The Short Story:

• After putting me through over seven months of effort, more than fifteen phone calls, and a tremendous amount of aggravation, Time Warner/Saveology (subsidiary of Elephant Group, Inc.)/Private Network Communications, Inc. could not even provide the full $100 that they promised when I signed up for their Fios “Triple Play” promotion. In the end, I only received $93.50.
• Ms. Luci at Private Network Communications has not returned my calls thus far.

Comments:

• Almost all of the people that I spoke to (below) were very polite. This was such a drawn out series of lapses and inactivity that it seems unfathomable to me that overall, it was simply an issue of incompetence or indifference among staff level employees. Is Time Warner/Saveology (subsidiary of Elephant Group, Inc.)/Private Network Communications, Inc. actually making a good faith effort to honor and issue all of the “gift cards” due to Time Warner’s customers or is something else happening here?
• When Time Warner outsources, they need to take some responsibility for the actions of the organizations that they hire.
• Does Time Warner effectively have a monopoly in NYC? Personally, I have no other option for cable television services.
• On the gift card instruction sheet provided by Saveology, no mention is made anywhere of “Private Network Communications” although they perform most of the customer services and administrative functions regarding the “gift card”.
• Many of the calls that I made to Saveology have not been documented.
• I spelled the names of all employees phonetically; they may be misspelled.


The Long Story:

1. On 10/12/2008, I signed on for Time Warner Fios “Triple Play”, and was promised a $100 Mastercard gift card.

2. On 11/16/2008 I completed and mailed the “Time Warner Cable Promotion Redemption Form” in order to receive my $100 Saveology gift card. The form indicates that a card should be received 16-18 weeks after all qualifications and subscriber obligations are satisfied.

3. On 2/2/2009, I spoke to Jennifer at Saveology, requesting the status of my $100 gift card. She informed me that I did not use the proper rebate ID in completing the redemption form, and instructed me to add the proper rebate ID to my copy of the form, and fax it to Saveology.

4. On 5/8/09 I requested the status of my card from Jenel at Saveology. Jenel informed me that they did not receive my faxed, corrected, redemption form in February. When I stated that I have the successful fax confirmation, she again stated that the person who receives all faxes was not able to locate it. She asked me to fax it again, and told me that she would call me back to confirm that they had received it this time.

5. On 5/8/09, after not hearing back from Jenel for a several hours, I called Jenel myself, and she confirmed that she did receive my corrected redemption form. Upon my request, Jenel stated that since they have been delinquent in processing my card, she was willing bring my redemption form to her supervisor in order to expedite it more quickly.

6. On 5/28/09 I requested the status of my card from Deedee at Saveology. Deedee stated that my redemption form was in fact escalated to a Supervisor on 5/11/09, but that no progress had been made. Deedee stated that she did not know what the issue was or why the Supervisor had not acted since receiving the form on 5/11/09. Deedee volunteered to look in to why my card had not been processed and call me back on 5/29/09.

7. On 6/3/09, I attempted to call Saveology five times using the “Offer Redemption Center” phone number provided on the Redemption form of 1-877-405-5035, but each time I receive a message stating that the phone number is out of service.

8. Again on 6/3/09 I finally reached Saveology by calling a phone number on their website, once again to request the status of my card. I reached Amy (ID#191) in Customer Service, and requested to speak to Deedee. I was told that Deedee was having lunch. I explained my frustrating situation to Amy, and Amy stated that if she could put me on hold for a few minutes she would find out as much as she could about my situation from her colleagues. Within five minutes, Amy discovered that my card had indeed been mailed to me in March. When I asked why nobody else at Saveology could figure this out for me, Amy did not have an answer. Amy provided me with the name and phone number of the person at the company who is responsible for issuing the cards. Amy did not know the name of the company who had this responsibility.

9. On 6/3/09, I spoke to the Executive Vice President of Private Network Communications. He informed me that a card had been mailed to me in March, but that it did not have any charges against it. I told him that I did not receive the card. He confirmed my name and address, and said that I should have my card within 7-10 days.

