Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Earthlink, LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

close

Find a Location

Earthlink, LLC has 73 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

BBB accredited

Near

Country

USUnited States

Please enter a valid location.

Filter

• 

  Earthlink, LLC

  980 Hammond Dr Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30328-6161

  
• 

  One Communication

  7150 Windsor Dr Ste 4 Suite 4 Allentown, PA 18106-9328

• 

  Earthlink, LLC

  80-02 Kew Gardens Road Kew Gardens, NY 11415

• 

  Deltacom Communications, Inc.

  2829 Lakeland Dr., Ste 1110 Jackson, MS 39208

• 

  Earthlink

  1 Federal St, Bldg 111-3 West Entrance Springfield, MA 01105

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have had EarthLink since 8-4-23 account number ************ ( *****************************) unfortunately it is the only internet we can get in our new subdivision. Not only do we have to pay ****** per month for only 300GB ( most we can get) we run out of data very quickly and either you have to call to refill the data with hold times as long as 55 mins or you have the option of paying on line to refill. Unfortunately there is a massive problem with their on line refill as it will sometimes double or even triple charge you. To date I have been over billed ******. I called the first time and was assured I would be getting a credit for ****** the only credit I received was ******. Called again and was told to email them bank documentation which I did on ****. I have received no response or credits to date. This poor billing practice has caused my account to go negative at times resulting in several NSF fees I have attached all double and triple charges and the original email. I demand that all credits due to me be refunded IMMEDIATELY. My next step will be with ********* Attorney General.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2023

  Date: - 09-25-2023
  ***************************** BBB # ********
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct Status: Active
  
  In the complaint, the consumer states that they had the EarthLink internet service since August 4, 2023, and are paying $175 a month for 300GB.  The consumer states that they are facing online payment issues. The consumer claims that they have been charged twice or thrice. The consumer claims to have been overbilled and charged $889.60 to date.  The consumer states that he had contacted EarthLink and was assured that he would be getting credit for $236 but he received only $152.90. The consumer is looking for the remaining credit which he was assured.  The consumer states that he has sent his bank statement however, he has not received any reply from EarthLink. The consumer complained that EarthLinks poor billing practice has caused his account to go negative at times resulting in several NSF fees. The consumer has threatened to escalate this issue to the Attorney General in case this issue is not resolved by EarthLink.
  
  We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer in this regard. We have escalated the consumers issue to the concerned team. We received a reply stating that when any customer makes a payment to **********************, the system automatically adds the amount of data that was charged to the customer. As per our records, whatever payments were made, that amount of data was added to the customers EarthLink account.  The consumer did contact us in the month of July 2023 in regard to this issue.  We did offer to provide the customer a refund of $236 and this amount was fully refunded on three different credit cards since we received the payments from them.  We have mentioned in the file the last 4 digits of the credit card numbers. We would advise the customer to check on all three different credit card statements.  We have sent a file to the customer containing every payment and refund transaction detail that was done with EarthLink.  This file contains the dates on which the consumer was charged and also the amount of data that was added next to it.  Plus, it also contains the 8 different refund transactions totaling $236.30 that were refunded back to the customer.  We have marked the refund transaction in yellow. Furthermore, upon checking our database we have found that whatever data the customer had purchased was fully used up. Therefore,there was no further refund or credit given to the customer.
  
  
  We tried reaching the customer by phone and via email.  We finally received an email from the customer stating that whatever amount that he was charged, that amount of data was not provided to him.  The consumer therefore has requested a refund of $200 in order to bring this matter to a close.  We would like to inform the consumer that our concerned team will send a file containing the proof of copy of the data purchased.  ********* purchase/refund file will be emailed to the same contact email address from which we received the reply.  EarthLink declines any further refund or credit on the account as the consumer has used up all the data that was provided on the account.  Lastly, we would like to inform the customer that in case they see any duplicate charges then they need to immediately contact EarthLink to resolve this billing issue.The confirmation for this response is SDP # ******.
  
