Saving Money with TWC (Part 2)

[Admin65]

Dropping TV is not bad if you don't mind streaming and have fast enough internet to do so. A Roku 3, Game Console (PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One), Fire TV, Apple TV, or even a HTPC can offer good streaming options, but I prefer using a small STB for such services.

 

[fblack_111]

Well it's that time again. My plan expires in January. A quick call to TW and I had them do a "look forward" on my bill. They say it will go from about $130 to $170 in the end of January. I tried to get real info on a deal and they said to call back in late December. I just hate negotiating with them. With a little push, I may consider dropping their cable TV package. Anyone dealt with them lately after a rate deal was set to expire?

I would call them, but there is a deal where you can get WH-DVR, ultimate internet and Phone for $129.99/month. I am interested in changing my service and possibly get Ultimate 50. 

For $129 not including taxes now I get 1 HD DVR and service, I unlimited National TW home phone, Ultimate 50/5 Internet speed, 2 Digital Tuning Adapters (for older TV's) for free for another year, and Preferred TV with Variety Pass and an Extra $7.00 Value Discount.  They said if I do nothing, it will jump to $174.73 including tax in January. I could save $20 by dropping back to standard 15/1 Internet. But I like Ultimate.

Where did you see, or how do I ask for the $129.99 Whole House DVR deal?

 

[Admin65]

I saw it on the TWC website for existing customers. You have to check for pricing and packages and select existing customers. You need a TWC ID in order to access this deal. It comes with Epix as well as HBO, Starz, and Cinemax. Pretty good deal for the price and it's Preferred TV to boot.

 

[fblack_111]

I saw it on the TWC website for existing customers. You have to check for pricing and packages and select existing customers. You need a TWC ID in order to access this deal. It comes with Epix as well as HBO, Starz, and Cinemax. Pretty good deal for the price and it's Preferred TV to boot.

__________________________________________________________________________

I looked up the plans per your suggestion. The only bundle upgrade plan for existing customers that shows up for my account is their Signature $199 plan.  So I check all general plans and find lots more.  And before calling TW I read the fine print.  Remember I have the Triple Play. Seems they say (in fine print) that the deal is available to new customers and existing customers with only Single or Double Play only. So then I call their Retention group.

They say I don't qualify for the special pricing since I have Triple Play. So I say I will drop the phone plan, which makes me a Double play, then they can give me the new deal. After a long silence, the rep has no idea what to say or do. She suggests I just call the regular sales group and tell them the same thing. I may do that in a day or so. 

 

[Admin65]

I saw it on the TWC website for existing customers. You have to check for pricing and packages and select existing customers. You need a TWC ID in order to access this deal. It comes with Epix as well as HBO, Starz, and Cinemax. Pretty good deal for the price and it's Preferred TV to boot.

__________________________________________________________________________

I looked up the plans per your suggestion. The only bundle upgrade plan for existing customers that shows up for my account is their Signature $199 plan.  So I check all general plans and find lots more.  And before calling TW I read the fine print.  Remember I have the Triple Play. Seems they say (in fine print) that the deal is available to new customers and existing customers with only Single or Double Play only. So then I call their Retention group.

They say I don't qualify for the special pricing since I have Triple Play. So I say I will drop the phone plan, which makes me a Double play, then they can give me the new deal. After a long silence, the rep has no idea what to say or do. She suggests I just call the regular sales group and tell them the same thing. I may do that in a day or so. 

I am a double play subscriber, which is why I can get this deal.

 

[fblack_111]

So I finally got a new 1 year deal I can live with. After 4 calls over a week to various TW reps, including two to the retention department, no one offered any deals at all. In fact most told me my $130+ current plan would rise to over $175 based on their standard rates. A few said they could cut the $175 down to $145. An increase of over $15 a month from my expiring plan. And I have been with them over 10 years.

So I went to their Ware Ct. Office. I heard they had more leeway and more deal codes. After a half hour and some prodding, they knocked off about $15 from my $130 plan. Every thing is the same but I had to drop my internet back to 30/5 from 50/5. I never saw much difference in those speeds anyway. And hopefully this year they will make 50/5 the new standard.

Not a great deal, but I can live with it.

 

[DRB]

Any TW reps and numbers you can recommend fblack?
I haven't found any that will offer me a 1year or longer fixed price deal at all, so I am stuck at the standard rates and only have standard 15/1 internet and cable TV with HD-DVR, and the total price is higher than yours ~$150/month right now. I'd love to get it down to closer to $100.

 

[Rick Shaw]

Any TW reps and numbers you can recommend fblack?
I haven't found any that will offer me a 1year or longer fixed price deal at all, so I am stuck at the standard rates and only have standard 15/1 internet and cable TV with HD-DVR, and the total price is higher than yours ~$150/month right now. I'd love to get it down to closer to $100.

I guess I don't have it so bad on Cox: All "paks" except premium and foreign language, HD DVR, 50/5 Mbps HSI (running at 60/7.5 Mbps). About $110.

 

[fblack_111]

DRB:

I called numerous retention reps with little luck. One reason I decided to go to Ware Court was that a friend got a better deal at the PQ office by just politely talking to a rep. I usually go to the PQ office to exchange a dead remote etc. But I was near Ware Ct. one day and decided to see about a new deal. Just go to PQ and get in line and tell them you are looking to save some money or consider "other" options. I think PQ is open Saturdays now too. Sorry I have no names of any reps.