10. I received the card with its instructions in the mail on 6/10/09.

11. On 6/11/09 I attempted to activate the card through the automated menu, but did not have the required PIN number to do so. The instruction sheet that the card came attached to indicated that the PIN number should be on the instruction sheet, right where the card had been attached, but there was no such number printed. I reached a customer service rep who was able to activate the card anyway.

12. On 6/12/09 I attempted to make a purchase with the card, but apparently any use of a debit card requires a PIN number, which I did not have.

13. Also on 6/15/09, I called Saveology for help, read my card number to the customer service rep, and they told me that my PIN number would be right behind where the card was attached on the instruction sheet. I told them that no such PIN number was printed, so she transferred me to “Cardholder Services”, which is part of Private Network Communications, Inc.

14. After reading my card number to Robert, at Private Network Communications, told me that my card actually did not have a PIN number, and needs to be used as a Credit Card, as opposed to a Debit Card. When I explained to Robert that my card has “Debit” printed on it, and the instruction sheet indicates that I should have a PIN number, he apologized, but offered no explanation of what may have gone wrong.

15. Also on 6/15/09, I successfully made a $79 purchase using the Saveology card as a credit card.

16. On 6/16/09 I attempted to make a purchase using the remaining balance on the card. I attempted to make the $21 purchase using the card first as a credit card, then as a debit card. Both times, the card was rejected.

17. On 6/17/09, I spoke to Jenel at Saveology and explained that the previous rep that I spoke to transferred me to Cardholder Services in an attempt to help resolve the issue of my remaining balance, but I cannot reach anyone there because the automated menu requires a PIN number, which, in my case, I do not have. Jenel told me that there was nothing that she could do because Cardholder Services is handled by an entirely different company.

18. Also on 6/17/09, I called Saveology again, and reached Casandra. I explained my dilemma about the remaining balance on my card, as well as the fact that I do not have a PIN number. Casandra was able to provide me with a different phone number for Cardholder Services which does not require a PIN number.

19. Also on 6/17/09, unable to reach anyone in person, I left a voicemail for Theresa Luci (spelling?) at Private Network Communications, using the phone number given to me by Casandra. In my message, I explained the issue about the remaining balance on my card, and asked her to call me.

20. On 6/18/09, I left a second voicemail for Theresa Luci at Private Network Communications, asking her to call me. I tried to reach Ms. Luci five different times by phone between 6/17/09 & 6/18/09.

21. Also on 6/18/09, at a store, I was able to determine that there was actually only $14.50 remaining on my card, and that was why the $21 purchase had been rejected.

22. After all this work to obtain my “gift card” and to actually get it working, Time Warner/Saveology/Private Network Communications had only given me a $93.50 “gift card”, not the $100 actually promised.

No longer offering channel 162 & 163, HD movie & HD net. Also channels 129 through 157 are intermittent.

I have been a Time Warner Cable customer for years and for about a year now I have been having problems with this cable provider. A year ago I bundled my service dvr, net, phone. Right after this I kept getting bills in the mail for large amounts, which was over what we were told we were going to pay. My husband and myself made call after call to figure out what was going on only to be told something different every time we contacted the company. Sense November 2008 I tried to get my phone turned off.

I would call the company they would put me on hold and I would be hung up on and have to call back. Each time I would call back I got stuck talking to a new person. My bill has been over the top I pay the bill and a few weeks later I get another bill for even more. So for months now I have been paying two bills a month for this company. Sometimes $400-$500 a month.

I was only supposed to be paying around $180 a month. When I would try to find out why my bill was to much customer service would take down my number and tell me they will call me back. They never would call me back I would end up calling customer service back again. Everytime I would refuse to pay this over the top amount that I know I am being way over charged they would just shut off my service. Then I would have no choice but to pay the bill to have my service turned back on. Last month yet once again I got stuck paying Time Warner $415.01.

Why? I still don't know as customer service will not give me an answer as to why I am being billed this way. My bill has been being paid in full and it has not been even a month yet I have once again already paid them $415.01 but they just turned around again and sent me another bill for $261.61. That's over $600 dollars in less than a month for service.

