHING in this area reduced to race, even when it has nothing to do with the matter? It desensitizes people to real racism. Comcast only sees green. | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 76 Registered: 01-2009 |
PS. I threatened to get a dish and Comcast reduced my bill from $189 to $117. Flip the script! | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3641 Registered: 06-2008 |
"If I live in Farmington, bloomfield, white lake, Redford, Southfield? I do not need a box." If you live in Farmington or Redford, then you don't have Comcast period, as those cities are serviced exclusively by Bright House Networks(same for Novi and Livonia). So before you throw around allegations of racist business practices, you should probably make sure these "comcast employees" you spoke to are actually comcast employees and not employees of Bright House Networks or contractors who happen to work/have worked for both companies Otherwise you may just be comparing the business practices of two completely separate companies. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3642 Registered: 06-2008 |
"I threatened to get a dish and Comcast reduced my bill from $189 to $117." Just so you know, your "threat" didn't scare them into reducing your bill or anything. Rather, that is part of their normal customer retention practices. It's actually part of their written policy. So hopefully you weren't rude to them, since you didn't need to be. I used to work for a cable company and we did the same thing. If someone called in to disconnect service for whatever reason, we'd offer them a free year of premium channels or 6 months of free internet or whatever. Anyone in this thread could call up Comcast right now pretending to want to disconnect service and they'd offer you something similar. Try it. (Message edited by thejesus on January 26, 2009) | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 79 Registered: 01-2009 |
I wasn't rude, I just let them know I had, really, six different offers last week and I liked where I was, just not my "new" bill that went to $189 from $129. They didn't want to give the discount, offering they had X channels (20% home shopping and Jesus-vision), etc. I had to become more and more adamant and be transferred to a separate office (retention?) to close an acceptable deal. I really don't think they did this out of the goodness of their hearts, but in response to the very real prospect of losing a customer. My friend didn't believe me, so he tried. Same result. Comcast has ALWAYS worked to keep my business. There are always issues in any such service, but they do generally work hard to resolve them. Just every once in a while, they spike the bill and I have to call and "offer" (better?) to move to a competing firm. Guess they know that it costs 25% to keep a customer as replace him. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3643 Registered: 06-2008 |
"I really don't think they did this out of the goodness of their hearts, but in response to the very real prospect of losing a customer." "Comcast has ALWAYS worked to keep my business." Exactly. I'm simply saying it's part of their business model and not the result of your powers of persuasion or threatening them. Trust me on this one. | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 85 Registered: 01-2009 |
No, I'd argue persistence won the day. They tried twenty different tactics over the course of 45 min to convince me how great the service was, but until I got through to them it was a purely economic issue. As long as I have The History Channel, nothing matters but the price. | ||
Izzyindetroit Member Username: Izzyindetroit Post Number: 168 Registered: 07-2008 |
""Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah! Wah ! Hey everybody lets pay 500 bucks a year to watch TV!" I pay $1200 in the burbs. Its wrong I tell ya!! Call Barry, we need Hope and Change" You all are getting screwed. I paid a one time $50 fee to get cable and high-speed internet. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5170 Registered: 06-2004 |
A former employer did that, too, Izzy. Then when he had to get something serviced they tried to collect back charges and threatened to take him to court. Criminal charges were also a possibility. He ended up working out a settlement with them. | ||
Gene Member Username: Gene Post Number: 178 Registered: 10-2006 |
A co-worker has WOW and bitches all the time about the service. I remember my Dad bitched all the time about TV when all we had was 2,4,7,and 9. Bad reception, snow, lines and so on , I guess we just like to bitch about TV. Anyone remember those tube testers, always a bitch fest if we got the new tube and the damn TV still did'nt work, ah the good old days. | ||
Rel Member Username: Rel Post Number: 747 Registered: 02-2008 |
Like most folks, I hate hearing about possible discrimination. But respectfully, I think the term "Aparthied system" is a little overused these days. I don't think that we need to cheapen that term further by having it refer to elective cable services. | ||
Chrissy_snow Member Username: Chrissy_snow Post Number: 404 Registered: 07-2008 |
When I moved into my new house, the previous owners, an older couple, told me NOT to call Comcast because they'd been getting cable FREE for the entire 8 years they'd lived here. In all of the rooms. These were by all standards deeply religious people who had Jesus pictures and statues in literally EVERY room of the house - which they left, by the way. Yet, theydidn't mind getting that free/illegal cable for 8 years! I needed internet and phone and premium channels, but I didn't want to get them in trouble so I first called WOW and had them hook me up. But their service was really lacking as far as offerings, On Demand was bare bones, the interface is ugly and clumsy, just horrible. So then I called Comcast and got a sweetheart to switch over. Plus, they never knew about the previous owners stealing cable all of those years. | ||
Ltdave Member Username: Ltdave Post Number: 321 Registered: 09-2006 |
