10-27-2008

Better Business burea

I would like to file a complaint against Cox Communications based on over charging my phone bill over 300%. I called them and complaint about the charges and they have responded in writing that based on their investigations the charges are correct, their finding states that I only requested to have discounted internatinal rate on one of my phone lines. I have responded to their respond in below letter. Is it anything that BBB can do to resolve my problem? I appreciate your help in this matter and please call me if you have any questions. My day number is 310-253-9000 ext 205

Cox Communications
29947 Avenida De Las Banderas
RSM, CA 92688

Account Number: 305088-04
Phone number: 310 377-6525

Re: NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATION

Dear Telephony Operations Credit Service Dept. of Cox Communications

I have reviewed your response to my complaint of over-charges of my international calling and I am in complete disagreement and reject your self-serving findings in its entirety. I am therefore withholding the payment of the disputed amount and am prepared to file the necessary complaints with all relevant regulatory and legal authorities.

In summary, your organization has been disingenuous and deceptive with its selling practices and has abandoned all common sense and logical reasoning in justifying its conduct.

I had a verbal agreement with your agent who called me several months ago to switch my Verizon service to Cox Communications with an international calling rate to Iran of no more than 12 cents per minute. I have been using your services when it worked, to call Iran from the first month that I signed up with you. In fact your international rate was the decisive factor for me to switch from a traditional carrier to you.

I always had one line in my house until your agent offered me a second line for $9.95 per month at the end of our conversation and agreement to switch from Verizon to Cox Communications. I agreed to subscribe to the second line for the purpose of convenience. Accordingly, and as common sense would have dictated I expected that this second line with the same billing and service address and appearing on the same invoice would have the same features and rate structure as my 1st line. However as I have found out my international calling rate on the second line is over 30 times the rate of the 1st line. You be the judge: does it make sense for me not to subscribe to a 2nd line at the same single-family place of residence and on the same account with the same rate? The conclusion can only be one of two things: I am either a complete moron, or your organization is conducting business in bad faith and with fraudulent tactics. I am absolutely convinced that it is the latter.

I plan to discontinue my services with your company and will fight this to make sure that your organization does not continue to take advantage of honest customers. I do business based on mutual trust. Unfortunately your organization has demonstrated otherwise.


Sincerely

Asghar Ghassemy
310-377-6525 (H)
310-253-9000 (W)


cc: Consumer Information Bureau
FCC
Better Business Bureau
City of Palos Verdes

ABOUT ONE HOUR AGO, MY HUSBAND CALLED COX COMMUNICATIONS IN TUCSON ARIZONA TO TELL THEM ABOUT A PIECE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NOT PUT BACK TOGETHER AFTER ONE OF THEIR TECH'S WORKED ON IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT IS ALL HE WANTED TO TELL THEM. THE WOMAN ON THE PHONE TOLD HIM SINCE THE ACCOUNT WAS IN MY NAME FIRST SHE WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO HIM. I ASKED HER WHY SHE NEEDED TO VERIFY THE ACCOUNT SINCE IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR ACCOUNT, BUT THIS CALL WAS FOR A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LEFT APART IN FRONT OF A HOUSE THAT WILL BE EMPTY UNTIL DECEMBER. ANYWAY, AFTER GETTING ANGRY AT THIS STUPIDITY, I HUNG UP AND TRIED TO CALL AGAIN TO SEE IF SOMEONE COULD DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. I AGAIN, HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE. I WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR 6 MINUTES SO THE CS REP COULD VERIFY AN ACCOUNT, HE TOLD ME IT WAS TO TAKE ME OUT OF THE EQUASION??? WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THAT, WHEN ALL I WANTED WAS SOMEONE TO FIX THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT A PERSON LEFT UNDONE. WELL, NOW, I HAVE DECIDED TO LET IT GO, AND IF IT SHORTS OUT OR WHATEVER, IT IS OK, SINCE THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT IT ANYWAY. DO NOT GO WITH COX, THEY ARE STUPID, AND INCOMPETENT CS PEOPLE!!

About a week ago our internet access began going out periodically. This is a major issue for us since my wife works at home and relies on the internet access. A couple of calls to Cox finally secured a service appointment 4 days later. This morning, the day of the scheduled appointment, the technician came out, swapped a couple of connector parts and declared the problem solved. And it was solved, for a couple of hours. My wife called back to get someone out immediately (warranty on service maybe, been out once couldn't fix the problem...you'd think that would get priority, right?). Somebody said they would call back at 3 pm. My wife knew she had to step out at that time so she gave the customer service rep her cell number and asked that the call be returned to that number. Well, Cox called back, but they did not call back on the cell phone as requested, instead they phoned the home phone. My wife has called them back but they will do nothing but schedule an appointment for two days from now. Ridiculously unresponsive!

Cox Communications has left a mess across my property. They were on the property on Monday to fix some sort of breakage in the line. They did not complete their work and left wiring down as low as 3 to 4 feet off the ground across about 2 acres of property. The lines are tagged with streamers over my driveway. When I call, the customer service center only knows how to get a technician here to my house for my service. He said the earliest he can schedule someone is "Tuesday". This is not a home issue with regard to service, it is a safety issue. Any child can pull that wire down. I told him he was putting his company at risk and he stuck with his ability to only schedule on Tuesday. I would hope that Cox could see this is a very UNUSUAL situation that requires more attention than "we will have a tech check it out". When I told him a tech was here yesterday to fix my outage, I was told that no one was here. ???????? Really??????My service was out, I could describe the man...and I am typing this email on Cox service. What is wrong? I was also told that there was no record of Cox trucks being here Monday working on the high wires.

Please encourage people to train representatives to listen carefully before a customer gets this angry. Every once in a while there is a WEIRD problem that someone needs to come out and check. Right away.

I have used Cox Communications for almost 5 years now under my mothers name. I just recently moved into a new house and out of my mothers and ordered Cox thinking I would be getting a GREAT deal since I was a new customer. Boy was I wrong. First of all the tech that came to install got saw dust all over my new living room floor and furniture. He left all the wires going to the computer, phone and TV in a huge knot and to top it off, the box on the side of my house he left opened with the cover to in on my driveway!
I was so upset to see this when I got home. I called and complained and they told me they would send someone out the next day, did they? NO! I had to wait over the weekend for someone to come and clean up after themselves.
When I thought this was the end of it... boy was I wrong! Next came all the hidden fees. I signed up for a bundle which should have saved me money. It was called the Max View Bundle cause we watch TV quite often. It said on line it should come with free HBO and Cinemax... turned on my TV... neither was on there. The went to use our DVR... didn't work... they gave us the wrong box. So I had to go and pick one up myself and call to have HBO and Cinemax put on.
Then I go to use my phone... no caller ID or call waiting! Is this the stone age? Since when does a bundle that should save you money not include caller ID and call waiting... but instead includes "phone tools" to let you listen to your messages online... I don't want that. I want to see who is calling when I am at home! So call and they charge you extra for that... You would think this would be the end of it... NO! Get my bill and they charge me an extra $10 for Cinemax. I call and they say oh that is right. There are TWO Max View Bundles... one with just HBO for free and the other with BOTH for free but that ones cost an extra $10... so I ask... what would it cost if I switched from the HBO and Cinemax one to just the HBO one with Starz... oh the same... WHAT THE HELL!!!


Long story short... Cox Communications is a horrible company to have for cable... It is really too bad that they are the ONLY company that I can use in my location other than a dish... it is also too bad that they have the BEST internet around... other wise I would have switched a LONG time ago!!!