This theme has interested me! The other thing is they are easy to reach on the phone for either technical issues or service changes, the employees are very professional, and everything goes smoothly with no surprises or miscommunications.

Time Warner Cable's Customer Service personnel can be hit or miss. This happened to me today when I called and spoke with the first Customer Service Rep, which couldn't or wouldn't answer some of my concerns with the bill (these dealt with the fact that TWC appeared to have double-taxed us in error). When she got tired of going back and forth with me, and I told her I was just thinking of cancelling, she transfered me to retention - where they not only answered my question, but adjusted my bill, and they also gave me a monthly credit equal to the amount of one of my hardware rentals - for the duration of my service.

So yes, telling the Customer Service Rep that you are considering cancelling the service does get their attention. I did not, however, use those words as a ploy - I was dead serious when I told them I was going to cancel, because I was truly frustrated. The second Customer Service Rep, though, proved to be helpful, courteous, and genuinely interested in helping me.

The moral of the story is: Don't quit after speaking with only one rep - this was my second call in two days, but I finally got through to someone that cared enough to really help.

Find out if AT&T U-Verse is available in your area. You should be able to inquire at your nearest AT&T store. If it is available, find out what AT&T would charge for a comparable bundled package and call Time Warner and tell them you are switching to AT&T unless they match AT&T's price.

Unfortunately, Congress has repeatedly failed to act to control cable TV rates in areas where there is no effective competition, such as San Diego, CA and most of the rest of the US.

We just upgraded our TVCable because with the Bundle of phone and TV it would be better and cheaper for us. Well they put in a box . We didnot know or were told it would cost $7.99 per month. Then this month they raised our cable fee so now we are paying almost double what we were paying. We were not warned of the cable raise. Can't someone do something to do away with this monopoly!

Cox and Time Warner Cable have an 87% share of the San Diego subscription television market. That means they are virtual monopolies and despite the availability of Satellite TV and AT&T's U-Verse the incumbent cable companies still do not face effective competition in the San Diego market. It is also one of the highest penetration rates of incumbent cable TV providers in the U.S.

The bottom line is Cox and Time Warner customers are still being gouged on the cable portion of their bill and the promise of cable competition has not yet reached the region.

One way to move the competitive process along is for the FCC to "Fast Track" their mandate that Cox offer broadcasts of San Diego Padre games to all competitors at a fair price. That would immediately make AT&T's U-Verse, and satellite TV providers DirecTV and Dish Network much more attractive options to large numbers of San Diego consumers.

A couple years ago I called to downgrade a number of services because I just could not pay for it at that time. I had been a customer for years. They, without my requesting, gave me a year of ALL my current services, but for the downgraded price. It really helped me.

The other thing is they are easy to reach on the phone for either technical issues or service changes, the employees are very professional, and everything goes smoothly with no surprises or miscommunications.

My nephew worked for them for a year or so and was treated very well.

I have an old Cox contract that has grandfathered goodies no longer available for this particular bundle package. In a nutshell, I just can't do any better.

Cox Communications has been a love/hate relationship. Mostly with their customer service. My advice - document dates, times, and who you spoke with. Not all of their people meet even basic standards. If you get a bad, or even mediocore one, Cox does want to know. Problems created by those caullous employees has yielded generous credits.

I do have to say that Cox, on the most part, has gone beyond my expectations in working things out with me when I've fallen short. As with a lot of other people, I've fallen on hard times and Cox has made efforts to help me keep the account from closing. Not always, but usually. Again, it depends on who you get.

Cable TV competition and the downward pressure on prices it would bring has been an elusive dream for the vast majority of San Diegans for many years. Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable have built an almost impenetrable fortress of market power that continues to this day. Satellite TV companies such as DirecTV and Dish Network have encroached a bit on the territory of San Diego's local cable monopolies, but their market share is not significant. There is no evidence they have exerted downward pressure on cable prices locally.

AT&T is currently rolling out its U-Verse service which includes head-to head cable competition to Cox and Time Warner in areas where it is currently available. Those current cable customers who threaten to fire their cable company and switch to AT&T have a powerful weapon and it is likely they can lower their cable bill or at least be exempt from announced price increases if they can reach the "customer loyalty" desk at their current cable company.

AT&T will be an even more formidable cable competitor if a recent FCC ruling which would forbid Cox from withholding broadcasts of the San Diego Padres games from competitors survives possible legal challenges.