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Pixelation Is Not A Family Value

5 August 2009 2 Comments Download My Toolbar!

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Thank God I am not a HUGE television watcher or I would be in the mad house by now.

Our cable company has no problem charging us a fortune for service. Unfortunately, they DO have a problem PROVIDING the service we are paying for.

For what they charge us, we should be allowed to meet and greet with the stars of the shows…they should pop out of the television and sign autographs.

But I digress.

Our service is plagued by what I understand is called pixelation issues.

Ever watch a show and have the picture scramble up and even freeze? Audio cuts out…picture is unwatchable?

It’s the same effect you might get with a satellite when there are atmospheric issues or the dish is pointing in the wrong direction.

Well, we are hard wired. We don’t have a satellite pointing in the wrong direction. We are PAYING to have a clear picture.

But it’s a daily occurrence to have nearly every show we watch have heavy pixelation problems. Nice. If it were a free service, I wouldn’t gripe.

And yes, we have called the cable provider. They also provide the service to our phones and internet, so you can imagine the fun we have when all three go on the fritz. It’s always fun to pick up your phone and not be able to even call 911 if you had to. Or doing medical transcription and have the internet signal BURP for 5 seconds–5 seconds that erase 30 minutes worth of your work.

They have sent people out. They have pulled out electronic gizmos. They have checked signal strength and determined the problems ARE, indeed, on THEIR end.

Just turned on the television. The pixelation is WORSE than before they tried to fix the problem. I can’t watch a show for five minutes without it happening.

Customer service is, by and large, dead. When I asked them what they were going to do about it and if they would credit us for all the NON SERVICE they have provided us, they look at you like you are NUTS and speaking a FOREIGN LANGUAGE.

I say “by and large” because you can still find it…that elusive smile and helpful guidance that actually make you feel a glimmer of hope…like finding a gas station in the middle of nowhere after your gas light has been on for 50 miles.

We were at a hotel this past weekend. As we checked in, we asked the agent if there were other rooms available because my in-laws wanted to stay at the same hotel. The LAZY woman said “I think we’re pretty full. Sorry.”

Turns out they WEREN’T full. They HAD rooms. And thankfully for the hotel’s investors, my father-in-law asked another agent who booked them the room or they would have been out hundreds of dollars.

Do companies really wonder why they go out of business?

It’s no mystery.

The writing is on the wall.

Maybe they can’t read it through all the pixelation.





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2 Comments »

  • Kelli said:

    We have the wonderful package deal, as well. No problems with TV or internet, but chronic problems with the phone not working. For days we'll have no service, then when the tech comes out, it's magically fixed and they claim there was no issue. This has been going on for almost three years, with two different companies. I have given up on expecting any kind of compensation or even someone trying to get to the root of the problem. They don't care, as long as I continue to pay my bill.

    It's very stressful when you're husband's trying to call from a combat zone, and all he gets is a ring tone, and the phone rings on my end, but I get static when I answer. Thank God for cell phones.

  • Rita Leeman Bruesch said:

    Doesn't matter if you have satellite (which I prefer) or cable, or Fios; the pixelation is from a loss of signal, which causes the image to separate. Digital cable probably has more problems with this than satellite. The better clearer picture you have, the more problems will occur! I couldn't get credit for a down time I had because I finally fixed it myself when they couldn't for the third time! I told them what the problem was and they couldn't get it! "We can't give you credit unless the tech finds the problem". Unbelievable! There is still good customer service out there, but few and extremely far between!

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