  
  
  
  
  Respectfully
  
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  ***************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2023

   
  Complaint: 20636161
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 1. There are only 2 cards on file with earhtlink I do not even own 3 credit cards. 2. The ****** refund we received went back to the card ending in **** which was shown in the bank statements. No other credit was issued prompting my email on August 14th which was never addressed. 2. AGAIN as I stated had we received all the data that they claim there would have been no need to purchase more data the following day ! This is absolute THEFT at this point. Not to mention it happened again on Friday night ! I added 10gb for ***** the next day card ending in **** was charged the ***** 3 more times!!!!!! The ******  refunded does not even begin to touch the surface. If I had to call every time the billing was screwed up I would have been on the phone with them no less than 5-6 hours over the past 2 months. Again the hold time is ***** mins every single time you call. What are the last 4 of the supposed 3 cards they refunded this money too ? I can prove which I have, by bank statements that the only monies refunded went back to the card ending in ****. This is now being escalated to the states Attorney General. If your business practice is to be deceitful and rob people because your service is the only option then you can take it up with the **** I will also gather every bit of evidence I can that we are not the only ones being robbed by this obscene billing practice. Maybe you should take all the extra monies you are stealing from people and fix your app !!! 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2023

  Date: - 09-27-23
  ***************************** BBB Rebuttal # ********
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Active
  
  In the BBB rebuttal, the consumer declined the response stating that he had only two credit cards on file and does not own three cards.  The consumer states that the refund for the amount of $152.90 was refunded only on the credit card ending with ****.  The consumer claims that there was no other refund placed on any of his credit cards. The consumer states that if he had received data that EarthLink claims then he had no reason for purchasing extra data the very next day.  The consumer states that on August 22, 2023,he added 10 GB for $13.90.  However, the next day he saw three charges of the same amount on the credit card ending with ****. The consumer states that this issue has been escalated to the state's Attorney General.  The consumer in the resolution is seeking a refund for the extra charges.
  
  We apologize for all the inconvenience caused to the consumer in this regard.  In order to answer the dispute, the consumer states that he is only aware of the two credit cards that he had used with EarthLink.  As mentioned in the previous response the consumer did have three cards which were used to make payments on his EarthLink account.  There were three credit cards used on the account ending in the last four digits ****, ****, and ****.  As per our records, the card ending in **** was added when the account was started on June 29, 2023. The card ending in **** was added to the account on July 16, 2023, and it became the default card. Later the card ending in **** was added to the account on July 18 and it became the default card. Again, on July 19, 2023, the card ending in **** became the new default card.  On July 20, 2023, the card ending in **************************************************** **** was removed from the account. So, on the account, the consumer currently has 2 cards on file.   Therefore, when the refund was placed, the refund was given according to the payment received by these three cards. This refund was placed on July 31, 2023, but it takes 3 days for this transaction to complete.  So, the refund transaction might appear at the end of the July statement or at the beginning of the August statement. Below is the breakdown of the total refunds placed on these three cards.
  1.      Card ending with **** there was a refund placed for $13.90 +$27.80 = $41.70
  2.      Card ending with **** there was a refund placed for $20.85 +$6.95 + $13.90 = $41.70
  3.      Card ending with **** there was a refund placed for $41.70 +$65.50 + $41.70 = $148.90
  The total for all is $232.30 which was refunded to the consumer.

  
  We did contact the consumer via email and also sent the above payment transaction file.  However, the consumer still disputed stating that he did not have the three cards and mentioned having only cards ending with **** and ****.  The consumer in reply to the email did not notice that the bank statement that he had sent to us to cross-verify was for the card ending with ************************* the previous response that he was not aware of this card. The last four digits of the card **** is clearly mentioned on the bank statement sent by the consumer to us.  We also did send a request to send the bank statement for August first week for all three cards,so that we could check on our end. However, we have not received a reply from the consumer in this regard.
  
  In regard to the dispute of duplicate charges on his credit card.  The consumer had this issue in the past since July and he was well aware that if such an instance occurs, he needs to contact EarthLink immediately.  However, the consumer seems to be contacting EarthLink a bit late when all the data is nearly used up.  As mentioned in the previous response when the payment is made the data was added to the account and as per the records the data was used. If the data is used up, then its difficult to place a refund on the account. ********************** therefore declines to place any more credits or refunds on the account as the consumer is well aware of the payment situation and its refund process. We would also like to inform the consumer if the charge is in pending status, then it is dropped by the bank once the authorization is complete. These are banking procedures.  If there is a duplicate charge, we request the consumer to dispute the charges in a timely manner. In the given scenario, all the charges are valid, and the data has been used up.  Also, necessary refunds have been provided as mentioned above on the three different credit cards. The confirmation for this response is SDP # ******.
  
