Mediacom

One would think that when you have your cable TV/Internet

service installed in your new home, the local cable company

would do their best to impress you. Not with so with >>>>>>>

MAY 5, 2007 - Our cable TV/Internet service was installed on March 7, 2007. Now, some TWO MONTHS LATER, the cable to our

new palatial estate has yet to be buried; it's STILL laying on top of the lawn. (That's a real 'pain' when it comes to cutting the grass!)

As for our neighbors, they moved in to their new home last July 2006 and THEIR cable is STILL laying on top of the ground, too !!

So that's TWO UNBURIED CABLES that we have to move every time we cut the grass !!

MAY 24, 2007 UPDATE - There MAY be a God !! In addition to having wires from the cable company cluttering up our yard, our lawn is now 'accented' our lawn with red (electricity), yellow (natural gas) and orange (telephone) paint marking the locations of the buried utilities. (Know what that is, Mediacom ??) Hopefully, this is a 'precursor' to Mediacom FINALLY getting off their butt and coming out to do what they should have done months ago !! But I'm not holding my breath.

MAY 29, 2007 UPDATE - The guy came to bury the cable TV wires !! I saw someone walking around in the back yard, a truck with a trailer; the trailer had a 'trencher' and spools of cable on it. I went outside and asked (I just couldn't resist the temptation!!); "Are you here to bury the cable TV wires?" He stated that he was and I told him that we've been waiting since March 7th to get our wires buried; the neighbors have been waiting since LAST JULY !!

Hearing that, he stated that he only had a 'Work Order' to bury the neighbors cable; NOT OURS !! (I'm the one who has been calling Mediacom WEEKLY to get OUR cable buried!!) I asked him what the date was on his 'Work Order' and he showed me a date of May 15, 2007. I explained to the guy that as long as he was here, why not bury BOTH cable TV wires and 'call it a day'. Being an 'independent contractor' for Mediacom, he, fortunately, was much more interested in making a customer happy than Mediacom is; he agreed to bury our cable as long as he was here. He worked diligently and got BOTH cables buried and packed up his equipment and left. But we STILL had cables laying on top of both lawns. It seems now that once the cables have been buried by the 'independent contractor', it's up to a Service Technician from Mediacom to come back and connect them up !! How much longer do you suppose that's going to take?

Like my experience of trying to cancel DISH Network, our bad experiences with since subscribing to their cable TV & Internet service in March 2007 are deserving of their own Webpage (with pictures) showing how they 'butchered' our lawn when they (finally) showed up and buried the cables. CLICK HERE to see that Webpage I've created.

JUNE 6, 2007 UPDATE - We FINALLY got everything with the cable TV service taken care of. But NOT because of our constantly calling them; because our Internet service which Mediacom 'boasts' is 8MB, had slowed to a crawl of less than 1MB !! When the 'service technician' came you on Monday, I had already spent more than 30 minutes on 'hold' trying to find out, from Mediacom, why their technician didn't arrive between 8-11AM like they said he would.

Their 'service technician' came and left; we STILL don't have our 'high speed Internet' that we've been paying for since March !! And they could care less !!

JUNE 14, 2007 UPDATE - After TWO MONTHS of my 'being on their case', Mediacom FINALLY ADMITTED to me that their 'high speed' (8MB) Internet service isn't as fast as they claim it to be. Their technician specifically told me that this 'problem' with their 'high speed' Internet service began developing about the time we moved in; it seems there are too many 'users' hooked up to the same line. From what I've experienced, their touted 8MB download speed is more like 2-4MB and routinely slows to less than 1MB. Supposedly, Mediacom has 'ordered the parts' it needs to provide their customers with the 8MB download speed that they've all along led us to believe exists. But didn't. Now I'm curious if they are going to make any 'adjustment' to their customers who were paying for a service they never received. STAY TUNED !!

