[i got annoyed by the oddly-placed spaces. i've retemplated. old comments remain, for what that's worth.]

if you are interested in my ongoing soap opera regarding cable billing, continue. if you have not read anything about this soap opera, please read the previous entry. if you are not a complete loser, navigate to another page.

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the saga is over, for now.

i called customer service number 1: "we can't do anything about it. you have signed an agreed-upon rate with your landlord, and we can't adjust what they charge you." "yes, but you can adjust what you're charging me. i was told that you are the only ones that can make that adjustment." "unfortunately there is nothing i can do about it." "you can't change your rate?" "no, i can't change what we are charging you." "you see where i'm getting screwed over here, don't you? i was paying one rate, an agreed-upon rate for a term of one year, and now, two months into that agreed-upon rate, it's been changed." "i'm sorry, there's nothing i can do about it." "that's ridiculous."

[now's where it gets funny...by the way, i'm usually very friendly to customer service people...i'm gracious when they help me, i tell them i'm having a wonderful day even though i'm annoyed at my hold times, and i make a point during the conversation of making small talk and letting them know that i understand the unneeded stress of their jobs and that they're working very hard...]

"okay. my internet had been out for a week, and i'd like to go about prorating my bill at this point." "we can't do that. i'll need to give you another number." "am i on the phone with mediacom?" "yes." "and you can't adjust my bill?" "i can adjust your cable tv bill. i can't adjust your cable modem bill." "i only pay one bill, to mediacom, every month." "i understand that, but i cannot take care of that." "okay then, please transfer me to the internet people." "i can't transfer you." "you can't transfer me!?" "no, unfortunately they are in a different building, so i have to give you a different number." "okay, then, please give me the number." "8-7-7" "i can't believe you can't transfer me." "[more numbers]" "may i recommend that you suggest to your supervisor that you have the ability to transfer. i think it's a pretty standard business service at this point in time." "i apologize. thanks for calling mediacom."

my next call was to the internet people: he adjusted my bill - prorated for seven service-less days - for the next bill i'll receive.

i started to tell him about my 'getting screwed over' saga. he said he couldn't help me with that, and that he'd transfer me to billing. woof!

"hello this is don." "is this mediacom?" "yes." don was very very friendly. i told my story. he explained he was frustrated for me. then that there was nothing he could do. i emphasized my frustration and the fact that i had been screwed "so that a couple of corporations could make a bit more money...doesn't seem fair." he then offered me a half-off discount for the next two months. so i took it, thanked it, and said "hypothetically, if i had said 'cancel my subscription,' what would you have been authorized to say?" "the same thing. i sensed you were getting ready to say that, so i made the offer." [note: i said "cancel my subscription" to the previous customer service person twice, and she made no such offer.]

near as i can figure, here's what my upcoming bills will look like:
july: 43 to landlord, 44.10 to mediacom: 87 dollars
august: 43 to landlord, 35 to mediacom: 78 dollars [reflects proration due to cable outage]
september: 43 to landlord, 24 to mediacom: 67 [a guess: pretax half price, plus taxes]
october: 43 to landlord, 24 to mediacom: 67 [ditto]

so, the guess is, i'll pay 299 over the next four months, an average of 74.75 monthly, which approximately what i was supposed to pay under my previous agreement.

my next step: turn on the logic with the landlord.

there is no way i should pay for my service over the previous week, being that it was their mistake that kept my service off. i don't think it'll work, because they're dumb. and not tenant-friendly.

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you might not care, but i'll keep you posted.