  
  Respectfully
  
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  ****************************************************************************************;
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2023

   
  Complaint: 20636161
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The card ending in **** is a master card associate with the ****** app and not connected to any type of conventional bank so placing a refund on that card would be IMPOSSIBLE. These transactions have been disputed when there was data on the account not just when it is used up. Regardless of whether it is used up or not charging ***** X 3 to only receive 10gb of data is again a huge error within website as well as the app.  It blows my mind that EarthLink is still in business with these deceitful practices. It's extremely clear that they do not care if they s**** their customers over or not... maybe they have not noticed the one star rating and terrible reviews they have been given by 100's of people such as myself. It would seem after they had to settle a massive lawsuit in 2010 the ****** would have been learned... guess not. Not to worry the Attorney General has already been contacted. What you are doing is against the law ... maybe you should look up the definition of fraud !  Don't bother responding ... take it up with the state AG , this is a waste of my time. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received service from Earthlink beginning 8/17/2023. I had several issues with the service from signal dropping to not being able to access more than one device at a time(which I was told I would be able to) ie- not being able to connect to my computer for school work and not being able to connect to the ps5.Another issue I had was the amount of GB it says we were using when the majority of our day was spent at work/school. I was charged again for this service on 9/21/2023. I requested a refund and was told that they couldn't refund me and to use what I could...well I can't. They can look back at usage and see that we haven't had any usage in almost 2 weeks. I have requested that the service be cancelled and would like to have my refund of $176.12

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2023

  Date: - 09-21-2023
  ********************* BBB # ******** 
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  In the complaint, the consumer states that she received service from EarthLink beginning August 17, 2023. The consumer states that she was facing a signal-dropping issue along with not being able to connect to more than one device.  The consumer has mentioned her difficulties trying to get her connection and internet usage issue resolved.  The consumer in her resolution would like EarthLink to cancel her account and has requested a refund of $176.12. 
  
  On reviewing the account, we see that the service was set up for Wireless Home Internet service. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused due to the connection issue. We had accordingly escalated this issue to our concerned team. We have received a reply from them stating that the consumer had contacted EarthLink today.  The concerned team stated that they have approved a refund of the above amount of $176.12.  Please allow up to 3 business days for this refund transaction to complete.  The consumers account is inactive and there would be no further charges unless the consumer does not return the modem within 30 days.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced in bringing this to a close. The confirmation for this response is SDP # ******.
  
  Respectfully
  
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  ******************************************************************************************;
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/21/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 9-05-23 I contacted EarthLink to start providing me with both internet and TV services. They said I would be charged $86.55 for installation but would receive a prepaid credit card for $100.00 after service was started. I authorized the $86.55 to be paid for installation on 9-11-23. (My bank account was billed $79.95 and $6.60) On 9-11-23 I received a phone call from EarthLink stating they were unable to install their equipment because they needed access to **** fiber network and I was told that ATT was working on it at the moment and I would be informed of a new date for installation. A few days later I received a phone call from EarthLink stating that **** was still not working and installation not available but I would continue to be informed. A week and a half has gone by with repeated calls stating the same information, A couple of calls recieved between 8:00 A.M.-9:00 A.M. witch went to voicemail, one voicemail message repeated the same information and today's call just hung up. Today 9-20-23 I called to cancel EarthLink and request my money be refunded. I was refused as the man only wanted to talk about the past phone calls and when I asked him to please stop arguing with me and simply refund my money he wouldn't. I in formed him I would get it returned another way.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2023

  Date: - 09-21-2023
  ***** (************************** BBB # ******** 
  EarthLink Account # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  
  In the complaint, the consumer states that on September 5,2023, she contacted EarthLink to sign up for Internet and TV service. The consumer states after signing up they were having difficulties getting their services installed by EarthLink, as the installation date was getting postponed. The consumer has mentioned their dissatisfaction with EarthLink as their services were never installed and she also faced difficulties in getting her services canceled.  The consumer in her resolution would like EarthLink to cancel her account and has requested a refund of whatever she has paid to EarthLink. The consumer is seeking a resolution from EarthLink in this regard.
  
