Chip James
@jamescosearch.com
| Incredible Poor Customer Service attitued from Wave2Wave
Wave2Wave (W2W) is an internet service provider which has facilities here in our building at 230 Park Avenue. We have been a customer for over two years to this service.
This summer we began to have problems with our internet service, periodic interruptions, short hiccups and occasional ‘slowness’. My network service provider did analysis, swapped out our equipment and generally tried to narrow down the problem. His conclusion was that W2W somehow was the source of the issue.
I initiated a survey of other facilities based ISPs located here in the building, and realized there are multiple providers who will put fiber directly into our office. I solicited pricing proposals and learned that due to the downturn in the economy, robust excessive bandwidth and the ‘commodity’ nature of the service – I could purchase a lot more bandwidth for not much more money.
An inquiry to W2W to make a proposal for more bandwith – which I hoped would solve the service problems I was experiencing – led to a meeting. W2W tried to ‘save my account’ bo offering a faster service at only a slightly higher price – and offered to immediately do an ‘electronic upgrade’ to the faster service.
The upgrade was a total disaster, with my experience being a severe degradation of service. My repeated attempts to have their designated tech monitor the performance were largely unsuccessful. After a week of incredible pressure from my team – who had problems using any online service, I contacted Cogent Communications to get their service installed. I was very pleased with the installation, the pricing, and (knock on wood) the high quality service with a dedicated fiber line coming directly to my network.
When I attempted to disconnect my W2W service in early November (I had paid through the end of November) they asserted that my original 12 month contract – from September 2006, had automatic one year renewal, and I’d have to pay the balance of service. I asked for a copy of the contract language that I had agreed to those terms, and they did not reply and apparently could not provide me with a copy.
W2W then sicced a very aggressive attorney on my, even though I was not yet past due. I would be delighted to share the overly threatening communications from Wave2Wave’s attorney – they are more offensive than any business communication I have received in 25 years of professional services. To ‘prove’ that I had agreed to those terms originally, the attorney sent me an addendum including that onerous renewal language which is dated early 2008. Over 2 years following my subscription. While every other page of the original contract is signed or initialed – the addendum is not.
The W2W executive in charge of sales offered to take my proposal for payment equivalent to the ‘corporate office’ and over a week later, he has not responded.
Meanwhile, the ‘attack dog’ attorney (in my opinion) continues to make threats, which I no doubt he will follow up on.
I will fight this well beyond the financial amount of the dispute, because of the reckless way Wave2Wave has dealt with me.
My purpose in writing this open memo is to advise you of my experience, have you consider in advance how W2W will deal with you when YOU try to move your account, and have you consider their actions if you are considering using W2W for your internet service.
My advice is to:
• Not subscribe Wave2Wave’s service
• Notify them very far in advance of expiration of your contract – at least to preserver your rights at that time
• Plan on and execute early transfer to an alternative provider well in advance of your end of contract
• Get any ‘negotiations’ or offers from W2W in writing or email
• Use Cogent or another ISP if at all possible.
Good Luck avoiding my experience. Feel free to contact me if you’d like more details.
Chip James |