JUNE 15, 2007 UPDATE - Our Internet service is now totally 'out' this morning. Mediacom said they'll send a technician out tomorrow morning to see what's wrong. So than means no Internet service, for which we're paying, for at least 24 hours. And they want us to subscribe to their Internet phone service. Ain't gonna happen !! And I can't wait to see what their billing department has to say when I ask them for credit on our bill for advertised service we paid for for the last 3 and a half months but didn't receive !! How do they stay in business ?? The answer is simple: Because no one 'speaks out'. Until now.

JUNE 19, 2007 UPDATE - Our Internet service from Mediacom was restored later in the morning on June 14th. Mediacom also finally admitted to me that they had another failure on Thursday, June 14, 2007 that affected a substantial number of their Internet customers. Supposedly, Mediacom was going to have the 'problem' that was causing their 'high speed' Internet service to run so slow, fixed by yesterday morning. While I don't have a clue what they did yesterday, I will have to admit that their Internet speed appears to be back in the 'ballpark' of where it should be.

But who knows for how long ??

JULY 5, 2007 UPDATE - I contacted Mediacom a week or ten days ago via their Website and again expressed my concern for their slow Internet service (and CRAPPY customer service). Their Website says they'll give a reply in 24 hours; it took them FOUR DAYS to respond !! And when they finally DID respond, they referred to to ANOTHER 800 number and when I called that number, I was told I had the WRONG number; they couldn't 'do anything' for me !! So, last Sunday, I called Mediacom AGAIN (for the umpteenth time!) and after speaking to someone who didn't care one bit about 'customer service', I demanded to speak with her supervisor. Some guy at Mediacom named 'Casey' seems a little more interested in resolving the issues I've raised more than anyone else I've talked to.

'Casey' said he check into things and get back to me. We'll see; stay tuned.

JULY 18, 2007 UPDATE - Well; you guessed it!! Never heard back from 'Casey'. In the meantime, the 'supposed' 8MB download Internet service is percolating along about 2.5 MB and no one has ever returned any of my calls or e-mails to give me any answers to my questions about why I should pay 'full price' for a service that isn't performing like it's advertised to perform. Plus, nobody from Mediacom has returned any of my calls to them about the way our yard was 'butchered' (see pictures below) when they FINALLY arrived to bury our cable (and the neighbors cable that has been laying on top of the ground since July 2006 !!

All in all, Mediacom is probably the WORST COMPANY that I've ever dealt with and nobody seems to care. Worse yet, we here

in Deltaville U. S. A. don't have any other options.That's the 'real shame', we are FORCED to have to tolerate Mediacoms

indifference and lousy Customer (dis)Service.

SCROLL DOWN to below the pictures to read more about my ongoing experiences with America's WORST Cable TV/Internet/Telephone service 'provider' !!

MORE OF MY DREADFUL EXPERIENCES WITH

AMERICA'S WORST CABLE TV/INTERNET/TELEPHONE

Service Provider

AUGUST 29, 2007 UPDATE - Well; it was too good to last !! Our Internet service totally 'crapped out' again at 1:25AM yesterday (Tuesday) morning. I called Mediacom's 'Customer (dis)Service' number and was ON HOLD FOR NEARLY AN HOUR!! That, to ANYONE, is WAAAAAY TOOOOO LOOOONG to be on hold with a company that you pay almost $100.00 a month to trying to get your service restored. The person I finally spoke with stated that they weren't having 'any problems' in our area but, after checking further, stated that there was a 'planned outage' scheduled from 1:30AM until 4AM while they 'reconfigured' their 'users' to 'balance' the load. He assured me that our Internet service would be restored by 4AM and I went to bed. But not before I told him about how they had 'butchered' our yard when they buried our neighbors cable (see pictures above), the 'sloppy job' that they did when they buried and connected our cable (see pictures above) and the 'sloppy job' that they did with the cable laying in the gutter just down the road in Norwood Young America. I was assured that a 'supervisor' would be in contact with us to resolve our issues. Stay tuned for that !! I'm not real optimistic that is going to take place.

