I called Time Warner here in Austin, TX today (as much as I fought it they unfortunately are the next best thing in my area which isn't saying much but then again what is as good as Voom?) During the course of my discussion with the CSR I brought up the subject of getting a CableCARD instead of digital converter box. She promptly tried everything in her power to get me not to pursue getting a cable card, noting that they had complaints from people about their quality and that I wouldn't be able to get my HD channels. She tried to argue with me for a while about what the card could and couldn't do (even though the information on their own web page said otherwise) then put me on hold. After being in the penalty box for a while she came back and said yeah your right but you wont be happy with it. For which I told her that I didn't care about on demand programming and don't need pay per view. To which the reply was ok fine but there is a heavy install fee due to how difficult the card is to program. I tried to haggle with her further to no avail in an effort to wave the card install fee, but she wouldn't budge... I know I should have talked to her manager at the point, but was in a hurry as I was late meeting my wife for dinner, and will call back tomorrow for a manager, but to make a long story short has anyone else had CSR's purposely lying to them about CableCARDs, in what I can only assume is an effort to get more money out of customers through more expensive box rentals, pay per view and upgraded services?
Post Voom ... Time Warner CSR lying?
- Thread starter Wolfwood
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I tried asking my rinky-dink cable company about a Cable card several months ago, and they simply said they don't use them. Of course, they're taking me to the cleaners for $78 every month, so my question is...were they probably lying to me? Is there any mandate that these be available, or for that matter, is there any mandate that basic cable be offered at a minimal cost? My basic cable charge would be $50. 
Vicki
VickiI work at Sears in Maryland. We have Comcast here and most people who want the Cablecard, have to fight hard to get one. No matter what the cable CSR's say, they have them. By law they have to have them. Also, Comcast does not charge for the card. They also don't charge a programing fee. Anyone who tells you they are hard to program is full of crap. It took them two seconds to get service to one of my customers with a Sony WEKA 50WE655. Don't listen to the CSR, she has no clue. Get another CSIRO and you'll get a different message.
Vicki, CableCARDs are a federally backed and are in the process of being mandated as a primary option to customers within the next year. They were meant to help customers out in easing the cost of cable as well as shorten the transition time between analog and digital broadcasts. But as of yet, no they are not mandated currently.
Vicki said:
Wolfwood said:
Actually, as of July 2004 their is a FCC mandate that all cable companies provide cable cards to customers requesting them.
There also is a mandate that all cable companies provide basic cable (i.e. all channels that broadcast locally on analog channels) at a minimal cost and unscrambled.
Wolfwood, tujumaster, and SKrueger...Thanks all! I'm really glad to know this info. I'm gonna be all over my cable company in the very near future! Thanks again!! Vicki
Vicki
CableCard - What is it?
I found this CNET article, and it explains what a CableCard is used for.
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-8900_7-5581176-1.html
I found this CNET article, and it explains what a CableCard is used for.
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-8900_7-5581176-1.html
the same thing happened to me, almost exactly like you describe. I talked to a time warner csr and when I asked about the cable cards (which both of my hdtv's support) I was told by the csr that I would not be able to view hdtv channels, nor any of the premium channels that they offer. Now their website says I can view all of the channels and just won't be able to take advantage of the on demand programming, any pay per view events and season sport packages, which I am not interested in either of those. The csr also confirmed with a manager that I would have to pay a $50 dollar installation fee for the cable cards.
Has anyone experienced twc's cable cards? any good or bad experiences?
my main reasons for wanting to use the cable cards with my tv's is that I will be able to regain all of the features that my tv's provide, like the pip, channel guide and some other cool features that were practically disabled when hooking up a cable box.
link to time warner cable card info
http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/products/cable/cablecard.html
Has anyone experienced twc's cable cards? any good or bad experiences?
my main reasons for wanting to use the cable cards with my tv's is that I will be able to regain all of the features that my tv's provide, like the pip, channel guide and some other cool features that were practically disabled when hooking up a cable box.
link to time warner cable card info
http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/products/cable/cablecard.html
BTW... I called back and asked for a manager in regards to the mis-information that I was provided by the CSR, at first he noted that the CSR was providing information based on what they felt was the best option. When I mentioned that I had filled out a out a complaint via the FCC website due to Time Warner pushing a product that I didn't want he became apologetic and said that there would be no install fee. As for going with them, at least in the Austin area, they have a win back special for people returning from Satellite. Which in the end is the digital tier for 34.95 which includes one box. Since nobody provides near as much HD as Voom did (sniff sniff) basically I have had to go with the cheapest of all the options due to having none that are the lesser of three evils...
