I recently upgraded my internet (faster speeds) through Comcast, and part of that upgrade included a free year's subscription to HBO. I already have DirecTV, so I have no interest in their TV package, but I am interested in the HBO Go subscription that comes with it.

The problem I'm having is when I try and sign into HBO Go, whether through the iPad app or my AppleTV, it tells me I'm not signed up for that package. I immediately called Comcast tech support (an oxymoron), and it would be impossible for me to explain the absolute ineptitude I dealt with for the better part of 90-minutes last night. I'll cut the story short by simply saying I had to give my "information" so many times I eventually grew red in the face, was transferred more times than I can count (mostly to the wrong departments), was lied to, had the problem misdiagnosed three times, AND I got disconnected twice with no call back, which means I had to start the process over from scratch each time!

Anyway, my question is this....have any of you ran into this problem? It seems to be more specific with the fact that I signed up for the internet upgrade and got the TV upgrade as a bonus. The one thing Comcast did do for me is verify that I am indeed signed up for that package and should have no issues viewing HBO Go.

I should also say that they are shipping me a basic Comcast receiver (sorry, I don't know the model number). Would hooking this up make a difference? The person who sold me the package told me I wouldn't need it at all, but I've read in a couple of forums that I might need to hook this up and register it before my HBO Go can be activated.

Help me...help myself!

try the online chat support. I've had much better luck with them.

I have no experience with Comcast. But had a similar experience with charter regarding the showtime streaming service. It appears that the cable company and the network aren't communicating very well with any of these services and all cable companies are staffed with complete morons.

I tried HBO Go a couple of years ago and if you were a comcast customer, it would tell you that have to use Comcast App. Have you tried to see if you can play it using Xfinity player?

If you look closely when you're on their website, Customer Support has little, tiny quotation marks.

Your problem, is that you're dealing with Comcast. They rate worst in customer satisfaction, and they've worked hard to earn that status. That kind of ineptitude doesn't just happen by chance!

This is tangentially similar, as about 1.5 years ago, we moved after having been with DirecTV for many years. I had moved into our new home ahead of my wife, and made arrangements to get DirecTV installed, and included HBO. I had nothing to watch, and thought, maybe I can watch HBO Go.

A call to DirecTV support, and got passed up a couple levels pretty quickly. Ask something strange enough and the script readers don't have any ideas... ;-)

Got a tech who seemed very knowledgable, who though they could get it to work, if I activated my receiver then, and started service right then. So, without any dish attached, he was able to get my receiver activated, as it was done via an internet connection. He gave me the info I'd need off my bill, and said I should be able to get access, but it might take 30 minutes for the systems to get my info. So about an hour later, I tried accessing HBO go from my tablet, and I was watching movies! I couldn't yet watch DirecTV as no dish was yet installed, but because I was paying, and had a valid receiver, I was able to get HBO go.

So, I'd try activating your receiver... What do you have to lose, other than 6 more hours on the phone with Comcast trying to activate your receiver? LOL Just half kidding, Comcast really is a pain in the ass!

You have a email address and password setup with comcrap right? You have to setup a HBO Go account as well, but if your having issues than just use a family members login. Mother n Law, brother, sister or cousin. Someone must be subscribed to HBO. Not that I promote this type of thing but technically you have HBO so I wouldn't worry about it.

Trent, at what point are you having the problem?

I upgraded my AppleTV the other day and it signed me out of everything. I didn't sign back into HBO until I read your problem.

I went to the HBO app on the ATV.
Grabbed the activation code.
Signed into hbogo.com/activate.
Selected the ATV.
It then took me to a list of providers. Selecting xfinity brought me to my login screen.
Logged in, and then it brought me to enter that activation code.
Entered that and all is well.

Do you have a set top box already? If so, can you tune into HBO? If not, then it may not be activated just yet.

KOT

I'd say you're almost there if you follow KoT's advice above; if you actually know your account credentials. You have it good since you have an actual company and account with Comcast; yes I said it :-) I had it worse, my building has a private cable system with all channels known to man (HBO included); including some weird Canadian channel that only seems to play softcore porn, but I digress. I don't even pay a bill, it's part of the HOA fees. Getting my streaming services such as HBO Go or A&E streaming to work proved impossible since I technically don't have an account. Due to travel I miss a lot of the 3 shows that I care about.

Someone just give trent their HBO log in information :)

Tried that...got no response. Not a huge surprise.

Correct. In fact, that's my point. When I do that, it's telling me I'm not signed up for the HBO service, but Comcast is telling me I am. Arrgghh!

"Like"!

I followed these steps exactly. As soon as I selecct Xfinity and then log in, it tells me I'm not signed up for that service...even though I've verified that I am.


I don't have a set top box yet, but supposedly one is on its way. I'm thinking I may have to activate this in order to have access to HBO Go. It's the only thing I haven't tried. The girl who sold it to me told me "You can keep it under your bed if you want."....whatever!

I plugged the set top box in, called to have it activated it. The unplugged it an stored it away too.

I use Dish TV as my main source of TV provider. I received the same deal that you did, 105MBs with free HBO for a year. Which is up next month for me.

KOT