My husband called customer service four times three times nobody could answer our questions and kept putting us on hold and sending our call to another customer service rep. The fourth call he was ask to leave a number and they would contact us back. They never called back so we went to a near by Time Warner Cable office. When we got to the office in Troy Ohio we wanted to know why we are being over charged how we have been for months now. We were not given an answer we also wanted to know why are net was turned off. We were given a print out saying are net was turned off for spamming and we need to call Road Runner customer service to get it turned back on.

I confronted the customer service rep in the office and said there is no way my bill is over $600 dollars in one month and would like to know why this is? She ignored me questions. I then gave her my bill they showed my past two payments like all the bills do that I already paid over $400 already and now am being ask to pay another $261.61 I turned the bill over and said I am being charged for service I do not have that states clear as day on the back of the bill what the charges are. I am supposed to only have basic cable and net sense November 2008. But am being billed for movie channels I do not have as well as two dvr's I do not have and a bundle package.

The customer service rep tell us that the billing date on the bill isn't correct and the balance is due from last month. I showed the customer service rep I paid payments so how is this possible? I then ask so your telling me the billing dates on the bill what you are charging me for your saying that's not correct that the billing is being charged for a bill I already paid she said yes. I said so I am being charged for services I don't have she said yes I said can I get my bill fixed I am tired of having this problem every single month. She ignored us and said my computer shows you only contacted our company once in Nov and that has been it. I said miss I been contacting your company not on in Nov but months before that as well and all the time after that. She pretty much out right called us a liar.

My husband than takes out his cell phone and said if you look on my calls today it shows today alone we already called Time Warner four times today alone. I checked over my cell phone records and sure enough all the calls for months I been making to Time Warner is on my Cell phone bill but yet they have no record of us ever contacting them. we then left the Time Warner Cable office and went home and then contacted road runner.

My husband called road runner the customer service rep through them gave us his name and ticket number. After this man looked at our account he said are net was not turned off for spamming Time Warner Cable just shut us off and to call Time Warner back. So we call them back they argue with my husband telling us to call Road Runner back.

Than finally after a few more attempts talking to different customer service reps someone turned are box back on. Always good to know not only are we being way over charged but we get service turned off even when our bill is paid. This has happened many of times before our bill was paid they would send another bill and our service would get shut off and as soon as I pay the new bill they send they would turn right back on our service.
We are between a rock and a hard place here I did look up this company online and no shock there this company is being sued in other states by people just like me and others for this very something.

I contacted the BBB and filed a report we did find out something that was good to know. The troy Ohio office has it's BBB member information up the office we went to and they are not even a member of the BBB.
We can't get another provider as this is the only cable company in our area.

If this is going on with us it's hard to tell how many others in Ohio Time Warner Cable is doing this to this is also happening to my aunt as well. I have read a few reviews on here with other people in Ohio having somewhat of the same problem.

I have been a Time Warner Cable customer for years and for about a year now I have been having problems with this cable provider. A year ago I bundled my service dvr, net, phone. Right after this I kept getting bills in the mail for large amounts, which was over what we were told we were going to pay. My husband and myself made call after call to figure out what was going on only to be told something different everytime we contacted the company. Sense November 2008 I tried to get my phone turned off.

I would call the company they would put me on hold and I would be hung up on and have to call back. Each time I would call back I got stuck talking to a new person. My bill has been over the top I pay the bill and a few weeks later I get another bill for even more. So for months now I have been paying two bills a month for this company. Sometimes $400-$500 a month.

I was only supposed to be paying around $180 a month. When I would try to find out why my bill was to much customer service would take down my number and tell me they will call me back. They never would call me back I would end up calling customer service back again. Everytime I would refuse to pay this over the top amount that I know I am being way over charged they would just shut off my service. Then I would have no choice but to pay the bill to have my service turned back on. Last month yet once again I got stuck paying Time Warner $415.01.

Why? I still don't know as customer service will not give me an answer as to why I am being billed this way. My bill has been being paid in full and it has not been even a month yet I have once again already paid them $415.01 but they just turned around again and sent me another bill for $261.61. That's over $600 dollars in less than a month for service.

