Subcribe to Comcast, get a Wii for fwii

by Randy Nelson { Jul 28th 2008 at 11:00PM }

It surely can't be that easy, can it? Of course not. Sure, according to a press release issued today, Comcast is offering a free Wii system to new subscribers who sign up for its "Triple Play" cable TV, phone, and internet package from now through August 17, 2008. It's also offering some fine print to go along with the deal.

Here are the catches. First off, in order to qualify for the freebie (freewii?) you must sign on for two years of Triple Play service in advance, incurring the usual outlandish termination fees should you decide to cancel before 24 months are up. Next, Comcast states that the offer is not available in all service areas and (surprise!) quantities of the Wii consoles are limited. Still, if you don't mind jumping through a few hoops (or were already considering a new cable/phone/internet provider), this may be your ticket to Wiidom.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: comcast, contract, free

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

david @ Jul 28th 2008 11:09PM

Wii's are seemingly easy to get now. I work at Target and we have had Wii's for over a week now, I mean the same shipment hasn't sold out yet. People are more interested in the Elusive Wii fit and Mario Kart Wii.

first.

Vol @ Jul 29th 2008 10:52AM

Prediction: At the end of your Comcast contract, your Wii will be covered in dust.

P.S. That's ok.. vote me down. I don't use mine anymore.

Jacksons @ Jul 28th 2008 11:09PM

It's a trap!

BPM [MSN: BPMdotEXE @ hotmail.com] @ Jul 29th 2008 1:00AM

That's actually pretty true...

I've never heard a single good thing said about Comcast.

(I don't think they're out where I live, though...)

Lord Chako @ Jul 29th 2008 8:59AM

I had comcast cable internet for a year. I was paying $54 a month for the lowest bandwith internet they had.

It took me five different calls to get through and cancel it. When I finally did cancel it, I asked them if I needed to send back the cable modem. The lady said, no, I can keep it. Two months later, I get a notice in the mail saying I have 10 days to pay a balance of $10 left over from my account, and $50 for the cost of the modem. Otherwise they were going into collections.

Stay far away from these clowns. They charge you an arm and a leg, and give you piss poor service.

Go with Verizon FiOs instead, if you can.

mr nimblewick @ Jul 29th 2008 9:51AM

Comcast is the only cable provider in my area. I used to use Clearwire, which was the worst experience of my life. Compared to that Comcast is great. I get a combo of cable tv and internet for $70.

Of course the triple play, where you have to get their phone service as well... pfft.

Saria the Cat @ Jul 28th 2008 11:10PM

Screw signing up for any contracts that last longer than a year. Except for cell phones because most of the time, there is no other way...I guess it's good marketing on their part, though.

gir @ Jul 29th 2008 1:28AM

"from now through August 17, 2008"

Isn't that like 20 days? Thats not too bad.

Saria the Cat @ Jul 29th 2008 3:31AM

@gir: "You must sign on for two years of Triple Play service in advance, incurring the usual outlandish termination fees should you decide to cancel before 24 months are up." The 20 days is how long the offer's running, not how long the contract is that you sign up for.

gir @ Jul 29th 2008 2:59PM

2 years!! Screw that!!

Saria the Cat @ Jul 29th 2008 3:05PM

Yeah, seriously.

äsdf @ Jul 28th 2008 11:16PM

I used to work for Comcast and honestly I would recommend you avoid being their customer if at all possible. If they are the only thing in your area worth signing up for, then sure get a "free" Wii out of it.

ScallionN @ Jul 29th 2008 12:53AM

In my hometown, Comcast has a hideous monopoly on Cable and internet, and has had a stranglehold on the market since cable was available. Thankfully, our local electricity provider beat a lawsuit Comcast filed to keep them from providing TV, internet, and phone service in the area.

BigD145 @ Jul 28th 2008 11:17PM

Normally Comcast does not do contracts, so this is a swing in the opposite direction.

John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 28th 2008 11:21PM

Not a big fan of internet telephones. Hello? McFly? Emergency?

007craft @ Jul 28th 2008 11:21PM

After Nintendos E3 performance free is not good enough. You need to PAY ME to take a wii from you.

Additional payment required for me to actually play it.

Slayer @ Jul 29th 2008 12:42AM

No one said you had to...

samfish @ Jul 29th 2008 12:45AM

Well that's really fuckin' stupid of you, then.

gir @ Jul 29th 2008 1:28AM

Your avatar makes me sick!

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 28th 2008 11:26PM

Oh Joystiq, your so punny! :)

Ritz @ Jul 28th 2008 11:31PM

There is no reason you need to sign contracts for cell phones. Seriously, so much garbage attached to those. Alternatives exist!

Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jul 28th 2008 11:50PM

Oh Wiilii?!

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 29th 2008 12:04AM

You know the hype is about over when the hottie goes for peddling bundles of aggressive marketing. Or is comcast trying the at&t and iphone thing?

Either way, I dont have cable because I play vg instead of watching it, so it would be more like a double play with a predatory financing for a wii. meh

juju187 @ Jul 29th 2008 12:05AM

no credit check?
read that fine print again

KaneRobot @ Jul 29th 2008 12:09AM

A free Wii isn't worth it when you're forced to have Comcast's horrible service.

