In what is starting to become a very common experience for TiVo Series 3 owners, MediaLoper is out with a post today detailing his difficulties getting Charter Communications to give him the cable cards that are necessary to run the new TiVo series 3.
““I WILL NOT RESCHEDULE MY APPOINTMENT!!! THIS IS YOURRRRR ISSUE!! YOU NEED TO FIX IT!!†Technically, it really wasn’t the Third Customer Service Rep’s issue, it’s just that he got stuck with me just as my asshole-o-meter had gone to 11. I was trembling with righteous fury, storming around my apartment with the cell phone jammed in my ear. I was as angry as I have ever been, and that’s really saying something.”
I wish that I could say that his experience is unique, but there have been plenty of reports from around the blogosphere detailing how cable companies are either refusing to issue cable cards or just playing dumb when asked about them. My own cable card installer even told me that he’s convinced all but three cable card customers (prior to the series 3 coming out) to not install the cards and to instead use Comcast’s own set top boxes. Considering that the cable companies were given fair warning that TiVo was coming out with this box, it’s a little disappointing to see that they haven’t taken the time to educate their customer service reps on this very issue.
While I don’t believe that it’s the cable company’s job to sell Tivo’s product for them, I do believe that they’ve taken every step possible to fight their legal obligation to open up their cable systems to set top box competition. After reading, MediaLoper’s rant I know that there isn’t much that will make him feel better about the experience, but luckily now that he’s finished with the hassle of getting the cable cards ordered, delievered and installed, that slick THX certified HDTV TiVo will go a long way in soothing his reasonably frayed nerves.
#1 by Jim on October 21, 2006 - 12:47 pm
Ah, the pain of being an early adopter of a technology that reduces profits for a huge institution.
I don’t know what is more chilling: my institutional problems with Charter, or your tale of the Comcast guy who is talking people out of the cable cards because he doesn’t want to be bothered.
At least my cable installer had already done an install. The first time I dealt with Charter — 5 years ago — they didn’t even know what a ReplayTV was, so I had to wait until the guy left to do it myself.
And you’re right — my nerves are a lot lot better these days!
#2 by davis on October 21, 2006 - 1:23 pm
My issues with the cable installer have only been the first step. Luckily, I’ve got the tenacity of a bulldog when it comes to my television. I’ve got a lot more to tell, but their attornies in Philadelphia are still approving my resolution. I should know more next week. In the meantime, at least they turned my cable back on. It sucks that the cable companies have to play hardball, but after watching them fight with TiVo for the last 6 years, I guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised. Thankfully, the bloop bloop noise is like Xanax for the soul after having dealt with a Motorola piece of crap for two years.