this is where my brand-new unwrapped xfinity modem will live, unused, forever.

i recently did some deep cleaning and found the (two years) old modem sitting in a closet. unused because i am perfectly satisfied logging into the xfinity hotspot broadcast from my neighbors and there is no co-ax outlet in my place.

i considered just tossing the thing into the trash, but decided to be a responsible consumer.

after returning the old device to the xfinity store and subsequently discovering that my hotspot access was turned off, i got to take repeat train ride into the city to pick up a new device. it turns out that even though my account is in good standing, a physical device is required to be attached to my account in order to maintain hotspot access.

should i have just tossed the old one? should i just toss this one?

  • Ejh3k@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Years ago I had an issue with my service, so a tech came by and replaced my modem. I stress that it was My modem. I provided it. I canceled the service when I moved halfway across the country and kept the modem. I actually gifted it to my roommate, but that doesn’t really matter.

    At no point did I sign up for the rental of a modem, I never agreed to the additional terms of renting a modem. No one at Comcast could provide me with anything regarding my approval of anything as the sole end user of their service. I told them to kick rocks.

    A couple months goes by, I get a formal letter issuing me an invoice for a couple hundred bucks in rental and fines for late payments. I call them, tell them the scenario and that I am not going to pay them another penny.

    Couple weeks later, another letter. This time informally responded with a written letter, stating all the facts and asking for anything showing my agreement of rental of the modem. Never heard back.

    A year goes by, I get a letter from a collections agency. I responded exactly like before, asking for anything proving I owed anyone anything.

    Another year, another letter. At this point it’s three years later or so, and they stopped for a while. Until five years later and I get another letter. Fuckers are relentless. At this point I am sure they are just trying to catch anyone dumb enough to pay, but that ain’t me.

    Fuck Comcast. And fuck Janet jaurez, who I have been getting collections phonecalls for since I got my current cell phone number in 2005.

    • insomniac@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      In my experience, Comcast shit never shows up on your credit report. I have had this exact same experience and got no where arguing with them so I just ignored it forever and nothing happened. This was over 7 years ago.

      If it does hit your credit, you can dispute it and there’s a decent chance you’ll win. I’ve had that issue with direct TV where they claimed I never returned equipment I had returned. But these companies get in to this situation because they are terrible at record keeping.

      Also, any time your speed dips below advertised, file a complaint with the FCC. They won’t get in trouble but it will annoy them enough you’ll get fast tracked customer service. I used to have some VPs phone number and I tried for like 40 minutes to get her to just admit to being evil. She wouldn’t. But they changed the phone number because I posted it everywhere after I stopped having to have Comcast or I would give it to you.

      I hate Comcast with every fiber of my being.

      • Ejh3k@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I don’t think it ever hit my report. And if it did, it definitely hasn’t affected it in any significant manner because I have excellent credit currently.