  We apologize for the difficulties the consumer experienced while trying to get their services installed. EarthLink always strives for a better customer experience. We would like to assure all our consumers that EarthLink makes all reasonable efforts to provide high-quality service with award-winning support. On reviewing the account, we see that the consumer was offered high-speed HyperLink internet access.  This type of service requires a professional installation and requires the use of a high-speed modem that is installed during the technician's visit.  The complex nature of the internet service depends upon various factors such as line quality, inside wiring, Internet traffic, and other factors beyond the control of EarthLink .   Due to one of these factors, the installation was getting delayed. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer in this regard.  However, as per the consumers request, we have gone ahead and inactivated the consumers EarthLink account.  The account is inactive and there would be no further billing on the account.
  
  Lastly in order to bring this matter to a close we have placed a refund of $86.55 which the consumer has paid to EarthLink at the time of signup.  Please allow up to 3 business days for this refund transaction to complete. The confirmation for this response is 202417169.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Respectfully
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  ***************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/22/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** (**************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/14/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  September 1st I set up a appointment for earthlink Internet. I ask how much$ I would need to get my services going they told me $79.95 and wouldn't owe a payment until next month on the 11th of oct. That's when my bill would be Due each month.I okay my bill to come out on the 11th of each month using my card for the $79.95, about 30 minutes to a hour at the most got a message on my phone earthlink took out $4.80 I was mad so I called they said it was taxes, I said shouldn't that been included on what I was told to pay couldn't answer it kept on telling me what it was for took out the $4.80 without calling me or telling, I was mad. So September 13th got message from earthlink saying payment failed, But I know it didn't, so I called them they said the $77,95 and the $4.80 was to hook it up but bill due on Sept 14 month in advance, I am fired up now even more they said if $79.95 wasn't payed by 16th the terminating my Internet and no refund, I said see you in court.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2023

  09/15/2023
  *************************-BBB #********
  EarthLink Acct #********
  Acct status: Active
  
  The consumer states that she set up an appointment for EarthLink internet. It is stated that she asked for payment and was told it is $79.95 and wouldnt have to pay until the next month on the 11th of October. The consumer states that she was okay with the billing on 11th of every month. Within an hour she got a message that $4.80 was debited. It is stated that she called and was explained that it was tax. On September 13th she got another message that the payment failed. The consumer was told that if the account is not paid by 18th then the internet would terminate with no refund. The consumer is seeking a refund.
  
  On reviewing the account we see that the service is set up of high speed HyperLink internet access. We apologize for the negative impact and any miscommunication that *** have happened. ***************** requires a professional installation, and needs the use of high speed modem that is installed during the technicians visit. The initial payment at sign up is the activation fee and must be paid before the equipment is sent to the consumers home. To start the service the consumer must pay the first month invoice in advance. If the customer lives in a state that levies a sales tax, the customer will see that tax as a separate line item on the CC statement. The exact amount of taxes and/or fees that EarthLink collects is based on the taxing statutes and regulations of the state and local jurisdiction, and the types of EarthLink products and services the consumer has. The charge of $78.68 invoiced on 09/13/2023 was rejected. The account has an outstanding balance and is set to close as of 09/16/2023. We are protecting the account for ten days till 09/26/2023. The consumer must make the payment by 09/25/2023 to avoid interruption in service. Once the payment is made the consumer has the ability to switchtothe bill cycle date of their choice. We would like to assure all our consumers that EarthLink always strives for better customer experience and we will take this opportunity to improve our staff and services. The confirmation number for this response is 202401944.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer *** have experienced.
  
