TV Service VS Subscriber Rant
Accused of not paying a balance due bill.29 total reviews
Comment from dragonpoet
Hi Beth,
This is a good rant. It is probably true to all TV or cable services. We have and many problems with cable and internet companies. What I don't understand is why the try to sell to you even when you say you want to disconnect your services.
Congrats on winning the contest.
Keep writing and stay healthy
Have a great day.
Joan
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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Hi Beth,
This is a good rant. It is probably true to all TV or cable services. We have and many problems with cable and internet companies. What I don't understand is why the try to sell to you even when you say you want to disconnect your services.
Congrats on winning the contest.
Keep writing and stay healthy
Have a great day.
Joan
Comment Written 28-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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Thank you, Joan. Other people said this happened to them as well when they tried to disconnect. Aparently they only used the fact that I told the second lady I wasn't interested as my final notice of discontinuing. That way they could charge me for another month. I not planning to pay it. I sent them a copy of what I said in the rant and I'd published it and I would publish is more widely unless they stopped sending me bills.
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You're welcome, Beth. That sounds like a good plan.
Joan
Comment from Contests
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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 A contest winning entry! A seven star rating from the Contest Committee for posting the winning contest entry. |
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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Thank you, to Tom and FanStory committee. I feel honored to be awarded sevem stars.
Betj
Comment from CrystieCookie999
This rant shows how bills can be dragged out by companies even if customers really have disconnected or requested a disconnect in plenty of time to wrap things up entirely. Luckily I have not had this kind of problem with a phone service provider yet, but I had my fill of errors from the IRS last year with letters from 3 states claiming I had made an extra $3700 the year before and persisted in demanding an extra $350 or so with fees, with an address error besides. After six months of waiting for them to check and read the forms and letters I sent back, the local IRS taxpayer advocate location were MUCH more helpful and actually responded within a week and a half. So I didn't get my tax refund until an entire YEAR after filing that year's taxes.
reply by the author on 25-Aug-2024
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This rant shows how bills can be dragged out by companies even if customers really have disconnected or requested a disconnect in plenty of time to wrap things up entirely. Luckily I have not had this kind of problem with a phone service provider yet, but I had my fill of errors from the IRS last year with letters from 3 states claiming I had made an extra $3700 the year before and persisted in demanding an extra $350 or so with fees, with an address error besides. After six months of waiting for them to check and read the forms and letters I sent back, the local IRS taxpayer advocate location were MUCH more helpful and actually responded within a week and a half. So I didn't get my tax refund until an entire YEAR after filing that year's taxes.
Comment Written 23-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 25-Aug-2024
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Thank you for the review. I guess I'd rather deal with a TV provider than the IRS. It is nightmare to deal wth the letters and phone calls and some people say it isn't worth the hassle and just send them the money.
Comment from Bill Schott
This rant, TV Service vs Subscriber, brings up the classic "bill them until they pay" strategy which is based on the public's desire to be free of debt or connection to unused items. I know I am being double-billed for some services now, but am too busy with other things to bother with it.
reply by the author on 23-Aug-2024
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This rant, TV Service vs Subscriber, brings up the classic "bill them until they pay" strategy which is based on the public's desire to be free of debt or connection to unused items. I know I am being double-billed for some services now, but am too busy with other things to bother with it.
Comment Written 23-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 23-Aug-2024
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Thank you Bill. I don't intend to pay but we will see. They calling me all day long but I'm not answering becuase I am convinced I don't own them anything.
Comment from prettybluebirds
Good for you for standing up to them. I have Dish TV, but I would disconnect in a heartbeat if my niece weren't always living with me and watching television. When she moved in with me, I had an antenna and was quite content. This is a good rant for the contest--best of luck.
reply by the author on 23-Aug-2024
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Good for you for standing up to them. I have Dish TV, but I would disconnect in a heartbeat if my niece weren't always living with me and watching television. When she moved in with me, I had an antenna and was quite content. This is a good rant for the contest--best of luck.
Comment Written 22-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 23-Aug-2024
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Thank you, I won't go with another TV provider service. I think they will soon lose their customers because a small device hooked into your TV can you free streaming and many watch programs from their computer
Comment from Jim Wile
Nice job illustrating a frustrating situation with the TV company, Beth. Oftentimes the fault lies with the failure of the representative who tells you they will do something, and they never get around to doing it or they do it incorrectly. Unless that particular call was recorded, you don't have proof, like you said.
I had a similar thing happen when we tried to switch from Verizon to T-Mobile to take advantage of a big promotion (big mistake!) They assured me my particular brand of phone would work on their system, but it proved not to be the case. We switched over and could never get it to work properly except for about 3 successful calls out in the first 5 days. I spent hours with techs trying different things to get it to work. I finally had to cancel service and go back to Verizon, but T-mobile sent me a bill for the entire month even though I had service for only 5 days and it was extremely shoddy service at that. I paid them $10 for the few calls I received and made but I refused to pay for any more of the $55 bill. They kept sending me dunning letters, but I kept refusing and would politely explain why in lengthy letters that it didn't seem they read.
Finally a couple months later, someone with integrity there took up the case, and he apologized for all the hassle, and refunded not only the $10 that I had paid, but the service initiation fee of $70 as well. Sometimes it pays to be persistent and not back down.
reply by the author on 22-Aug-2024
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Nice job illustrating a frustrating situation with the TV company, Beth. Oftentimes the fault lies with the failure of the representative who tells you they will do something, and they never get around to doing it or they do it incorrectly. Unless that particular call was recorded, you don't have proof, like you said.
