Suddenlink blows. It’s that simple.
Three months before we moved to our new house in 2008, I contacted Suddenlink to let them know that we no longer needed their services. We had switched to DirecTV and I was cancelling digital cable from Suddenlink. During the call, the representative informed me that I needed to return their digital converter boxes. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but their offices were only open during normal business hours AND they were in another city.
After a simple conversation, explaining that I worked during the hours they were open, and I had no way to get the boxes to their office, the representative said their technician would pick up the boxes when they came out to disconnect the cable. Perfect solution, and I was pleased with the understanding she exhibited. I told her that our porch was protected, and we would put the boxes on the porch for the technician to pick up. I was told that would be noted on our account and it would be taken care of. Two weeks later, we noticed the boxes were no longer on porch, and considered the matter closed.
Due to the favorable treatment I felt I had received, when we arrived at our new home and my wife asked that we establish basic cable service with Suddenlink, I quickly contacted them and set up the new service. This was done because we are in a small market for DirecTV and we could not get the NBC network on the satellite service. One of our local NBC stations, WTAP, refused access to NBC for area DirecTV customers.
Flash forward to May 2011. I engaged in the rare act of opening the Suddenlink bill to review the charges. Low and behold, we were being charged $20.97 for three digital converters. Assuming that I would have no problem calling them and reminding them that their technician had picked up our receivers, I made the first call to Suddenlink.
As of December 2012, they are still refusing to remove the digital receiver charges from our bill. When I speak with them, they inform me that it is not their policy to have technicians pick up the boxes. They refuse to acknowledge that their representative made the agreement with me to have the boxes picked up. The do acknowledge that the digital converters have NEVER been connected to their network after I terminated service. When I point out that clearly indicates they were not stolen from our porch for use, they have no intelligent response.
The solution they offer? Pay $199 per digital receiver, because I am responsible for the receivers.
Welcome to a digital monopoly, in which local residents have no options for providers. These idiots have declared how much they value my business, and I’m going to start declaring how much I value destroying their business.
May DirecTV reign down on the Ohio Valley and drive the Suddenstink out.