Three months ago a person that is having a rough time financially needed to get internet and cable, cable for her child, and TWC wouldn’t give her credit, so I did some looking.

She was on DishNetwork, and TWC, Time Warner Cable for those who don’t know, was doing a special for anyone that transferred from a competitor with a good price if they got Internet, phone and cable with HBO.  Just a little more than I was paying for internet and basic cable.  AND you got a DVR with it as well.  If you kept your bills current for 3 months you would get a Samsung Galaxy tablet as well.  So I helped her out and got her hooked up.  I was told that I would have to be with the new set up for two months the request the tablet.

The next day I decided to upgrade my system to this program as well, and was informed by a different person that I qualified on this account too, as I was upgrading an existing service.  I was also told that I would have to wait two months to start the claim for the tablet.

At the two month mark, I called TWC to get things going.  I was told that I had thirty days from the day I had the service connected under the plan to reply to an email and then had to wait three months total (from first day of the new service) to get a voucher to get it.  WHAT email?  I had never gotten it, and yes, I checked (and check daily) the spam/junk mail, not there.  They did send me the email again, but when I clicked on the link in it, I was informed I was outside the 30 days.

After much talk, the lady agreed that both accounts were qualified IF I had received the email and she opened a ticket to get it looked into.  I never heard back, so yesterday I called and was informed the ticket was closed, that I was outside the 30 days, and was not eligible for the tablet.  I asked about it and pushed it some and then was told that the new account was ONE DAY LATE in payment so it was disqualified, and that my “upgrade” wasn’t eligible now, and it too was out of the 30 day window.  I pushed back and said it was out of the 30 day window because I was told I had to wait two months and that I did not receive the initial email.  I also informed them that I had the original online ad, and it showed upgrade as being an option as well.

The SNOTTY (in tone and attitude) response was, well, the ticket is closed, and you do not qualify now because you didn’t do everything you needed to do in a timely manner.

I feel like on both accounts I was baited and switched just to acquire in the first instance, and upgrade in the second instance, with an offer they had no intent to uphold.

When I told the guy I was talking to (after being upgraded to a “special analyst” by the first person on the chat) that I was not happy with this and felt I was being baited and switch his comment was “Sorry you feel that way, is there anything else I can help you with?”  I replied with, “Well, I think it is time to research aDSL in my area, and dump the second phone line, the TV, and the DVR, guess I don’t need to work with you all anymore.  And while I am at it, I should probably get the DA and an personal attorney involved with this.”

His attitude got even more snotty and his reply is, “Now that attorneys are involved you will need to talk to our legal department and he gave me their number.”

Interesting enough, at the beginning of this online chat, I had requested to receive a transcript of the chat.  Guess what has not shown up a day later?  Yep, the transcript…  Good thing I’m a security nut, as all keyboard and screen action is copied and saved on this computer….

Sigh…