[cybermuda]

Grateful for any experiences you have of what the "vacation" policy is for the various internet providers in TV

I use CenturyLink and if I ask them to put my service on "vacation" for a few months they still charge me over half the normal rate plus, when I come off "vacation", they charge me their full rate and I have to sit on the phone for an hour to argue it back down to any special rate I may have been on before.

I think my only other choice where I live (north of 466) is Comcast, but any input would be appreciated.

Yes, I'm sure I could find an answer on their websites but I don't trust anything these cable/internet providers say and would prefer the "truth" from fellow TVers.

Thank you

[njbchbum]

we have comcast and this is what we got when we left in april this year - just like on the website.

from the comcast website for florida: Seasonal Vacation Rates
note the note re the villages at the bottom of post

Seasonal Convenience Plan 2012 Rates
There's no cost for enrollment, and no equipment to return.
While you're away you'll simply pay reduced monthly rates based on your service level.
Monthly Charge
Enrollment Fee ........................................ $0.00
XFINITY TV ............................................ $5.00
Digital Converter ................................ $0.00
HD Digital Converter ............................ $2.00 per box
DVR or HD DVR ................................... $5.00 per box
XFINITY Internet ..................................... $5.00
XFINITY Voice ......................................... $10.00
Nationwide calls outside the local area......... $0.05/min

Ask about special pricing for The Villages.

[justjim]

Njbchbum: Correct regarding Comcast vacation charges. Its a big break while your gone from TV. Although, with out a doubt, Comcast's overall customer Service is less than satisfactory. There is another Thread regarding that! Unfortunately, Comcast has no real competition when it comes to the fastest INTERNET service.

[cybermuda]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

we have comcast and this is what we got when we left in april this year - just like on the website..

Thank you

I have just had a "chat" with Comcast and their internet-only rate is $40 per month, or $7 per month on vacation, so should work out cheaper for me than CenturyLink

Have you had a good user experience with them?

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by justjim

Njbchbum: Correct regarding Comcast vacation charges. Its a big break while your gone from TV. Although, with out a doubt, Comcast's overall customer Service is less than satisfactory. There is another Thread regarding that! Unfortunately, Comcast has no real competition when it comes to the fastest INTERNET service.

i have read the comcast cust serv tales and cannot relate to them - i have had good service in fl and nj where we have their service!

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by cybermuda

Thank you

I have just had a "chat" with Comcast and their internet-only rate is $40 per month, or $7 per month on vacation, so should work out cheaper for me than CenturyLink

Have you had a good user experience with them?

i have had good service - and i attribute that to the fact that i usually have info and or questions written down before i call them; and i write everything they tell me down during the conversation; and then let them summarize our conversation - before i also summarize it! have never had to ask a supervisor to go to the audio tape!

you might want to find out if they still have their triple play bundle for $99/mo first year with minimal increases in year 2 and 3 - friends caught that one and love it!

[asianthree]

i am paying $23 just for tv on vac from comcast

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by asianthree

i am paying $23 just for tv on vac from comcast

maybe you should give comcast a call re the seasonal plan info posted above?

[cybermuda]

Thank you, everyone

Now that I have the ammunition I shall call CenturyLink to see if they can match Comcast's prices, taking the year as a whole, and, if they can't, I shall be only too ready to switch.

[ajbrown]

We use Comcast in TV and our home up north. I have had very little trouble (over many years) with the Comcast service itself, but it can be trying talking to folks on their 800 number. IMO this is improving all the time.

We used to downgrade our service to standard tv and put just that on vacation when we left. This reduced the vacation price, kept email address active and avoided hookup fee upon our return, but did not allow us to take advantage of new customer deals on tv packages. With this method we could get new customer specials on Internet.

We have now completely done away with using Comcast vacation, we now cancel the service when we migrate from TV. We plan on doing this in our north home for the first time this winter. This has worked out for us for a couple of reasons:

• Comcast has no contracts for the packages we use**, hence when we return we sign up getting whatever specials they are running.
• I hate paying ANY money for someone to keep my service 'active'

It costs $35 to 'hookup' which for the last two years is far less than we have saved for vacation fees and getting new customer package deals.

** We have Internet, digital tv packages, one HD/DVR. If you have phone, pricing for hookup will vary.

[cybermuda]

Thanks, AJ

We need only internet - our DirecTV contract still has a year to run (which, with vacation turn-off, means two years calendar) and as CenturyLink wouldn't allow us to have a telephone (no Social Security number) we went with MagicJack and are very pleased with that.

Of course, this means we are unable to avail ourselves of the bundling discounts, but as long as we can get good, reliable internet access while we are in TV...

[joycenemetz]

We switched to Century Link in May - like it much better than Comcast - Phone-Internet & Cable - BUT - Comcast's vacation policy is much better, never had a problem going on vacation hold and their customer service was always great to work with. Trying to go on vacation hold with Century Link was such a hassle we just paid for the service for the 2 months we were gone.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

We use Comcast in TV and our home up north. I have had very little trouble (over many years) with the Comcast service itself, but it can be trying talking to folks on their 800 number. IMO this is improving all the time.

We used to downgrade our service to standard tv and put just that on vacation when we left. This reduced the vacation price, kept email address active and avoided hookup fee upon our return, but did not allow us to take advantage of new customer deals on tv packages. With this method we could get new customer specials on Internet.

We have now completely done away with using Comcast vacation, we now cancel the service when we migrate from TV. We plan on doing this in our north home for the first time this winter. This has worked out for us for a couple of reasons:

• Comcast has no contracts for the packages we use**, hence when we return we sign up getting whatever specials they are running.
• I hate paying ANY money for someone to keep my service 'active'

It costs $35 to 'hookup' which for the last two years is far less than we have saved for vacation fees and getting new customer package deals.

** We have Internet, digital tv packages, one HD/DVR. If you have phone, pricing for hookup will vary.

i did that once with my nj comcast service at the suggestion of a comcast rep - it also meant we did not have to return the set top boxes! when we returned and called to upgrade service back to what it had been the rep was reluctant to give us the special reduced rates. so i asked the rep to discuss it with their supervisor and if the lower rate could not be provided to either cancel my service or transfer my call to the retention dept. i never had to talk to retention and i got the lower rate. since then, i have had no problem with downgrading and then upgrading and receiving the special rate when we return from fl.

will be keeping the vacation pkg in tv because i know that if we visit or have family or friends who want a place to stay while we are "on vacation" they can have tv stations 1-22 by just connecting directly to the wall.