  Respectfully
  
  *******************
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  *************************************************************************; 
  [email protected]
  
  Online Internet Service Agreement:
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/14/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I called EarthLink on August 28th after our router fell and our internet no longer worked. They said our service was disconnected and we would have to have it completely reinstalled. I asked them how much it would be for reinstallation and they stated $260. I advised them I would call back on September 1st and make the payment for reactivation. I called and made the $260 payment on September 1st as they stated our service would be reactivated after that payment and someone would call back within ***** hours to schedule a time for installation. After not hearing back I called back several more times just to be told that they were still waiting to hear back from a technician. Finally, after another time of not getting a call back, I called them again on September 13th. They stated that they no longer provide service for my location and could not reactivate service. Also, that I could only get $15 back because the rest went toward my past due bill. Im not disputing that I did in fact have a past due bill, but the fact that they made me believe that if I made the $260 payment that I would for sure get service back. They made a false claim to get the payment and then rendered no services other than giving me a number to call for another internet service provider. $260 is not a small amount of money to our family. The money we spent would have normally been spent on much more important things like food and gas money for work, but my brother is severely autistic and internet is a big part of his life so we thought we would make the sacrifice since EarthLink assured us our service would be reactivated.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2023

  09/15/2023
  ***************************-BBB # ********
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  The consumer states that she called EarthLink on 08/28/2023 after the router fell and the internet did not work. The consumer was told that the service was disconnected and needs to be reinstalled. It is stated that she asked for the price and she was told it would be $260. When she called back to reactivate she was told that someone would call back in ***** hours to schedule a time for installation. The consumer states that she was assured that the service would be reactivated if she made the payment of $260. It is mentioned that after many call backs she was informed that her area is no longer serviceable and therefore could not reactivate the service. It is further stated that the money would have been spent on more important things. The consumer is seeking a refund.
  
  On reviewing the account we see that the service was set up for high speed HyperLink internet access. The charge of $94.23 for 05/27/2023 was rejected. The account got inactive due to the past due balance. The account was under a term commitment of one year. As per the policy, if the account goes inactive within the first year of service the consumer is liable to pay an Early Termination Fee of up to $200. The account was therefore charged $150 as Early Termination Fee by the system. The total amount applicable for reactivation of the service was $244.23 which included the monthly charge of $94.23. The service can be re-provisioned only when there is no past due balance on the account. To re-provision the service, we need to re-run the serviceability check. EarthLink cannot guarantee that the Service can be provisioned to the address,even if it has accepted the order. When the service is completely disconnected from the circuit there may be no potential circuits available to re-provision the service. Because of the complex nature of Service, availability and the underlying infrastructure, certain factors are beyond the control of EarthLink. In an effort to resolve this issue we are processing a refund of the Early Termination Fee of $150. Please allow up to 3 days for the refund to reflect in the credit card statement. The current status of the account is inactive as of 09/15/2023 and there will be no further billing. EarthLink makes all reasonable efforts to provide high quality service with award winning support. The confirmation number for this response is 202402677.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced.
  
  Respectfully
  
  *******************
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  *************************************************************************; 
  [email protected]
  
  Online Internet Service Agreement:
  *************************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/15/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and although the business blatantly lied for weeks and their customer service reps have not in any way been properly trained, I find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On August 23, 2023, I contacted Earth Link and explained that I was getting very poor service and connection with my **** internet and that I was looking to find better service. He was quick to tell me that he could help. I was told there would be a ***** installation fee, so I proceeded to order the service. On August 29, 2023, the other household member stayed home from work and when a technician arrived at the house to install, he noticed we had **** service and said that there was nothing to install. He explained that we were getting terrible internet service and requested he change out the equipment. He said that it would not help, did not swap anything out and nothing was performed. On August 31, 2023 we received our first monthly service charge of *****. Our internet is the same poor service because it is still ****. So when I returned from vacation (the account is in my name) I called to cancel the Earth ************ and asked to be refunded for the service and lack of installation. They only refunded the monthly service charge of *****. Since they didn't install anything and did not swap out the equipment, I do not feel they are *********** any installation fee since nothing was installed. Also, the **** equipment is so old that **** did not want it back and said to just recycle it. I feel deceived by Earth Link since I disclosed I was with **** and wanted out and they failed to mention the service they were selling me was ****. I feel the technician failed to do any installation of any kind and reported back to Earth Link that he changed out our equipment, equipment that **** was expecting me to recycle. I am owed ***** for an installation that did not occur and for selling me a service that I already had.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2023

  Date:- 09-14-2023
  ************************* BBB # ******** 
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct Status: Inactive
  
  In the complaint, the consumer states that he was signed up for the same service that he had with AT&T.  The consumer states that AT&T had poor internet service and so therefore he decided to switch to EarthLink.  The consumer states that the installer who came to install the service was from AT&T.The consumer complained that the installer did not get a new modem to install and neither did anything to install the service.  The consumer stated that on using the EarthLink services he realized that he was facing the same speed issue that he had with AT&T.  The consumer states that he got the service canceled due to this speed issue.  The consumer states that he was offered a refund towards the monthly bill but was declined a refund towards the installation fee.  The consumer in his resolution would like EarthLink to refund the installation fee too. 
  
