PVR Wire

1. Arrghhh.... if these return to my area, I'll be switching once and for all to satellite.
If they were simply banner ads, that would be bad enough -- after all, I'm PAYING for this service, why should I then have to see ads?
But as if that weren't enough of an annoyance, the Comcast banner ads interfere with navigation in the guide. When moving up and down through the list of channels, the banner gets in the way. The user has one less channel shown on the guide, and the banner is selected when you scroll down rather than scrolling the channel guide.

Posted at 1:25PM on Nov 16th 2006 by Gene

2. Actually, if they're going to put up banners -- why not at the top of the guide, where the ubiquitous Comcast logo tends to burn into my screen?

Posted at 1:25PM on Nov 16th 2006 by Gene

3. Not sure what the big deal is. My dad has Charter Communications and he's had two approximately 3x3 inch ads on the left side of his guide for years now. I'm not saying that I approve, just that I wouldn't be surprised. :)

Posted at 12:21AM on Dec 5th 2006 by Ryan

4. They are on my box up here in Flint Michigan. I hate em and I am calling to voice my opinion. They definitely alter the way I navigate the guide. I HATE ADVERTISEMENTS !!!! AAAGGGHHHH~!!!!TKLEJRFWwivgojwezß≥
szkx

(pounds keyboard in anger)

Posted at 2:56PM on Nov 17th 2006 by Carl Trimble

5. Tucson people! Call 744-1900 NOW and complain! We are a "test" market for COMCAST, The friendly CSR I just spoke too also said that she hated the ads as well and that they were waiting for customers to call and complain to make the decision to keep them or get rid of them. She also said today, 20Nov06, was the last day of the survey, WTF, they just started this last week, like Friday? I tried to call over the weekend and since it was the weekend the calls were routed to New Mexico and after 20 minutes I gave up. Poor customer treatment. BTW, I pay $172 a MONTH for to COMCAST and while this does include the "internet" and a couple of HD-DVR's it is STILL $172 a MONTH! Speak up peeps!

Posted at 6:01PM on Nov 20th 2006 by Bob

6. They are back in the MPLS/St. Paul area. Ihate them. I have spent most of the morning trying to get an explaination of why I can't get rid of them on my TV. I am waiting for a supervisor to call me back. I'm probably better off complaining to the wall in my house

Posted at 1:49PM on Dec 5th 2006 by John Goldsmith

7. I live outside Boston and just got home to find out about the new banner "test". I called Comcast and gave them an earful.

I hate the idea of having ads so much I googled "comcast banner ads" and found this website.

I will email Comcast next and then proceed to cut down some more trees to allow for satellite signal.

Posted at 6:58PM on Dec 5th 2006 by B. Seastead

8. Im in St Paul too, its happening again!, Call them jerks
up and make them spend as long as possible answering what
they cannot answer, then ask for the supervisor and start
it over, finish, call back and do it again!

Demand that they fill out a complaint

Do not submit to them sending a signal to get rid of the adds.

Do not submit to unplugging your box to get rid of the
adds

these are just ploys to disable your box for a long period of time so they can tell you to call back if
ther problem is still there once everthing has established
itself again on your box.


Its the ONLY way they will dump this retarted idea.

Posted at 8:36PM on Dec 5th 2006 by aComcast_guineapig

9. Looks like they just returned to the Northeast Massachusetts/New Hampshire region on 12/5. I have already had a number of heated and bitter discussions with customer service who continue to insist that the banner ads are here to stay. FIOS, where are you?

Posted at 1:34PM on Dec 6th 2006 by Seth Frost

10. Looks like they just returned to the Northeast Massachusetts/New Hampshire region on 12/5. I have already had a number of heated and bitter discussions with customer service who continue to insist that the banner ads are here to stay. FIOS, where are you?

Posted at 6:05PM on Dec 6th 2006 by Seth Frost

11. They just showed up here in Baltimore, MD area today (12-6). I called and complained but I was blown off (as I suspected). They are intrusive, ruin the guide, and do NOT lower the cost of my monthly PAY service. Give us options but do not flip it on, give us no warning, and then assume we will all enjoy the "enhancement". Ridiculous.

Posted at 8:38PM on Dec 6th 2006 by Quasievil

12. These ads appeared in the MD/DC Comcast area last night. I already called and complained and will be telling everyone I know to do the same. This is 100% UNACCEPTABLE!

Posted at 9:21AM on Dec 7th 2006 by Kevin

13. I did a Google search and found this post. I can't believe Comcast thought it was a good idea to bring this banner idea back in a widescale release.

In any case, I wrote a quick entry in my blog with some more information I learned about the system. Hope this helps!

http://www.lem.cc/2006/comcast-banner-ads-in-on-screen-guide/

Posted at 12:11AM on Dec 7th 2006 by Lee Emmert

14. I too saw the return of the ads today. I called and was told they are continuing to roll them out nationwide, and there is no opt-out method. I'm definitely not happy about this.

I created a petition, seems like a good way to send a message to Comcast that its customers are tired of being mistreated. I invite everyone to stop by and sign:

http://www.killcomcastads.com

Posted at 4:30AM on Dec 7th 2006 by Jack McMillin

15. If you live in the MPLS/St Paul area call 651-493-5900 x2935 to register your complaint.

Posted at 5:03PM on Dec 7th 2006 by John

16. We were just "forced" upon the ads in the Baltimore area. If the ad's are to educate customers, as Comcast has said, then those customers who are already educated should be able to turn them off.

Posted at 3:48PM on Dec 8th 2006 by Peter Celeste

17. I live in the Boston area, and also just started noticing this intrusive "feature." It absolutely screws up navigation of the guide. If it were not for the fact that it caused this navigation issue, it would be a more minor annoyance.

EVERYONE PLEASE CONTACT COMCAST AND COMPLAIN. THEY MUST BE MAKING MONEY ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR MONTHLY PAYMENTS BY SELLING THIS AD SPACE TO VARIOUS STATIONS' TV SHOWS.

We should also contact the stations who are paying for the ad space, and tell them we are NOT pleased.

Posted at 7:00AM on Dec 11th 2006 by David

18. They are now in the Chicago area as well. I like Comcast for the OnDemand but this is too much.

Posted at 2:31PM on Dec 14th 2006 by Gilbert

19. These appeared on my Comcast DVR and regular cable box today, December 14, 2006. I'm in the Jersey City area and the first comcast rep I called had no idea what I was talking about. The second woman tried "reprogramming" the box from a distance, and then didn't fix the problem. According to the woman, a service technician was required to "fix" the problem, which probably just means burning the ads directly into my eyes. But she also mentioned that "a few other customers" in the area, which I take to mean North Jersey, had mentioned the problem but that comcast had not yet declared it a problem.

Posted at 5:45PM on Dec 14th 2006 by Ian

20. Not only do we pay for the service, and a monthly fee for the box, but they need money from advertisers as well?

They need to choose their sources of income, not use them all.

How can we form a group protest to make our point?

Posted at 5:11PM on Dec 15th 2006 by Matt