After scanning through about 15 pages, I was surprised to see that no one has complained about my current cable provider, INC GROUP. Unfortunately, because of the apartment complex I have chosen to reside in, I am bound by contract to this particular cable company.

With that said, let me explain the problems I have experienced with the INC GROUP. It all began when I moved into the apartment back in March of 2008. I ordered a digital cable package with a TIVO and high speed internet. I was told while ordering that the serviceman could show up during a window of anywhere from 1 pm to 4 pm, which is what I consider "normal" these days and that the serviceman would call me 30 minutes prior to arriving for installation to give me a "heads up" that he was on his way. The calling me prior to showing up was very important to me because I have pets that I wanted to secure in another room, wanted to make sure I was properly dressed (I live alone) and just generally pick up a few things around the apartment.

Guess what? No phone call. So a little stressful off the bat. In addition, the serviceman, made me feel very uncomfortable. I am an older 20-something, single female, living alone and had no idea what kind of person is coming into my home. I have a man, who is in my home reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, with me ALONE, who ends up staying at least two or so hours because he can't seem to get the TIVO to work right. Oh, and sorry, he didn't have any user manuals either, but told me I was free to look up any information I wanted on the Internet. Then, he just leaves in the middle of what he tells me is "the TIVO loading the programming", which I later to find out is BS, and the thing doesn't work. I want to say, I wouldn't be so judgmental about the way someone looks but what I find out later about this serviceman really pissed me off and that's why I feel justified in saying I was uncomfortable with him in my home with me alone.

The next day, I call back INC GROUP and say that the TIVO is not working and apparently their solution is to have (and I really don't mean to offend anyone but I'm sure I will) 65-year old women in Kentucky try to solve my cable technical issues in Florida. What I mean is they do some simple troubleshooting BS with me like, "Is the TIVO box plugged in?" while I think if I couldn't figure out that the problem was the TIVO box not being plugged in, I wouldn't have made it through a year of college... I mean, duh. I try to maintain my composure throughout their ten question troubleshooting and then we move on to putting me on hold while they contact an actual serviceman and it becomes where the 65-year old woman is the middle man. For some reason, I cannot be put straight through to the serviceman, which to me seems more trouble than it's worth since it would be easier for me to talk directly to the serviceman and explain my situation, but I guess INC GROUP doesn't see it that way. Unfortunately for me, we were unable to resolve the problems on the phone (surprise!) so I had to wait a week before the serviceman would return to my apartment complex to fix the TIVO. I made sure to inform INC GROUP that I would not be responsible for the charges regarding the TIVO since it was not working.

A week later, no phone call again, just a knock at my door, and the alcohol and cigarette-lovin' serviceman is back to grace my presence. He comes strolling in with two "new TIVO boxes that are guaranteed to work!" Funny because he went through what seemed to be the same issues hooking up the first box and after about an hour, called it quits on that one. The second one he started hooking up and said because "it was so brand new, was going to take a while in the downloading process for the programming" and bailed on me again. I was just happy to get him out of my apartment and pretty much figured this one wasn't going to work either. I was right. The programming downloaded so the menu was right but it just started recording all these different tv shows that I never programmed and then the new programming wouldn't load (I had no tv guide so I couldn't record anything).

At this point, I was beyond over the whole TIVO thing. I would never recommend it to anyone, along with never recommending INC GROUP to anyone, if you have the choice. It took me two weeks before I was able to set up another appointment to get the stupid TIVO box picked up. I had the box completely disconnected from my television at that point because it was screwing up my cable. Since it has been so long, I don't remember how it was screwing up my cable, but I believe it was blocking certain channels, saying they weren't available on the tv that was connected to the TIVO but then when I went into my bedroom and turned on the tv, the channels were working fine. FINALLY, I get a serviceman from INC GROUP to pick up the TIVO box and he's a totally different guy and quite a talker. I guess he used to work for them years ago and they were hurting for "good" people (imagine that) and he decided to come back on contract. He tells me what happened to the guy that was the former serviceman was he actually stole the company vehicle, just stopped showing up for work and the company had no idea where he was. INC GROUP had to call the cops and they finally recovered the van (company vehicle) abandoned on the side of some deserted road with beer cans and drug paraphenelia and they still can't find the guy. The guy has a warrant out because he stole some other company property...the (new, hopefully void of a criminal background) serviceman is telling me all this like it's nothing and I'm thinking, 'this is the guy my cable provider sends into my home? Are you f-ing kidding me?' I'm even more frightful now that I know what he's capable of.

But it doesn't end there... The TIVO has left the apartment, but now we get to the cable channels that randomly go out with no explanation and the slowing of the 'high-speed internet' I am supposed to be paying for. In January, (I literally kept track of the fact) that at least ten channels were out of commission on a weekly basis. I called INC GROUP for some sort of apology or explanation as I saw nothing on my February bill. Their response: a 5% discount on March's bill. Do I believe that compensates me for the stress and aggravation of wondering whether it's going to be "a night of the tv working or not?" I think that's crap.

I am a student and try to take the majority of my classes online because I want to. I have noticed a great decline in the speed and processing of my Internet. I never had problems prior to September or October of 2008 and if you are still hanging in and reading this, I have had this Internet service since March of 2008. I have done everything I can think of to ensure my computer is not the problem and have had several people reassure me that my computer is not the problem as well. I have taken my computer to Geek Squad to have it check and cleared for viruses and spyware, updated my virus and spyware software, had knowledgeable friends do performance tests on my computer and do routine maintenance of my own to keep my computer up to date. So again, I called INC GROUP and they sent out another (new) serviceman to take a look at the Internet connection. At least he didn't look like a convict (sorry, I'm getting tired and cranky). He just replaced the router and shrugged his shoulders and said there's nothing else he could do. Didn't once take a look at my computer.

I have discussed these issues with my apartment complex manager and she gave me the name of a supervisor to call and get in contact with. I left two messages and never got one phone call back.

What's funny is I used to have Brighthouse and I remember the "little" things that I complained about with them. I would give anything to have Brighthouse again because compared to the crap I have now, Brighthouse is FANTASTIC. I never had problems with Brighthouse. Never had convicts in my apartment, never had complicated DVR's that didn't work, never had a slow Internet. Financial restraints have kept me here until at least March of 2010 but the cable provider as well as some other residential issues have taken their toll and if I can find a job in addition to my full-time school load and handle it, I will get out of here. I can't take it anymore.

DON'T DO INC GROUP IF YOU CAN AVOID IT. THEY STATE ON THEIR INVOICES THAT "YOU ARE A VALUED CUSTOMER." I HAVE BEEN TREATED AS ANYTHING BUT A VALUED CUSTOMER. THEY COULD CARE LESS ... THEY KNOW IT AND I KNOW IT.