| Cancel OOL, return MY modem or get charged? My parents called to cancel OOL today. They were told to return the modem, or get charged for it. The problem is that the modem is OURS. We provided our own equipment at signup. I do not have a receipt for the modem (SB 5100) as I purchased it 2 years ago. How can we avoid paying this fee? |
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 MxxCon
join:1999-11-19
Brooklyn, NY | call them up and work it out.
they should have records of what modem they (didn't) give you, and it's mac address/serial number.
also your CV receipt that you/your parents signed during installation should/could say something about the modem.
if you bought your modem from some online store, they might have your receipt on records.
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 JoshNJPremium
join:2001-12-25
Freehold, NJ | reply to sharksfan3
If they think you owe them the modem, and you don't have a receipt for it, you have a problem.
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 RickNYPremium
join:2000-11-02
Manorville, NY | reply to sharksfan3
If I recall from a previous discussion about this, they need to provide proof to you that it is their modem.... If it is their modem, there would be an equipment transaction sheet associated with the issuance of the modem, along with you (or your parents) signature on it. Call them back and ask them to provide that for you.
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| reply to sharksfan3
They will know if they gave u a modem when u signed up or not.
When I went in to trade my modem because it stopped working, I went to hand it to the guy he looked at the computer screen and said "thats urs, we don't have a modem out on lone to u".
When ur parents called to cancel the guy probably just said that not even checking if it was urs or not, because not many people have their own modems. |
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RickNYPremium
join:2000-11-02
Manorville, NY | said by MoPMatrix: because not many people have their own modems. Not quite true... Anyone that signed up prior to maybe a year and a half or two years ago purchased their modems outright.
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"Make it idiot-proof and someone will build a better idiot." |
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 TzaleProud Libertarian ConservativePremium
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro | reply to JoshNJ
said by JoshNJ:If they think you owe them the modem, and you don't have a receipt for it, you have a problem. Not really. If he owns the modem and CV has no proof of providing the modem, they can't force him to pay anything.
-Tzale
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 GeekNJPremium
join:2000-09-23
Waldwick, NJ | said by Tzale:Not really. If he owns the modem and CV has no proof of providing the modem, they can't force him to pay anything. 1st, let me say I think this entire concept of who owns the modem is silly. I've had OOL for almost 4 years now. I paid for the modem. If it failed and they gave me a new one at no cost, I really don't think I own the new one. It just doesn't logically make any sense to me.
As for "proof"... if CV bills you for an unreturned modem, the "cost" of dealing with the hassle has to be more then the cost you could ever get from the modem. Just give it back.
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TzaleProud Libertarian ConservativePremium
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro | said by GeekNJ:said by Tzale:Not really. If he owns the modem and CV has no proof of providing the modem, they can't force him to pay anything. 1st, let me say I think this entire concept of who owns the modem is silly. I've had OOL for almost 4 years now. I paid for the modem. If it failed and they gave me a new one at no cost, I really don't think I own the new one. It just doesn't logically make any sense to me. As for "proof"... if CV bills you for an unreturned modem, the "cost" of dealing with the hassle has to be more then the cost you could ever get from the modem. Just give it back. While that might be true, I wouldn't want to give it back without some sort of a fight. You pay them all that money each month and then when you are ready to move on they slap you in the face and lie to you that it is their modem. I don't think it would be that hard for them to mail you proof, if they don't have it you are clear. Some people might have enough money that they don't care, but $50 or so is still $50 that is mine. If I could get that off Ebay it makes sense to keep it and sell it. I don't know the actual price of modems on Ebay today, haven't purchased one in over 2 years.
-Tzale
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GeekNJPremium
join:2000-09-23
Waldwick, NJ
1 edit | If you bought the original modem from CV before they started providing them without requiring a purchase, then I agree, you own the modem. I still don't think you own a modem if CV replaced your existing modem at no cost to you.
I don't recall, but I thought, referencing the original post, that the SB5100 was distributed AFTER OOL started giving modems at no cost?
I used the Internet Archive at »www.archive.org and at least as far back as May 2002, you got a modem for free.
See »web.archive.org/web/200205252359···ine.com/ and you can see you can get a free modem. Before that is a Jan 2002 version which shows a $40 cost for a refurbed modem, so some time between Jan and May 2002 is when they offered a free modem.
If the original poster has the service for 2 years as they wrote, they don't own the modem. In fact, you'd have to have it over 3 years to even have a shot at owning your original modem.
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TzaleProud Libertarian ConservativePremium
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro | said by GeekNJ:If you bought the original modem from CV before they started providing them without requiring a purchase, then I agree, you own the modem. I still don't think you own a modem if CV replaced your existing modem at no cost to you. I don't recall, but I thought, referencing the original post, that the SB5100 was distributed AFTER OOL started giving modems at no cost? I used the Internet Archive at » www.archive.org and at least as far back as May 2002, you got a modem for free. See » web.archive.org/web/200205252359···ine.com/ and you can see you can get a free modem. Before that is a Jan 2002 version which shows a $40 cost for a refurbed modem, so some time between Jan and May 2002 is when they offered a free modem. If the original poster has the service for 2 years as they wrote, they don't own the modem. In fact, you'd have to have it over 3 years to even have a shot at owning your original modem. Yes, I agree if the modem was replaced then you are basically getting a loaner modem from CV. However, it is possible that he bought the modem and used it. As you know he probably just called up with the MAC address and never took a loaner modem. It might be possible that the customer service representative just didn't know that it was possible to own your own modem since they may be new or something.