 

[Admin65]

I will look into that, as I too want to downsize my package.

 

[Rick Shaw]

I will look into that, as I too want to downsize my package.



Poor choice of words. 

 

[DRB]

DRB:
Just go to PQ and get in line and tell them you are looking to save some money or consider "other" options. I think PQ is open Saturdays now too.

I did that today (Sat 1/3) and got the $90 1-year promo priced double play Preferred TV + std internet deal usually only for new customers offered right away there. In addition kept the Variety-plus channel pack ($8) and my rented HD-DVR and use my own cable modem. Total savings about $25 over what I've been paying before.
But will have to repeat this every year when it expires,,,

 

[fblack_111]

DRB:
Just go to PQ and get in line and tell them you are looking to save some money or consider "other" options. I think PQ is open Saturdays now too.

I did that today (Sat 1/3) and got the $90 1-year promo priced double play Preferred TV + std internet deal usually only for new customers offered right away there. In addition kept the Variety-plus channel pack ($8) and my rented HD-DVR and use my own cable modem. Total savings about $25 over what I've been paying before.
But will have to repeat this every year when it expires,,,

____________________

Every year I have to go through it. It does get old fast. One thing we need to watch for are all those new fees and increases. The month after I cut my new one year deal, page 7 off my bill talked about the new sports fee, cable fees, equipment fee increases etc. It will be interesting if they try to tag us with that new monthly sports fee. I made it very clear when I cut my deal at the PQ office that this was my final, total monthly bill. No extra fees or add on's for the full year.

 

[Admin65]

I think the cableco's and even the telco's are guilty of adding sports fees. It is just another way to get more $$$ out the subscriber.

 

[fblack_111]

So I got my first new bill of a full month of my newly negotiated discount. And it was about $9 a month higher than what I negotiated at the PQ store several weeks ago. I took good notes at the PQ store for my records. I called TW and actually got a rep who sort of agreed with me. So they agreed to lower that extra $9. One other complaint I again discussed was why TW will not send a customer a confirmation email outlining the terms agreed upon. Seems like a simple matter. But they decline to do it. So I always take notes and get the reps name and three letter employee code.

 

[DRB]

I did that today (Sat 1/3) and got the $90 1-year promo priced double play Preferred TV + std internet deal usually only for new customers offered right away there. In addition kept the Variety-plus channel pack ($8) and my rented HD-DVR and use my own cable modem. Total savings about $25 over what I've been paying before.
But will have to repeat this every year when it expires,,,

I see my $20/month discount I got a year ago is expiring now, and TWC is raising prices again too.
So time for my annual trip down to the PQ office to try to get a new one year discount deal.

At least I am already getting the faster 50/5M internet speed at the standard (old 15/1M) price now since I bought a SB6141 cable modem.
I also bought a new wifi router (Asus RT-AC66) onsale last week from Newegg for $90 and now have gigabit eternet connection between modem, router and PC if I ever go up to 100M+ internet.
The new 5Ghz wifi works well thruout my house with no interference and I have full 80M bw for up to 433Mb/s with AC devices (Samsung smart tv. smartphone and laptop) and up to 150Mb/s (40M bw) with N-devices (Pana smart tv and blu-ray).
I turned off the router's 2.4G radio since all my wifi devices work with the 5Gbands

 

[Admin65]

Still have some 2.4G devices in our household.

 

[DRB]

I only had one netbook PC that was 2.4G only wifi, but I got on sale last week for under $10 a tiny USB wifi adaptor for it that supports 5G AC 433Mb/s wifi.
That works great and my smartphone already supports 5G AC wifi and my smart TVs support 5G N or AC wifi, so I'm able to be all 5G now.
I'm getting the full almost 60Mb/s download speeds of my current TWC internet speed thruout the house on 5G wifi, and could handle up to over 100Mb/s true transfer speed (the max my SB6141 modem supports) even at the far end of the house.

 

[Admin65]

I am looking into AC routers, and eventually getting a 4K tv after I moved the 40" to another room. I do think 4K will require me to upgrade my internet connection as I have multiple people in my household.

 

[fblack_111]

I see my $20/month discount I got a year ago is expiring now, and TWC is raising prices again too.
So time for my annual trip down to the PQ office to try to get a new one year discount deal.

At least I am already getting the faster 50/5M internet speed at the standard (old 15/1M) price now since I bought a SB6141 cable modem.
I also bought a new wifi router (Asus RT-AC66) onsale last week from Newegg for $90 and now have gigabit eternet connection between modem, router and PC if I ever go up to 100M+ internet.
The new 5Ghz wifi works well thruout my house with no interference and I have full 80M bw for up to 433Mb/s with AC devices (Samsung smart tv. smartphone and laptop) and up to 150Mb/s (40M bw) with N-devices (Pana smart tv and blu-ray).
I turned off the router's 2.4G radio since all my wifi devices work with the 5Gbands

I am still unhappy at TW for rolling out Maxx 6+ weeks ago to people with 6141 modems before the rest of us who pay $20 or more a month for higher speed Internet. I have a modem that will accommodate 200 or 300 speed Internet. I pay $20 a month extra for higher speeds. And now, for nearly two months now, I get about 36Mbps while many standard speed users get 50+.