# Cable guy late for installation - what a, um, surprise.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 18, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925 "2010-05-18T19:41:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/1 "2010-05-18T19:41:17Z")
So, last week I called my local Time Warner Cable provider and set up an appointment to have new cable installed today, May 18, between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. At 1:38, the phone rang and it was, as expected, a TW operator making sure I was home. I replied, yes, I’m here. She said that the tech was still at his “first appointment”, and that it would be a little bit before he got there, and I replied that that was fine, and that we’d be waiting. And now it’s 3:38, and the tech’s not shown up, nor have I received any call letting me know that the tech is running late. Full disclosure: The cars are getting detailed today, so our driveway is car-less. But _no one_ has knocked on the door or rung the doorbell. And, as I said before, the phone hasn’t rung since the TW operator called at 1:38.
So, can I expect this to be the typical kind of service I’ll receive with Time Warner?
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/2 "2010-05-18T19:56:15Z")
I have the opposite problem with our cable company - they show up early! I had an appointment between 1-5. I got home from work at 1230 and the truck was in my driveway! But we’re with Metrocast, and I have no experience with TW.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/3 "2010-05-18T20:09:33Z")
> [@MTCicero](#):
>
> So, can I expect this to be the typical kind of service I’ll receive with Time Warner?
Yes. And pretty much the same for any cable company.
You should have asked that operator for the installers cell phone number, “so I can reach him if I have to leave for a quick errand or something” – then you can contact him directly when needed.
With cellphones, I have become much less tolerant of such non-communication from service people. It’s now quite easy for them to reach you; there is no excuse for not doing so. I’ve dealt with local repair people who are quite good about calling when they set out for my house, and calling in advance to let me know they are detained at a previous call and will be late. I’m much more willing to accept them being late, if they’ve kept me informed about it.
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### Author:  [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/4 "2010-05-18T20:49:08Z")
It’s okay, he’ll make up for it by taking you to Medieval Times.
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### Author:  [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/5 "2010-05-18T21:05:23Z")
> [@MTCicero](#):
>
> So, can I expect this to be the typical kind of service I’ll receive with Time Warner?
No, next time they won’t call at all.
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### Author:  [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/6 "2010-05-18T21:30:23Z")
Thanks for the input, both of you.
I called and talked to a nice lady who was very apologetic. She said that the tech had checked in with dispatch at 2:45 and said he was still held up at the first job. She made a note of him being late, and said he would call me within a half hour, and that if I didn’t hear from him by 4:30, to call back. At 4:05 my wife informed me that they were here. It turns out that they called another tech who was north of where I live at 3:15, and so he had to scramble to finish the job and get here as close to 4:00 as possible. He was cool and helpful, so I’m fairly satisfied right now. They did all right, I guess.
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### Author:  [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/7 "2010-05-18T21:34:01Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#):
>
> It’s okay, he’ll make up for it by taking you to Medieval Times.
Only in my dreams, sadly.
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### Author:  [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/8 "2010-05-19T01:23:55Z")
> [@MTCicero](#):
>
> Thanks for the input, both of you.
>
> I called and talked to a nice lady who was very apologetic. She said that the tech had checked in with dispatch at 2:45 and said he was still held up at the first job. She made a note of him being late, and said he would call me within a half hour, and that if I didn’t hear from him by 4:30, to call back. At 4:05 my wife informed me that they were here. It turns out that they called another tech who was north of where I live at 3:15, and so he had to scramble to finish the job and get here as close to 4:00 as possible. He was cool and helpful, so I’m fairly satisfied right now. They did all right, I guess.
Do you live near Fayetteville? Was the tech a guy in jis mid 40s, nice guy, works pretty fast, polite and friendly? Because I had the opposite today. He was on time, and left my house for Cedar Creek I think he said arpund that 245/300 in the afternoon.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/9 "2010-05-19T05:02:05Z")
TWC is running an ad on local radio this week saying that if you call today, they will come install it tomorrow.
The first thing I thought when I heard that (as a TWC customer myself) is “man, if I need a tech to come out this week I am totally fucked.”
Then I laughed and thought “oh, silly me, they can never get here in a timely fashion anyway.”
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### Author:  [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/10 "2010-05-19T21:39:11Z")
When I was getting my HD set up, the tech was calling an hour before the appointment time. Unfortunately, it was my home phone, and I was at work. But he kept on calling, and he ended up getting it installed before he was even supposed to come! 😃
Some people have nothing but problems with Sasktel, but I’ve always had good experiences.
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### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/11 "2010-05-20T08:23:32Z")
IME, they will either be a bit early or massively late. Sorry.
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### Author:  [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-guy-late-for-installation-what-a-um-surprise/539925/12 "2010-05-20T10:06:47Z")
_Always_ prepare to be underwhelmed by TWC. We finally gave up the ghost and switched to Direct TV. They seem to be doing much better.
ETA: Thanks, **ZipperJJ** , now I’ll have that jingle stuck in my head all day. 😃