I was a loyal customer of Cablevision (a.k.a. Optimum Online Triple Play) for over 10 years, paying around $110 for the following:
- Basic + Family Cable
- One standard set-top box plus one remote
- Optimum Voice
- Optimum On Line (OOL) – 15 mbps download, 2 mbps upload speed
I stayed with Cablevision this long because Verizon did not have any competitive products available (DSL was too slow and satellite dish would not work due to line of sight issues with trees)
When Verizon FIOS began to roll out in my neighborhood, I was excited about this new competition so I called Cablevision about price matching Verizon FIO’s triple play package.
Instead of listening to me, the agent started her scripted talking points about how OOL provided faster internet speed, pay less in taxes, etc. and refused my request for a price match.
BTW, what is up with Cablevision’s advertising “Up to 5x faster than phone company High Speed Internet”? They are comparing themselves to the old DSL technology!
Optimum Online False Advertising
When I was transferred to the disconnect department, I was actually speaking with someone from the retention department whose job was to make me stay.
Well, instead of offering any concessions, she talked about “free” movie tickets and other perks that Verizon did not offer and told me I will end up paying about $25 in extra fees and taxes with Verizon because it is a phone company. She then practically dared me to switch over.
Seething with anger about how they treated me, that is exactly what I did (read here about my Verizon FIOS experience)
** UPDATE: January 20, 2011 **
It’ been about 4 weeks since the switch and guess what? Not only I am receiving tons of “please come back. We now offer $69.99 for triple play” solicitation letters from Cablevision, I go a personalized visit from OOL account exec who supposedly handled ex-customers.
He was flabbergasted when I told him of my experience and offered the following for $87:
- Basic + Family cable + Free HBO for 1 year
- Two standard set top boxes with 2 remotes
- Optimum voice with reduced international calling fees
- OOL Boost (30 mbps down, 5 mbps)
That is pretty much what I am getting from Verizon FIOS (except the internet speed for FIOS is 25 mbps down and 25 mbps up)
Am I going to switch? Nah. I wouldn’t want to port my home number into Cablevision and pay another $40 and the customer I received was just too traumatizing to say the least.
** UPDATE: January 22, 2011 **
A lot of people emailed me about the actual fee differences between Cablevision Triple Play vs Verizon Fios so here is an actual (redacted) billing statement from Cablevision Triple Play.
Cablevision - Actual Billing Statement
For the Verizon FIOS billing statement, go here.