Complaint / Review
MSN Internet
Automatic dial-ups ran up over $500 in long distance charges

My family purchased two Home Internet Appliance systems for my parents' residences in WI and AZ. Their WI address had no free internet access number available, so they had to use a number in Oshkosh, WI. Knowing they would incur long distance charges, they decided to use the computer on a very limited basis. Imagine their surprise when they received their first phone bill with over $300 in long distance charges to this access number! These charges occurred in the middle of the night, when the computer was off and my parents were sleeping, or in some cases when they were out of town. After months of phone calls, letters, faxes, and excuses and the MSN "we could care less" attitude, we were completely frustrated, and the long distance charges continued to accumulate to over $500.

We were finally able to get an answer, not a resolution, just an answer. Even though the computer was off, it was performing automatic dial-ups to load software updates (or so we were told). Each time this process started, it would take up to ten minutes trying to connect, then it would disconnect and start the process over again, up to a dozen times some nights. The fact that this was going on was totally transparent, and we were certainly never told by MSN that this could occur. However, one thing that was made very clear by MSN is that "MSN is not responsible for any long distance charges." Let's face it, MSN is not responsible, period! Stay away from MSN whenever possible!