Z-Tel Communications ripoff takes money and doesn't establish service Tampa Florida

I first heard of Z-Tel from a flyer placed on my front door approximately 6 months ago. I called the number on the flyer the following day to have my service switched to Z-Tel. I then waited 2 weeks and when service was not transferred I was asked to be patient the transfer was in process. After a month I was not transferred and I called again only to be told service was not available in my area. Why the flyer was placed on my door when you did not have service established in my area I'll never know and why I was not told when I called to establish the service I'll never know.

I then went to your web site to check it out and sure enough the site said you did not have service in my area, but it allowed me to request that I be notified if service did become available in the future. Which I did. I received a letter from Maxxis Communications on 1/29/2003 stating Z-Tel service was now available in my service area. I filled out the application which Maxxis received on 2/3/2003. I waited for a week and called to see when service would be transferred. I was told "it takes 10 days to transfer the service, call back in a few days". I did and was told "there was a delay on the programers part, just be patient with us".

I called weekly and was given similar excuses until I called on 2/19/2003 and was told there was a hold on my order because I had changed carriers since I applied for the service. I them "I have had the same service provider for nearly five years and had changed nothing." They said they would have to get back to me which they had told me on a couple of other occasions and never did. I then called Z=Tel direct and had an order placed for a transfer of serice and was told it would be transferred on Friday 2/21/2003 by 9:00 AM. It was not. I called and was asked to wait another 3 days and then call back. I did and it was still not transferred.

Again, I called weekly until on or about 2/24/2003 that you had a hold on the order because you were not able to validate my address. When I asked why I had not been informed of this I was told a letter was mailed to me. I told them I never received any letter and they checked the computer and found out one had never been mailed to me. I then called your customer care dept. to find out why they could not validate my address and was told they could not validate it with Bell South. I explained to them my line was not leased by my carrier (American Dial Tone) from Bell South but Verizon. The rep then tried to validate it from Verizon, but she did not have that capability on her computer and she would turn it over to her supervisor and she would get bact to me.

She never did. I called again and was told the supervisor could not validate my address with Verizon and I should call the re-work dept. I called the re-work dept. and spoke with a Bee and she was unable to validate the address. Bee went to Clayton and initially was unable to validate it, but finally did, however, said you would not be able to transfer the service because the line was not owned by Verizon West who you have your service resale contract with. I said I though Verizon was Verizon. He said no, there was a Verizon North, Verizon East, Verizon South and Verizon West and furthur said that here in Florida you could not transfer service from an Independent Telephone Company that leases lines from the main phone company in the area as you could in the north. This made no sense to me.

I had transferred service 5 years ago from one Independent Phone Company to my current Provider without any problems or delays. When I initially place the order with you on 2/19/2003 I told your sales rep I was with an Independent Prepaid Telephone Company who leased the line from Verizon. I was told by her and assured by her that if the line was leased from Verizon there would be no problem and you would be able to make the transfer. Evidently not a true statement. I have called my current provider and asked them who they leased my line from. The person I spoke with is in charge of all transfers and he said he had never heard of Verizon West, East, South and North - "Verizon is just Verizon and they are the carrier in my area." I then called Verizon and asked about establishing service with Verizon West so I could switch to Z-Tel. They said they had never heard of Verizon West it was all just Verizon.

I have placed several calls to your customer relations dept. and left messages for someone who knows something to call me back, no one has. I have written a letter to them, but I have no high hopes of it being attended to. Verizon is the carrier and leases lines to all other providers in the area. If you have service available in the area you are dealing with the same Verizon that ownes my line so why am I unable to have you transfer my service to Z-Tel? When I finally gave up and asked for a refund of my $70.00 I was told the order was in the process of being cancelled and I would have to wait 24 hours before the rep. could place a refund request.

I told her I did not understand, you know it was you that failed to transfer the service and you are aware I requested a refund, why couldn't the account be marked accordingly? I did call back this evening and was told the refund would take 6 to 8 weeks. Do you wait 6 to 8 weeks for your customers to pay their phone bills? I would really like to have service established with Z-Tel because of the features it offers vs cost, however, I wonder if I did have it wether I would be happy or just encounter more frustration and headaches.

I wonder wether you are just a fly by night company which is destined for bankruptcy. If you need to hold customers money for 6 to 8 weeks you must be generating cash flow from them. I have never been so frustrated, exasperated and angered by any company like yours. Can you help and will you respond. That is the real question! I certainly have tried valiantly over your employees to become a satisfied customer. Let's see if that matters to Z-Tel.

Arnold
Port Richey, Florida
U.S.A.

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