According To The Comcast Executive Office, "All The Games" Means "All The Games We Carry"

I just got off the phone with Judy in the Comcast executive office. I called the executive office to get a phone number for my regional office, since regional numbers aren't available anywhere on the Comcast website or on my bill.

While I had her on the phone, I asked about the status of the four additional channels, and when they might be turned on in the Harrisburg area and other areas (like Boston) which aren't currently carrying. She said there were no plans to add the additional channels, at which point I asked what the process would be to get a 30% discount for the missing channels. Imagine my surprise when she told me that I wasn't eligible for a doscount because Comcast only carries ten channels, not fourteen!

When I told her that, for example, Comcast in Chicago was getting all fourteen channels, she had no response other than to reiterate that Comcast was only getting ten channels.

I decided to tack in a different direction, and ask for a 30% discount on the grounds that I had been mislead by Comcast's advertising, which boasted that I would be able to "catch all the action," which I took to mean "watch all the games." Judy informed me that what it actually means was that I'd be able to watch all the games Comcast offered.

Now, I looked at the page on Comcast.com advertising the Extra Innings package, and I suppose this is technically covered by the sentence "Not all programming and services are available in all areas." Still, I feel this is patently deceptive advertising -- at no point does Comcast mention that they will only be offering 70% of the channels in some areas. Plus, when I go to the guide channel that lists all the games available, I'm shown games on all 14 channels, not just games on the 10 channels that are apparently available to me.

So we have Comcast practicing deceptive advertising practices, and charging customers as much for 10 channels in Harrisburg as they charge for 14 channels in Chicago, or that DirecTV charges for 14 channels across the country. That doesn't seem right, does it?

If you'd like to talk to Judy, or anyone else in the executive office, call 215-665-1700. And if you're a Comcast subscriber in Chicago, or anywhere else that is getting the GAME 11-14 channels, post in the comments or send me an email at ruz at cruzich dot com. I'd love to talk to you.