  We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer. EarthLink takes feedback like this quite seriously and we will address any failure to the people responsible allowing them to help improve our EarthLink services to more closely align with what our consumers expect. We would like to assure all the consumers that EarthLink always strives for a better customer experience and takes every opportunity to improve its staff and services. On reviewing the account, we see that the service was signed up for high-speed HyperLink internet service.  ***************** requires a professional installation, and an installation fee is charged to the consumer. This amount is paid to the installer to personally visit the consumers premises to install their services.  If the consumer cancels before the installation, then the money paid to EarthLink is fully refunded. If the consumer cancels the service after the installation and before the remorse period ends, then the consumer is refunded all funds except the installation fee. Therefore, such consumers are not eligible for a refund of the installation fee of $79.95 as the cancellation request was received after the service was installed.
  
  However,in order to bring this matter to a close and as the consumer stated that the installer did not set up or install any equipment or devices, as an exception to standard policy, we are refunding the $79.95 installation fee. We also placed a refund request against the monthly fee charged to the consumer. The consumer would see these two refunds, $79.95 and $59.19 on his bank account.Please allow up to 3 business days for the refund process to complete. The current status of the account is inactive as of September 12, 2023, and it may take 7 to 10 days for the line to be released.  The confirmation number for this response is 202395729.
  
  
  
  Respectfully
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  **************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/14/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 8/30/2023 an EarthLink sales representative sold ** the Wi-Fi router with 300 GB of data per month. There was an initial fee of $80, which we were told was reimbursable within thirty days of service start if we were not satisfied. We signed up for $160 a month in internet fees with EarthLink, also a decision made based on what the sales rep told us, that if we were not satisfied with the service within the first thirty days, we would have a full reimbursement of fees. We got the equipment on 9/4, and we have been troubleshooting ever since. The Wi-Fi shows full RF bars on both the modem and our devices, but does not function on any devices. We have to use our mobile hotspots on our phones to use the internet on other devices, and we have to turn off Wi-Fi on our phones in order to have internet access (even though it is showing full bars on everything). We spent two weeks on the phone with EarthLinks offshore call center, which apparently cost us 20 GB of data while we were doing so. It worked intermittently and poorly a few times in the troubleshooting with EarthLink. On 9/10, after many troubleshooting sessions with EarthLink, I was told that they had exhausted all options and would need to escalate this to Tech for troubleshooting, and we scheduled Tech to call me 9/11 at 11 AM EST. The call never came. I called today, 9/12, and was called childish and laughed at when I asked to speak to a supervisor for the way we have been treated. I was told they cannot. I asked to speak to Tech so they could fulfill the troubleshooting call and find a solution, but was told Tech doesnt call customers or speak to customers, so he wasnt sure why I was told that. I was told today that there is no other option but to cancel for no refund because of the date used, which was only used during the troubleshooting phases because we have not been able to access it outside of this. In light of the actions against Comcasts practices, I didnt expect this from an accredited org.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2023

  09/14/2023
  ***********************-BBB #********
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  The consumer states that the sales representative sold WiFi router with 300 GB of data per month. There was an initial fee of $80 which they were told is reimbursable within 30 days if they were not satisfied. The consumer states that they got the equipment and have been troubleshooting ever since. The WiFi shows full bars on the phone and devices but does not function. The consumer states that they have spent two weeks on phone which cost them 20 GB data. The consumer states that they were told all troubleshooting steps were exhausted and they need to escalate for further troubleshooting. A tech was scheduled but they never came. The consumer states that they were told that there is no other option but to cancel for no refund because of the data used. The consumer states that the data used was during troubleshooting only as they have not been able to use outside of it. The consumer is seeking a refund.
  
