Spectrum Time Warner CableCharter Communications Failure to Provide Working Internet Access Milwaukee Wisconsin

Since Spectrum bought out TWC, our internet service has become progressively worse with intermittent outages and failure to sustain any level of continuity.  This became a problem at the beginning of September, 2017.

Despite the claims both online and on the phone of one hour service, it took a couple of days before we could schedule an appointment.  A new router and modem were installed.  Within a half hour of the tech's departure we called in again for service as the issue of intermittent service continued and speeds of less than 10mbs were being received, where previous to this we had good sustainability in the 60-70mbs on a conxistent level.  It was also reported to the tech that our phone service was going out as well.  The Spectrum customer service tech told us that there had been a power outage in the area a few days before I called and was going to pass the information to the local techs but of course did not do anything of the kind.  We had a second service call on 9/7/17.  the outcome was the same and within 15 min. of the second call, the same problem occurred.

Our third call for service the next day to Spectrum generated an answer of "I can see that your service tech did not call in and set up the router."  Then, after a few seconds we were assured that now everything was going to be all right.  We were far from all right.  

On our fourth call to Spectrum, the channel was changed on the modem.  This did not work either, contrary to the assurances by the tech.

The fifth call garnered another visit by a tech who claimed to be on "escalated" service tech.  He told us that the techs at Spectrum should have never set the modem up for one channel.  This modem will seek out the best channel and switch autopmaticaly.  By this time, we had started graph tracking through Ookla, so we could show him that our service would not hold a consistent signal and what had happened just in the last couple of hours before his arrival.  He just said "ok" but assured us he had fixed the problem.  He also told us that from now on we would be going through him for any further problems, but would not give us a card with contact information.  All we had to do was call in for service and ask for him by name.  Our issue was not resolved.

Call number six to Spectrum came with the revelation that our equipment wasn't working because we were a Time Warner Cable customer and not with Specturm, and now we had to renegotiate our bill, despite the fact that we have been paying Spectrum for the last year and there was never any mention of this in our monthly bill, nor online when I made the monthly payment.  Ofcourse, after two hours of negotiation on the phone with a "specialist" my bill went up and swervice was now less than 10mbs of service.  Now I was paying for 60mbs of service instead of 50mbs. with nothing to show for it.  I was also told at that time that the "specialist" that had come out to the house was not a supervisor, who would have had a card with his telephone number on it so we could contact him directly, which leads to the question of who was it that actually came into our home?

On call number seven, I was now told that I didn't havve WIFI service at all and this would cost an additional fee despite the fact that all of my previous bills had charges for WIFI.  So again, more charges  no rectification of the virtually non existent service.  

Call number eight:  The Spectrum tech finally saw the problem we were having by doing a speed test from their location and verified that we do have a problem.  She told me that she was calling for a supervisor and a tech who would be at my home to get to the bottom of the problem the next day.

On 9/20/17,  there was not a supervisor with the tech that appeared at our door.  There never was the promised escalation and our service dept. was never even notified about a supervisor request.  At this point, we did not allow the tech into our house to check a brand new modem and router.

Call number nine:  This time i demanded to speak with a manager and refused to give the technician who tried in every way to refuse.  After a ten minute wait I was connected to a manager to try and explain the problems.  After being put on hold two more times (one to reboot his computer that somehow stopped working) and another to file what he called an expedited ticket i was given a reference number.  When I asked how and when I would be contacted he was very vague and guessed within 24 hrs.  Needless to say, it has passed 24 hrs. and I have heard absolutely nothing.  

The other issues with Spectrum is their payment website.  It was down for 5 days where it would not allow one to pay their bill.  I checked in daily with chat and was told it would only take a "couple of hours".  Once chat person even wanted me to give me credit card number to him in the unsecured chat room!  This took another three telephone calls to Soecturm where they wanted to charge me for the priviliege of paying my bill with a live operator.  When I complained that it was their website that was down, the fee should be waived.  The response was they would do a "one time" fee waiver.  When I asked if the site went down again (which is a very high probability) would I be charged again, the answer was yes.  After all of this I asked for a billing manager and told him that I did not trust Spectrum at all, and did not feel comfortable giving my card number to a live person.  Finally after an argumentl, i was transferred to an automated line where I could enter my information.  This option has to be fought for as it does not appear in their 15min. prescreen in their automated call menu.

Spectrum will not give credits for my weeks of virtual no service, nor do they seem to want to correct the problem that I am paying for.  Every call results in more charges and less service and their claims of one hour service is a total sham.  Being a disabled person, I am at their mercy, as there is no one else in the area that we can use for this fraudulent service.  I hope that something can somehow be done about this travesty.