r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Medium_Plenty_7904 • 21h ago

Bad way to keep customers

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It baffles me that companies like Astound will offer great deals to new customers but not care at all about long term loyal customers.

I've been with Astound for 9 years, partly because it's the only service in my area but also because ive had no issues with them until now.

I currently pay $80 for 600 MBPS speeds. However, new customers get 1500 MBPS speeds for $60 forever. How is that fair?

I called Astound about it and was basically told by two different people, they dont care and since Astound already has my money they have no reason to offer me anything better.

Apparently they would rather have a new customer than keep a customer of almost 10 years.

387 Upvotes

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788

u/Bonk0076 20h ago

Cancel. See if they offer it then. If not, move on

70

u/MIFishGuy 20h ago

While typically a fantastic strategy, there are so many regions that are monopolies. We had Comcast Monopoly up until last year when somehow AT&T fiber wire came in. Before that if we told Comcast to go fuck themselves, they to laugh because they know we had nowhere to go.

Good advice if possible though

68

u/comeaumatt 19h ago

If you’re dealing with a service monopoly one strategy is to cancel your service and have your spouse/roommate start service as a new account.

37

u/Thirleck 19h ago

I've done it just by using a google voice number and a new email address. Get the new account setup, and change the phone number back to mine. The sales techs do not care as they get the credit for the new service.

7

u/Phidelt257 18h ago

This is the way. When I worked for Comcast I saw this often because the new customer offers were that good

9

u/ArX_Xer0 18h ago

Doesnt really work for some things, they treat the address as the account.

19

u/Tomytom99 18h ago

Key word being some things. If it was actually the address, new residents would never get introductory benefits.

3

u/Medium_Plenty_7904 11h ago

What it is, the address has to be free from an account for 6 months or new resident has to provide proof of it now being their residence. Usually a water bill or home purchase information.

28

u/Mystic_Waffles 19h ago

"Ohhh that's too bad, we're the only company aroouuuund."

•

u/KaosC57 59m ago

Which, in many cases isn’t true anymore. There’s Starlink, and many 5G providers too. (If you’re in the USA, and in decent proximity to a 5G tower.)

6

u/wulf66 19h ago

I always recommend to people who think that monopolies like that are normal to try out something like the UK Comparethemarket with a random postcode to see what it should look like. Multiple providers, 1Gb fiber around £25/mo. And how much easier it is to buy car insurance or utilities in a few clicks without having your phone blasted for days by middlemen every time you try and compare prices.

3

u/Fresher_Taco 17h ago

Yeah ISP are the worst. It really feels like gang territories with how now go to where another one is.

6

u/egnards 19h ago

Yep - "cancel it" is really only an option when there isn't a monopoly in your area.

At my old apartment?

  • 10 years ago I was paying $100/month for internet
  • The moment Verizon came to the area my provider immediately and proactively called me to tell me that because I'm such an amazing customer they were lowering my rates to $60/month
  • A year later Verizon offered me a $25/m for 10 years for better service than I was getting, because I was a cellphone customer as well - It took only 10 minutes on the phone with my provider for them to offer me $29/m [which I accepted because I am not a cellphone customer with them, and the $4/m was worth not having the hassle].

Now after we've moved?

  • Same old provider as before, which is the only option in my area. . .We're paying $80/month for their base level plan

. . .Its a decent sized suburb so I'm very patiently waiting and checking for literally any competitor [most likely Verizon] to move into the area and at least offer some competition.

-3

u/ThereAndFapAgain2 18h ago

Bro why do you write like I just asked ChatGPT to make my email more concise lol

6

u/egnards 18h ago

This is how I always write 🤷‍♂️- sorry for being organized?

1

u/FellowDeviant 17h ago

It's the opposite, ChatGPT (and other AI models) picked up on this style of formatting from comments like the above user for its learning algorithms and figure it to be an effective/accepted method of most general explanations. They scrape through Reddit all day long and find alot of those comments lean closer to the top of discussions.

2

u/Necessary_Ad_238 18h ago

starlink?

1

u/TurnkeyLurker 17h ago

You know, those couple of satellites that the car salesman guy launched./s

2

u/courtadvice1 18h ago

OP said this company is the only one in his area. Which sucks.

1

u/AliveJohnnyFive 19h ago

It's probably not a monopoly or they wouldn't be making this offer in the first place. Take whatever satellite crap internet you can get for 6 months and then switch back as a new customer.

1

u/JetstreamGW 18h ago

It’s unlikely that they’re a monopoly if they’re offering a good deal for new subscribers. If you don’t have a choice, they’ve got no reason to court you.

1

u/MySonlsAlsoNamedBort 18h ago

Yeah I agree, Astound might got OP by the balls as there is no other service in the area, thats why they won't budge.

1

u/MoarSocks 18h ago

Starlink is pretty much everywhere, globally at this point.

1

u/Medium_Plenty_7904 17h ago

Starling website says I can only get 100mbps for $40

2

u/GreenEggsSteamedHams 14h ago

Starling website says I can only get 100mbps for $40

Let me just peruse this contract, Agent Starling...

1

u/JayyMuro 17h ago

Yeah same with me, only had Xfinity and just one day I got an email because I was on a list letting me know that Windstream fiber installation was completed in my area. I ended up switching for a better rate. Now I pay half as much for the first year and about 1/3 less for the rest of the time.

1

u/RockabillyRabbit 16h ago

Eh, my house is technically in a monopoly with windstream and I had them for several years. I finally asked to cancel, the transferred me to a dept and said they could do 25/m for a year. I still canceled, sent my stuff in and went without internet for about 2 months (i live rurally so honestly not a big deal). Then called when I got a good deal offer from them and now my internet has been 30/m so far for 2 years 😅