By now, I'm sure that you can guess the 'outcome' of being told our Internet service would be operational at 4AM; I checked our Internet service at 8AM and it STILL wasn't working !! I called Mediacom's 'Customer (dis)Service' again and stated that our Internet service was still 'out'. The person at Mediacom that I talked to this time stated there were no outages. I asked him about the 'scheduled outage' from 1:30AM until 4AM and he stated that he didn't know what I was talking about; no 'service interruptions' had been scheduled. When I told him that the person from Mediacom that I had talked to previously stated that there WAS a 'scheduled service interruption', he stated that he didn't know what the 'other' Mediacom person I spoke with earlier was talking about. So now we have two different people from the SAME COMPANY giving out conflicting information to their customers. Meanwhile, I'm still without Internet service. And it didn't get restored until about 12:30AM this morning (Wednesday). That prevented me from 'uploading' this week's 'DELTA DICK' Olde Tyme Music Internet Show forcing me to replay last week's show !!

Mediacom is a terrible, terrible company, they are a monopoly because they are the 'only game in town', they have NO COMPETITION and can screw their customers until the cows come home !! And not be held accountable for their poor performance. Isn't private enterprise wonderful?

AUGUST 30, 2007 UPDATE - A little before 11AM this morning, a Mediacom 'bucket truck' showed up at our house and out stepped a Mediacom employee that I had spoken with a few months ago about the problems we'd been having. Now understand, the first time I met this employee; his name is Jeff, he was very pleasant and understanding, explained the 'why' our Internet service was so slow and in short, represented his employer (which is apparently 'screwed up' at the very 'top') very well. Jeff was conscientious, accommodating and personable; everything a customer should expect. The people that answer Mediacom's phone could learn allot from this Jeff guy.

Anyway, Jeff showed up this morning as a result of my complaint that I made early last Tuesday morning when we 'lost' the Internet entirely. Jeff was here to check out a 'damage report' as a result of what we've experienced (the 'butcher job' on our lawn when the cable was buried) as well as the sloppy manner in which the cable just ran down the pole without being 'anchored' to the pole and left flapping in the wind. Jeff and I walked around our yard and I pointed out the various areas of concern that were the result of the sloppiness in which the cable to our house, as well as the cable that runs through our yard to our neighbors house, was buried. Jeff was sympathetic to our complaint and concerns; I told him that I had a whole 'array' of pictures (see above) documenting our concerns and complaint. He asked if I could print him out copies of those pictures and I directed him to this Website that contains an ample pictorial representation of exactly what I'm talking about.

After viewing the damage and listening to my concerns, Jeff 'flat out' asked what we wanted Mediacom to do. While I could have asked to have the areas of our lawn that was 'butchered' be re-sodded, I didn't do that. The most important thing I wanted done (and I told Jeff this), was I wanted Mediacom to initiate whatever measures are necessary to ensure that no Mediacom customer (including me should I have to call them again) has to put up with the gross negligence, insensitivity and indifferent attitude of corporate giant Mediacom and it's employees. I really don't think that's too much to ask. Once Jeff and I concluded our 'visit', he fastened the loose cable hanging from the pole to the pole and then (I believe) it was off to Norwood Young America to check out, and rectify, the sloppy work done there. (See pictures above.)

THANKS, JEFF; you represented your company well!! See if you can get the rest of your company 'straightened out' !!

Finally, for those of you who are wondering if we ever got any kind of a credit for the two months or so of Mediacom's 'high speed (8MB) Internet service when it really was running at only 3 or 4MB.....NOT !! Mediacom doesn't have to; there's 'no place else' for a customer to go !! They're a terrible, terrible company !!

