Billing

[jfred1212]

On my lates bill I got hit with a new 9.95 HD Technology Fee after having HD DVR service for 2+ years.  After looking through the rate schedule on my bill, I noticed the below charge for HD DVR:

HD DVR Service (includes HD Technology Fee) - $16.95.

I clearly have a $16.95 charge on my bill for HD DVR service, so why would I have a new additional $9.95 charge for HD Tech Fee when it clearly includes the fee in my HD DVR charge?  I have talked to 2 phone reps and a chat rep and they all tell me that I have to pay the separate charge even though it clearly says on the bill it is included.  The HD DVR is my primary box (which one rep indicated that was required to include the fee and it was in the footnotes of the rate schedule on the bill).

[rob3325]

This Technology Fee is garbage.  This is just another way that Comcast rips off its customers with junk fees.  Did anyone notice that the HD DVR fee also went up $1 per month?

[heiglp]

I called Comcast service and could not get a clear explanation for the HD Technology Fee and why it was added to the bill. In addition, Digital Preferred went up $3, Sports Entertainment up $2, Digital Service went up $1 and High Speed Internet up $4. Is Comcast going to drive customers to Satellite and other sevices?

[SPC54]

The HD Technology fee is the equivalent of the airlines baggage fee. They charge it because they can.

Comcast has raised my Double Play (TV & Internet) bundle $7, my cable boxes (2) $1.50 and the new fee $10. I'm very unhappy with Comcast. I'll looking at alternatives. I will either scale back on services or look at cancelling altogether.

BTW, I have on going discussion with Comcast insisting that one of cable boxes should be included with Digital Preferred. I'm paying for both $10 now. Customer service doesn't have a clue.

[SPC54]

You can view my other response below.

Here is my conclusion. Comcast doesn't have a clue about the equipment in a customer's home. I have two cable boxes. One is SD and the other is HD.

I asked if I returned my HD cable box. Would the HD Tech fee be removed? Their reply was yes. Meaning, they are double dipping. Comcast is charging $10 for the cable box and another $10 for the HD Tech fee.

The other odd thing is my latest bill has dropped the cable card for my tivo off the equipment list.

If you try to explain the equipment in your home to the Customer Service people, it's in one ear and out the other. They take the bill as Gospel. You can't explain anything to them without an interruption and nothing is accomplished in the end.

[TonyUnplugged]

I just downloaded my bill for 1/14 to 2/13/2012.

There's a new line item called "HD Technology Fee": $9.95.

Comcast did not notify me about any changes. 

It's time to take a look at the 2 year plan being offered by the other triple play company.

[tedmig]

Are you kidding me? A $9.95 technology fee. I am in a 2-yr contract at a fixed price. Now they tell me I have to pay and extra $9.95 to finish out my contract. This is ridiculous...why was I even in a contract if they can raise rates on "equipment" at their discretion? I called a phone rep and was told a supervisor would get back with me. No one ver called me back (surprise, surprise). 4 days later I called again and finally spoke with a supervisor who said that there was nothing she could do...it was a "company thing." This is ridiculous and almost seems like fraudulant business practices. I will be cancelling this service as soon as I can!

As The Donald would say...Your fired, Comcast

[mu8tu3]

It is called profit. Comcast has raised the prices on all services that they think they can get away with. I called customer service this afternoon and waited for a live person for about 1/2 hour. So there must be other folks who are looking at their billing with questions. Bottom line is that Comcast raised prices on most of their services, the hd technology fee being one of them. A $1.00 there, $3.00 bucks there, total on my bill equating to +$15.00.

So I have a package with internet and cable tv. I'd be answering this post using comcase internet service except IT DOESN'T WORK - I have had intermittentent internet service for 6 months. Now internet service is not working at all - used to be at least at a dial up speed (yeh, I know it's cable).But now it's non-existent. Hard to swallow with the price increases. Technician to come out again tomorrow. Yada, yada, yada......

[TonyUnplugged]

Here is the email response from Comcast support:

"You were on a promotion which provided the HD technology free of charge. That promotion has ended, so the HD technology fee now applies."

It looks like "HD Technology Fee: $9.95" will be on every monthly bill from now on.

Give me a reason why I shouldn't switch to a 2 year contract with Verizon FIOS.

Go ahead.  Make my day. 

[Beingliedto]

Does anyone know if the HD Technology Fee is a FLAT charge or a per outlet charge?   If I already pay it and I want to put a cablecard in my second TV (no charge for the cablecard) will I be charged another HD Technology Fee for the second TV.   I received a four page email reply about this question from a Comcast Customer Care Specialist that told me how much they appreciated me as a customer but basically told me nothing.

[ComcastNick]

It is a flat charge. 

It won't change regardless of how many HD boxes/cable cards you have hooked up.

[richsud]

My 12mbs High Speed Internet bill increased exactly $3 to $62.95. 

If I added this service it would be only $45.95 ( not an intro price ).

My service has gradually degraded ( using their speed test ) by

approx. -30% down and -50% up over last year.  The up was fastest

two years ago.  If you use Skype you need the up.  At 500Kbps

barely enough.

[commanguy]

richsud

You may want to post in this forum thread instead for High Speed Internet issues

http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Connectivity-and-Modem-Help/bd-p/5

There are a couple of links there for information that will help people see what the issue may be.

[ComcastNick]

---

richsud wrote:

My 12mbs High Speed Internet bill increased exactly $3 to $62.95. 

