Rogers Digital Cable and Hi Sped Internet access - quoted one price for Internet service, charged another - no help from customer service

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 14, 2002:

From:

RE: Rogers Digital Cable and Hi Sped Internet access - quoted one price for Internet service, charged another - no help from customer service

Here's my complaint. In June of this year I signed up for both Rogers Digital Cable and Hi Speed internet access. The sales rep I had was very friendly, and very helpful (or so I thought). He convinced me to choose the hi speed internet over my original choice of the hi speed lite stating "we're offering a reduced rate of only $24.95 for the first 4 months on the hi speed, so you'd be getting the same rate as if you signed up for the hi speed lite." Great!! Sign me up for that!! Let's move forward a month to when I receive my first bill. I note the $44.95 charge for the hi speed internet access and think hmmmmm... that isn't right. So I pick up the phone and call my friendly Rogers Customer Service Rep. She informs me that yes there is a reduced rate, but it won't show on my bill until after the first full month of service. I told her that the sales rep never mentioned that to me. She appologized for that and said I'd see the credit on my next bill. Let's move forward another month to when I receive my second bill. I have now past my first full month of service so I am expecting to see the $20 credit owed to me, plus a charge of $24.95 for the 2nd month of my internet access. Lo and behold... neither is there. Again I was charged $44.95 for the internet. Hmmm... I see a pattern developing here.

So I pick up the phone again and call my friendly Rogers Customer Service Rep. I explain what happend, and she puts me on hold while she goes over the account. She comes back to inform me that no such offer was made to me, the only thing stated on my original order is that I got free installation (Well I should hope it was free!!! Considering I installed it myself!!!) Then she informs me that she is a supervisor, and nothing will be done about this account, that I had better pay it before I get a disconnect notice.

I informed her that I will not pay it until the bill show the correct amount due, and they fix their screw up. She also informs me that since I waited 2 months to call she won't credit me anything. Waited 2 months??? I called in the first bill and was told it would be fixed on the following bill. That isn't marked on my account she says. How convenient for them. I ask her for her name "Stephanie" she says. I ask her for the name of the sales person who sold me on this crap. She says I don't know his name. I said well his reference # must be there, just give me that then. She says no I can't do that.

Then she informs me that I can write a letter of complaint to Rogers Cable Systems, 855 York Mills Rd, Don Mills, ON, M3B 1Z1. And she also told me, more like a warning actually, that everything that was said today would be recorded on my account. Good I say, I hope it's accurate. (most likely not!) Now I have a question... does anyone know a phone number to call? instead of the snail mail method? or an email address perhaps? Also, has anyone actually had any luck in dealing with things like this? or is it just beating a dead horse? Regards, Connie