I signed up to Cablecom Power combi middle of August, ready to move into my new apartment at the beginning of September. Sales guy was really really helpful. I was sent my "package" which sat in my hotel room for two weeks, until I moved into the apartment, and the Cablecom technician came to install it all for me on 31 August.

I was told the only fees I'd pay were 99chf per month for the subscription and 49chf for the one off activation fee, which is all fine.

However on 5 September, I recieved an invoice (all in German, despite the nice sales man offering me English correspondence, which I readily accepted), for 117.85, broken down to:
Basic Abonnement Kabelanschluss, von 1.9.2011 - 31.12.2011, 92.80chf
Service Plus, von 1.9.2011 - 31.12.2011, 8chf
Urheber-und Interpretenrechte, von 1.9.2011 - 31.12.2011, 8.30chf
8% tax, 8.75chf

I then also recieved an invoice for my subscription, for the 49chf activation, 99chf subs for Sept, but also 45chf charge for the period 19.8.11-31.8.11 (when I had the "package" in my hotel room ununsed) and some small additional charges for Telephony 1.13chf, TV 1.32chf and Internet 2.42chf.

I was only made aware of the monthly subscription and one off activation.

Does anyone here know what the first invoice is all about, and what the small charges in the second invoice are for? Also, do I have liability for the subs for the two weeks in August when I had the tech, but wasn't using the service (Cablecom knew this, I told them I wasn't moving into my apartment til end August)?
I have emailed cablecom about all these things, but haven't had any response. I tried to call, but was left on hold for ages, so gave up.

Thanks!
LF

Can you go back to where you signed the contract with the nice sales guy?

It looks like nobody was in your flat before and they charged you extra for the the technician to come and visit you. If you connected it yourself you wouldn't have had to pay the following,
Basic Abonnement Kabelanschluss, von 1.9.2011 - 31.12.2011, 92.80chf
Service Plus, von 1.9.2011 - 31.12.2011, 8chf

Thanks for quick reply.

Ah, yes, the apartment is brand new.... but part of the Power Combi offer is that the installation is free?? I have an email confirming this, and have recieved another invoice with installation listed at 0chf.

I have emailed the nice sales guy, who also hasn't replied. Strange that...

Just to confirm that cablecom do correspond in english. I also wouldn't bother with the sales guy but to contact cablecom directly to enquire about all the charges.

+1 on the correspondence being in English.

Those BAK charges etc are nothing to do with who installed it, but they are the Cablecom hardware and connection to your apartment, and nothing to do with your subscription. Depending upon what is written in your rental contract for your apartment you may be responsible for this quarterly payment. We were in the same position and have to pay it, and our rough translation of the clause is " Cablecom is connected to the building, if you wish to make use of the service you will pay the appropriate fee directly to Cablecom, and your are responsible for arranging your contract for phone/tv/internet with them. If you do not wish to use the Cablecom service contact Cablecom directly and they will come and seal the sockets so they cannot be used and you will not be charged". Friends who rent in town who have also have Cablecom don't pay BAK as it's is covered in there rent or NK.

So the bill isn't erronius, as the nice sales guy only arranged your subscription. You need to speak to the rental agents about the BAK charge.... good luck with that, you may just have found you've been Switerlanded

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upc cablecom charge two components:
1. cable connection fee
2. additional service subscriptions
They even appear on two different invoices, and at different times.

Building cable connection (Basic Abonnement Kabelanschluss): this is the connection to the building & apartment, charged on a per apartment basis. In many apartment buildings the building owner pays direct, and then on-charges you as a hidden component of the rent.
But if the building owner doesn't want to pay direct, then the apartment tenant has to pay the monthly cable connection fee (billed quarterly).

The connection fee delivers you the cable TV service, with around 30 or so analog TV channels, around 30 or so analog radio channels, and a 300kb/s internet connection (which you ring up and ask for, they send you the modem for a one-off charge)

If you want more than the above: eg if you want digital TV, or higher speed internet, or digital phone, you then purchase extra subscriptions, which are payable on top of the cable connection fee.
The salesman was selling you the extra subscription.
It sounds like he did not inform you of the cable connection fee.

What you should do now is check with your landlord whether he pays the cable connection fee. If you are lucky, he is already paying it, and upc cablecom made a mistake charging you.
If the landlord is not paying the cable connection fee, then you have to pay it yourself. There is no getting out of it, unless you cancel the service.

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Thank you all for helping me sort this out.

I got to the bottom of it all eventually, and am liable for the connection fee on top of the subscription fee.

If anyone reading this is thinking of subscribing to cablecom, its definitely worth checking with cablecom and your landlord who is liable for this. My contract says my Nebenkosten covers the connection, but apparently, after the contracts were drawn up, the property owners agreed with cablecom that the tenants would pay..... I know that this is a bit fishy in itself, so I will be requesting a full breakdown of the Nebenkosten "costs" and any refund due.

Oh, and the small costs totalling about 5chf on my subscription bill....well, these are fees for the connection for the first day of connection. Apparently cablecom have to wait 24 hours before enabling the subscription proper, so charge on a daily basis for this. This has been refunded.