Yet another Cablevision question...

I just moved to PH and called Cablevision to get cable and internet services. After setting up a time for a person to come install the necessary goods, the customer service rep told me that I would need to give the installation rep a check or money order for first month in advance plus the installation fee. It makes me a little nervous giving a check/m.o. to the rep. I can't remember doing this with Time Warner--I think they always just billed me. Is this standard procedure with Cablevision?

Yes. It is their procedure. The service sucks though.

i remember doing that with TWC myself.
I would pay with a check as a money order is like cash.

I would get direct TV.

agreed. my direct tv cable is cheap like $27.99 and I get more channels than cable.

If you can, get Directv. I can't in my co-op and am stuck with Cablevision.

Pay attention to your bill. I had Cablevision installed and wrote the guy a check. He had *really* sloppy handwriting and used the notes section to scribble in my account number.

The following month I was double charged, when I called to fix it they made me fax them a copy of the cleared check, and then it had to be processed though 3 of their "teams". After 2 weeks of that and maybe 4 follow up phone calls from me, a lost fax, requiring me to re-fax and then a request for a fax of a copy of the back of the check FINALLY they realized that the money had been applied to the wrong account due to the techs handwriting.

It did get sorted out but it was a major hassle. I should also note that the first guy they sent out told me he was too tired to install my line and I would need to call back. He did not seem to care that I had taken the morning off of work.

sigh.

Cablevision is OK... until it isn't. Then you are simply screwed.

Subject: Other providers

So if cablevision sucks, what service would you recommend for Internet? My free wifi gravy train is over and I can't live without Internet anymore.

Just as an added note - now that everything installed and my bill is straightened out I actually like the service. No problems here.

edit: I only use it for internet.

We have the triple Cablevision package and generally like it. Only once in the last couple years did the internet go down and it was because of an outage in the neighborhood. We had to wait 45 minutes to talk to a live person but thats our only complaint.

We can't have Direct TV. Previously, we had Verizon DSL and it was slow and very complicated to fix whenever the internet had problems.

My "free" wifi is also drying up. How much is the cheapest internet access through Cabelvision? I have no need for cable TV or a landline.

$49.xx/mo, although its $29.xx/mo for a 6 months teaser period, i think.

arches wrote: $49.xx/mo, although its $29.xx/mo for a 6 months teaser period, i think.

45.00 if you have cable.

I only pay 29.99 a month for internet...

To answer the question, yea, you have to give them a check. It's legit though.

Althea wrote: I only pay 29.99 a month for internet...

Cablevision? Have you had it for more than 6 months?

I wish Verizon would hurry up and deploy FIOS in the PH.
For the most part wherever there is FIOS and Optimum Online on Long Island Cablevision is building out free Wifi for the use of its subscribers.
They have announced their intention to build out free Wifi to cover their entire footprint in the Tri State area. It is possible though due to the economy right now that could get put on hold or all together shutdown.
I am a Cablevision/Optimum online customer myself ,but really I just want some competition for good high speed internet service!
My guess is that its like 2-4 years away.
I won't hold my breath!

Newswalk on Dean between 6th and Carlton is being wired for FiOS and is supposed to be live in a month or so.

rogersma wrote: Newswalk on Dean between 6th and Carlton is being wired for FiOS and is supposed to be live in a month or so.

I am on Underhill off Dean and we got a call last weekend letting us know that a representative from Verizon would be calling us to see if we were interested in Fios. No call yet.

are these new(er) or older units you folks are talking about?
single family homes/family who owns the whole brownstone or multiples unit buildings?

From experience Verizon has been doing installs in single family homes first and new construction second
older multiple unit buildings are left till last (that would be my case)

rogersma wrote: Newswalk on Dean between 6th and Carlton is being wired for FiOS and is supposed to be live in a month or so.

that's great news, as i live right next door to Newswalk. however, the Verizon web site still says that FiOS is not available to me.

I've only had one major outage in the 4 years I've had Cablevision (Optimum Online) and am completely satisfied with my service. I've looked at real price (not the introductory rate) comparisons for Fios and Optimum Online based on download/upload rates, quality of service, and they are about equal for current rates. I have the boost which gets my max download rates to 30Mbps which I have been able to verify. I also have the TV and Phone (3 VOIP lines) service which I have been very happy with. They are constantly adding new HD channels to keep on par with Verizon and Direct TV.

I really hate Verizon as a phone company so will most likely not switch if Fios ever becomes available. I'm also hoping in that time Cablevision finally brings the fiber hookups to Brooklyn like they have with their business customers (Optimum Lightpath).

I'd love to hear what people actually pay for all three services in total after the introductory period is over. I'm pretty sure they will all start to level out regardless of the service provider.

Cablevision is good, once it gets setup (Getting them to install a cablecard a year ago was torture, involving multiple visits, incorrect billing, etc). The people I spoke to were rude and incompetent (They refused to put me through to a supervisor or provide their name). It got mostly sorted out after a month (They still don't have my name or phone number right), but it involved a lot more drama than it should have...Once its working though, it seems more reliable than Time Warner...

The triple play thing without the first year discount is around $140 (I don't have a cable box, so it may be a little different for others).

I just hope the competition makes basic service better...Verizon is a good example...Verizon Wireless is hell to deal with, as is the New York part of the landline service...But I dealt with the Boston land line people, right after they opened it up to local competition, and they became *GREAT* to deal with...I'm hoping for a similar transformation here...