Complaint Review: Cablevision - Monmouth New Jersey

I moved into a new place mid-December 2008. I did my change of address on line and the post office asked if I wanted a relocation specialist to call me up and assist with getting my utilities hooked up.

They were really great about the electric, gas, and all the basics. I kept telling them I had a portable phone number with an existing service and did not need a new phone service, but I did need Internet/TV.

I get introduced to Cablevision and I discuss technical requirements with a woman who probably couldn't even turn a PC on, let alone advise on bandwidth. I tell her all I want is Basic, Plus the Basic Extras, no high high cost premium channels like HBO/Showtime but I want a DVR. I tell her I want Internet and discuss my usage needs which I would have had a more intelligent response from my neighbor's cat.

Based on the specs she is reading me, I tell her I need the Boost for a 30 Mg download/5Mg Upload.

Warning flag #1, the woman kept insisting she wanted me to have the phone service. I kept saying I don't want the phone. She talked about saving me all this money and it would be cheaper, etc.

Then she argues with me about the programming I want. She doesn't want me to have the Extra Channels like A&E, some of the Sports Channels, etc. Then she doesn't want me to have the DVR. I asked her if they had DVR's with Cablevision. She was so adamant about not giving me one, I thought maybe they didn't offer the service.

So fighting with this woman to get what I want, I have the guy come to run the wires and do the installation. He has the wrong box because the woman I spoke to decided I couldn't have a DVR. She also added the phone service I didn't want.

I was told I couldn't have Internet/TV without having the phone. Sounds like an illegal monopoly forcing customers to buy a product they don't' want. I pay the guy my $130 for the first month as they requested on December 18. December 23, I get another bill and they want another $135. I need the internet for work and I go to night school so I don't have time to monkey around with idiots.

I go to the Cable office and b***h and they give me a DVR box to swap out on Dec 21.

I was unpacking and didn't really sit down on the TV or PC until Xmas Eve Dec 24. It isn't working No TV, No Internet, I tested the phone I didn't want and that wasn't working either. I call up to complain and they say they won't do anything to fix it until the next day. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. I am expected to miss the family gathering and wait around for these people. A friend comes over and tests the wiring and said I was getting a low feed it's a service delivery issue. I call the day after Xmas and they claim they will come fix it that day Dec 26. I am home all day and Cablevision is a no show.

I call to complain and they said they didn't ring the bell and they did work at my pole. I should be good. Things worked intermittently until it went out on New Year's Eve. 15 minutes before the ball dropped with family gathered waiting for the big event. We call to complain and Customer Service of course doesn't pick up. You didn't expect them to be there for the main event did you?

So a multitude of calls all through January. I stay home 4 times for no-show repairmen. I finally get a guy here and give him the feeds. I am getting on average a 6.9 MB Download and a 400k upload based on one speed tester, and I ran a few others that reflected speeds at less than 2MB Download. I hit the roof because I pay extra for the BOOST and to have 30MB and I am told that they advertise up to these speeds no guarantee I would get them. Sounds like false advertising to me. I get 20 25% of the advertised speeds and half the regular service.

So I dig around in the IT community and find out that Cablevision screwed the pooch with their last software upgrade. They deny it saying it didn't affect my service area.

I am told crazy excuses why my service doesn't work from my TV is broken, my PC is Broken, they don't like me having a router not allowing them to see inside my PC, someone is hacking my service.

The one rep that did show up traced the problem to old connections and rust at the box. The problem is NOT the wiring in the building or my apartment. Why do I need to be home to watch them climb a freaking pole and check for rust up there?

So I'm ready to cancel and go to FIOS because 20 Mb that actually works is better than a 30Mb service that may kick out 20% if your lucky.I get Fred a supervisor and ask for a credit on the bill because the service hasn't worked right in the 2 months I have had it. Fred insisted someone come during the week. I told Fred I couldn't leave work and they would have to come in the evening.

I get a call in the morning on my cell while at work, the guy is cancelling my appointment because I am not home. They don't just call either. They call 7 times inside of 30 minutes and I don't know about you, but my job disapproves of that. As an operations manager trying to set a good example, these lunatics have no respect for your time.

So I call Fred to b***h get voice mail - he doesn't return my call.I see the neighbor in the laundry room and learn Cablevision has had intermittent service and give them the same headaches ALL the time for 3 years. They have had quite the creative response. They told one neighbor there was something wrong with the structure of the apartment building and until the landlord made these structural changes they refused to do anything to provide reliable delivery of service. I am waiting to hear this one - in fact, I still may file a formal complaint and have the neighbors sign it and send it to the BPU.

In any event, everyone is calling dear old Fred DAILY in the morning before they go to work, some during lunch breaks, and when they get home. It's a call campaign to get the service working as ADVERTISED.

As soon as the bad weather breaks and I have the time to get to the FIOS office, I am making the switch and I am not paying the cancellation fees. In fact, I may sue for a partial recovery of charges.

Oh and the Cablevision virus software, also scans a censors complaints about them. I can't get into any website that has Optimum or Cablevision followed by any derogatory wording like Rip Off, Fraud, Scam, Sucks to let people know about my experience.

Thanks to Rip Off Report for using numerical identifiers in the URL.

Jen

Eatontown, New Jersey

U.S.A.