ive had comcast internet since about '02. it started really fast (whatever they were advertising) and it was good... then i needed a new modem because the powersupply was crapping out. i got a new one in 5 minutes from the service center. it was an older style but it worked just fine... others were saying they had speeds double and triple what i had so i went and got another 'new' modem. no difference... i moved and took my service with me. i had an issue again with 'speeds' so when i called they sent a technician who tried to replace my modem with one they had given him and it was dead. he called another tech about 20 minutes away, left, met the other guy, got a motorola surfboard, came back and installed it. i immediately tripled my speeds and he called his boss and basically chewed him out for sending out crappy modems... when our 10-10-something phone service started acting up we went with comcast phone because calling europe at $0.09 a minute on comcast is better than $0.35 a minute with att... the only time i had bad service was when they first started looking into VOIP. they put a filter (coil) on my line knocking out my internet. it took them 3 weeks to get it straightened out and i was given a credit for the 3 weeks i was off line... i cant get WOW up here in st clair county but i would check them out if i could, just for a better price... | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 526 Registered: 10-2007 |
Bought a mini laptop with wireless WiFi, and living close to several public hot spots, have unlimited access to what I guess you could call "free" internet. Then I found that, for a one-time fee of about 50 bucks, there are several offerings of complete satellite feeds to a computer available on the internet (gotta do research and read the pro's reviews of these companies, apparently this type of feed is completely legal also). So, my idea was to get a 19 inch LCD flat screen, get one of those satellite-for-PC deals, have all the channels in the world, and use the mini laptop as a remote control. Well, took a couple weeks, but finally I realized that I really don't like t.v. that much anyways and decided - for now anyways - to forget about it. Pretty clever set-up, though, and I might just do it just for that reason, to see if it works. | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 93 Registered: 01-2009 |
Ggores, Be careful. Some guy got convicted last year of "stealing" FREE WiFi internet service, downriver I think. Guess he sat outside hotspots and used it thinking FREE meant, well FREE. Look it up. I'm still aghast. And to think, we can't find a seven-foot Arab living in a cave, who needs dialysis, and we have time to pick on that WiFi guy? What a country! | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 94 Registered: 01-2009 |
I bought a Toshiba modem on eBay for $15, delivered. Same make and model Comcast uses. Four years running and that $15 has saved me 48x $3= $144 and counting! If you plan to have Comcast for any length of time, buy your own modem and save the rental. Takes ten minutes and one phone call to configure. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 527 Registered: 10-2007 |
^^ Yeah, I know, I'm not naive. The perfection of technology should result in reductions in the cost to the consumer for that technology. Just exactly WHAT does Comcast offer? And if it is true that there are discriminatory policies towards City residents, well, that's pretty damn shameful. On the other hand, it's kinda funny that there are complaints of discriminatory policies by a cable television provider when there are few (and none that I know about) areas in Detroit where you can get pizza delivery. | ||
Chuck_g Member Username: Chuck_g Post Number: 97 Registered: 01-2009 |
In my area, Comcast is the most reliable, cost-effective alternative with the best one-stop solution. I don't like their phone service, but the internet and cable has been serviceable and problems have been fixed in a reasonable time. Your mileage may vary. I always say, check with people in your neighborhood when choosing cable, internet, or cell phone services. | ||
Ladia Member Username: Ladia Post Number: 209 Registered: 05-2008 |
I think blacks should bring that out in the forefront more, take it to ruth to the rescue,or something. alot of times comcast channels didnt work anyway,but they'd still charge you when they had weather related blackouts for long periods. | ||
Original63 Member Username: Original63 Post Number: 466 Registered: 08-2008 |
http://www.freep.com/article/2 0090204/NEWS09/902040345/1011/ NEWS09/Some+in+Detroit+lose+Co mcast+channels+ Not just a rumor I think. More Bullshit and more black tax, unless our suburban friends have lost their service as well? | ||
Urbanfisherman Member Username: Urbanfisherman Post Number: 73 Registered: 07-2008 |
Black tax? What part of the whole company moving an old analog system to a digital signal don't you fucking understand??? | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 657 Registered: 12-2006 |
I live in a very rural area and we don't get all the channels Comcast claims. It's not a race thing, it's an economic thing. Get a dish, and save the "Boy Who Cried Racism" routine for an honest dis, not this. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 1897 Registered: 10-2003 |
From the article above: quote:Black tax? Looks like you were the last of Comcast's customers to receive the upgrade to digital. Shouldn't you be crying racism about how everyone else gets new infrastructure while the black neighborhoods are neglected? | ||
Jerrytimes Member Username: Jerrytimes Post Number: 168 Registered: 04-2007 |
Sounds like someones making stuff up. The 35-40 charge thing is for service calls, which in the burbs is 50. Just like how ATT charges you to come into your house to fix your phone wires. They charged my parents $75 about 4 years ago to fix a phone line. | ||
J_stone Member Username: J_stone Post Number: 180 Registered: 10-2003 |
So, where can I buy one of these special "analog to digital" converter boxes? Are these the same ones you buy with the coupon's or something diferent? I'd prefer to not "lease" one from Comcast. | ||
Enduro Member Username: Enduro Post Number: 162 Registered: 11-2006 |
The thing that bugs me about Comcast's move here is that if you have a QAM tuner this was not supposed to effect you. They are legally supposed to keep broadcasting these channels to you so you can use your own digital QAM tuner to get basic. Comcast took this opportunity to only broadcast the networks, shop at home (x 5 versions), Big10 network and TBS in QAM. I bought a DVD-R with QAM tuner anticipating this but now if I want any of my old basic channels I have to cough up 6 more bucks a month. |
