I know it's not world worthy news, most people on this page will question why I have TV in the first place but really? A monopoly at least in Florida? This is a long story.....
To me it's the straw that broke the camel's back. I am not young anymore, I'm a senior citizen and I have noticed that lately, the desire to rip off anyone over the age of 55 is so tempting that it's a constant fight to survive being nickled and dimed to death. More likely it comes to the hundreds and thousands of dollars.
I moved to this state in 2007. From Hawaii and first and foremost, I am a New Yorker, born and bred. I was a tough ass social worker that fought every day for the rights of my clients and I'm no wimp but I have to say, that age and living here in this climate among some strange folk has beaten me down.
Since we, my husband and I don't really have a large sum of money and live on a fixed income, our entertainment if you will call it that is mostly TV. So we were prepared to pay for some form of cable, plus our computers need internet and we need a phone. This is called a bundle. For those of you that don't know anything about this, I salute you for not having to deal with these rip off companies that want nothing more than to raise your contracted rates every month for whatever reason calls to them. Many people do not argue with the cryptic bills that you receive and just pay them. This is what they count on, I assure you. But for those like myself that have just a drop of fight left in me, it doesn't work. I need to know how they get away with every dime that they increase my bill. If it takes an hour on the phone with these people I will do it because, I feel like if there is me out there, they might think there are others who will not put up with their bullshit.
So far, I have figured out the scam and I want to share with you. I have ATT Uverse. From the beginning, when I spoke to the customer service rep, he gave me a deal, unlike anyone else. I was leaving Comcast constant raising of my bill each month and ATT offered me a better deal. I took it, asking over and over if this was correct and that was correct until this man was drained. He even gave me the bottom line with my state tax included. BTW he had no way of knowing what that was, I was told afterward by yet another customer service rep. That would have been 109.00 a month for phone, high speed internet and a bunch of premium chanels for a year. Woweeeee! I was psyched. I won't bore you with the sad part of this when the bill came in first at $250.00 for my start up and installation and how I waited like a dumb ass for my 150 visa card that would completely cover all the start up expenses, which by the way you were supposed to go on line for that deal, and no one mentioned it. I did get that card, you can only apply for it after a month of service and after your first bill but before your second bill which comes within a week of your first bill. So if you miss that window of time, too bad for you. No card
I have been abused by this company for 1 year, when in that time my bill monthly was 131.00 for 1/2 of what I was promised, but I stayed with it for a year because they threatened that it would cost me 350 dollars to break the contract, 3 months before it was over. Imagine that. so when I was no longer contracted with these people I was feeling really good about how I was going to tell them to Fuck off and I was moving on when in fact they gave me a better deal.. The retention department, you can guess what that is,"Promise them anything to keep them and give them nothing" I went for it. I was even told by the rep as she was deleting my existing expensive channels when I balked that "Oh I just found a greater deal for you that gives you all those channels for the same price" Put a smile on my face. So I took it. After all it's easier than having to change altogether and I was tired after a day of it.
3 days later my bill came from them for $399.00. I laughed. Ha Ha.. what did George Bush say? Fool me once shame on you etc... So I called Direct TV. They have the best reputation and everyone I know that has it claims that they don't change costs middle of the month etc. Well they're here now, installing for nothing. We'll see.
I heard from someone, I don't know who it was that in fact Direct TV owns ATT Uverse. Isn't this a monopoly? Wasn't that once illegal? Is there no choice anymore because these huge companies can outbid an area where smaller cable companies cannot compete. Is it all about who gets paid the most for giving these people large areas where no one else can come in and compete for a better price or even an honest deal? I am not that stupid of course it's about that and with Rick Scott as the governor of this state, God only knows what else is in store for us.
My next step will be to turn it all off. I will find a way to use my cell phone as my phone and hook my computer up to something. In this state you have to have some form of cable to keep you in touch with the world. It's the law. I protest.