A Google search for “Comcast sucks” still turns up a large volume of results, but the public conversation has shifted: much of today’s discourse appears in short‑form video and creator‑led content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and increasingly in private or closed channels (“dark social”), making sentiment harder to quantify. Independent studies document this platform realignment and trust context: the Reuters Institute’s 2024 Digital News Report finds lower trust and greater news avoidance alongside rising use of TikTok/YouTube for information; Pew (2024) shows YouTube/Facebook with the widest reach and fast growth for Instagram/TikTok; and the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reports social media as the least‑trusted information channel. Against that backdrop, current customer‑satisfaction benchmarks place Xfinity mid‑pack for home internet and below average for traditional pay‑TV, per the latest ACSI Telecommunications results (0–100 scale) and J.D. Power/ISP studies (1,000‑point scale). Scale also amplifies visibility: Xfinity serves 40 states (Xfinity locations) compared with Spectrum’s 41 (Spectrum service area) and Cox’s roughly 18 (Cox locations). When reviewing Comcast’s TV service, we dug deep into why the customer service narrative persists and how the latest data contextualizes it.
A Problematic Public Past
Few but Comcast have faced such public incidents of bad customer service. Perhaps the most notable instance was a cringe-worthy customer service call that went viral in 2014. Reported on by major outlets like NPR and Time, the recorded call has been listened to over 6 million times. In it, Comcast customer Ryan Block spends 20 minutes trying to cancel his service. The retention representative persistently refused to cancel Block’s service and becomes increasingly agitated. Instead of canceling the service, the representative asks questions like, “You don’t want something that works?” and “Okay, so you’re not interested in the fastest internet in the country?” The rep’s desperate tone is perhaps the most frustrating part, especially in contrast to Block’s calm and polite requests to simply cancel the service.
Comcast followed up with a few statements, first stating they were very embarrassed by the call and then following up by admitting that the agent did what they pay him to do. Basically, Comcast didn’t come out looking very good, and the whole affair added validation to the frustrations many customers face. In the years that followed (2016–2017), Comcast publicized service‑journey changes like two‑hour appointment windows, real‑time technician tracking, and an on‑time credit under its ongoing Customer Commitment (policy overview).
But the Facts Are in Comcast’s Favor
Despite its reputation for having such terrible service, Comcast actually has pretty mediocre ratings in customer satisfaction surveys. In the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, current studies use a 1,000‑point index and report results by region, where Xfinity’s internet satisfaction performance is competitive in some areas and mid‑pack in others; fiber‑first competitors often lead regional tables. Similarly, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) publishes national scores on a 0–100 scale. The newest ACSI Telecommunications cycle lists provider‑level figures for both ISPs and Subscription TV: Xfinity Internet generally tracks around the ISP average, while Xfinity TV typically runs at or below the Subscription TV category average. As a rule of thumb, ACSI notes that differences of roughly 3 or more points often reflect a meaningful gap in perceived quality/value/service. For additional context, J.D. Power’s ISP study continues to show fiber brands (e.g., Verizon Fios, AT&T) among top performers in several regions, and its TV study regularly places satellite and premium TV brands (e.g., DISH, DIRECTV) near the top. Xfinity Mobile shows comparatively stronger sentiment in wireless satisfaction than legacy cable TV, reflected in ACSI’s wireless reporting that includes MVNOs such as Xfinity Mobile.
While Comcast still rates well below providers known for great customer service (Verizon, DISH, DIRECTV), Comcast certainly isn’t the worst provider out there. Likely, the larger pool of hatred can be credited to its wider availability. Comcast services 40 states, while Medicom is available in 22 states and Cox Communications in just 18.
Are Things Getting Better?
Most of those angry Google results and Twitter accounts date back to 2014-2016 — the height of Comcast hate following the viral incident. These days, Comcast has taken a few steps to improve. In an update on its customer service written in 2017, Comcast noted that “Our on-time arrival rate for technicians coming to your home has improved to over 97 percent. Our success rate for solving your issue on the FIRST call is up by 7 percent, getting us closer to our goal of fixing it right the first time, every time.” The initiative to improve customer service also includes a new callback feature that allows customers to schedule a call, rather than wait on hold indefinitely. Comcast has also introduced shorter appointment windows and real-time tracking that will let you know when the technician arrives — plus $20 off the next bill if the technician misses or is late for an appointment. While everyone’s personal experience will be different, Comcast is taking some steps to improve.
Next Steps
- Check out our review of Comcast TV and cable internet services.
- Compare your options with our favorite internet providers or television companies.
- Thinking about just sticking with streaming? We’ve reviewed that, too.
- Avoid a bill all together with help from our TV antenna guide.