I had a similar thing happen when we tried to switch from Verizon to T-Mobile to take advantage of a big promotion (big mistake!) They assured me my particular brand of phone would work on their system, but it proved not to be the case. We switched over and could never get it to work properly except for about 3 successful calls out in the first 5 days. I spent hours with techs trying different things to get it to work. I finally had to cancel service and go back to Verizon, but T-mobile sent me a bill for the entire month even though I had service for only 5 days and it was extremely shoddy service at that. I paid them $10 for the few calls I received and made but I refused to pay for any more of the $55 bill. They kept sending me dunning letters, but I kept refusing and would politely explain why in lengthy letters that it didn't seem they read.
Finally a couple months later, someone with integrity there took up the case, and he apologized for all the hassle, and refunded not only the $10 that I had paid, but the service initiation fee of $70 as well. Sometimes it pays to be persistent and not back down.
Comment Written 22-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 22-Aug-2024
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I had the same problem trying switch to Tmobile. I did eventually find a phone which was expensive, but at least it worked. I'm paying $17.00 per month, but before I just had a flip phone for calls and the minutes I didn't use rolled over and AT&T discontinued the service. Then I was only paying a few dollars but no apps or internet. I'm still holding out on Direct TV. Other people had the same problem trying to cancel so I think it was deliberate.
Comment from jmdg1954
I'm a bit confused; the payment you made in April when you instructed them to terminate their service, they told you that you paid in advance snd it was a payment for May.
You then wrote ;
They looked me up, and said I hadn't asked to be disconnected until May, and I owed them for May.
So there records were not correct shoring you called in May, how they showed you called in May is beyond me.
You paid May in April. How do you owe them for May?
We had issues over the years as well with Comcast. They never had problems raising rates.
Good luck,
John
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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I'm a bit confused; the payment you made in April when you instructed them to terminate their service, they told you that you paid in advance snd it was a payment for May.
You then wrote ;
They looked me up, and said I hadn't asked to be disconnected until May, and I owed them for May.
So there records were not correct shoring you called in May, how they showed you called in May is beyond me.
You paid May in April. How do you owe them for May?
We had issues over the years as well with Comcast. They never had problems raising rates.
Good luck,
John
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Yes, John, all of that confused me as well. It didn't make any sense, and I think that might have been their goal. To confuse you to the point you might believe you owed it. Other people said they had the same problem, when they asked to be disconnected. I'm not paying it.
Comment from forestport12
I definitely can relate to this. Cable bills can be 300.00 dollars a month around here. I went with dish and don't regret. I feel for my grandchildren who need to get out more like I did when I was a kid. My mother would shove us boys out the door, and we weren't supposed to come back until it was time to eat.
reply by the author on 22-Aug-2024
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I definitely can relate to this. Cable bills can be 300.00 dollars a month around here. I went with dish and don't regret. I feel for my grandchildren who need to get out more like I did when I was a kid. My mother would shove us boys out the door, and we weren't supposed to come back until it was time to eat.
Comment Written 20-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 22-Aug-2024
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Thank you for the great review. I used to tell my kids don't come back for the next two hour unless someone is bleeding.
Beth
Comment from Ulla
An rightfully so. What I mean Beth is that you should feel better. I hope you will win this one. They were clearly in the wrong. Now, I don't even have a TV and don't want one either. But I realise that's not an option for you. Ulla xcx
reply by the author on 20-Aug-2024
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An rightfully so. What I mean Beth is that you should feel better. I hope you will win this one. They were clearly in the wrong. Now, I don't even have a TV and don't want one either. But I realise that's not an option for you. Ulla xcx
Comment Written 20-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 20-Aug-2024
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Thank you Ulla. Oh I could do without a TV, but after buying that simple attatcment. I now get over 200 channels absolutely free. I know if you hafe tht option in Denmark of Spain but it is legal here.
Comment from Ric Myworld
Oh, Beth, I feel for you. I've had a few nightmares with three different cable companies over the years, but Spectrum was the worst. Like you, I pay everything the minute it's due in full. I never carry a balance anywhere. But Spectrum picked up their equipment and I was supposed to be cancelled, then six months later they sent me a bill for service and an astronomical amount for the stuff they'd picked up. LOL. I never paid them another dime; although, I was concerned, since I'd never had a ding on my credit. So, I just spent two-hundred dollars for an attorney's letter explaining the possibility of having to file a suit, and all the court costs involved. I never heard another word. Thanks for sharing, and sorry for the ramble.
reply by the author on 08-Sep-2024
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Oh, Beth, I feel for you. I've had a few nightmares with three different cable companies over the years, but Spectrum was the worst. Like you, I pay everything the minute it's due in full. I never carry a balance anywhere. But Spectrum picked up their equipment and I was supposed to be cancelled, then six months later they sent me a bill for service and an astronomical amount for the stuff they'd picked up. LOL. I never paid them another dime; although, I was concerned, since I'd never had a ding on my credit. So, I just spent two-hundred dollars for an attorney's letter explaining the possibility of having to file a suit, and all the court costs involved. I never heard another word. Thanks for sharing, and sorry for the ramble.
Comment Written 20-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 08-Sep-2024
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Thank you RIc. I hate dealing with these service companies. Everyone seems to have problems. The fact my rant won makes me feel a little bit better. Lol
Beth