RCN gouging during Covid -19 crisis

[1st8th83]

Well got the most recent RCN bill , and guess they are using the Covid-19 crisis to pass along the diminished subscribers cost to internet service cost during the crisis. Bill for basic internet went up $26 a month and when you call you get unavailability to covid-19 crisis from customer service. Time to call our legislators for assistance as this is blatant abuse of crisis gouging!

[Gunsnwater]

Republican National Committee?

[Dmb5450]

Are you on a fixed plan? I have RCN and got a bill last week, everything was the same as it always is.

[1st8th83]

Yes basic internet, jumped $26

[Aggies Coach]

We have the business internet here. They tried to charge an extra $119.00 fee last month. We called them and complained. By the time my wife was done with them, the took off that charge and lowered our bill by $18.00 a month.

[ett]

Well got the most recent RCN bill , and guess they are using the Covid-19 crisis to pass along the diminished subscribers cost to internet service cost during the crisis. Bill for basic internet went up $26 a month and when you call you get unavailability to covid-19 crisis from customer service. Time to call our legislators for assistance as this is blatant abuse of crisis gouging!

I don't think it started with this Covid-19 situation.
In January my bill jumped about that same amount.
Just review the following long rant I have about them.

After 13 years of no issues with RCN. I've now been having both billing and service issues with them since January.
In January when my billed jumped. I called them. They said the jump was due to my "initial offer" having expired.
On same phone call; they switched my to the next faster, new service which would actually put my bill back to where it was. BUT for only 1 year.
In Feb; they called back and said to stay on this new faster service. My cable modem would have to be upgraded to DOCSIS3.1

On March 6 they came to "install" a new DOCSIS3.1 modem.
BUT they actually brought a combination modem/wireless-router.
They could not get it to work.
I assume it's because I have a static IP with my account. And they do not know how to configure a combination modem/wireless-router for a static IP.
It took lots of yelling by me to get them to put the old modem back in place.
They did put the old modem back; but it was not working correctly.
After the tech left. I called their 800 number, did a lot of bitching, and got a new schedule for them to come out on the following week WITH A MODEM; not a combination modem-router.

The following week; a RCN service tech once again showed up with a combination modem-router.
I would not even let him in the house.
I called their 800 number, did a lot of bitching, and got them to admit I could provide my own DOCSIS3.1 modem.
So I spent the afternoon to drive down to Microcenter in St. Davids and bought a DOCSIS3.1 cable modem
When I got back home that evening. I called their 800 number. They got my DOCSIS3.1 modem working.
And it worked for several hours.

BUT when I woke up the next morning; I had no internet connection.
So I (again) called their 800 number. Dealt with the usual braindead tech support who only knew "reboot, reboot, reboot, etc .." and claimed my modem was broken.
It took lots of bitching by me to get a manger who actually knew what he was doing.
He agreed my modem was good, their first line tech support was clueless, and there was no issue on my end.
He said it looks like a line issue outside my house, somewhere in the neighborhood, and DOCSIS3.1 requires cleaner lines.
So he got the old modem working back to specs. And schedule another service tech to come out and check the lines.
This manager said the service tech only needs to check the lines in the neighborhood.
And once the tech finds and fixes the problem. I should call their 800 number, give tell them to switch to the config he created for my new modem.

WELL the service tech that day did check the lines and said they were good.
BUT when we attempted to hook up my DOCSIS3.1 modem. They again could not get it working.
After much time; they installed their own DOCSIS3.1 modem. Which is working.
I assume they are lying to me. They want me to keep renting THEIR modem instead of using my own.


Unfortunately I have not found a valid alternative internet provider to which I can switch.


EDIT:
I just found the following on RCN's website: https://www.rcn.com/hub/help/bring-your-own-modem
Quote:

Currently the Motorola MB8600 and the Netgear C7800 DOCSIS 3.1 is not compatible with the RCN network. ....

My modem is the "Motorola MB8600".
So I guess they were not lying to me about not getting my modem to work.
They were just incompetent and did not notice the model modem I had. Or perhaps they updated that website AFTER dealing with me.

[jakebrake]

Aggies...you have rcn in delco? I thought commiecast had that sewed up tighter than elvis Presley's pants.

[Aggies Coach]

Aggies...you have rcn in delco? I thought commiecast had that sewed up tighter than elvis Presley's pants.

Yes. Have had RCN for years here. We have Directv for our tv service and at the time Comcast High speed was twice as much.

[jakebrake]

Comcast High speed was twice as much.

only twice? commiecast must've been running a special.

[Wildbill990]

I think I’m gonna miss Comcast. I just have their internet with a 2 year fixed $50/mo including tax.

Moving up north of Allentown soon and have RCN setup to install internet Saturday. $39ish/mo after tax is nice but I don’t like playing the promotion game every 6-12months.

OP, I’m guessing you ran out of the promo period and need to threaten to leave and get a good rate again or have your roommate/gf/wife get service in their name to get the deal. This is how it’s worked in the past for me on Comcast.