OCTOBER 12, 2007 UPDATE - I saw the 'subject line' of an e-mail sent to me and it said 'Mediacom Sucks !' I thought, "Here's somebody else that shares my thoughts about Mediacom cable/Internet/telephone.' Here's what that visitor to this Webpage had to say: "Hi. I came across your Webpage. I was wondering if you would have Mediacom's corporate number because I am having the worse trouble with their product service and customer satisfaction. Any help you let me know if you could. Thank you !" Unfortunately, Mediacom 'shields' its upper level management from the everyday users of their service; you and me. Believe me; I've been aggressive in my efforts to get a name, phone number or e-mail address for the 'big wigs' at Mediacom but so far haven't had any luck. In fact, I can't even get the telephone number of the local office of Mediacom from their customer (dis)service representatives at their toll free number !! They've told me that if I want to talk with them, I have to drive to their office; I CAN'T call them. How stupid is that?

If I get any further information, I'll post it here. Meanwhile, here's some more pictures of Mediacom's 'sloppy workmanship in the Norwoord/Young America area. The pictures shown below are of the same cable that is laying in the cutter shown above. Only this time, these latest pictures show vehicles parked on it. That can't possibly be anything good. You don't have to have more than a second grade education to figure that one out !

OCTOBER 12, 2007 UPDATE

Here's An E-mail That I Received From 'Melissa' In Iowa In Response To Telling About My Experiences With Mediacom In Minnesota. Apparently We're Not The Only State Where Mediacom Provides Lousy Customer (dis)Service.

I just thought I would let you know that I am in Iowa and Mediacom also sucks here. They also have a monopoly in my area. Unless of course I want the even worse service of dish and dial up.

I have the following bill:

Electronic Change Of Service $ 1.99

Subtotal 3.98

Monthly Charge(s)

WWE Summerslam Start 6:30 P.M. $ 39.95

WWE Unforgiven Start 6:30 P.M. $ 39.95

Mediacom 2 Star Digital Gateway -

Primary Digital STARZ DIG Showtime $ 14.95

Family Cable Expanded Service $ 32.00

Basic Service $19.95 $ 51.95

DVR Service $ 8.95

Digital Gateway - Addl $ 4.00

Dct1700 Set-top Box $ 6.00

DVR Receiver - Primary $ 6.00

Digital Plus $ 9.00

WWE 24/7 $ 7.99

Mediacom Online Service $ 45.95

Mediacom Online Modem $ .00

Wire Maintenance $ 3.95

Subtotal $ 238.64

Franchise Fees $ 10.03

Sales Tax $ 9.43

Regulatory Fee $ .07

Local School Tax $ 1.89

Subtotal $ 21.42

TOTAL $264.04

I would really like someone to tell me how in the HECK it costs $270 for cable and I-net?

Not to mention the since the day I got service installed I can't get ON Demand in my living room. Also I can't watch anything above channel 78 on the same box because of tiling.

So I call them all the time. I tell them my Internet is slow and I have tiling. They say I probably need a Digital Amplifier. That's my fault though, because I have 3 TV's. (What family has less than 3 TV's these days?) So I will have to pay $30 for the service call and $50 for the Amp.

WHAT ? I have to pay? I pay for the wire maintenance plan though. Well your problem is not on the we don't cover list OR on the do cover list. So I will have to have a service tech come out and he will decide if I will have to pay.

Problem there is that after I pay my huge bill I can't afford to take the chance of having to pay for the service call if the tech says it's my responsibility.

So I happened to see a tech that was right next door. I asked him if he would charge me if he were the one to come out. He said he would check it out. He checked my signal in the living room and said that it is very low. So then he checked the pole and said that it is coming out at 9.5 which is good enough that it's not their responsibility but bad enough that I can't have more that 1 TV and my Internet.

He was very sweet and tried to see if there was a way to help me but with out it being my service call he couldn't do much. He said that most of the techs would probably charge me to come out and add the amplifier. Out on the pole any reading below 9 is bad so I am just above the wire.

Great I am screwed by Mediacom once again!

So I definitely understand your pain! Thanks for letting me vent. Not like Mediacom listens at least I know someone does.

Melissa