Review by tybeet 
UPDATED: 142 days ago
member for 1.3 years, 20 visits, last login: 14 days ago
 Sherbrooke,QC
 $400 per month
 "speed"
 "cost, bait & switch tactics, new contract terms of limited bandwidth"
 "unless you want to support the abuse of power and unethical business practices - AVOID THEM"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings well below consensus)
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Just try and follow the illogical, unethical business practices they use:
I signed a 12 contract in June of 2007 for their Extreme High Speed Internet package. At the time, the package had unlimited access. Videotron then decides in December to re-negotiate terms of the contract, they claim to have "sent out letters" which many people including myself never received informing them of the changes. They then took my lack of cancellation as agreement to these terms.
I use the internet for a great deal of things, including torrenting, and I consider myself a very active member of some very active sites, so my usage was ~300GB (Upload/Download combined). This, of course, incurred hundreds of dollars in overcharges because the new terms have a limit of 100GB Upload/Download combined, with $1.5 for every GB additional.
I didn't realize I was paying more than I should have until late February because they coerced me into "automatic payments" by credit card with a discount on the modem. It then wasn't until March that I began to keep my bandwidth in check, but by now it's much too late. I'm a poor college student who already has debt from tuition in the thousands - I cannot afford to pay the $1295 in overcharges that I've incurred from these bait and switch business practices. I can only hope the class action lawsuit in the works by a separate consumer rights group actually makes headway, otherwise I'll be practically starving for the next year.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND SUPPORTING THIS KIND OF BUSINESS
And if that doesn't convince you, then maybe the 50GB Upload + 50GB Download limit will. It's an absolutely ridiculous limit that would be exceeded even without torrenting. Consider the YouTube fanatic who is also an avid online gamer. The bandwidth used by these casual services, even, would exceed the limit in a month without question!
Followup comments:  
ATMW
 from:
tybeet
| Automatic CC charge is the KISS of Death I can't tell you how many times I read about similar "discoveries". I don't care how much it saves me but I NEVER allow auto charges to my credit cards. I'd rather fight them up front for any sudden changes and then you never have these charges you don't know about.... Also you need to actually READ your credit card bill every month.
So when the vendor says "I can auto deduct/pay this" tell them to stuff it and demand a bill. All it does is make it easier to get your money and less likely you will be able to dispute the bill....
Hard way to learn that the auto deduct is not a good thing and at the most saves a postage stamp. | |
|  | tybeet
join:2007-04-05
Sherbrooke, QC | Re: Automatic CC charge is the KISS of Death I appreciate your point. I'm honestly new to the credit card world - being a member out of absolute necessity - and I have to say its conveniences always seem to be counterbalanced by damages. | |
| Jean_22
join:2005-08-27
Quebec, QC | True but... It's rediculous, but it's even worst with standard HS & Bell.
And Bell is 10 times worst right now. They cap encrypted connections at 30kB/s, even on the wholesellers | |
| | tybeet
join:2007-04-05
Sherbrooke, QC
 ·Videotron
 ·Bell Sympatico
| Re: True but... You're right. I've been with Bell and speeds are horrendous. It's hard to decide which practices I hate the most: traffic shaping or bait and switch.
It's a sad world we live in where the incorporation of internet services - something as fundamental as hydro or electric utilities - can be so well guarded and so easily abused by the powers that be. | |
|
Hugo696
@videotron.ca | Lack of service.... Hi
I live in québec and vidéotron if the biggest joke of our time.
The people at the customer service know nothing.....
thanks and avoid! | |
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