Saturday, 24 December 2005
I Churned
Four months ago I made the step to ADSL from Dial-Up. After several years of reliable low cost Dial-Up internet all the while with the one (growing and now large) ISP, I was ready to switch to a cheaper (for ADSL) provider that I found on whirlpool. But then, (not surprisingly to me, I kinda hoped for it) when cancelling my dial-up account with the existing ISP (let's call them Dodo), they offered me an even better deal. But, it was for a 3 month honeymoon period, after that the cost would go up a lot. But I wasn't in a contract so I had nothing to lose....
On signing up for the ADSL there is a connection fee, on the phone they told me they could (P.S. I understood "could" as "would") reduce the normal $94 down to $69 for me, an existing Dial-Up customer. But that wasn't what they charged me, when I queried it they said I would get a credit (several times they said that), at the end of the 3 months. Guess what; it didn't come. After 3 months (but with the 7 days notice) I again told them I was leaving them, and now churning to that same ISP I found on whirlpool. But then I did a dumb thing; I let them talk me into staying with them, but instead of $49/month unlimited @256/64 (the plan I was rolling into) they would give me 1Gb @ 512 for $24/month, capped at $74/month (I guess 15-18c/Mb above the 1Gb) countering the other co. deal of 2Gb @256 for $24/month and excess at $3/Gb. Which given my current low useage seemed a good deal, faster and same price. Well surprise, surprise, surprise (trivia Q: which TV star often said that?) they didn't charge me $24, they charged me $49.90 and the $25 credit didn't come either.
And so I churned. After the $70 churn fee I figure I am $10 behind where I would have been if I had just changed to the new ISP in the first place. Of course that is not the whole story, there was also numerous phone calls, and the amusing email they sent me today (well yesterday now) asking me to confirm by phone my cancellation, HA HA HA, only using the phone was what got me in a mess in the first place. You really must always get things in writing.
BTW I have taken it up with my bank to reverse the "incorrect" charges (Credit Card debits), we will see how far that gets. I haven't named names (much) but already the new ISP has been significanty more responsive, and customer service much better, if their "processes" were a little "interesting".
On signing up for the ADSL there is a connection fee, on the phone they told me they could (P.S. I understood "could" as "would") reduce the normal $94 down to $69 for me, an existing Dial-Up customer. But that wasn't what they charged me, when I queried it they said I would get a credit (several times they said that), at the end of the 3 months. Guess what; it didn't come. After 3 months (but with the 7 days notice) I again told them I was leaving them, and now churning to that same ISP I found on whirlpool. But then I did a dumb thing; I let them talk me into staying with them, but instead of $49/month unlimited @256/64 (the plan I was rolling into) they would give me 1Gb @ 512 for $24/month, capped at $74/month (I guess 15-18c/Mb above the 1Gb) countering the other co. deal of 2Gb @256 for $24/month and excess at $3/Gb. Which given my current low useage seemed a good deal, faster and same price. Well surprise, surprise, surprise (trivia Q: which TV star often said that?) they didn't charge me $24, they charged me $49.90 and the $25 credit didn't come either.
And so I churned. After the $70 churn fee I figure I am $10 behind where I would have been if I had just changed to the new ISP in the first place. Of course that is not the whole story, there was also numerous phone calls, and the amusing email they sent me today (well yesterday now) asking me to confirm by phone my cancellation, HA HA HA, only using the phone was what got me in a mess in the first place. You really must always get things in writing.
BTW I have taken it up with my bank to reverse the "incorrect" charges (Credit Card debits), we will see how far that gets. I haven't named names (much) but already the new ISP has been significanty more responsive, and customer service much better, if their "processes" were a little "interesting".
Blog #1
Well here we go, this is my first Blog entry.