  On reviewing the account we see that the service was set up for Wireless Home Internet service. We apologize for the negative impact and any miscommunication that *** have happened. On reviewing the account we see that the account is not applicable for a refund because of the usage. It is not possible that the data was consumed only due to troubleshooting. As per the policy, installation fee of $79.95 is not refundable after 15 days of service set up. However, Based on the interactions with our support team we see that a refund in the amount of $175.80 has been processed. The refund will reflect in the credit card statement in up to 3 days. The current status of the account is inactive as of 09/12/2023. There will be no further billing. The confirmation number for this response is SDP ******.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer *** have experienced in bringing this to a close.
  
  Respectfully
  
  *******************
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  *************************************************************************; 
  [email protected]
  
  Online Internet Service Agreement:
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Upon renewal, Earthlink charged me $110.00 when the service cost $809, they then could not get the serviced working and decided to cancel my service, and then refused to refund me. They also incresed their rate by $15 the last two months without notifying me The people using ***** to make their decisions are crooks

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2023

  Date:- 09-14-2023
  ******************* BBB # ******** 
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  
  In the complaint the consumer states that upon renewal, EarthLink charged her $110.00 when the service cost $809.  The consumer states that EarthLink could not get the service working and decided to cancel her service.The consumer states that EarthLink refused to refund her. The consumer states that EarthLink has increased her internet service rate by $15 for the last two months without notifying her about it. The consumer has mentioned her dissatisfaction towards EarthLink in this regard.
  
  We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer. On reviewing the account, we see that the consumer was offered high-speed HyperLink internet access and was currently paying $85.67 a month. The consumers billing cycle was the 22nd of each month.  There was a bill which was generated on May 22nd for $85.67 and the payment was rejected on May 23rd.  Due to this payment rejection, the account got inactivated after the grace ****** on June 3rd, 2023.  The consumer had called up the same day after the account got inactivated.  There was a reactivation fee of $25 which the consumer agreed to pay.  The consumer paid $110.67 in total which included the reactivation fee and the monthly outstanding balance fee.  However,the consumer disputed this payment of $110.67 with his bank and so the account got inactivated again on June 11, 2023, due to this dispute.  Whenever a consumer disputes any charges with the bank, the system automatically inactivates the consumers account. 
  
  In regard to price increase, there was a price increase done for all EarthLink customers.  We would like to inform consumer that EarthLink needs to raise rates occasionally to ensure we offset the impacts of inflation while always maintaining and improving the reliability of our services. We apologize incase if the consumer has not received the price increase notification.  The consumers price had therefore increased from $75.67 to $85.67 a month, i.e., a $10 increase. However, in order to bring this matter to close and since the internet was on for 10 days before getting inactivated due to non-payment, we would be refunding the 20 days refund plus the $25 reactivation fee and the $20 price increase charge to bring this matter to a close.  We would be refunding a total of $102 which also includes the reactivation fee and the price increase charge.  Please allow up to 3 business days for this refund transaction to complete. The confirmation number for this response is 202395241.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced in bringing this to a close
  
  
  Respectfully
  ******
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  **************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 20590738
  
  I am rejecting this response because.they are omitting facts. 1).  *********** was shut off because an Earthlink employee tyoed in credit card information with one number incorrect, resulting in the credit card being denied. Then they claimed to have sent me email that they were going to shut off their service if I did not act. They send those emails to an incorrect email address, using the letter "j" instead of "g', which I obviously did not get. They then refused to get the service running again, and they made the decision to shut off my service and did not refund the money that they had charged to my credit. They also opposed a credit card charged back with some false information that allowed the chargeback to be denied.  I got a call from an Earthlink employee three who has agreed to all of these facts once she investigated. I did not have internet service for 10 days until I could get AT&T up and running. I had to use my work computer evn ont he weekend  because of this.

  This Earthlink employee has agreed to respond with an offer to me by next week. However, I should not have had to do this level of effort to get a refund. Earthlink's decision to outsourced their customer support and technical support is ******************* and pound foolish. Paying someone in ***** $20/day  to delegate out this important task is proven here to be a bad decision by their CEO for the good will that Earthlink needs to get return customers.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2023

  Date:- 09-15-2023
  ******************* BBB Rebuttal # ******** 
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: Inactive
  
  
  In the complaint, the consumer mentioned her dissatisfaction with EarthLink. The consumer claims that the issue was from EarthLink's end and not from her end.  The consumer states that since the credit card number was updated incorrectly by the rep, the payment was rejected.  The account was inactivated due to this non-payment.  The consumer states that the contact email address was incorrectly entered by EarthLink.  The consumer therefore did not receive the reminder message of her account getting shut down. The consumer states that EarthLink refused to get her services reinstated. The consumer is seeking a response from EarthLink in this regard.            
  
