Qwest

This is a forum posting to residents of my apartment complex on 12/19/10.

Dear Residents: I wanted to tell you about some hidden charges associated with the Qwest / DirecTV offer that you will not know about until you have signed up for a two-year contract. Then it is too late. I basically recommend you do not get Qwest and DirecTV but instead explore other alternatives. The hidden charges are: A BSI charge of $6.56 to $8.88 a month and a DirecTV DVR Services fee which is a monthly service charge for DVR programming of $7 a month. So you altogether will be paying at least $13 more a month than advertised. Supposedly the BSI fee was in the fine print when my DirecTV was installed, if so, the installer didn't tell me about it. The other wasn't.

In any fine print, I could fine. Here's the short story: BSI used to be a fee to service and maintain the dish receiver even though we only have one shared amongst us. The first few people didn't know what it was and I was bounced back and forth between Qwest and DirecTV trying to find out. One said that it was something our apartment manager had agreed to but she hadn't since I checked. Another who said that she had worked in that department said it was now optional but if you didn't pay it, you may have to pay $100 or more if your equipment needs servicing. The DVR fee is for the programming that changes month-to-month. It doesn't matter that they say you've leased the DVR for free in their ads. They didn't mention the programming, did they? Surprise! That's extra.

Here's the rest of the long story for those interested in more details: You'd think all these things would be included in the Choice Xtra package I ordered. I was expecting to pay $34.99 as in the ad for the DirecTV plus $29.99 for the DSL for a total of $64.98. Instead, my last bill was for $125.72. The one before that was $92.32. The one before that was $105.02. I had it installed September 1. Part of it, they say, is that it turns out you also have to put in the rebates online before ordering. And apparently I signed up for the BSI fee during the installation but I can't find it mentioned on the work order receipt.

Other problems I've had with Qwest and DirecTV: Qwest tried to charge me a $20 installation fee for my DSL even though no technician ever came out since I already had a modem so did not an installation visit. They also tried to charge me an HD Access fee for $10 / month. While trying to sort out all these hidden fees a service representative mentioned some Starz Game application which I knew nothing about. I asked him to just send me a link, as I wasn't sure I wanted to sign up for it. Instead he signed me up for it.

I later asked another representative when trying to deal with one of these other billing problems, to make sure I wasn't signed up for this service and they assured me I wasn't. But I was and a charge of $45.96 appeared on my last bill. I had to track down and this was the cause. I made sure they canceled it this time and they said they would credit me the next bill. You always have to pay for their mistakes the first time you find them and then they will credit you next month. I exchanged several emails over a week with a service representative in Utah before buying into Qwest / DirecTV precisely to avoid these kinds of problems.

She assured me that the cost was only the $36.99 for the DirecTV and $29.99 for the DSL. Unfortunately, with Qwest once you join and call their customer service, you will talk to someone different each time and they will not honor what someone else has told you. I did talk to Ron, the local representative about this mysterious BSI charge and that problem was escalated within Qwest but I never heard a resolution. Eventually, it appears they removed it from my charges for one month but then it re-appeared the next.

Now, supposedly, it's an option but dire events will happen like huge charges if you do not have this and there is ever a problem with your equipment and a technician has to come out. I've spent hours literally trying to sort all this out. You're put on hold, bounced from Qwest to DirecTV and back again. Once, I had to wait 12 minutes to talk to a Qwest representative then she redirected me to DirecTV and then that representative then redirected me back to Qwest but said I'd have to start over so I gave up on that call. The bills are hard to read as they first charge you for myriad things and then credit some of these back so it is challenging to sort out what you've really paid for.

You will get a disconnect notice if you are late paying even if they have over billed you or charges are in dispute. Technically, it's generally okay. My DirecTV did freeze up once, I had to call and they explained there was a reboot button I didn't know about then it was fixed. For Qwest, the DSL works fine but every time I try to use their online file storage I have to change my password. I don't know why. In summary, if you're thinking of signing up for Qwest and DirecTV, I'd recommend you don't.

I ordered a DirecTV bundled with my Qwest service. I was not informed that the DirecTV had a 2-year contract with a $400 early termination fee. The monthly fees were consistently higher than expected. I had to deal with DirecTV customer service since qwest is apparently only responsible for billing me. I tried several times to get rid of features that I didn't even know I had signed up for, was not allowed to drop HD service or the DVR, the service stopped working entirely and they wanted $50 to fix it. Finally, I decided to cancel it and now they want a $400 early termination fee.

