Charter Communications Switched to the "bundle". Service technician came out and now our alarm system no longer works. Internet
Today, March 11, 2009 a service technician from Charter Communications came out to make the switch to "the bundle". First of all, my wife received a call at 1:15 pm from the automated system confirming the appointment between 1 and 2 pm and no one showed up. However, close to 6:00 pm the service technician was at our door. My wife questioned why now at 6:00 pm does he show up, when someone was scheduled between 1 and 2 pm, and his response was "I don't know, they just do stuff like that".
After having had problems in the past with billing issues and scheduling, we decided just to let him go ahead and make the transition instead of having to wait for another schedule date. After an hour and a half he informed me that something was wrong with the alarm system; it wasn't working. Well, it certainly was working up until the moment he walked in the house. This unnerved me and I requested that he contact someone, perhaps his supervisor, and get someone over here who could troubleshoot the problem, and his response was "No one is available". Needless to say, my anger grew and his non-chalant attitude made it worse.
When he left about 7:30 pm I got on the phone and spoke to someone named Tony, who could not give me the answers I was looking for and demanded that he put me in touch with a supervisor. Again, his response was "There is no supervisor available, but I can schedule you for service on March 13th".
I made it very clear that they sent a service technician out to my home who obviously did not know what he was doing and now I have a non-functional alarm system and that this was unacceptable.
At about 8:00 pm I received a phone call from someone named Frank, who stated that he was a supervisor and told me that he had dispatched a service technician, and he would be at my home tonight. Well, at 10:00 pm, two hours later, no one showed and no one even bothered to call. Shortly thereafter, my wife put in another call and spoke to someone named Michael. He was, by far, one of the nicest people we have yet to speak with at Charter. He explained that he saw the notes in the computer regarding our calls, including the one from Frank, whereby he stated that he would dispatch a service tech. He said that he would make a phone call and call me back, but never did.
About 11:00 pm my wife made one more phone call and spoke to someone named Erica. She was of no help; she had no answers and my wife was beside herself at this point. The conversation ended with my wife telling her that this was not over and that she planned on calling the local news and corporate office.
When we called to make the switch we were informed that this would be a two year contract and if we cancelled there would be a $150.00 fee. Well, guess what - the switch was never made; instead we have a useless alarm system, and I plan on cancelling our Charter services. I dare them to try and get $150.00 fee out of me.
And by the way, Charter will get any and all bills incurred to repair and/or replace my alarm system!
To anyone out there considering Charter --- DON'T DO IT! Save yourself the money, time and trouble. They are not worth it.
Allen
Covington, Louisiana
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Heather
Anderson,California,
U.S.A.
Its your Alarm Company
#5Consumer Suggestion
Tue, May 05, 2009
Just wanted to let you know that we went through this same thing a year ago.
We set up an appointment with Charter and our Alarm Company to come out at the same time. What it finally came down to after one and a half days trying to come up with a solution, we had to order a part from our Alarm Company that cost us $200.00 as we were the first in our area with this problem. Once the part was installed everything worked fine. We then had the supervisor at Charter give us the price for our bundle package for two years instead of one. If you need more information on the part we had to buy from our Alarm Company let me know and I will call them and find out. But, just so you know this had nothing to do with Charter. Our Alarm Company was the one that was not working properly with the phone system. I hope this helps you out. Since this part was installed we have not had any problems what so ever. Good Luck!!
Bananaloca
Dent,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
No contracts...
#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, April 29, 2009
Unless this was a Price Guarantee service agreement, Charter does not charge to disconnect. And you can refuse to pay the $150...they will send it to collections. It was a recorded agreement where you said you would pay $150 if you cancelled the service before the two years was up. I always loved it when customers told me they wouldn't pay...it is your credit score, not mine. If it was the Price Guarantee agreement, good luck thinking you will sue them...all the legal stuff they would have read you was for a reason. If you didn't have a Price Guarantee agreement, you can cancel whenever you want because Charter doesn't do contracts in any other case.
Tony M.
Florissant,Missouri,
U.S.A.
BYE BYE Charter!
#5Consumer Comment
Mon, March 30, 2009
I live in St.Louis no more then 3 miles away from Charter and they NEVER ever show up on time here either.Their service people are rude,their support is non existant at best and their managers are idiots.I'll be glad when charter goes under so we can finally have a choice and not strictly Charter because they have a monopoly here.
Allen
Covington,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
update
#5Author of original report
Thu, March 12, 2009
Trying to speak to someone on the phone is next to impossible. Most, if not all of them, are rude and have non-chalant, whatever attitudes.