Look, Comcast, when you take back someone’s equipment and give them a receipt confirming that their account has no balance, it’s not unreasonable for them to think that their account is canceled. Don’t keep billing them for service and equipment rentals, and don’t tell them that you “can keep [the account] active and [bill] indefinitely until [you] decide to disconnect it.” Because if you do, they’re going to call their state Attorney General’s office. At least that’s how Paul convinced Comcast to finally cancel his account.
disconnection
Verizon Loses The Broken Phone You Returned, Suspends Your Service
By 5.10.09
Luis dropped his busted LG EnV in the mail at the end of last year and tracked its progress as FedEx delivered the package to Verizon. Verizon, apparently unfamiliar with tracking numbers, doesn’t believe that Luis ever returned the phone, and insists that they’re owed a $320 replacement fee. Luis disputed the charge, but rather than investigate his claim, Verizon decided it would be easier to suspend his service. Now they want Luis—a customer of seven years who pays over $350 across six phone lines each month—to pay another $15 to reconnect the service they should never have disconnected in the first place. He writes:
Don't Maintain A Negative Balance With Sprint Or They Will Disconnect Your Service
By 7.5.08
Sprint disconnected Bill’s service for “exceeding his account spending limit,” even though his account had a -$50 balance and he was signed up for Sprint’s Simply Everything unlimited plan. Sprint quickly reactivated Bill’s phone after he pointed this out, but warned that his service “will probably shut back off in a couple of days.”
BrightHouse Cable Disconnects Your Service After Too Many "Unsubstantiated Complaints"
By 2.1.08
Reader Jeffrey used to be a customer of Bright House cable. Not anymore. The company disconnected his cable today for “unsubstantiated complaints.” For 15 months, Jeffrey had been trying to get Bright House to fix whatever was wrong with his internet connection. At first they were apologetic, but when tech after tech couldn’t figure out what was wrong, things got tense.
AT&T Disconnecting CallVantage Subscribers That Can't Access E911
By 5.6.07
AT&T is firing VoIP customers who live in areas not served by E911. The letters to CallVantage subscribers were sent over the past two weeks and read, “All customers who currently have A911 service must be moved to E911 service (where available) or their AT&T CallVantage service will be disconnected.” If E911 is unavailable, service is suspended effective May 21.
Time Warner Cable: Your Internet Isn't Working So We're Sending A Tech To Disconnect Your Cable
By 3.22.07
Time Warner Cable in Southern California is completely broken. There is no hope. They’ve fired the head guy, but we think the ship may have already sank. They may as well have let the captain go down with the boat.
Verizon: "No, We Won't Suspend Service," Suspends Service
By 3.14.07
Verizon accidently charged Michelle $480 for nights and weekends that should have been free; correcting the problem was a nightmare. Michelle worried the erroneous charges would be deducted from her account through Verizon’s autopay. Verizon told her to cancel autopay and assured her no money would be withdrawn, even though her online account showed a pending charge. Two days later, worried about the charge that was still pending, Michelle tried to stop the payment through Verizon; she was referred her to the bank, which promptly sent her back to Verizon.
Verizon's Mediation Process
By 3.11.07
A tipster recommends Verizon’s mediation process for untangling especially messy problems. Verizon charged our tipster $300 per month for overages beyond 450 minutes, despite assurances she was on a plan with 1,000 minutes. Though Verizon promised to resolve the problem, our tipster’s service was disconnected while she was traveling on business. When further calls failed to resolve the situation, our customer invoked Verizon’s mediation process. According to Verizon’s FAQs:
Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process in which a neutral third person (a mediator) aids the parties in jointly resolving their dispute. Unlike arbitration, a mediator does not decide the dispute for the parties. Instead, he or she helps the parties resolve it themselves (usually in a form that will be final and binding). Nothing said in the mediation can be used in a later arbitration or lawsuit.
Our tipster and Verizon jointly resolve their dispute, after the jump…
DirecTV: Not Ready for Some Football
By 9.19.06
Reader Brandon had emailed with a dilemma. He lives in an apartment building that provides his cable via Qwest and DirecTV. After dropping $100 on a DVR, Brandon was informed that the dishes on his building were too old to receive local channels, which is the whole reason he bought the DVR in the first place. To add insult to injury, Qwest decided Brandon wasn’t paying a bill they never actually sent him, so they cut him off and are demanding $65 bucks.
