A Comcast Xfinity subscriber said they are facing a sharp jump in what they pay for internet, even as the company advertises a much cheaper deal for other people.
The customer took to the r/Comcast_Xfinity subreddit to say their 1-gigabit plan was going from $80 a month to $110. New customers, on the other hand, will get it for $50 with a five-year price guarantee.
Here's what to know
On a Reddit thread, the original poster described themselves as a "loyal customer for 20ish years" and said they were "completely baffled" that their longtime service would cost far more than the matching gigabit offer available to new subscribers.
Compared with the OP's current $80 bill, the $50 promotional rate would save $30 per month, or $360 per year. Contrasted with the newly announced $110 price, the savings rise to $60 per month, or $720 per year. Over five years, that could mean as much as $3,600 staying in a consumer's pocket.
Commenters also used the thread to share ways they say customers can still access those lower prices.
"Just cancel after it's disconnected sign back into your comcast account you'll likely get the 'new better rates' banner which is the same as new customers," a Reddit user wrote. "It's what I had to do."
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More background
For many households, home internet is required for many daily tasks. Families and individual people have to absorb sudden price increases sometimes just to get their needs met.
People in the comments said the process can involve awkward account juggling just to keep bills down.
After one commenter asked how long users were left without service, another replied, "Few minutes here. Signed my wife up while cancellation was still in process."
A different commenter said their outage lasted "about an hour."
Not everyone said they used that workaround. One commenter said they changed providers instead.
"Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago, except they jacked me up to $140," they wrote. "Left, got AT&T fiber, for less like $50/month, and loving it."
What can be done?
In the discussion, some people pointed to the aforementioned cancel-and-return tactics, and others suggested opening a new account under another person in the household.
The common sentiment was customers shouldn't have to put up with above-market prices simply because they wanted to stay with their service.
"Go into an xfinity location & ask what they can do for you," yet another person suggested. "I got a price lock/guarantee for 5 years at $50 for 1 gig."
Where can I learn more?
The squeeze from rising household bills goes beyond internet service.
• Across the country, utilities are seeking a record-breaking $31 billion in rate hikes from households.
• In North Carolina, Duke Energy faces a scathing report over practices that could raise bills.
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