Qwest, the long distance telephone company, has also been providing DSL internet service for several years now. Current phone and dial up customers were enticed to sign up for the high speed internet service by a low lifetime rate. Problems with this offer, among other things, have prompted consumers to file a litany of complaints.
- Price for life – Customers that were offered a special low “Price for Life” deal when they signed up for the new Qwest DSL service lead to many complaints. People who tried to pin down the exact definitions of the lifetime service got many conflicting answers and the offer didn’t live up to their expectations.
- Termination fee – There have been many instances of customers complaining about a $200 termination fee. Some were charged for canceling the service even though they never got connected in the first place. Others felt they had fulfilled the 2 year contract, but were charged anyway.
- Billing errors – Many times Qwest customers would call about errors on their billing statement and thought they had the problem resolved only to find the same charges on the next statement. Others signed up for a low monthly fee and were billed hundreds of dollars on their first statement.
- Slow internet speeds – Savvy internet users who were promised lightning fast high speed were very disappointed in the slower than promised speeds. Others were offered higher speeds than were available in their area.
- Modem problems – The complaints about the new modems required for the service cover a wide range of areas. Wrong modems delivered and not able to be returned, faulty ones having to be replaced several times and monthly charges for cheap modems that could be purchased outright for far less money.
- Customer service – A general incompetence of the Qwest customer service staff is the theme of most complaints in this area. A lack of follow up for promises made, plus refusal to honor pricing agreements or credit customers for overcharges are prevalent.
- Misleading advertising – Customers have been disappointed with both prices and service not living up to what was advertised. Slower internet speeds and additional fees and monthly charges are the biggest complaints.
- Conflicting stories – People who call Qwest customer service or tech support multiple times report getting different information from each person they talk to. Each one claiming the last person was wrong and didn’t know what they were talking about.
- Intermittent service – Defective modems, inadequate phone lines and weak signal have all been blamed for the on and off again internet service customers have had to deal with. This does not promote consumer confidence that expect reliable uninterrupted internet.
- Time consuming – One of the most frustrating problems for Qwest DSL customers is the amount of time it takes to resolve problems. Hours making repeated phone calls and waiting for technicians to show up add up, plus the internet down time adds to the frustration.
Consumers soon learn to be skeptical of low introductory offers that don’t live up to expectations. People want to get high speed internet for the lowest price possible, but also want good customer service. Qwest DSL would be wise to make sure their valuable customers are being treated fairly and consistently.
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