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| Not perfect, but free TV 50+ mile range |
As you may know, I now have MagicJack for the home phone. I paid $39+ and will never pay another phone bill. In six month, I have to renew for a year. One At&T service was gone and I pay about $3/month for that. We went to WM and he used his cc to get MJ, and I handed him the cash.
I was on a roll. Exbf lent me $100 to buy this antenna. Actually, I had him use his credit card to assure I had I had no problem returning it. He does not have tools, and really knows little about this kind of stuff. But, he finally got the antenna and mounting bracket assembled. Well, he did part of it one day and we decided it needed mounting outdoors. He had to wait until later as it was time for him to leave.
I am free of about $90 in monthly bills and can easily repay him over a few months.
I cannot get the station I want, Ch 13, WVTM in Birmingham. But, I have hopes. FOX is all I get besides church and stuff I never watch, 17 channels of junk. ugh. However, exbf refuses to mount it where I can get more. I had him mount it on a pole to move around on the outside of the house. My house is not set squarely on the lot. He refuses to believe where West is. The sun was setting not perpendicular to the rear of the house, but off at one corner. So, he has it all wrong.
We had a loud fight. I told him he did not know what he was talking about. He told me the same thing. I have watched the sun track over my house here for 33 years. I know where the cardinal directions are better than he! While he stood here, angry with me, I called AT&T and told them to disconnect the TV service. Sooo, I will never have to pay for that again.
However, I have plans to call and get some free, expert help! I know this antenna can work better than it does right now. If not, I am okay with the situation.
The customer service department for Clearstream said that Channel 13 was too far away, 35 miles. Nooo, it sits 200 ft or less from Channel 6, the channel I am now watching. Both are on top of Red Mountain, 35 miles from me. She said I had to buy a $100 extender or something. I don't think so. Every time that I reminded her the box said 50+ miles, she just ignored me.
Next week, I will have internet disconnected as soon as I get new service. I am in the process of making a list with prices and speed and mgb/sec. Or something...sigh.
That will leave cell service with AT&T. As soon as my contract runs out, I quit. However, AT&T told me to pack up their equipment and take it to UPS. I am going to tell them they delivered it and poor reception, so they can pick it up or I will charge them for storage. Do you think that will make them come get their own stuff?
My life feels freer now that I am saving money and don't have to deal with AT&T and their screwed up system where they don't get things right. AT&T, go sue me for talking about you! Remember that they cut off home and cell phone because they lost the check they cashed and removed money from my bank account.
I feel lighter and freer, sort of like when I paid off car and house in same month. MagicJack and Clearstream antenna go with me, so no connecting services ever again.
Your turn
Have you ever used Clearstream TV antenna? Does it work in rain and storms? Do feel a load off your shoulders when you get rid of a monthly bill?
AT&T will not come and pick up the equipment. You have to take it to the UPS store (free shipping from form printed off internet). Otherwise, they will continue to bill you rental on the equipment. Not a good company to do business with. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteCoffeypot,
DeleteI am going to try to get out of the fee. You cannot get blood out of a turnip. Maybe I can go to small claims court to get a storage fee from them. They might relent. This equipment is surely obsolete by now. Thanks.
You knew when you signed up you would have to return the equipment (I[m sure it was in the fine print somewhere.). I don't like fighting with people over things like that.
DeleteJane,
DeleteDo you remember all the trouble I have had with AT&T? They turned off my cell and home phone for a month because they took my money and could not find it? They cut off my testing Jan 1st, and I suffered because no one answered my text messages.
No, I don't remember what I signed. I do remember the anguish they have caused me--4 hours some days trying to get what was mine.
They have not lived up to anything at all. So, they can swallow the equipment as far as I am concerned. I have no idea what cables they want, but if I don't return ALL of them, I still get charged $150.
You think I like to fight?
Jane,
DeleteActually, no one told me I would have to physically return the equipment. When I had Direct TV, they told me to climb up, get their dish down and mail it back. Right, I am going to climb up high. I am going to buy special tools for the strange connectors and mail back a 50 lb. dish. I told them I was not capable of that and I would just charge them rent. I have never heard another word from them.
