Derek Currie: January 2013

If I were a masochist, I would be writhing in pleasure at this point thanks to the consistent customer abuse I am receiving from Time Warner Cable. It never stops.

My previous adventure ended in TWC never calling me back after my complaint to their executive office regarding their worse-than-lousy installation service. Thanks to me, I have everything working fine at this point.

Then TWC sent me the first bill for the new Basic Cable service and Turbo Internet services. The difference between the Order Summary I received and the billing statement I received is on the order of a nightmare. It's a bait and switch CUSTOMER GOUGE JOB. Let's compare:

A) My Bundle Price For 12 Months Order Summary

Basic TV (cable): Included
Turbo Internet: Included
I own my own WiFi and Modem: Included
Outlet One-Time Charges: Included

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Total Charges (excluding taxes and fees), One-Time Charge Included: $49.99

Service Installation Fee: $19.95
Service Installation Fee Waived: -$19.95
∑ = No fee.
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B) My First Time Warner Cable Billing Statement

Monthly service charges

Basic Service: $12.00
Standard Internet: $49.99
Turbo Internet: $9.99

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Total monthly service charges: $71.98
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Difference in monthly service charges, billed versus ordered: $21.99

GOUGE!

Plus this exciting bit of gouging:

C) One-time charges

Install, Internet Service: $39.99
Home Networking Install: $49.99

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Total one-time charges: $89.98

SUPER GOUGE!

Needless to say, I am going to the TWC offices (as opposed to wasting my life on their phone lines), with both my Order Summary and gouge infested Billing Statement in hand. Thankfully, their office is about 1/4 mile from my home. I will be armed with a promise to move all my services over to Verizon FIOS if TWC don't come clean.

If further TWC biznizz bozosity behavior manifests, I'll be providing Part III with the details. If you don't hear from me, they either decided to make good on my Order Summary, or they had me assassinated for muck raking their customer abuse in public. (Just kidding! I hope!)

Meanwhile, here are a some other TWC customer complaint links for your enjoyment. There are plenty more where these came from:

Time Warner Cable Finds New Way To Gouge Customers With "Modem Rental Fee"

TWC Modem leasing fees, and the Class Action Suit

Time Warner faces lawsuit over new monthly modem fee

Time Warner Cable: Everything a Company Should NOT Be. {Ranting!}