My husband called customer service four times three times nobody could answer our questions and kept putting us on hold and sending our call to another customer service rep. The fourth call he was ask to leave a number and they would contact us back. They never called back so we went to a near by Time Warner Cable office. When we got to the office in Troy Ohio we wanted to know why we are being over charged how we have been for months now. We were not given an answer we also wanted to know why are net was turned off. We were given a print out saying are net was turned off for spamming and we need to call Road Runner customer service to get it turned back on.

I confronted the customer service rep in the office and said there is no way my bill is over $600 dollars in one month and would like to know why this is? She ignored me questions. I then gave her my bill they showed my past two payments like all the bills do that I already paid over $400 already and now am being ask to pay another $261.61 I turned the bill over and said I am being charged for service I do not have that states clear as day on the back of the bill what the charges are. I am supposed to only have basic cable and net sense November 2008. But am being billed for movie channels I do not have as well as two dvr's I do not have and a bundle package.

The customer service rep tell us that the billing date on the bill isn't correct and the balance is due from last month. I showed the customer service rep I paid payments so how is this possible? I then ask so your telling me the billing dates on the bill what you are charging me for your saying that's not correct that the billing is being charged for a bill I already paid she said yes. I said so I am being charged for services I don't have she said yes I said can I get my bill fixed I am tired of having this problem every single month. She ignored us and said my computer shows you only contacted our company once in Nov and that has been it. I said miss I been contacting your company not on in Nov but months before that as well and all the time after that. She pretty much out right called us a liar.

My husband than takes out his cell phone and said if you look on my calls today it shows today alone we already called Time Warner four times today alone. I checked over my cell phone records and sure enough all the calls for months I been making to Time Warner is on my Cell phone bill but yet they have no record of us ever contacting them. we then left the Time Warner Cable office and went home and then contacted road runner.

My husband called road runner the customer service rep through them gave us his name and ticket number. After this man looked at our account he said are net was not turned off for spamming Time Warner Cable just shut us off and to call Time Warner back. So we call them back they argue with my husband telling us to call Road Runner back.

Than finally after a few more attempts talking to different customer service reps someone turned are box back on. Always good to know not only are we being way over charged but we get service turned off even when our bill is paid. This has happened many of times before our bill was paid they would send another bill and our service would get shut off and as soon as I pay the new bill they send they would turn right back on our service.
We are between a rock and a hard place here I did look up this company online and no shock there this company is being sued in other states by people just like me and others for this very something.

I contacted the BBB and filed a report we did find out something that was good to know. The troy Ohio office has it's BBB member information up the office we went to and they are not even a member of the BBB.
We can't get another provider as this is the only cable company in our area.

If this is going on with us it's hard to tell how many others in Ohio Time Warner Cable is doing this to this is also happening to my aunt as well. I have read a few reviews on here with other people in Ohio having somewhat of the same problem.

We are having horrible problems with Time Warner Cable loss of signal, pixelation/tiling, loss of sound, and picture freezing.
We are paying for every channel, HDTV, 2 HD-DVR boxes & 2 DVR boxes (lots of $$ monthly, in the $100's).
In the past year, we've replaced HD-DVR boxes FIVE, yes, 5 times!! Finally, we got a technician to come look at the signal.
The first technician simply re-set/re-initialized each box.
The second technician checked the signal, said it was weak, and left saying he'd send another technician (that never happened).
The third technician came and checked the signal and the wiring and put in a signal amplifier.
WE ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS to the point where many channels are simply un-watchable, especially during primetime.
We used to think it only affected the HD channels, but now the problem has "spread" to the other non-HD channels as well.
The worst problems *seem* to be with very popular shows, for example, "Survivor" - we haven't been able to watch this program on an HD or non-HD channel on any box in the house for over 3 weeks now. My brother and father are going nuts because the problems occur during the NCAA games!
We are ready to switch to AT&T's U-verse service, even though I hate the thought of being an AT&T customer.