Comcast’s controversial deal with Verizon Wireless to cross-promote cable and wireless service has come to fruition in Washington and Oregon with a new introductory offer pitching Comcast’s Xfinity cable with Verizon Wireless service that includes a $300 customer rebate.

The first appearance of the new joint marketing effort started this week in metro Seattle and Portland, and includes nearby communities.  Comcast employees are now staffing at least eight Verizon Wireless stores in Seattle, primarily to pitch the company’s cable service.

The most aggressive offer includes a Visa prepaid card rebate of up to $300 for new customers who agree to bundle Comcast’s phone, Internet, and television service with a new Verizon Wireless smartphone or tablet plan, assuming the two companies can find enough new customers who do not already subscribe to cable or mobile service.

Traditional telephone companies like CenturyLink and Frontier Communications, which provide service in the region, appear to be most at risk from the bundled service promotions.  CenturyLink provides landline telephone service and DSL bundled with satellite television.  Frontier does the same and also offers a limited part of the region FiOS fiber to the home service it acquired from Verizon Communications.

Should customers sign on to the bundled offer from Verizon and Comcast, there would be little reason to do business with either CenturyLink or Frontier.

Consumer advocates like Public Knowledge, along with smaller cell phone companies, satellite provider DirecTV, and other consumer groups have co-signed a letter to the Federal Communications Commission raising questions about the parameters of the cross promotion deal, which the companies and groups say “could be a significant realignment of the competitive landscape in these industries.”

Some Comcast Cable customers in Montgomery County, Maryland are due refunds ranging between $19.95-39.95 for “truck trip fees” that came as a complete surprise.

Since 2007, Comcast has been quietly charging customers for service repair calls that the cable company determines are the result of inside wiring defects, customer-instigated equipment failure, or “no-cause” visits that find no problems with the customer’s service.  But after 85 Comcast customers in the county complained about service call fees that were never disclosed to them, Comcast is agreeing to return the money to affected customers.

Montgomery County, Maryland

In an agreement with the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection, Comcast must disclose that service call fees may be applicable under certain circumstances.  Customers must be given the option of canceling the service call with no penalty.

Service call fees are not charged when the company finds trouble in its own equipment or wiring.  In many cases, service call fees come at the discretion of the service crew dispatched to customer homes.  Customer attitude towards the cable company employees can make a big difference in getting them to waive fees, even if the problem turns out to be the customer’s responsibility.

Comcast is not alone charging fees for customer-created problems.  Verizon charges up to $110 in Maryland; RCN — a competing cable company — charges up to $49.95.

Under the terms of the settlement, Comcast does not have to admit any wrongdoing.

An Illinois family’s home is now infested by roaches, and the Aurora resident is blaming Comcast’s reportedly bug-infested set top box for the problem. Read up about these pest facts that are not commonly know so you’ll know how to deal with them.

Antonio Muñoz recently signed up for Comcast cable service, but tells the Beacon News cockroaches began crawling out of the refurbished cable box installed in his parents’ room.

In addition to the roaches he has collected in a plastic bag to show the cable operator, the Muñoz family has now seen several of the bugs running loose around the home.

Muñoz is upset with the cable company for dragging their feet on replacing the infested equipment.  He’s since sealed the box in question and dropped it off at Comcast’s local cable store.  But the cable company refused to exchange it with a new box until a technician could be sent to the Muñoz home.

“Given the rigorous quality control processes we have in place, it’s difficult to say exactly what happened,” a Comcast representative said. “As our goal is to do right by our customers, our immediate focus is to resolve the issue to Mr. Muñoz’s satisfaction.”

It’s not the first time Comcast has faced allegations of roach-infested equipment, prompting more rigorous and Detailed pest removal inspections to ensure customer safety and hygiene.

More than a dozen current and former employees of a Comcast facility on Chicago’s South Side are part of a federal class-action lawsuit filed last month alleging racial discrimination and a hostile, bug-infested work environment.

The suit claims Comcast management ordered technicians to install equipment in customer homes regardless if it was defective or infested by vermin.

The plaintiffs claim Comcast facilities are plagued not only with roaches but also rats.  Some supervisors are accused of telling some Comcast workers that equipment given to African American employees would be stolen, and there was little reason to provide those installers with a complete set of installer tools.

