I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that as
of November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from
them or I can purchase my own.

I started a chat session with TWC to ask some questions about how
troubleshooting would be handled if I purchased my own equipment.

Here's a excerpt from that chat session. Something tells me Jean hit the
wrong key before transferring the session.

*** Begin Chat Excerpt ***

Jean: It seems that this issue needs to be escalated to National Road
Runner Chat support. We will transfer you to that support group. Do you
have any further questions before I transfer you?

Me: No, thanks.

Jean: Trouble call charges are determined on site by the technician
depending on the circumstances surrounding the work to be done. If the
issue is our lines or equipment, no charge will be assessed.

Use the above statement only if a customer asks about the charge, do not
provide the statement proactively.

Jean: Please be online while I transfer your chat to the right department.

*** End Chat Excerpt ***

I do hope Jean doesn't get into any trouble. ;-)

On 10/23/2012 7:15 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:


I do hope Jean doesn't get into any trouble. ;-)


So why did you publish this private chat then?

Lerry the Cable Guy wrote:

On 10/23/2012 7:15 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:


I do hope Jean doesn't get into any trouble. ;-)


So why did you publish this private chat then?


Probably to demonstrate how ****ed up Time Warner is.

Lerry the Cable Guy wrote:
On 10/23/2012 7:15 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:


I do hope Jean doesn't get into any trouble. ;-)


So why did you publish this private chat then?

Holy cow...you're right! I should realized that her supervisors are more
likely to find that excerpt here in a.h.r than in their own chat logs. What
was I thinking?

On Oct 23, 7:15*pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Use the above statement only if a customer asks about the charge, do not
provide the statement proactively.

I do hope Jean doesn't get into any trouble. ;-)

No worries, "Jean" is a 'bot. Software or administrator glitch.
-----

- gpsman

DerbyDad03 wrote:

Use the above statement only if a customer asks about the charge, do not
provide the statement proactively.

Oops! Lol...

I would have had fun with her on that one.

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that as of
November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from them
or I can purchase my own.

With projected additional $350 Million more in their coffers because of
this _lease_ fee, I wonder when they will start leasing the cable to us,
which runs to the house!

On Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:14:03 -0400, "Jeff" wrote:


"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that as of
November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from them
or I can purchase my own.

With projected additional $350 Million more in their coffers because of
this _lease_ fee, I wonder when they will start leasing the cable to us,
which runs to the house!


Rogers cable has been "renting" the modems for years. They are trying
to get everyone to buy them so when they fail YOU need to replace
them, instead of the cable company.

wrote:
On Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:14:03 -0400, "Jeff" wrote:


"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that as of
November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from them
or I can purchase my own.

With projected additional $350 Million more in their coffers because of
this _lease_ fee, I wonder when they will start leasing the cable to us,
which runs to the house!


Rogers cable has been "renting" the modems for years. They are trying
to get everyone to buy them so when they fail YOU need to replace
them, instead of the cable company.

Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:




Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. Never needed tech support either.

On Oct 24, 5:53*am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03

wrote:

Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. *Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. *I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. * Never needed tech support either.

Cablevision used to charge for modems too. Now they are
free. I don't see why anyone would pay $4 a month to lease
one. You can buy your own and as you say, in a year or so
it's paid for itself.

I have a Tivo instead of Cablevision's DVR/cable box too.
They charge $10 a month for their DVR. And instead of
a cable box, the Tivo uses a CableCard, which you get
from Cablevision. The CableCard has a monthly fee that
is $3 less than they charge for a regular cable box. So,
I'm saving $13 a month. At that rate the Tivo with lifetime
service is paid off after about 3.5 years. And the best part
is that the Tivo, with it's advanced features, is an order of
magnitude better than the crappy cable company DVR.

On 10/24/2012 5:53 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:




Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. Never needed tech support either.

In the case of comcast the modem rental is $84 a year. So not even after
the first year you are ahead.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:53:00 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:




Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. Never needed tech support either.

I generally lose a DSL modem every couple of years. No ESD or lightning
strike, it just stops working. AT&T no longer rents them. They do spread the
cost ($75, IIRC) over three months, if you want.

I never understood the rationale for renting a router or buying one from the
ISP, though. They want a lot of money for something that's dirt cheap online.

On 10/24/2012 4:53 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:

Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. Never needed tech support either.


In my area, the cable company and the phone company are engaged in a
broadband subscriber war. Result: phone company is providing a free
modem, free install, and a bunch of other freebies. No price increase
for five years guaranteed with no contract required.

They made it easy to choose them over Comshaft.

On Oct 24, 5:53*am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:38 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03

wrote:

Actually, once they finally got me to someone who actually made sense (the
third person I chatted with) he made sure that I was aware that any modem
that I purchased from the approved list would work with the *current*
features and speeds. However, should TWC upgrade their hardware and/or
programming, those of us who own on our modems would have to purchase
another.

The tone of his chat was decidedly leaning towards the lease option.

Sure, they get $48 a year from you. *Most modems will cost less than
that and last 10 years. *I had the same offer from the phone company
for DSL and chose to buy. * Never needed tech support either.

Actually, the cheapest modem on their "approved" list is $54. I'm sure
the $3.95 x 12 has some taxes and "surcharges" added, so it may end up
being about 1 year wash. Even if I had to buy a new modem every year
to stay up to date with any new features they add (which won't happen)
it makes sense to buy, which is my plan.

On 10/23/2012 9:14 PM, Jeff wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that as of
November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from them
or I can purchase my own.

With projected additional $350 Million more in their coffers because of
this _lease_ fee, I wonder when they will start leasing the cable to us,
which runs to the house!




Comcast has jacked their modem rental fee up to $7 earlier this year. I
bought a cable modem when they first started the rental fee @ $3. I
could have purchased four more since then with the money we saved.

On 10/24/2012 06:08 AM, George wrote:
On 10/23/2012 9:14 PM, Jeff wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
I received a postcard from Time Warner Cable today informing me that
as of
November 1, I can either pay $3.95 per month to lease my modem from them
or I can purchase my own.

With projected additional $350 Million more in their coffers because of
this _lease_ fee, I wonder when they will start leasing the cable to us,
which runs to the house!


Comcast has jacked their modem rental fee up to $7 earlier this year. I
bought a cable modem when they first started the rental fee @ $3. I
could have purchased four more since then with the money we saved.

I bought my current modem used from the local e-recycler for two bucks,
and it's been running just fine for the last year.

Modem rental is for suckers.

Jon