Comcast: Human Contact Costs Extra - Cable ops now charging in-person payment fee

Users in our Comcast forum note that as of July 1, the company is now charging customers in many markets a $1.99 fee if they want to pay their bills in person. Yes, you can mail, electronically transfer your payment or even leave it in a drop box at the payment center for free -- but some people are just annoyed on principle:

"Some folks do not like to pay things by mail and like the opportunity to get it done right there and then with a receipt in hand. Sure $1.99 is not really a big deal, but dammit anyway, like I said originally, Comcast is already getting a buttload of my money, and now they want want to charge me to give it to them, that's ridiculous."

Resident cable technicians justify the decision by noting it's an extra expense to have an already busy human being process the payment (apparently that's not part of what you're already paying for).

Users claim that Time Warner Cable also now charges a fee to pay in person, and an Ohio TWC user tells us the company charges an extra fee if you want to pay your bill over the phone with a credit card.