Most cable equipment is recycled and re-used as customers turn in equipment.  Cable operators routinely refurbish and test equipment before it is put back into service.  But cable equipment can offer an inviting home for invading insects or small rodents.  Customers receiving obviously used equipment should inspect it carefully for plant debris, dead insects, or points of potential entry for unwelcome visitors before allowing the installer to leave.

The Muñoz family has since received a new box, but no word if the special visitors that arrived in the original equipment have been effectively evicted.

Comcast Cable has been embarked on a gradual effort to convert many of their cable systems to digital platforms, which means more channel space, faster broadband speeds, and major headaches for some customers.

In Harrisonburg, Va., Comcast customers have been surprised and frustrated to find many of their favorite channels missing.  The cable company migrated most of the basic cable lineup to digital.  Customers who already use Comcast set top boxes never noticed the difference, but those who don’t certainly did.

The cable company spent weeks notifying customers they may need a “digital transport adapter” (DTA) — a fancy name for a small set top box — to continue to receive Comcast service on televisions that do not already have a box attached.  Many cable customers are confused by the transition, assuming if they own a “digital-ready” television, they don’t need extra equipment.  But most, in fact, do.

When customers discovered they needed the new box, minor chaos ensued at area Comcast retail outlets.  The Virginia State Police was reportedly pressed into service directing traffic in and out of some crowded cable store parking lots, and one customer even found a trooper guarding the cable company’s front door.

Some customers are telling local media they waited hours in long lines to obtain the equipment.  Several others are complaining even with the boxes, their favorite channels are still missing.

Most of the trouble seems to surround the authorization process required to enable the new equipment.

Comcast DTA (Courtesy: David Trebacz)

A reporter for an area television station discovered that on the air as she attempted, and failed, to get her box authorized for service, even after an hour waiting.  Customers report very long hold times when calling Comcast as well.

The cable company acknowledged some of the challenges.

“For the past few months, we’ve been communicating with our customers in the Shenandoah Valley about our ‘World of More’ digital enhancement,” the company said in a statement. “We’re moving analog channels to digital, and we do see an increase in the number of customers trying to get digital equipment. We’ve been offering extended hours and stepping up staffing to respond to increased demand.”

Comcast says the transition will increase the number of HD channels on offer in Virginia.  It also opens the door to faster broadband speeds through DOCSIS 3 upgrades.  In all, the company plans to add 50 new HD channels in the Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County areas after the upgrade is complete.

Area customers just wish the experience worked more seamlessly. Comcast customers in many communities have already dealt with digital upgrades.  Time Warner customers, starting in Maine, are just beginning the experience.

[flv width=”640″ height=”380″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/WHSV Harrisonburg Comcast Problems in Va 11-16-11.flv[/flv]

This WHSV reporter in Harrisonburg, Va. tried to demonstrate how to install and activate Comcast’s new set top box equipment… and failed because the cable company authorization process didn’t work.  (2 minutes)

Comcast Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of Comcast Corporation today announced it has launched a new company — CTI Towers, Inc., which will own, operate, and develop telecommunications towers throughout the United States. CTI Towers’ is launching with a portfolio of approximately 800 towers that were previously owned and operated by Comcast Cable subsidiaries. Headquartered in Boston, CTI Towers will actively lease tower space to wireless operators and other tenants, creating additional tower capacity for rapidly evolving businesses and technologies across the U.S.

“Consumers are increasingly relying on their mobile devices and consuming high bandwidth applications, such as streaming video, requiring a next generation of wireless communications infrastructure,” said Dave Zilberman, Principal at Comcast Ventures. “Newly formed CTI Towers will work with mobile operators and other service providers to improve the quality of the wireless network experience to their customers by leveraging the extensive footprint of urban and suburban towers in CTI’s portfolio. With Tony Peduto’s significant experience managing and developing towers and his deep understanding of the tower business, CTI is well positioned to aggressively support the build-out of new wireless networks.”

CTI Towers will take its place among more than a dozen other multiple tower owners as 12th largest in the country.  Its management of 800 towers pales in comparison with Crown Castle, which owns more than 22,000 towers across the United States.

But Comcast’s cable infrastructure comes with the deal, and that could be very lucrative for the venture.  Cable companies are increasingly leasing space on their cable networks to provide backhaul connections between the cell tower itself and the mobile operator.  LTE and other 4G networks require bandwidth greater than traditional telephone company circuits.  While many towers increasingly rely on fiber connections, cable companies that have room to spare on their own networks can more than meet the needs of most cell tower operations.

Courtesy: Wireless Estimator