Comcast Class Action Alleges Price Increase On ‘Lifetime’ Rate

Comcast Corporation has been hit with a class action lawsuit from a customer who claims that the company offered a “lifetime” rate for its service, but then backed out of its promise.

Plaintiff Brian Baker says Comcast reneged on their “lifetime” contracts by increasing their rates to customers, therefore breaching their contracts.

The Comcast class action lawsuit states that in 2016, Salt Lake City, Utah was dubbed as a Google Fiber city. In response to Google’s campaign to sign up customers door-to-door for their broadband service, Comcast began offering “lifetime” contracts to some of its customers.

In July 2016, Baker says he was given a two-sided document advertising a $120 price for the Xfinity Extreme Triple Play. The document reportedly stated: “This should be your price – and this is not a promotional – this is a lifetime price.”  

The plaintiff also claims that a salesperson wrote on the document: “these are not promotional prices – no yearly increases.”

After contacting a salesperson, Baker alleges that he was told that his existing monthly price of $179.99 was going to increase by $60. In addition, the salesperson told Baker about the Xfinity “Extreme Triple Play” at a price of $120 per month (plus $10 a month for the price of the cable box).

The Comcast class action lawsuit claims that “The Triple Play would be an improvement on Mr. Baker’s current service and would include all premium channels, high speed internet, and a phone line.”

The plaintiff says he signed a Service Order, but the salesperson did not review any of the provisions with him, only stating that in order to obtain the service, he would have to sign it. Baker claims that the Service Order contained a section referencing Comcast’s Agreement for Residential Services.

The Comcast class action lawsuit alleges that the Comcast technician who came to install the equipment and activate the service did not provide or mention Comcast’s Agreement for Residential Services to him. In fact, the plaintiff claims that Comcast did not provide him with their Agreement for Residential Services in any form.

Also, the plaintiff alleges that Comcast’s Agreement for Residential Services has an arbitration clause and a class action waiver. However, the plaintiff states that these clauses are “null and void.”

A few years after obtaining the service, the Baker says that many customers saw a “substantial increase” in their monthly bill.  After contacting Comcast, the customers were reportedly told that Comcast’s “lifetime” plan does not exist “in spite of the previous representations by its sales staff and in spite of the numerous written contracts with the ‘lifetime’ language prominently displayed.”

The Comcast class action lawsuit states that, in June 2019, Baker’s bill was increased by $10 per month and that other customers had their bill increased as much as $50 per month.

The Comcast class action claims that the company breached their contract with the plaintiff.

Potential Class Members include: “all individuals who, within the relevant statute of limitations periods, entered into a ‘lifetime’ contract with Comcast on which Comcast reneged.”

Did you enter into a “lifetime” contract with Comcast and they subsequently increased their monthly price? Leave a message in the comment section below.

The plaintiffs are represented by Adam Gonnelli of The Sultzer Law Group PC and Brent R. Baker and Christopher B. Snow of Clyde Snow & Sessions.

The Comcast “Lifetime” Contract Class Action is Brian Baker v. Comcast Corporation, Case No. 2:19-cv-00652-HCN, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.

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