It's my goal to spread this experience around the net, and although replete with details, it could be categorized as a rant. Mods can determine if this appropriate.
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Total Fail. Man, I wish I had recorded the last few calls with them. It might have gone viral on the tubes.
I'll try to keep this short. (EDIT: I failed).
Mom has Internet service via Century Link. For over a year now, she's had intermittent issues with service. We had called for troubleshooting help and remote diag couldn't identify the issue. A suggestion was made that we had internal wiring issues, which was possible since it was old phone line. So I ran a new single piece of shielded wire from the outside connection directly to the modem. As good as you can get for DSL. No change, still occasionally having to reboot DSL modem.
So, we called for an on-site tech, he came out, looked at everything (I wasn't there) and said it was all good, could find no issues.
Still having issues, I thought that this was a really old modem and my Mediacom had me upgrade my modem to handle the upgraded network they've installed in the last few years. So, last spring, I called CL (I had to pretend to be Tom, Mom's ex-husband, she couldn't get his name off the account and wouldn't call Tom to have him assist - she still won't talk to him. She just kept paying the bill) - I called CL and said the modem is really old and I wanted a new one. CL said, nope, modem is good, don't need a new one. I thought OK, they should know. So no new modem.
Still rebooting modem occasionally until Christmas day, internet went out. Next day, I called CL, talked to a tech - he looked at diag, said there was a "crosslink" issue on their end, he put me on hold, then came back and we rebooted modem a couple of times and internet was back.
The next day, Wednesday, internet was down again. I called again and first got the process started to get Tom off the account. Got it all set up, I called Tom and had him call CL to give his code and permission. Tom called back after about a half hour and confirmed successful transfer to my Mom. We then had me added on the account so that I could make the calls. Good, I didn't have to pretend to be Tom anymore.
Proceeded with the diag on the internet connection. They could see the link was good to the modem but modem wasn't working "well", they asked for model and serial number which I provided and the tech chuckled,
"That modem was installed in 2009 and has been obsoleted for several years now, you should have gotten a new modem".
I told the tech I tried last spring to get a new modem, but whatever, lets move forward. I told him I'd go buy a new modem but he said they could send me one for free and a $50 gift card for our troubles.
"Cool, How long will it take to get the modem here?"
Tech: "We'll ship today, 2 days, so modem will be there on Friday".
Great, so I asked twice to be sure and got confirmation that on Friday that when the modem arrived, that I could hook it up, and then call CL to get the modem provisioned (set-up) and we'd be back online. Tech said yes, and I'd also get a confirmation email (at the new email address of Mom's, not Tom's) and that someone from CL would call on Friday to make sure everything was working. And indeed, we got an email with a new account number and confirmation email on Mom's email.
Friday comes and goes, no modem.
Today, Saturday, I call CL.
I tell them who I am, they say they can't talk to me, I'm not authorized. Nothing I could do would convince them and when I gave them new account # and confirmation #, they still said they couldn't confirm or deny as I wasn't authorized. They asked to speak to Mom, and so she did provide last 4 digits of SS# and told them she wanted me authorized, which they did.
So, I'm back on the phone - they can't find any record of the modem, the call - nothing.
I'm getting rather irate, told them they better figure it out.
So, they transferred me to "Customer Service" and talked with them - they confirmed that no modem was shipped but that we did have an appt for a tech to come out and INSTALL a new modem on JAN 16th.
You have to be kidding me. I had clearly been told modem was going to be sent and would be here yesterday. NOTHING was said about a tech coming out.
So, I asked for the modem to be drop shipped, couldn't it be here by Tuesday?
Nope, they won't ship a modem because we have a ticket (despite the automated system you get when your first call that says "checking for service request on your account, saying there wasn't one) for modem install on the 16th of Jan.
OK, I asked if we go out and buy a modem, can we then call back in and get it set up and get internet back.
Nope, can't do that because you have a service request scheduled.
I'm pissed now. Actually, I was pissed a while ago, but I'm really pissed now.
I said "OK, cancel this account, we'll get a different internet provider".
I was hoping they'd then take it to heart and send me a dingin' modem, or let me go buy one.
Nope, tech says we can't do that, you'll need to call another number. I ask and she gives me another number and asked what else she can do for me. Good god.
So, I call that other number and it says they are closed. I suppose they are, at 2 PM on Saturday.
Can you believe that crap? Nothing but a cluster fack. And there's actually more detail that I left out, I spent over 2 hours on the phone with them - for a simple modem replacement that should have been done at least one, if not two years ago. Unbelievable.
Mediacom will be about $10-15 more a month but I think that's what I'll do. Mom isn't sure, she hates change and it is more $ for her, which she doesn't have.
But I'm pissed, I simply can't stand the thought of giving these facks anymore of my (mom's) business.
And I'm gonna spread this story across the internet. It's atrocious IMO, and they should suffer as I have suffered.
Well, I feel a little better. A little.
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