Internet rate blues

Internet Billing Issue:

This entry is an attempt for me to document my issue with the rate I'm paying for Internet Service.  I apologize if all the detail is boring to you.  That said, my experience may be of some value.

We have had cable internet service from Time-Warner Cable ever since it became available here in Hingham.

About six months ago, I realized that my $39.95/month rate for internet was expiring in December of 2011 and I called TWC to try and secure a new "promotion".  They said they could not talk about a new rate until December.  I was not satisfied with this because December is such a busy time and I feared I might just forget.  My neighbor next door had switched from TWC to Earthlink for internet and he informed me that Earthlink used the same cable infrastructure and that their pricing was better so I called Earthlink.

After a long time on the phone with first an agent from India (Apparently EL has their call center in India) and then several TWC agents, I was promised a rate of $29.95/month for six months followed by a rate of $41.95 indefinitely.  I was told that they would not have to come to my house, they'd use the cable modem that was already installed in my house and that TWC would continue to bill me.  Note that we had dropped TWC TV because their least expensive TV package that included a DVR was $80/month.  We now have Dish Network and are very pleased with their product and pay about $30/month with a DVR and two boxes in the house and only channels that we value.

Last week, I received a bill from TWC indicating that they were raising my rate for Internet to $53.95/month.

Today, I called 800-817-5508, Earthlink's support number and spoke to John, who spoke with a fairly decipherable Indian accent, and he told me I no longer have an account with Earthlink.  He gave me a reference number for our conversation of 161772789.  He connected me with TWC and I spoke with Layla who said her employee number was "One hundred and then 87".  She confirmed that I had the 29.95/41.95 agreement with EL but she said she could not do anything about it.  She told me to call Earthlink.  I explained that I had already talked to EL and that they had sent me to her.  I asked to speak to a supervisor.  After a delay of several minutes, she told me that her supervisor was not available.  She then offered me another phone number, 920-991-1693.  Sensing I had no alternative, I hung up with her.  I had been on the phone for 34 minutes with the Indian gent and Layla.

At the 920 number, I got Nick, employee E156434.  I told him the whole story after waiting about 5 minutes to speak with an agent.  Nick is based in Wisconsin and communication with him was very easy.  After initially expressing concern over what he could do for me, and after I told him I'd gladly switch back to TWC if he could give me a good price, he offered me $29.99/month for 10mb down, 1mb up service for one year.  He indicated that the price would go up by at most $5/month in the second year but no guarantee after that.  He also said that TWC was charging a $2.50/month "rental fee" for the cable modem and that he would attempt to get that waived since we have had this modem since TWC first came to Hingham.

In the course of talking to Nick, I attempted to log into my Earthlink email account and was informed that the account was no longer active.  That surprised me but I've never used the account so it was not much of a concern.

A few minutes after I got off the phone with Nick, he called back to make sure that our internet service was still working.  It is!  

So the bottom line is that this blog entry is my record of the fact that, as of today, I now again have TWC for my internet provider, my rate is $29.99/month for one year plus taxes and fees and MAYBE a $2.50/month modem rental fee.  After one year, my rate for 10 up and 1 down service will go up by no more than $5/month.  This rate is good for another year.  After that, there are no guarantees.

If you deal with Earthlink, you likely will talk to somebody in India.  But they do exist as a convenient price competitor to Time-Warner Cable for Internet Service.  

The story has a happy ending, happier than what I expected but I did have to endure an hour on the phone, much of which was waiting for "the next available agent".  

Ciao, babies!