Just lowered my TWC bill...

[duncantuna]

When TWC increased their rates, my bill hit $141 a month .. that's just too damn much.

I have Digital Variety Package $71, DVR service $10, HDTV Box $7.65, RR for $40, $12 in taxes = $141/month.

I called them up today and pushed option "downgrade my service" .. just told them $141 was too high, couldn't afford that.   Their first offer was to reduce my RR bill by $5/month.   Saving $60 a year wasn't what I was looking for.

Then she offered me a package .. exactly the same thing I am getting now, for $112 plus $10 in tax = New Bill of $122/month.

The 4 minute phone call saved me $228/year on my bill. -- Or you could say I rolled my prices back to 2007 levels.  :bang:

Either way, not bad.  If you have TWC .. give it a try.  

I think she said this was a "current deal" or something, so it might be expiring soon, give it a try.  Worst they can do is say no.

[ddeerrff]

Sounds like the same package I got about 6 months ago.  Mine is without the DVR, and runs $111 /Mo.

[markd]

Yeah, TWC is soo screwy.  When my previous price-lock expired a couple months back, I got a notice that my bill would be going up and I'd be entered into a new price-lock contract.  With the AT&T and sat. competition lately, I expected my bill to go either go *down* or, at the very least, stay the same.  I called them to opt-out of my new price-lock.  After telling them I was shopping around for better deals, they offered me the same services at a level that was about $10 less than my previous price-lock bill.  The CSR told me that the only catch was that this wasn't a two year price lock and the current rate would only be good for *one* year (though I'm not actually entering into any contract).  WTF are they doing over there!? :bang:

I guess the bottom line should be to always just call.

[CouchPotato]

Yeah.  I think the magic words of getting a bill lowered are "I'd like to cancel" hehe.  I don't think it costs them too much to provide an individual with service.  So, a cancellation is just profits lost for them.

[flash]

I need to hear some success stories on getting your bill lowered.

I called a couple of months ago to get my bill lowered from $154 and got a "good customer price" of $147

I have 7 meg RR
1 HD DVR (no extra packages or pay channels)
Nationwide digital phone service

I've been having some phone troubles calling 1 number long distance that they have been escalating for weeks and they credited my bill ~$20 for my troubles.  I called because my normally $147 package bill seemed high with the credit I was expecting.....

They told me that was an "error" and they told me the lower price........

I asked what my bill would be next month........

They told me it would be $158!!!!!

They said there was ANOTHER price increase this month!!!!

I call customer retention every month for the past 3 months and it gets me nowhere.


Ideas please................


(Uverse and Dish/Direct not an option)

[duncantuna]

All I can say is .. when you call, make sure you hit the touch-tone button for "downgrade my service".

Just keep repeating you need to lower your bill, that you can't afford it any more.  

With luck, they surprisingly "find" a better deal for you.

[ArgMeMatey]

To get the best deal, you have to say "Cancel.  It's not worth it any more.  I'm putting up an antenna."  They've already got a full record of every time you've called in to carp, so you have to be willing to dump them.  

When I called to cancel in November, they offered me a couple of very good deals that kept me hanging on for an extra month while I thought about it, but ultimately I told them I was done.  I'm not looking back.  But I only had TV, not internet or phone.  

There's a reason they want you on a bundle; it weakens your bargaining position considerably.

[Tivoman44]

I wanted to add to this and ask about keeping my bill low by bundling.  Currently I have Road Runner and Digital Cable:

Standard Package (this includes basic service at $18.12) $44.95
Digital Access Service
Digital Variety Tier
Cable Card $2.50

Road Runner 2 Megs $34.95

Then after the franchise fee and taxes, the total comes to $89.70.

I haven been thinking of adding phone as well, not just to bundle but it would be kind of nice to have a phone as a back up, for 911, not having to screw around with knowing where my cell phone is, etc, but mainly just for 911, and if you've ever had to call it, you know that it is nice if they can find you automatically and not have to screw around with first getting connected to the county, then to your municipality.  

I realize that a truck roll will add an expense and adding phone may raise my 89 a month, but I need advice on how to go about doing that.  I would love to keep my bill below 100 bucks, including all taxes.  any advice, I was thinking of having offers ready from AT&T, bell wisconsin, etc).