If I added this service it would be only $45.95 ( not an intro price ).

My service has gradually degraded ( using their speed test ) by

approx. -30% down and -50% up over last year.  The up was fastest

two years ago.  If you use Skype you need the up.  At 500Kbps

barely enough.

---

The 45.95 price is when you have the Internet and another product.  When you have multiple services, you get a discount on the price.

Regardless, you should be getting better than 500Kbps speed.  Try unplugging your modem and router, then pluging the power back into the modem, wait 30 seconds or until the modem connects to the Internet again, then plug the powercord back in your router, then check your speeds again.  http://speedtest.comcast.net 

If you are still having speed issues, call in the 1-800-Comcast number and have them check your modem signal levels and for packet loss.  Then if need be, we can get a technician out to fix any signal issues they find.

[nla318]

I looked at our newest bill and we were charged $9.95 tech fee for the HD receiver and $9.95 for the HD DVR

A $19.90 bill increase out of nowhere. I already called them about changing the HD receiver to HD DVR so we'll have two of them, thinking about cancelling that and dropping the one we have.

They've even added a $1.99 "adapater" fee and we aren't even using one.

[hmfranklin]

The $9.95 "whole house" Technology Fee is a TOTAL ripoff from Comcast.  Please someone address this a the cor0porate level like killing "Qwikster" for Netflix. This is just a way for Comcast to steal from its user's pockets another $10/month.

As this person notes, I already PAY a technology fee under my HD/DVR!!!!

Does it give you anything? No.  Did they change the outlets in my home?  No.  Do I get additional programming?  No.  Protest, PROTEST!!!!

[delawarean]

Any fees on your bill which cannot be simply explained is just another worthless attempt by Comcast to gouge customers.

[maphead14]

True dat

[saltz80]

Its simple, they are trying to figure out how much you can afford.  If you keep paying after they put these unwarranted charges on your bill then you can afford it, and they have won.  They will continue to raise prices as long as we keep paying when we stop paying as a whole they will stop.  I for one am shopping for a new provider and I suggest you all do the same.  Leaving them is the only option calling and complining is no longer worth while. 

[monty7]

I just noticed this new HD Technology Fee @ $9.95 per month on my bill.  I called the customer service billing people and they were ludicrous.  There is no excuse for this fee, period.   Anyone that wants to start/begin a class action against this lunacy, please reach out to me.   This is a classic "pack" fee if I've ever seen one, and kudos to all of you who have pointed that out already.  

This is so brazen it  would be funny if it weren't so stupid.   Seriously, this merits legal action and I'm onboard if someone knows how to bring this about....

[richsud]

Yes, we know to periodically cycle the modem. I'm an early adopter.

Shouldn't the network balance itself dynamically ?

As far as discounts, $10 for the cable option should be $55.95 (not $62.93).

Your technicians come out a week late without propper tools.

Takes a whole afternoon and then charge me for diagnosing their problem !

harumpf.

[deinline5]

I just questioned this charge on my account, and was told it was for an HD box. I explained that I no longer had an HD box, it was exchanged when I got my DVR. Apparently customer service has no idea what the fees are for. I have a call into a supervisor for further explaination of this charge. I has been on my bill for the last 2 years. If they have been charging me for an additional box that I exchanged, I will be requesting a credit to my account!!

[dissatisfied100]

yeah technology fee was never notified in advance just got it on my bill saying  i added technology fee and they back dated it i guess this is the kind of stuff that they are in court for all the time  well  i did not authorize this at all furthermore im already dissatisfied with them prior to this nonsense and now they have charged my visa with 446.00 i did not owe them at all and are being extremely difficult and rude in the process of returning the funds to my account  thats ok i called visa and calling utilities commisioner they will figure it out when customers start canceling and going with a different provider oh wait they wont cause their commercials just say nasty stuff about everyone else and even demean their customers in their commercials

[Ymsv]

Go to direcTV or Dish they offer free HD for life. There is no such thing as HD receiver fee or HD Technology fees. All you have to do is sign up for automatic bill payment.

[disgruntalled]

I called comcast after I was billed out of the blue & not even on my regular bill for this HD Technology Fee   & after long time on hold was told was for the HD box that I have.  I told them when I signed up I wasn't interested in paying $!0 a month for HD & none of my boxes are HD.  The person apologized & is going to credit my FEB bill.  Comcast relies on large #s of customers not paying attention & just paying this.  This is unscrupulous & I will be switching to uverse soon as available in my neighborhood

[kumap]

Is this federal state county  charge or comcast whim charge.. to rip off the customers... since they have a monopoly!?

[TheAlan]

HERE WE GO AGAIN! I've had the Triple Play Bundle for over three years at $99.00 a month. When I first signed on to Xfinity I was told HD was included. I didn't have a HDTV at the time. Now that I do, they're charging me an additional $9.99 "HD Technology Fee." For what? No one seems to know. And with no notice, they raised my Triple Play to $119.99 a month, although my bill still reads Triple Play Bundle PROMOTION. That's an increase of $20.99 a month. It could be because I added Xfinity Home with a three year agreement. (Xfinity requires the internet and a phone line). With all these fees, Comcast will soon be able to build a second Comcast Center in center city. Verizon is looking better every day!

[TheAlan]

Worthless fee? I guess not. They're charging us and we're paying it, aren't we? It's worthless to Comcast when we STOP PAYING! This is like the wild, wild west, without the gun.

[CCCarole]

You are charged the HD Technology Fee to enable HD to all your outlets.