I’ve had an ongoing battle with a major telecommunications provider for the past 2 years. When I moved here with D, I had a cell phone, internet and land phone line. I transferred the land phone line to my former housemate, but kept the internet and cell phone in my name. I had a 6 year relationship with this company when we learned that if we combined my cell, and internet with D’s land line we would get a good discount. I was already paying all three bills, so this seemed like a good idea.
I filled out the forms and sent them in using my name, account numbers and everything. To my surprise, the company decided to put all 3 accounts in my husband’s name. I could no longer communicate with the company, even though I had initiated the paperwork, had a good history and paid the bills.
I tried calling them. No dice. I’m not the “account holder” on the record. This company only deals with issues like this between 9 am and 5 pm. D works 8:30 till 5:30. He finally found the time to wait the 40 minutes on the phone to get me on as a user about 8 months ago.
Remember my cell phone? I was on a contract that expired in November while we were in Vegas. The company called the cell phone during the day and asked to speak with D. I said no and asked who was calling. They told me they were calling to offer D a new plan, but they couldn’t talk to me as I was not the account holder, I was just a user. I’ve had this phone and contract for over 8 years at that point. They refused to talk to me.
At this point I started using the word chattle to describe myself when I tried to deal with them. I was good enough to pay the bill, I’d had a long relationship with this company, but apparently I was no longer a person of value in the relationship.
We delved a bit deeper into the bill and realised that $150 a month for basic internet, a land line that is rarely used for long distance and a cell phone that is used for less than an hour a month is NOT a good deal. So we transfered to a VOIP phone, cable internet an the last holdout is my cellphone – we’ve been out of the area on the 22nd of each month since November so I needed to call and give the 20 days notice required to cancel the bill.
I called in and talked with the customer service agent. Since I ask about how to go about leaving their company they ask why. I started in about not being able to manage the accounts. She explained the company line again (I’m a user, not the account holder). I asked her to look at the history and she agreed that I had a good history, I paid the bills etc. but there was nothing she could do to change the account holder. I asked to put in the 30 days notice and she said she had to transfer me.
I waited on hold for about 3 minutes, then the customer service agent came back on the line, laughing. She said “I’m so sorry about this, but it needs to be the account holder to cancel the service. I hate to do this, I now understand your frustration even more. Is D around to speak to the other agent?”
D got on the phone and explained yet again to the cancellations agent the whole drama and we got the 30 day notice in.
I usually would be annoyed yet again, but the fact the first lady was laughing when she realised exactly why I was annoyed made my day. If it’s ridiculous enough that she caught it I’m not crazy.
