Complain about a product or service

Earthlink DSL Installation

Earthlink • Tech Support • Cancellation disputes • Billing problems • "Free" trial • Other offers • DSL cancellation • DSL installation • DSL speed • Mailstation

David of Phoenix (10/27/03):
Problem # 1: I am an earthlink dial-up subscriber. I signed up at Office Max for a 4 month subscription to receive a 75.00 gift card, it was never received. Both Office Max and Earthlink blame the other for my not receiving the rebate. To this day it is not resolved.

Problem # 2: I upgraded to ADSL over 3 months ago, it took 2 months to receive the modem even after repeatedly giving eathlink the correct address. When I did finally receive the modem it did not work. I canceled the order and was told I'd receive a return shipping label for the modem, and ther'd be no charges placed for the DSL sevice...the labels never arrived and I was billed 149.95 for an early termination fee. My credit card was billed incorrectly and I have transcrits from earthlinks on-line assistance help stating that Earthlink made a mistake. I still have not received a refund or my rebate check. There have been at least a dozen calls trying to resolve this matter. Each customer service person I get says it will be straightened out and resolved. Still to no avail.

Victor of Chicago writes(5/10/01):
On or about February 20, 2001 I placed an order with Earthlink for DSL service. The sales representative that I spoke with told me an order would be put through for line activation and once the line was activated my DSL installation kit would be shipped. I asked specifically if a network card came with the DSL installation kit and was told by the sales representative that it did.

Weeks passed and I received no further emails other than my order confirmation on February 20, 2001. The line was never activated and the installation kit never arrived. Every time I contacted Earthlink to inquire about the delay I was either disconnected, or the customer service representative was unable to pull up my account information. Several weeks and several phone calls later I was finally informed that there was a delay in getting the line activated locally and there was nothing Earhtlink could do but wait. Once the line was activated I would be notified and the installation kit (which was to include the afore-promised network card) would be sent.

Periodic phone calls to Earthlink for updates usually ended in frustration just like my initial phone calls -- representatives unable to access my account information or “accidental” disconnections after being on hold for twenty minutes or more. Finally, on May 1, I received an email informing me that the date of my line activation was April 26, that my installation kit was on its way and if I had not received it within seven days I was to contact customer service. Since I received that email already six days after the line activation, I waited one more day and, when the installation kit never arrived, I contacted customer service. I was informed that I actually should wait about ten days before contacting customer service (even though the email specifically stated seven days). I waited some more.

At this point, over two months had passed from the date the initial order was placed. I contacted customer service again a few days later and was told that there was a problem with my account and that was why the installation kit was never shipped. Apparently, every time someone at Earthlink attempted to ship the installation kit, the system would spit the order back out and not fulfill it. No one seemed to notice this until I called and pressed someone to investigate the problem.

I have to wonder how long this error would have repeated itself had I not forced someone there to access my account and find out why I hadn’t received my installation kit. I was assured at that point that the installation kit would definitely go out that day.

Today, I received the installation kit and there was no network card included. I contacted sales and was informed that Earthlink does not provide network cards. I said that I was told (after specifically asking about a network card) that one did come with the installation kit. The representative I spoke with said he had no idea why the sales representative who took my order would tell me such a thing since it is not true and clearly stated in a written disclaimer I received with my installation kit. I said I wanted to complain about this and he transferred me to customer service. A customer service representative confirmed what I had just heard. Regardless of what I was told by sales when I placed the order, a network card does not come with the installation kit.

I told customer service that I was promised a network card and was lead to believe that I would be getting one. I told her that Earthlink misrepresented itself in an obvious attempt to get my business and such behavior is highly unethical. I also told her the term that applies to such behavior is “bait and switch”...Earthlink promises a network card along with the installation kit and when it finally arrives there is no card and the company disavows any knowledge of having promised such an item now the transaction is complete and the company has my money. I told her I planned on contacting Consumer Affairs as well as my attorney about this matter. She told me to go ahead and do so. She said go ahead and sue or do whatever it is I wanted to do.

I asked her why Earthlink is not making any effort to rectify the situation before I take such extreme measures. She put me on hold and came back a few minutes later. She said my account would be credited $25.00 which I could use towards the purchase of a network card but there is no way Earthlink could send me one since they no longer include network cards with their installation kits anymore. ANYMORE. Therein lay the key to this whole mess. I asked her if, at some point in the past, Earthlink DID make it a practice of including a network card with the installation kits. She said yes Earthlink used to provide network cards but stopped doing so in March. I placed my order in February, which would explain why I was promised the network card when I placed my order.

What is not explainable is why two employees of Earthlink, one in sales and another in customer service, couldn’t realize where and how such an obvious error occurred. In between the time my order was placed and the time Earthlink finally got around to sending my kit, a policy change had gone into affect. However, as I placed my order BEFORE the change in policy, I am still entitled to receive the installation kit as originally promised. It is not my fault it took Earthlink over two months to complete a simple order for a DSL connection, nor is it my fault that Earthlink enacted a policy change in the interim and failed to notify any customers who’s orders might be affected by such policy change.

What is also amazing to me is, at the end of the phone call, the customer service representative finally said I could be sent a network card if I chose to wait a week. I should not have had to fight with two of Earthlink employees for over an hour on the phone with neither one of them able to clearly see what the problem is nor the obvious solution before I’m finally (and clearly grudgingly I might add) told I can receive what I purchased. I told her I would take the $25.00 credit and to not send the network card and I hung up. I find Earthlink’s behavior in this situation reprehensible and the attitude of Earthlink’s employees inexcusable. I am entitled to receive what I was promised at the time of purchase. Further, I feel I should be compensated for my time and aggravation.

This whole process has taken months plus the time I have spent on the phone or on hold or getting the run-around from Earthlink employees or getting disconnected by them because no one I spoke with is able or willing to provide me with simple information about my order. I ordered DSL service in February, before Earthlink enacted its policy to discontinue shipping network cards. Earthlink DSL sales specifically promised me a network card. I should not have to endure a long and frustrating battle with poorly skilled and ineffectual customer service representatives to receive what I paid for.