Cable*Phone*Internet & Customer Service (commission, agents, writing, contractors)

[A-Z16]

There are a lot of tablets, laptops, desktops and cellular devices used in my home. My son plays his XBox online and if I'm streaming, it interferes with gaming. I don't bother wasting my time complaining about this to the service provider because they have the worst customer service there is! I also work from home and yesterday I experienced intermittent connectivity issues as a result of an outage in my area. Of course this happened while I was working so I contacted the company to confirm that there was in fact an outage in my area. I later contacted the call center again to request documentation of the outage in case my employer should ask for proof. I must have spent about 2 hours on the phone after being transferred from one department to another. Each time I'm told they don't have anything they can provide me with in writing to confirm the outage.

This is very frustrating and I know that I am not the only one of their customers to have had this problem! Has anyone ever filed a complaint with the regulatory commission with regards to service outages? I feel that if a customer ask for proof of a service outage, it shouldn't take but the click of a button to have a document sent to email. This isn't the case, I was inconveniened again when I was directed into their office where I was told again what they "can't" do. These people made $38 billion dollars last year and can't provide any sort of correspondence.

[Hemlock140]

If I were working for someone else from home, I would at the very least have some kind of backup internet service, especially with the number of devices causing slow response times. Read the small print on your contract/terms of service.

I don't know what provider you have, but ours has all kinds of disclaimers and hold harmless agreements to protect them. At most, if your city has a contract allowing them exclusive access to the residents, you could complain to the city, and if they get enough complaints they could consider another provider when the contract expires. Here we have about 5 options for internet.

For example, name removed:

THE ________ EQUIPMENT AND THE SERVICE(S) ARE PROVIDED “AS IS,” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER ________ NOR ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, DISTRIBUTORS, LICENSORS OR BUSINESS PARTNERS WARRANT THAT THE ________ EQUIPMENT OR THE SERVICE(S) WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED USE, OR OPERATE AS REQUIRED, WITHOUT DELAY, OR WITHOUT ERROR. NEITHER _________ NOR ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, DISTRIBUTORS, LICENSORS OR BUSINESS PARTNERS WARRANT THAT ANY COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE TRANSMITTED IN UNCORRUPTED FORM.

[Rabrrita]

Originally Posted by A-Z16

Has anyone ever filed a complaint with the regulatory commission with regards to service outages? I feel that if a customer ask for proof of a service outage, it shouldn't take but the click of a button to have a document sent to email. This isn't the case, I was inconveniened again when I was directed into their office where I was told again what they "can't" do. These people made $38 billion dollars last year and can't provide any sort of correspondence.

If this is "CABLE" most likely it is not regulated. In some areas "Cable Phone" service is regulated but you often have issues complaining to the regulators because they regulate both residential and business cable phone service and each has their own requirements. But generally, cable entertainment (television and internet) is not a regulated activity.

As a business cable phone subscriber, they should be required to provide documentation of outages, but if your a residential cable phone subscriber using it for work purpose, you are still just a residential subscriber with no such protection. You can switch your residential cable phone to a business cable phone and get the additional protections.

ETA: I see by your profile your in AZ so that means you get nothing. Even if regulated the state won't lift a finger. Did the regulatory chairperson just get ousted for also being a paid lobbyist for the cable company while serving as a regulator of that same cable company? I recall that person claimed they lobbied the cable's unregulated internet/TV side and not for the regulated telephone side of the business (like there is a real seperation).

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by A-Z16

There are a lot of tablets, laptops, desktops and cellular devices used in my home. My son plays his XBox online and if I'm streaming, it interferes with gaming. I don't bother wasting my time complaining about this to the service provider because they have the worst customer service there is! I also work from home and yesterday I experienced intermittent connectivity issues as a result of an outage in my area. Of course this happened while I was working so I contacted the company to confirm that there was in fact an outage in my area. I later contacted the call center again to request documentation of the outage in case my employer should ask for proof. I must have spent about 2 hours on the phone after being transferred from one department to another. Each time I'm told they don't have anything they can provide me with in writing to confirm the outage.

This is very frustrating and I know that I am not the only one of their customers to have had this problem! Has anyone ever filed a complaint with the regulatory commission with regards to service outages? I feel that if a customer ask for proof of a service outage, it shouldn't take but the click of a button to have a document sent to email. This isn't the case, I was inconveniened again when I was directed into their office where I was told again what they "can't" do. These people made $38 billion dollars last year and can't provide any sort of correspondence.

So tether your laptop to your smartphone. Or get in your car and drive somewhere you know has DSL for their internet connection. All networks have occasional outages.

[nat095]

Hi, my name is Natalie Rodríguez, I live in Puerto Rico. Here in PR, the customer services is the worst, in which I understand the frustration you feel with the fact that they serve the people by helping them in which ever need the consumer desires, but jet fail at it while they are doing it. From experience, the root of the problem is that people don't get properly educated before starting to work, on what are the companies believes, and to show them how they are supposed to connect with the customer and fulfil their necessities. I completely agree with the fact that there has to be certain proof of an outrage in the area that the person affected is, just because as you stated some of us work from home, and we need proof of why we are not doing our job.
Have a nice day!