I moved to live in NM from Mia., Fla. I found an advertisement telling me they offered $29.99 each month for 12 months for DirecTV service. I already paid $65 cash for the installation, plus $44.99 for first charges, and I got an advertisement from Qwest telling me they offered an installation of $19.99 monthly during one year of internet, plus I contracted with them a wireless service of $39.99 monthly. It has arrived to an amount of $ 248.52. that I already paid for not being late. But for me, my charges are 90 dollars total instead of $353.51 that I have already paid from my pocket. (adding what I paid cash plus first month service).

I had a bundled service with QWEST which included T.V. and internet. My lease ended at my past address and I moved to another location. The new location needed QWEST technician service to have adequate internet and T.V. The service never happened on 2 separate occasions when they were planned to be there. I never had sustained T.V. service and internet. This is a breach of contract. They have now sent their early termination fee for my termination of service to a collection agency. The exact amount is $143.88. I am sick of these large companies thinking they can do this even with extremely poor or no service.

I am disabled and receive Telephone Assistance (TAP) from the government for my Qwest home phone line. After some serious budgeting and crunching numbers, I discovered that paying for my services ala carte would save me money and realized just how unnecessary the Choice Home package was so I called Qwest with bill in hand to remove it. I was amazed at the resistance I received on the other end.

First I was told I wouldn't save money (which is untrue, I did the math). I told the rep repeatedly how the only two features I required were a Non-published number and Caller ID with Privacy + (I think it's called Security Screen' or something like that now). The Qwest Choice Home phone package included three features that the rep acted like I couldn't live without. I told him that I don't use any of those features (I didn't even know which ones I had!). He kept on and on, Last Call Return "you can dial *69. Me: Nope, don't use that. I told him to check my last 4 years worth of bills to see when the last time I used that feature was. You have six free directory assistance calls per month. I told him I used Goog411 or the internet because that's the truth. And you have LineBacker. Me: Which I want to get rid of.

So basically, they put three crappy features in this package which I never EVER use and then were charging me 10.75 per month extra for the one that I actually want "Caller ID with Privacy Plus "which COULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED as one of my wonderful features in the phone package that I was paying 25.99/month for. Way to take advantage of a disabled person, Qwest, you should be proud. You got me!

I was getting pretty irritated at this point but the rep's obstinance continued. Do you have a cell phone? Me: Yes. And my provider isn't Verizon. (because I know they try to push you to bundle it from previous experience). Who's your provider? Me: Why? It's at&t. (I was getting REALLY peeved at this point). Are you in a contract with them? Me: Yes I am. Why is that any of your business? Then he goes, Okay, let's see what other ways we can save you money.. (!)

Me: You can save me money by giving me the exact features I'm asking for and nothing else. Who's your TV provider? Me: (Sigh) For Real? DirecTV, which I have had bundled before, but I opted out of it because it was a billing nightmare. (I had the unfortunate experience of getting constant error messages on my TV even though I was paid up "DirecTV even sent me an empty box to ship my DVR back stating I was in breach of contract. I was paying Qwest as I was supposed to, but for some reason, DirecTV wasn't getting notified that I was current on my payments. It was one of those annoying call one and they tell you to contact the other' deals. Finally got that straightened out by just separating the bills as they were before.

In my experience, when Qwest isn't involved, everything tends to run smoothly). Well, I'm sorry to hear that. (I'm sensing victory). Okay, let me remove the Choice Home package from your account.. (yes, YES!!!) And then he said something that I thought was particularly nasty " Well, I hope you had a good weekend at least. Like I was the difficult one. I even told this arrogant sh*theel that I was disabled earlier in the conversation, but it was clear that he was going to stick to the script and offer every rebuttal in the book, regardless.

Finally, he says he's going to give me a confirmation number then suddenly, I'm getting an error message. Let me put you on hold. (The error message probably relates to the fact that I am now saving money). Five minutes later he gives me the stupid number. The entire call took a little over 25 minutes. Unbelievable. Hey Qwest, last time I checked, I'M paying YOU.

