US Telco Support → Frontier Communications > [DSL] How to return Frontier modems? (local office closed)

[DSL] How to return Frontier modems? (local office closed)

Frontier permanently closed our local office some months ago.

A week ago suddenly a box with a new DSL modem appeared. We did not request a new modem. In fact, we suspect Frontier sent it when the realized we were porting our phone # and Internet to TWC.

Being that the switch to TWC is now complete, how do I go about returning the new modem, as well as the old modem from 10 years ago that I've not been using for 5 years anyway? (Been using my own, even though they never allowed us to drop the modem rental fee.) Have original shipping boxes for both modems.

I guess I should be on the lookout for Frontier tacking on extra mysterious charges on our final bill once we ask them to cancel account?

Any help would be appreciated.

If you did not request the modem then it is Frontiers responsibility to arrange for either pickup by one of their local folks or to supply you with a prepaid return label. You should not be liable for any charges for these items. One the Frontier employees that frequent these pages should be able to give to help you out.

I just spoke to a Frontier CSR who told me that Frontier DID NOT WANT them back.

I find this kind of hard to just accept at face value.

This was stated repeatedly in answer to my further questioning.

Just don't want any "You owe us $100 for unreturned modem" nonsense.

I have the reps, name, extension, and the current account balance written down for future reference.

I'm tempted to call back again, and see if a different CSR will give me a different story.

The one good thing about Frontier is that they don't seem to care about giving out modems. I have a 7550 and two 7500's sitting at the house and they've never charged me for any of them.

Worked for them, you should see the panic hen someone tries to return something, they have no clue how to process it. they'd rather you keep them than use up 50 man hours trying to figure out what to do with it and then throwing it in a warehouse bin anyway.

When I upgraded to bonded DSL, the local tech said that Frontier does not even ask about the old 7500/7550s. I still have my old one and have not heard a thing about it nearly a year later.

I wouldn't worry about it to much.

I was having latency issues and instead of looking inwards to the network issues, they sent me a new 7550. Every time i complained they sent me a new modem, i have three of them laying around the place....

They hand them things out like they were candy!

Hmm. Sounds like the modem rental fee hard at work. Giving everyone modems

Only a few years ago, Frontier was very tight with modems in this area. If you turned service off, you'd have to return whatever modem you held, whether it was something as old as the SpeedStream 5100 / 6250 or something newer at the time like an SE567. If you didn't mail it back or drop it off at the local CO, you'd find a nice charge on your final bill.

I guess that means I can toss the old 3COM 812 router they provided me about 10 years ago ?

Up to you. If it's 10 years old, I'm positive they'll do nothing with it besides recycle it, or toss it in the nearest dumpster.