It's become common practice for some businesses to add-on fees. You see it with the airlines, cell-phone companies and your cable bill.
That's why Consumer Reports is launching a program called What the Fee!?
The goal is to highlight those charges and help consumers fight back. So far, the consumer watchdog publication has received most of its negative feedback about Comcast. 13 ON YOUR SIDE also receives complaints about the cable company on a regular basis.
"You have to purposely be fooling people to do that," says Jim Peterson, a Comcast customer from Walker. He’s upset about hidden fees. When he decided to switch to Comcast a year ago he says he was quoted $159 dollars for a bundle that included internet, phone and TV. "And then I asked them again, does $159 include everything? They said absolutely that was the number. So, I did it."
Turns out, Jim’s bill is over $190 dollars per month. There are four fees added on to his regular bundle price: Universal Connectivity charge, Regulatory Recovery Fees, Broadcast TV Fee and Regional Sports Fee. "Only one thing I want. You told me $159 a month for 24 months, bill me that."
Jim is a businessman himself. His company, SNA Sports makes equipment for high schools and colleges around the country. He has a hard time understanding why Comcast quotes one price and bills another. "It's really simple for me. I have customers all over the country. If they had a complaint that we billed them incorrectly, that something was wrong, I can't rest until that's taken care of."
Consumer Reports magazine has also taken on the issue. It plans to deliver over 100,000 signatures from a petition to Comcast, calling on the company to address the issue.
In a statement to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, Comcast said,“ Our goal is to provide an excellent customer experience, and we want our customers to understand the value in what they are buying. Our Xfinity bill was designed based on customer feedback, and we’ve incorporated elements to make it simple to understand. The broadcast television and regional sports network fees are itemized on our bill so that our customers can clearly see those costs. We also provide customers a complete list of charges and fees for them to affirmatively consent to before we process any new or change of service orders as part of our sales process. Once the customer approves their order via text or email, we then send a confirmation that outlines their package and all charges.”
Jim says that never happened. He thinks Comcast should honor their original deal. "The issue is not that I can't afford it. I can. It's wrong and not what we agreed on."
Comcast says it will be reaching out to Peterson to hopefully resolve the issue.
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