Advice For Time Warner Customers

[reason]

I recently wrote up my budget and decided I needed to cut some expenses. I decided to cut cable.

So I called Time Warner and bluntly told them to discontinue service at the end of April. They forwarded my call to someone else who questioned why I wanted to cancel. I told them I didn't like all the religious stations, and that of the 70+ channels, I watch very few of them.

Time Warner offered to reduce my montly bill from $43 (plus tax) to $30 (plus tax) for the next 6 months, with the explanation that I am a prompt-paying customer they don't want to lose. I agreed to continue the service at the discount rate.

Later, I changed my mind. I called again to cancel my service. Again, I was forwarded to a customer service rep who asked me why I was cancelling. I told them the same reasons. They reminded me of the special discount they gave me, and warned me of reconnect fees, but I told them I still wanted to discontinue service.

What did they do? They offered the $30 special rate for a full year. I accepted.

Truth be told, the last time I cancelled my cable service, I got free service for a year and half. I figure if it takes two calls and they still don't want to take care of their business, that's their problem, not mine.

A similar thing happened to a coworker, where he downgraded yet he still managed to get a number of channels for which he wasn't paying.

I was kind of hoping the same thing would happen this time, but I didn't want to press my luck. But I do wonder if the Time Warner really hates sending its workers out to make disconnects, I'm curious to know what kind of tracking they do to make sure the work gets done.

Anyway, if you're fed up with the cost of cable, this may be a good way to lower the monthly bill.

[cincygreg]

It would depend on what channels I would lose.

I have to have
WGN- Cubs Games
ESPN, ESPN2,ESPN Classic, ESPNNEWS
Fox Sports
Comedy Central
TBS
All The News Channels
Cartoon Network
USA
Nickelodeon
E!
Food Network
All The Local Stations
Spike
AMC
MTV
GAC

And a few others.

I could live without the religious stuff, but I just flip right past it and dont pay any attention to it.
(see people, if you dont want to watch something, you can just change the channel)

Might not work as well for someone like me,

[gae]

<s>reason-sarcazmo-craig.-</s> Cap'n, you might want to check out DirecTV. We have fourty-eleven channels for ~$40 a month.

And depending what you watch, you could probably pay less. But we have to have a couple of channels because racing and football conflict at certain times of the year. Or something.