I moved into an apartment complex who has a 10 year contract with Qwest. This all began in October 2008. I previously had cable/phone/internet with Cox who I'd give anything to have back!! I have had a service man out almost weekly since I moved into this complex. I lost two computers that were running perfectly and this came from the TECH that the DSL was uploading corrupt files into my system. It cost me a several days of my business time being down, as well as repair to both of my computers. I was then contacted by the people who were supposed to help with costs and I was wam-blasted by two Qwest employees trying to tell me I had no clue what I was talking about, and that the tech was misguided in what he told me.

Furthermore I was told there was no way that a corrupt file could destroy the hard drive. GEE. Needless to say I lost a 500G External hard drive, plus one computer with a single hard drive and my main unit which has two hard-drives, which still is not working. I lost important documents because of the bad see that was being spread throughout my system. I was not the only one to have this problem in the complex. Then the DIRECTTV goes out, twice within a little over a week. When it went out the first time I was NOT told that DIRECT TV is no longer doing the service calls and they had swithed to another company to do their service calls.

DirectTV is not even involved except as a front. I have refused to pay any bills until all problems are solved. I can live without tv and I can get internet elsewhere and probably will..They are telling me that if I try and back out of the contract they will sue..HA HA.. I hate to let them know I'm a paralegal, and told them go ahead and sue.. I'm losing business and valuable time when my internet is down! Now I am out of work, so they are threatening to cut off services and I told them go ahead, they do and they will end up in a suit.

Qwest always has been and always will be about the sorriest company to deal with I've ever seen in my life. I've told them repeatedly their customer service stinks! They really don't care because they think you can't live without them! My bill increased over $75.00 because I was NOT told by the original person I signed up with on the phone that within 90 days I would be charged for free movie channels that I told him in the first place I never wanted. Iternet plays a vital role in my business. Qwest won't get a dime from me until everything is fixed!

Two computers with blown hard drives, 1 extrernal 500G hard drive blown. Loss of vital files and information stored on my computers. Loss of work due to having to fit into their time frames.

11/08 my roommate wanted to get Direct TV and they only way we could was we had to get home phone service through Qwest. After having the Direct TV guy here to find out we couldn't have the service I called and cancelled Qwest. No problems.

When I received the bill, I paid it online 11/4. Two days later, they took another payment out of my account 11/6. When I called they told me they'd send me a check. I've been calling every couple of weeks since then and all they could tell me was they sent out a check, it's in the mail, blah blah blah. Then today I call and they tell me the first check was cashed 11/28 and they won't be sending me another. Doesn't matter that it wasn't me who cashed it... they refused to give my money back. So they pretty much stole money from me.

I've reported them to the BBB and am about to file a dispute through my bank to get my money back somehow. This was the last straw.... I will never ever ever have Qwest even if they're the last phone company on earth... I'll go phoneless!!!

They cost me not only the $35.13 they stole from me but a $20 overdraft fee.

I am a Qwest customer and I am writing to your office because my pay per view account with Qwest was and continues to be charged for ************ material that I did not order and do not want coming into my home inadvertently. I am in school full time and so is my son. I have enabled, on all of my accounts with Qwest, the pre-scribed parental and purchase controls and yet these charges to my account continue to occur many while we are clearly in school. I do not want and will not be paying for *********** that has been illegally charged to my account.

Qwest is trying hard to figure out how it happened, and has acknowledged that there was a problem that they are attempting to ameliorate. For me, the broader problem is how to prevent this sort of situation from recurring in the future as I do not wish to be charged for and held responsible for purchased of any kind that I did not order, but especially this sort of material. I was informed by a Qwest customer service employee that there are more charges for *********** on my next bill. They stated that their corporate policy does not allow them to remove these illegal charges to my account and that although there was some kind of problem that allowed the charges I would still have to pay them.

I do not understand a policy that does not take into consideration the fact that these kind of mistakes in the system happen and remove the charges that obviously do not belong to me, a long term, customer who does not have a history of purchasing this sort of material at all. it is clear that someone obtained access to my account and then proceeded to order daily this filth. I do not want to pay for the present nor future charges to my account for ************ material. If you were to go over my account it would become clear that I rarely order movies of any kind and especially not ***********. I have already been a recent victim of identity theft and I do not wish to be victimized again.