-Tzale
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 Lex LuthorPremium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Hicksville, NY
kudos:3
OptimumOnline
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1 edit | reply to GeekNJ
said by GeekNJ:1st, let me say I think this entire concept of who owns the modem is silly. I've had OOL for almost 4 years now. I paid for the modem. If it failed and they gave me a new one at no cost, I really don't think I own the new one. It just doesn't logically make any sense to me.
Agreed. I was in the same boat. My terajet (that I owned) broke, they brought me a new Motorola. I never thought for a second that the Motorola was now mine to own. I have the opportunity to fix my terajet under mfg warranty and if it's expired, then I'm out of luck. One thing that clouds this some though is that the CV guy wanted to take my terajet. I said I owned it and wanted to keep it, so he said ok. Why are they asking me for a modem that I own if their intent isn't to let you own the new modem that replaced the broken modem you owned? I think, in the end, if I gave him my terajet and then canceled OOL and they billed me for keeping my Motorola, I'd probably feel wronged and fight it pretty hard. I just think such a small percentage of customers own their modems now that they just assume everyone is leasing one and they don't even look at their records. |
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 Irish SharkPlay Like A Champion TodayPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-29
Las Vegas, NV
kudos:4 | reply to GeekNJ
If I give them a MODEM that I paid for in exchange for a new MODEM, I own the new one.
If I keep my MODEM, then the one they give me is a loaner.
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“Ninety percent of the game is half mental.” Yogi Berra |
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TzaleProud Libertarian ConservativePremium
join:2004-01-06
NYC Metro | said by Irish Shark:If I give them a MODEM that I paid for in exchange for a new MODEM, I own the new one. If I keep my MODEM, then the one they give me is a loaner. Yes, that makes 100% sense.
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 jaaPremium
join:2000-06-13
kudos:2
 ·Optimum Online
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| reply to Irish Shark
said by Irish Shark:If I give them a MODEM that I paid for in exchange for a new MODEM, I own the new one. If I keep my MODEM, then the one they give me is a loaner. Just make sure if you give them your modem, you have a written receipt showing you own the new one. Easier to get the situation cleared up at the time than after the fact.
If push comes to shove, CV will have a receipt from their supplier showing they purchased the modem. What will you have?
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Irish SharkPlay Like A Champion TodayPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-29
Las Vegas, NV
kudos:4 | I got a receipt when I traded in my SB3100. When I moved to LV, OOL asked about the MODEM. I just told them "I own it." End of story.
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“Ninety percent of the game is half mental.” Yogi Berra |
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| reply to GeekNJ
said by GeekNJ:If the original poster has the service for 2 years as they wrote, they don't own the modem. In fact, you'd have to have it over 3 years to even have a shot at owning your original modem. Wrong. They may have already owned the modem and simply registered it when they got OOL.
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1 edit | reply to sharksfan3
The modem is MINE. I purchased it from Best Buy a few months before I signed on to OOL.
I have a copy of an email received from OOL when I first signed up. It was a statement of what they were sending me:
Dear new Optimum Online subscriber:
Thank you for ordering Optimum Online, and congratulations! You are joining more than 1,000,000 people in the tri-state area who enjoy our high-speed Internet service.
This e-mail confirms your order and verifies the equipment we're sending you, the price of your service and when you can expect equipment delivery:
Order Number: 45490118
Qty Product Unit Price Subtotal
1 Self-Installation Kit $0.00 $0.00
1 OptimumOnline Service $44.95 $29.95
Sub Total: $29.95
Shipping Fee: $0.00
Sales Tax: $0.00
Total: $29.95
I gave this copy to my dad. The installation kit I received contained 2 cable wires, a splitter (with hardware), and an instruction manual.
If they give him any more trouble, I will ask him to have them prove what type of modem they gave us.
Upon further research, we have only had the service for like 16 months... Dont know why I was thinking 2 years. |
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 ChillybottUnderstands Marx And LeninPremium
join:2002-02-15
MHV, NY, USA
1 edit | reply to sharksfan3
sharksfan3  , you might want to stop into the Wappinger service office and have them check it out there. I recently 'swapped' my SB4100 in for a SB4200, but when I was in the office, the lady helping me told me that I in fact owned my modem, and that I could just take the 4200 with me so long as I return it if and when I cancel my services. They would have taken the SB4100 if I wanted to get rid of it, but otherwise, I own it.
I say this just because the call centers may not always have your exact information....I don't think I've ever talked to anyone IN the Wappinger office when I dial the local number. When I actually visited the office, they seemed a little bit more knowledgable about my account.
At the very least, at that point, you may be able to ask them for the proof of their ownership that RickNY suggested.
And bring a copy of that e-mail too, just in case! 
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"Being a Christian is a fine thing but not always an easy one."
-- Pope Paul VI |
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1 edit | reply to sharksfan3
The order number from their email might come in handy. Tell them to look up the order. |
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