I had to fight for five days, hours each day, to get my cell and home phone on.
And, I had to argue and answer questions about why I wanted to disconnect my cable. "Because I said so" did not work. Exbf was standing here and heard the conversation and was amazed at their attitude.
Good luck. And yes, freeing yourself of an ongoing bill can be very freeing.
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteThanks...sighing with relief every hour.
I canceled everything years ago. We use the library or when I get a free code from Redbox. I love it. The only bill that we have is the cell and its a monster but Anna is in college and DJ is leaving so they won't have phones otherwise. It is a safety issue with Anna but still it is a killer bill.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on killing another bill!!!!!
Sonya Ann,
DeleteThanks. Besides the bill being gone, the hassle and lies from AT&T were wearing me down. Do you have Metro PCS or something like that? If I could get that, cost for the phone would be less. My daughter has a killer bill because of two children.
When I get the DVR hooked up, I will be off to the library again. Thanks!!!
I gave up cable over 2 years ago. Spent $40 on a Muhu Leaf Antenna (http://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Leaf-Paper-Thin-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B004QK7HI8) and never looked back. No special mounting anywhere except on the wall behind my TV. Screw the cord into the TV, hang the antenna, scan for channels. Has worked in a 3rd floor & 1st floor apartment facing different directions. Crystal clear channels, well over 20 I think. Works so well (in my area, probably not yours) that my boss allowed me to buy one for the work office. I rent free movies from the library. If I can't find it, Amazon or Redbox. The BF has Netflix & Hulu he lets me share for free. I do still have internet at home for $45, but in an emergency I could give it up and use my phone, work, the library, or places like Panera with free wifi.
DeleteAs for the equipment, since it's free shipping (I read above you just print the label), I'd just return it and say to hell with it. I've always had to return equipment for cable/internet services, even if the customer service sucked. I understand your point of view, but personally I'd just let it go. I would not wanna mess with small claims court. That's extra time and possible money spent on a case you'd likely not win (especially if you did sign something years ago that said you'd return it). But if it's a battle you feel compelled to fight, go for it! :)
I am going to have to look into that antenna. I am about 35 and 40 miles from stations (as the crow flies), so that may not be an option.
DeleteI signed nothing! Neither exbf nor I can get down on the floor under the table to get this stuff. I have had to fight a battle with them for over five years, just to get services to work.
A woman I talked to at AT&T said that usually things go smoothly, but she could see things had not for me, that they do have occasional cases where things do go terribly wrong. Monday, I will call her. I don't want to go to small claims court, and neither do they.
When they want to know why I am leaving, I tell them, "For my health." Seriously, like I told them, I am going to have a stroke from staying on the phone four hours at a time, sometimes more than one day each week. AT&T is the biggest stressor in my life. Exbf hears me complain to him. Then, he heard a 2.5 hour conversation I had with them one day. He told me to "get rid of it."
TLC,
DeleteThe woman did not tell me to print anything off, just take it back. Your antenna will not work, but the Leaf comes in another option for the distance I need. I am going to get that, and if it works, just return the one I have. Thanks for that idea.
I have won some arguments with AT&T and other companies by demanding to speak to a supervisor and then absolutely refusing to budge from my position. A few years ago I had an AT&T cell phone that stopped receiving email. I went to the AT&T store. A nice young man tried to make the phone work and couldn't do it. He canceled the data plan since he couldn't make the phone receive email. AT&T caught it and started billing me again. That's when I called and a customer service rep told me I HAD to have a data plan for my smart phone. I told a supervisor that I absolutely would not pay for a data plan on a phone that couldn't receive data. He argued with me for a few minutes and then canceled the data charge. Being stubborn can pay off.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Janie,
DeleteI am stubborn about paying for what I am not receiving or when AT&T lies. My ex once said that sometimes my stubbornness paid off after I saved us hundreds of dollars several times. He would just go ahead and do whatever anyone wanted and pay out good money we did not have.
They know they are being unreasonable but try to bully people into paying. I am glad to see it does not work for you, either.