On Thu, Jul 26, 2001 at 02:37:40PM -0500, Austad, Jay wrote:
> Ok, I'm moving into my new place soon, so I preordered a phone line.  The
> number that was there didn't qualify for DSL but was within range.  They
> said that it was probably because there was old line in the neighborhood and
> they'd send someone out to replace some of the wire to try to get me to
> qualify.  So my new line is hooked up, I call the DSL office, and now I'm
> magically 18,700 feet from the CO, several thousand feet farther than
> before.  They said the guy probably put me on another circuit or something,
> and they won't change it for me.  And then the guy said I was supposed to be
> charged for the guy replacing the line so he tried to charge me for it, even
> when the rep that set up my line in the first place said it was no charge.  
> 
> My brother ordered service at his apartment, and the guy on the phone said
> he could get DSL for like $20, router for free, and all of the services like
> call waiting for free too.  He gets his first bill, and it's like $190.  So
> he called back, and the guy signed him up for some expensive DSL service,
> all of those services were not free, they sent out the wrong modem (CAP, not
> DMT), he never got the modem, they sent a new one which was broken.  Then he
> cancelled it all because he was sick of it, and they are still trying to
> charge him for a modem he didn't get, and a modem that was broken when he
> received it.  And he complained about the guy that set up his service and
> said all the stuff was free and the guy called him about 10pm one night and
> left a nasty harrassing voicemail for him, which he now has a tape of for
> the PUC to listen to.  So now he has like this $400 bill for a month of
> phone service, and they are being total assholes about refunding his money
> for the modems and the DSL service which he never got a chance to use.  
> 
> Everytime I call those bastards I end up getting transferred at least 4
> times, they have menuing systems that just disconnect you when you choose
> certain options or just forward you to numbers that aren't in service
> anymore,

My 2-year experience with this kind of menus: If at the first try you end
up waiting too long or sent to a non-existing number dial again the main
number and choose the option of "new customer/place order" (or along the
same lines). 99% of times all the numbers are routed to the same operators,
just you request is given a smaller priority if you choose complain or 
return.

>          I sit on hold for abysmally long periods of time, and everyone I
> talk to is a total asshole (and I'm usually very polite with them).  I spent
> over 11 hours on my cellphone with them one month because they kept putting
> me on hold, and the number I needed to call wasn't accessible from my home
> phone (Qwest), go figure. 

There has to be a 1-800 number for that. If not send another complaint to the
PUC.

>                           Every single bill I have ever received from them
> with the exception of one, has been incorrect.  I've been charged for pager
> and cellphone service that I never had, and my account once kept getting
> transferred into someone elses name, 4 months in a row (same address, just a
> different name).  
> 
> This isn't even half of it,

Gee... I was deeply impressed so far... really.

>                             I've been through so much crap with them that I
> could probably sit here and type all day about all the things that they've
> screwed up or failed to do, the rude phone reps, the incompetent phone reps,
> and the billing mistakes each and every month for they last 3 years.
> 
> And the worst part is, they're a monopoly in most areas.  I can't get the
> ATT cablephone, and it's a law that you have to landline 911 service in a
> residential home, so I can't just keep my cellphone around.  They just filed
> with the FCC to increase their rates on DSL also.  I'm stuck with them until
> ATT gets their cablephone in my area.
> 
> Qwest is the epitome of terrible service and if you have any problems with
> Qwest, please file a complaint with the minnesota public utilities
> commission:
> MN Public Utilities Commission
> 121 7th Place E. Suite 350
> St. Paul, MN 55101-2147
> Consumer Assistance/Information: 651/296-0406
> TDD/TTY (For Hearing Impaired): 651/297-1200
> Toll Free Dial 1 and Then: 800/657-3782
> General Information: 651-296-7124
> Fax: 651-297-7073
> 
> I heard Qwest actually gets fined $500 for each complaint, and the PUC just
> assumes them to be true now because they get so many, no more
> investigations, just a big fat bill.  I don't know if this is true or not,
> but anything I can do to hurt Qwest makes me feel good, it's revenge for
> them causing me more trouble than any other company or person that I do
> business with, including the IRS.  
> 
> Looks like I'm stuck with a cable modem (no hosting servers) unless I shell
> out $1500 install + $400 a month for wireless from Implex.net, or $800 month
> for a t1 (with a 2 year contract, blech..).  

Just make sure to follow up with PUC and push them to do their duty.

florin

-- 

"If it's not broken, is because you are not fixing it enough."

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