Comments on: On the Frontier: Dealing With A Confused Phone Company http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/ Promoting Better Broadband, Fighting Data Caps, Usage-Based Billing, & Other Internet Overcharging Schemes Thu, 24 May 2012 00:06:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Stop the Cap! » Special Comment: Why The Verizon-Frontier Sale Should Be Rejected – Action Alert http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-7143 Stop the Cap! » Special Comment: Why The Verizon-Frontier Sale Should Be Rejected – Action Alert Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:09:55 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-7143 [...] has personally plagued me with billing errors this past year, gave inconsistent and inaccurate answers to pricing and service inquiries, and [...] [...] has personally plagued me with billing errors this past year, gave inconsistent and inaccurate answers to pricing and service inquiries, and [...]

]]> By: Stop the Cap! » New York Attorney General Smacks Frontier: Early Termination Fee Controversy Could Net Hundreds in Refunds to NY’ers http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-6706 Stop the Cap! » New York Attorney General Smacks Frontier: Early Termination Fee Controversy Could Net Hundreds in Refunds to NY’ers Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:25:37 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-6706 [...] better than 3.1Mbps, service cancellation did not result in an early termination fee, but did cause serious billing foul-ups that took multiple calls to sort [...] [...] better than 3.1Mbps, service cancellation did not result in an early termination fee, but did cause serious billing foul-ups that took multiple calls to sort [...]

]]> By: Lawmaker Unveils Anti-Metered Billing Law – But will it survive a heavily-lobbied Congress? | remove the labels | Gadgets and Life http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4814 Lawmaker Unveils Anti-Metered Billing Law – But will it survive a heavily-lobbied Congress? | remove the labels | Gadgets and Life Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:51:31 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4814 [...] up customers fleeing from Time Warner Cable, one of which was, ironically, Dampier. Dampier’s also blogged about Frontier’s horrible customer service and slow DSL speeds, and how they’ve placed [...] [...] up customers fleeing from Time Warner Cable, one of which was, ironically, Dampier. Dampier’s also blogged about Frontier’s horrible customer service and slow DSL speeds, and how they’ve placed [...]

]]> By: Mazakman http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4525 Mazakman Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:47:53 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4525 I will say that as soon as I got off the phone from ordering my RR last Sunday, I went to the TW Pay Express website where I pay my cable bill and my RR service was already was showing a "pending reconnect" status. I will say that as soon as I got off the phone from ordering my RR last Sunday, I went to the TW Pay Express website where I pay my cable bill and my RR service was already was showing a “pending reconnect” status.

]]> By: Michael Chaney http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4524 Michael Chaney Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:28:45 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4524 It shouldn't be that hard to have a computer system that figures out the taxes and fees for either you or the CSR. All they should have to do is put in your address and your plan and it should just spit out the total bottom line as of the tax code of that day. If their billing system can figure it out, then there's no excuse for the CSR not to be able to. I also don't trust any website to give me an accurate description of my bill unless they can offer up the PDF version of my exact paper bill. It shouldn’t be that hard to have a computer system that figures out the taxes and fees for either you or the CSR. All they should have to do is put in your address and your plan and it should just spit out the total bottom line as of the tax code of that day. If their billing system can figure it out, then there’s no excuse for the CSR not to be able to.

I also don’t trust any website to give me an accurate description of my bill unless they can offer up the PDF version of my exact paper bill.

