Frontier Communications Frontier Internet Fraudulent Billing Tampa Florida

 In August of 2016 I received by mail a misleading advert from Frontier communications promising services related to FIOS High Speed Internet including language of a 1 year $30 per month rate for High Speeds of 30mb download speed via fiber internet connections which "FIOS now provides in your area!" When the installer arrived he informed me that unfortunately my home would not get the coverage the ad promised but that it would be comparible. I explained that I wanted the $30 for 30mb plan only and that I currently was paying $59 per month with time warner but wouldnt be able to switch unless the speed was at least 20mb. He immediately informed me he could not promise me that speed. So I said no. In response the installer called his supervisor to see what could be done and then asked me if I would allow him to install it and test it. I asked him if it would be free or if they planned to charge me in the case I did not want it based on downloads that were not acceptable for my home (I work from home as a web developer so my download and upload speed is very important as I have two boys as well playing games while I code). The installer promised no fee would be charged for the install if I declined the service but that the supervisor would allow him to install it and bill me for the install only "if I decided to keep the service.."

Boy was In for a treat! Within hours I was horrified to find that their "High Speed" was only 6mb down and less than 3 mb up. I tried for two days to force my kids to accept the speed but on the third day I tried to upload a single photo while my kids were gaming (a photo less than 3mb) and it said 4 hrs remaining to upload. It was awful. I called them immediately to cancel and to explain that FIOS was not actually offered and that sadly I wouldnt be able to use Frontier at this time. Instead of telling me it would be free as promised by the installer, the phone relresentative explained I would pay a pro rated daily amount. Asked if I had to pay for the installer or the modem and the Frontier service representative said no to both and that I could throw the modem router away. I was shocked by that and realized it was actually the modem router that was the outdated device. Needless to say I immediately called time warner and was out of pocket another $200 to pay for the installer to drive out again plus the first months increased rate as I no longer could sign up for the $60 plan I had to buy the same speed. In total I ended up in $235 bill from Time Warner to buy back the speed I was in (plus install). In shock Frontier went against what their phone representatives, installer, and the installers' supervisor's billing language: I got a bill on 8/09/2016 for $233 charging me $150 for the installer plus another $50 for the modem they told me to trash. So upon calling them to explain that was not the deal I thought we had agreed on the phone representative agreed and immediately transfered me to a supervisor to make a claim to zero out the debt as promised. I was happy because they seemed very responsive to the misunderstanding, I assumed the case was over.

To my astonishment on 9/09/2016, I was billed exactly the same amount! I called again and immediately I got the same exact response: an apology a transfer to a supervisor and the same tone of "customer first" voice patterning language that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. But I was understandibly concerned and asked if the supervisor could assure me in some way that this would not happen again. He stated that it was just the way it was worded that made it get refused and that he knows better how to use language to get it passed to zero it out. Sadly, even before I recieved the third bill, I get my first debt-collector threat demanding the $233 or else I would be sent to a debt collection agency! Amazed I tried to contact them directly by calling. These people were totally opposite to the attitude of the Frontier billing department supervisors stating flatly that their job was "only to collect my money "and "had no authority to reverse the error" and refused to transfer me to a supervisor." They recommended that if I "wasn't calling to make a payment, and still have problems with the bill" I was to call back the Frontier billing department. Since they refused to remove the amount, I angrily and reluctantly called back billing to stare again at the bill in disbelief for the third time that $233 was billed in error. This time I was more motivated to solve the issue having now 3 letters in front of me.

I reasoned (third time is a charm) that because the billing department supervisors seemed so empathetic and professional in the past, that I shouldnt act confrontational. Again the same reassuring tone of voice, same promise to "make notes of my concerns - as well as apologizing after I explained the story about the issue made over 3 months ago which every time I had called I was promised that they were to "zero out " the error which they already had notes on. October 4th, I get another debt collection threat only this time in the amount of $197 (somehow it was reduced $36 in my favor?)!! Why on Earth $36 only?! I have no idea. Seemed odd to me. So I called billing again confused why only $36 was removed. They said they would call and find out and then call ne back. No one called me back but 1 week later on 10/09/2016 I get the normal bill only this time it remarkedly has been cut in half now a balance of $129 and as if to test me to see if I would just pay them off to stop the anoyance, they sent along with the bill another collection agency threat for the nee balance of $129. I lose my marbles at this point.. knowing full well these crooks are playing games.

So I call back billing only this time confrontional and angry. I am transfered to a supervisor whom calmed me down immediatly with his assurances (Just as they always do), and asked me to re explain it again for the 5th time so he could start his own "investigation." He promised in (Jesus name even) to "zero it out" and that he knew of someone he could call about it and solve it "once and for all" (been through this already I told him), and he apologized also for the repeated billing I kept being threatened though as well. Sadly on 11/03/2016 I recieved the same bill for $129 and felt that it was time to find lawyer for harrassment, I called again for the 6th time and this time I recorded the call (with permission) I asked the supervisor to state his name and told him that I wanted to sue Frontier if possible for harrassment. I told him that its been extremely frustrating attempting to get anywhere with the ficticious bill and that I wanted to not have to call again. He very kindly told me he would personally eliminate the bill and file another claim to remove the bill and apologized. I have not recieved another bill from Frontier billing, however shocking it may sound, the threatening offices have now started using "sympathy" language to get me to pay them. I have a funny slightly less threatening collection agency warning using language like "..we know that under uncertain financial times, keeping up with one's financial obligations can sometimes be challenging... enclosed is a coupon we urge you to use to make your payment to avoid further action."

I looked carefully at the bill and noticed it was no different aside than that the balance due was reduced now to $67. I was thinking " What kind of crap is that? Its the exact same letter exact same format as the other threatening collection letter and certainly no coupon (just the single sheet with the same threat worded differently as if for poor people!?) Frontier should be ashamed of that.. they just renamed the threatening bill as a sales pitch calling the collection letter a "coupon?!" That just made me infuriated that somehow I would feel better anout being ripped off "in error" for less than what was originally mistaken?! That just basically made me ill. Why on earth woud I pay twice the amount of the promised $30 a month (with less than a 10th of the download speed promised on the advert) for only using their fake High Speed for just 3 days? Im never paying 2 months worth of anything for just 3 days worth of use. More importantly, I cannot be billed for installation since it was agreed by the installer to be "experimental" I cannot be billed for the router either since I had offered to return it twoce and they repeatedly I was told to trash it. So today I get the standard threat letter only this time with very strong language unluckily though this this time its the same $67 same layout but only now of course its not a "coupon.." instead its supposed to be more frightening and labeled "Collection Agency Pending."

I have every bill Frontier has sent to me and every letter threatening me for their own incompetnence to provide a quality internet service in my area. This stack of harrassing letters sitting here in front of me dates clear back nearly half a year. I am not calling billing again.. because I already know that its no use. I have not recieved a bill now for 2 months and their letter accuses me for not "contacting them" yet they have not billed me. So I cannot take seriously the threatening debt collection / coupons since they dont seem to have means to call them in a way that can correct their error nor even seem to be consistent on what I owe them and surely have no consistency as to the language in what they even label their collection coupons. My advice is if you dont get the fios rate do not experiment with them if offered: you will become just a billing experiment with them to try to extort you with debt collection threats.