This was (still is!) a very long & drawn out battle with Qwest, starting about a year ago - when I called asking about DSL service in my area (I was already a long-time home phone customer). The sales rep told me all about the wonderful "always on" internet service, assured me it would be fine for the constant online loads myself & my roomates go through, & the package deals with phone, internet & Direct TV - I thought it sounded good, and we live in an area that is just developing, so services are just beginning to reach us.
Thus begins my tale of woe...
They sent the modem & little phone line filters out promptly, I installed them (I have an extensive computer background, I was quite capable of installing things correctly)- and we began "internetting". We promptly got disconnected within moments, because the phone rang. Hmm, that wasn't supposed to happen. Checked connections, checked filters... Next time the phone rang, watched the modem & sure enough - all the lights re-set. Called Qwest (had to wait, since they're only available Mon-Fri, 9 am to 5 pm), and they said that I'd have to pay for a tech to come out... Well, sure I'll pay, I've got this package that I can't back out of, & I'd rather have the internet working correctly.
The tech arrives & installs a dedicated line from our outside connection box - so not a "seperate" line, but a line filtered from the outside box. So no more filters on the phones, shouldn't be any interferance. He even test calls & the modem stays on. Great! Within 24 hours, we now notice that the modem dc's on about every 3rd phone call...
Call Qwest again... They agree to send out another tech. On the day scheduled for the tech to arrive, we have pandemonium with a neighbor's dog & I forget they are supposed to show up... But because of the pandemonium, I am home all day & had the phone by my side all day - didn't get a phone call or see a service rep. I realized the next day what happened & called Qwest back - they said the tech reported no one home, so it's my fault. I argue a bit & they agree to send out another tech. This time the service rep calls at about his scheduled appointment time & proceeds to do a phone consultation instead of showing up. He tells us to use "double filters" on the phones. Huh? Didn't we have a filtered line coming in for the modem? And since when do you "double" the filters? So yet again, I sit through the phone system to speak to a rep... And this time, I'm told that I have the wrong modem - that I need to pay $99 for a "stronger" modem to support the always on for the number of computers in the house. Ok... I'll give it a try, that could be it. The new modem arrives, I set it all up - and now it only dc's on every 4th or 5th call... Get a tech out to check things over again, and he says it's something further up the line (not the modem at all). He changes things at the junction on the street & things get a bit better... But still being dc'd on a pretty regular basis... (more noticable in the evening or first thing in the morning - ie: heavy internet traffic times in the neighborhood)
I'm pretty heated by the lack of tech support by this time & wait for a while to call back.By this time, I'd been dealing with the incompetency for about 4 months, & had refused to pay for a service I wasn't receiving. I had no problems paying for the regular phone service & the direct tv - they worked fine - but not paying for an always on connection that isn't on half the time.
So... I get tired of being disconnected in the middle of important things (online school, for instance) & finally find my zen center enough to call Qwest yet again. I get to speak with some gal in collections who tells me my service is due for disconnect for non-payment... I argue with her, letting her know that I have paid for services rendered. I have no problem paying for what I'm using - but since the dsl *still* isn't working properly, I refuse to pay for it. I end up transfered to a tech rep... Somewhere in India... Who barely speaks English & can't understand that I have a filtered line & the phone filters don't help. I spent over 4 hours on the phone that day alone; nothing was resolved, in fact the service rep actually told me "I'm sorry, I can't help you". I spent 2 more months working with Qwest techs & customer service people, trying to get things resolved... I exhausted every last shred of patience I had (I'm a mommy, I have *lots* of patience). I gave in at one point & paid towards the dsl bill - only to prevent the disconnect.
I finally called my local cable company & got a cable modem installed. Since I had entered into a contract with Direct tv, I kept the satellite service - but used the cable modem for VOIP phone service (contrary to everyone telling me it would be awful compared to the land line, it's *much* clearer than Qwest ever was)- and cancelled all services from Qwest. I called to find out how to return *both* modems, they sent me a shipping label & told me to call for an rma #. When I called, I repeated that I'd be sending *both* modems back & the rep gave me 1 number to put on the box. I thought I could wash my hands of qwest finally.
Less than a month later, I get a collection notice - nearly $300.00! They're not only wanting money for the (lack of) dsl service, but also charging me for both modems I've returned & for an extra month of Direct tv (whom I'd been paying seperately for a few months). I call them *yet again* & they tell me that the modems won't credit to the account for about a month, and there isn't anything they can do for the dsl charges, I have to pay. I started getting harassing phone calls from their collection agency within a week, sometimes up to 4 phone calls per day. I've had to pay them, bit by bit, in order to keep my credit from being ruined. So now, I've paid for services I never received, modems I don't have, months of service from Direct tv that I already paid for... And I'm *still* getting harassing phone calls from ER Solutions, their collections agency! Where do I go from here? What more can I do?
Leslee
Silverdale, Washington
U.S.A.
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