]]> By: Mazakman http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4521 Mazakman Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:34:10 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4521 Well I am the "Bob" that Phil is quoting in this article and yes, I remain more confused about the taxes and usage fees than ever. Unfortunately, the Time Warner commercials are correct when they point out hidden costs associated with having Frontier DSL in this town. I was told by a local CSR to wait for my next bill to see what I still owe them for my 18 days of DSL in my home. I am willing to bet that the bill still will be wrong. There should be nothing wrong with calling their 1-800 number to order service and to then have their sales rep give a total cost that includes the taxes and fees. They only sell service in so many states and these taxes and fees remain the same depending on where the service is being used. I do now understand that the phone lines are governed by a whole different set of rules and regulations than the cable lines are. And those taxes and fees add up considerably. I found that what confuses the issue even more is their DSL Max Standalone product. I did not expect to have any phone service with that...even their installer was surprised that I did indeed get inbound calling and the ability to call either Frontier or 911. Seems that even within their organization that there is confusion on what DSL Max Standalone really is. There is one inaccuracy in Phil's fine article that I would like to address. I was promised free installation when I ordered the service and the csr gave me his extension to call back once my first bill arrived so that he could credit my account because he could not place the order without the installation being included . And indeed, last Friday I did talk to him and he did "supposedly" credit my account. He also corrected (supposedly) the monthly charge because it was indeed wrong at the $34.99 price. But Phil touched upon another very true fact in his article ...the information that I was seeing at my online account page at Frontier does not reflect what I was seeing on my paper bill from them. So...while I shall admit that my brief return to DSL was my own little way of protesting the proposed TW caps , I still felt that it was necessary for me to return to what unfortunately remains the only game in town. DSL speed was fine for what we use the net for. But keeping our monthly expenses under control and not having to pay all of those additional charges is more important to me. Well I am the “Bob” that Phil is quoting in this article and yes, I remain more confused about the taxes and usage fees than ever. Unfortunately, the Time Warner commercials are correct when they point out hidden costs associated with having Frontier DSL in this town. I was told by a local CSR to wait for my next bill to see what I still owe them for my 18 days of DSL in my home. I am willing to bet that the bill still will be wrong.

There should be nothing wrong with calling their 1-800 number to order service and to then have their sales rep give a total cost that includes the taxes and fees. They only sell service in so many states and these taxes and fees remain the same depending on where the service is being used. I do now understand that the phone lines are governed by a whole different set of rules and regulations than the cable lines are. And those taxes and fees add up considerably.

I found that what confuses the issue even more is their DSL Max Standalone product. I did not expect to have any phone service with that…even their installer was surprised that I did indeed get inbound calling and the ability to call either Frontier or 911. Seems that even within their organization that there is confusion on what DSL Max Standalone really is.

There is one inaccuracy in Phil’s fine article that I would like to address. I was promised free installation when I ordered the service and the csr gave me his extension to call back once my first bill arrived so that he could credit my account because he could not place the order without the installation being included . And indeed, last Friday I did talk to him and he did “supposedly” credit my account. He also corrected (supposedly) the monthly charge because it was indeed wrong at the $34.99 price. But Phil touched upon another very true fact in his article …the information that I was seeing at my online account page at Frontier does not reflect what I was seeing on my paper bill from them.

So…while I shall admit that my brief return to DSL was my own little way of protesting the proposed TW caps , I still felt that it was necessary for me to return to what unfortunately remains the only game in town. DSL speed was fine for what we use the net for. But keeping our monthly expenses under control and not having to pay all of those additional charges is more important to me.

]]> By: Smith6612 http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4520 Smith6612 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:02:42 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4520 Seems like a lot of the telephone companies these days are having a hard time with their billing. Just ask the Verizon FiOS forum over at DSL Reports, and some of them may say that they're still dealing with billing issues after several months. I myself have never had billing issues despite making changes to both my Frontier and Verizon accounts, so I may just be lucky if billing is in fact down the drain these past few years. Seems like a lot of the telephone companies these days are having a hard time with their billing. Just ask the Verizon FiOS forum over at DSL Reports, and some of them may say that they’re still dealing with billing issues after several months. I myself have never had billing issues despite making changes to both my Frontier and Verizon accounts, so I may just be lucky if billing is in fact down the drain these past few years.

]]> By: Jim http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4519 Jim Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:59:45 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4519 I'm with Michael's post - I haven't had a landline since 2000. I've only had a cell phone. Unfortunately I've had the exact same billing "mistakes" through Verizon that Frontier makes with your landline. I’m with Michael’s post – I haven’t had a landline since 2000. I’ve only had a cell phone. Unfortunately I’ve had the exact same billing “mistakes” through Verizon that Frontier makes with your landline.

]]> By: Tim http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4517 Tim Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:38:07 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4517 Check into wireless. They have 24dbi wifi antennas that can pickup access points several kilometers away. Might be an option if TWC decides to do something like implement caps again. Check into wireless. They have 24dbi wifi antennas that can pickup access points several kilometers away. Might be an option if TWC decides to do something like implement caps again.

]]> By: jr http://stopthecap.com/2009/06/05/on-the-frontier-dealing-with-a-confused-phone-company/#comment-4515 jr Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:02 +0000 http://stopthecap.com/?p=2886#comment-4515 TWC and Frontier are dumb and dumber TWC and Frontier are dumb and dumber

]]>