Switched to Wide Open West in December and I'm still kicking my own ass for not changing over years ago.

Zsavior @ Jul 29th 2008 12:15AM

If I remember right Comcast and time Warner are at the top of internet providers that limit your internet bandwidth stating something like 5% of internet users use 90% of the bandwidth, but they advertise as if their internet is unlimited. Also they aren't lowering rates for those that use less compared to those that use more.

I don't know about the specifics but you can read up on it at digg. So if I didn't have a wii I still wouldn't go for one with this plan.

Slayer @ Jul 29th 2008 12:44AM

I'm using time warner Internet and I haven't had any bandwidth issues yet.

samfish @ Jul 29th 2008 12:47AM

I moved recently and had to pick between Time Warner and AT&T high speed DSL. I went with AT&T because I had read that TW was going to start implementing bandwidth limiting/have tiered packages.

And then AT&T reminded me why I hate them so much when I got my first bill.
Fuckers.

Slayer @ Jul 29th 2008 1:01AM

I might have to make an isp switch then. I have 4 computers connected to the internet and can easily burn through a few dozen gigs in a week using torrent clients.

Farseer (GDI) @ Jul 29th 2008 8:16AM

Comcast used to "secretly" throttle your upload to discourage torrent use, but that all stopped about a month ago. Also, they greatly increased my upload speed at the same time. It must have had something to do with that pesky FCC ruling...
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=9448

Time Warner, on the other hand is experimenting with monthly download caps. That's the scary one, to me. If it works for them, it could become really widespread. Say goodbye to apple TV or to Netflix over the 360 if that's the case...
http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/01/17/time.warner.bandwidth.cap/

BananaBoat @ Jul 29th 2008 12:47AM

It's a shame that you have to pay for their phone service (which I wouldn't use, and would probably cost the equivalent of a wii over 2 years anyway). I'm pretty sick of my dish service going out during every single rain storm (no matter how heavy) that hits the area, and even though I know comcast compresses their HD feeds down so far that they look like SD, it's still better than having zero service (it rains alot). Even for a free Wii though, I can't bring myself to switch, knowing that Fiber is coming to my area (it's one street over right now. GAHHHH it burns me that I'm waiting for them to bring the damn cable fifty feet to my house). If it weren't for the contract, I'd probably go for it, but the second I switch the fiber will reach me and I'll be screwed for two years. Sorry Comcast, but nay. (then there is the whole comcast-is-anti-net-neutrality thing, but what ISP isn't these days, sadly)

Crash Bandi - is shot @ Jul 29th 2008 3:11AM

Comcast is the fuckin devil...

Its the season finale of scrubs, and what everyone thinks is the SERIES finale. I've been preparing for weeks. Last 10 minutes of the show my Cable goes out. Not only that, but the internet has been assassinated as well.
I will never forget.

Kye - Me_DF @ Jul 29th 2008 5:10AM

In the UK you can get a free Wii (or PS3 or Laptop or 360) with some mobile phone contracts.

Of course the monthly line rental isn't cheap.

AwesomeTown @ Jul 29th 2008 7:27AM

I predict a lot of people will have trouble getting the Wii. I know a few people who had trouble getting a free 19" LCD TV that Verizon Fios was offering during the holidays. Either way, I like my Fios.

Jeremy @ Jul 29th 2008 9:07AM

There is no possible way this is worth it unless Comcast is the only horse in town.

Ian Murray @ Jul 29th 2008 9:25AM

JD gets Elliot pregnant.

There.

j.howlett @ Jul 29th 2008 10:53AM

i like comcast, its not always the best service but i've had minimal trouble directly with the company. i used to live in an apartment building where the cable and most utilities came in underground so storms rarely had an effect on service. i've only had trouble lately because a truck got lost and came down the street and ripped down the wires. satellite sucks in my area.

J @ Jul 29th 2008 11:16AM

I recently moved and it took Comcast 4 visits, a call to and from "Customer Care" who had to call top Executives to finally tell me that their cable installers no longer... wait for it... install cable. And that I would have to pay my own electrician to drill the hole. Dish came out and did it in less than 2 min.

Comcast has the worst customer service ever devised. I was hung up on 3 separate times. Twice by "supervisors".

Wiinterfang @ Jul 29th 2008 11:36AM

I use sprint broadband, it's not super fast but it had worse so far without a problem, it's very expensive though :(.

ToRo @ Jul 29th 2008 11:42AM

Meh, i don't feel like geting a new cable/internet provider. If the wii isn't worth $250 to me, why the hell would it be worth all that hassle?

Squirrel3D @ Jul 29th 2008 12:59PM

1) I have Directv and it's much better than Comcast. I know this becuase I've had a bad experince with comcast in terms of their cable tv service and their crazy bill charges.

2) I already have a Wii, making this little catch useless.

Mr Khan @ Jul 29th 2008 5:37PM

We're really pissed off at Comcast in my hometown, because they're starting to take channels away from their Analog Cable package and upgrade them to digital only. It started with Turner Classic Movies, and then they took Oxygen, TruTv, and one other that i can't recall

I'm waiting for them to announce the departure of History Channel, Cartoon Network, TBS, Spike, or SciFi, and then it'll be satellite for me