Tips on Negotiating Reduced Internet Service Fees?

[gdr_11]

I have had 100mbps internet and unlimited home phone from Suddenlink for 6 years. The first the years, I paid $69 a month; since then they have passed along an unannounced $10 annual increase until this year when, on my anniversary date last month, the hit me with a $30 increase rasibg my rate from $95 to $125.

The only other service available to me is a DSL service that will give me the same speed and phone for $90. I am ready to change but would like to negotiate the rate with Suddenlink first to avoid the hassle of changing.

I went online and plugged my address and service package into an order as a new Suddenlink customer and the checkout page showed a total monthly cost for my package of $59 including the $10 modem rental. If they can add a new customer for half of what they want me to pay, I should be able to cut a deal once I threaten to drop their service.

Would appreciate any tips on what buttons to push when I call them

[Marauder2003]

[hermosabeach]

Search for all offers around you. Especially offers for new customers. The retention team does not care if they are not truly available.

Call and talk to customer service.
It's a step in the process.
Explain how you are sad that a new customer gets X deal and as they value you you get to pay more

Be very nice - explain you are not upset with agent

When that dance is done say - so how do I cancel

They will get you to the retention group

Do the same song and dance. I know it's not you charging me this.

I get mailed all these offers. So I think I need to understand how to cancel

They will pepper questions and offer higher speed - gaming - multiple devices

Just say - it's not relevant. My speed is fine

Heck my car can do 135. I never go 135. And you are offing to increase my top speed to 160. I don't need that


Normally they will offer a $10-$20 off each month for 6 months or a year.



If you increase speed - it will cost more the next time around. Don't take that deal.

[hermosabeach]

If married / living with someone and they offer a promo

Well you can cancel and the other person opens a new account as the new tenant

Repeat as needed.

[hermosabeach]

Does 5g work? What speed do you get in your phone without wifi?


Friend in coastal Oregon pays $10 to tether his phone as a wifi hotspot.

It's fast enough to surf and netflix.

[GlockN'Roll]

My cable provider refused to reduce the cost (hundreds of $$$'s per month) of my service except as a short term discount/credit.

We finally left them and they didn't even care or try to keep us...

Yes, we spoke to "retention" to no avail.

[Robotron2k84]

Comcast used to just transfer you to customer retention if you asked tier one support to do so. It was such an open secret that that’s how you keep getting the intro rates after they expire.

[hitdank]

I live in an apartment and get nothing but legal spam from google, astound, att, comcast, and monkey brains. They are just taking your money and spending on advertising.

[-hanko]

I'm in very rural Idaho, so there's an antenna on the roof connected to Netflix. A normal no discount bill runs ~ $150 a month.

I'm used to calling retention and asking for less money per month, based on being with NF for around 12 years. I did that 2 days ago and got $94 per month for the net year, and no new contract.

Normal charge for regular web service is by a local point-to-point provider, that charge has stayed at $60 per month for the last 10 or so years. Prior to that I was with DSL which turned out to be a large pos.

[MrFancyPants]

Man $125 per month for 100 Mbit? Eff that noise. Do you live in a hard to service area? I pay $65 per month for symmetric gigabit fiber, no contract, no equipment rental fees (though I use my own anyway).

If they won't honor a better price for you as an existing customer, ask the rep how long you have to wait to sign up again as a "new" customer if you cancel your service. Some companies will let you do that the next day.

I don't necessarily think you need to have another offer from another ISP to get a better price, just tell them it's not right that you've been a loyal customer and have to pay twice as much as a new customer for the same service, and if they won't accommodate you, you would rather not do business with a company who doesn't value their customers. Be blunt and factual without being rude. Good luck.

[dC0m]

I have a calendar reminder every 2 years to call in and ask for a new rate - hell, even the rep told me do so once my "retention rate" expires.

[Bushwack44]

FWIW, both T-Mobile and Verizon offer internet services in my area (West Los Angeles). Currently have Spectrum at 200Mbps and was paying $74.99/month. T-Mobile, at 100Mbps (I confirmed the speed with a neighbor who has T-Mobile), is at $50/mo with autopay.

I called Spectrum asking to match T-Mobie. AT first, they offered me a bundle that including 125 channels at $100/mo. I said no thank you. Then I was being preached at that I currently have twice the speed of T-Mobile. with no down time. I then asked for 100Mbps at $50, which they can't do.

Bottom line: I had to go to retention and they dropped the price to $50 and still have 200Mbps. 50 Mbps is plenty fast for my family needs. One has to have a viable option before negotiating. Both T-Mobile and Verizon came to my area 6 months ago. Competition is good.

[2017mini14]

I'm paying 80$ a month for 10mbps.

https://www.socaltelephone.com/copy-of-sign-up-today-1

Its a satellite dish pointed at the mountain. I need to check out that cell phone hot spot. I think they are limited, my current service is unlimited.