  We sincerely apologize for all the inconvenience caused to the consumer. EarthLink takes feedback like this quite seriously and we will address any failure to the people responsible allowing them to help improve our EarthLink services to more closely align with what our consumers expect. We would like to assure all the consumers that EarthLink always strives for a better customer experience and takes every opportunity to improve its staff and services.
  
  In order to bring this matter to a close, as a courtesy we are placing a refund for $30. Please allow up to 3 business days for this refund transaction to complete. In case the consumer has not received the refund they could reach us at *************. or have a live chat on ***************************************************; The hours of operation are Sunday to Saturday between 10 am to 6 pm EST.  The confirmation number for this response is 202395241.
  
  
  
  Respectfully
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  **************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 20590738
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  1). Earthlink stole much more than $10 from me an cause me to lose Internet service for 10 days, and 2):I have spoken to the Earthlink Customer support Director in regard to my lawsuit, and she has agreed that Earthlink made all of the errors, entered the credit card information wrong, used an incorrect email addresses, and refused to rectify. I am supposed to be contacted next week as to whether she is going to make an offer to dismiss the lawsuit or if wee litigate it.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stealing money from my account after being cancelled for months.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2023

  09/11/2023
  *************************-BBB # ********
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status: inactive
  
  In the complaint the consumer states that the account is being charged after being cancelled for months. The consumer is seeking a refund.
  
  We sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding that *** have happened. On reviewing the account we see that the service was initially set up for high speed internet access. When the consumer contacted EarthLink on 04/05/2023 the account was cancelled as requested. We see that the consumer called back in July to reactivate the service but it was not serviceable. The account remained active on ************** The consumer was charged $2.95 for two months. Based on the situation we are refunding the two charges of $2.95 in the total amount of $5.90. The refund will reflect in the credit card statement in up to 3 days. The current status of the account is inactive as of 09/11/2023 and there will be no further billing. In closing, we would like to assure all our consumers that we take feedback like this positively and would imply it positively to help improve our services. The confirmation number for this response is 202389475.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer *** have experienced in bringing this to a close.
  
  Respectfully
  
  *******************
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  *************************************************************************; 
  [email protected]
  
  Online Internet Service Agreement:
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I work from home and I have been having a 15 days of no service, however they still will charge a $200 cancellation fee even though they are not living up to their end of providing service. I work from home and for the last month I have had to cancel meetings, take time out of work in order for this company to try to get the internet to work. I feel it is completely reasonable to cancel services without being charged since I have given up enough time and money for them to fix the problem but the internet is still not working. I have had to ask for time off or more time on projects because I had to be home for them to check and fix the service only for my internet service to still not work. I am currently paying for a second internet provider in order to make sure I have the internet I need for my job and I can be home so EarthLink can work on providing me the internet. I think it is a violation of my right as a consumer to be obligated to stay with a service that has proved to be unreliable then charged for cancellation when they have put my job in jeopardy with their inconsistent service. I think it is unfair for companies to force customers to get into a contract with them, provide unreliable service, then force me to pay and jump through so many hoops when they are not providing the service they say they will provide, especially when so many people now rely on the internet for their livelihood.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2023

  Date:- 09-07-2023
  ***************** BBB # ******** 
  EarthLink Acct # ********
  Acct status:  Inactive
  
  In the complaint, the consumer states that she works from home, and she was without internet service for 15 days.  The consumer states that due to this she is having issues doing her work-from-home job.  The consumer states that she cannot stay without internet service for a long time and so has requested EarthLink to cancel her services without an Early Termination Fee.  The consumer is seeking a resolution from EarthLink in this regard.
  
  We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer. On reviewing the account, we see that the consumer was offered high-speed HyperLink internet access.  The complex nature of the internet service depends upon various factors some of which are beyond EarthLink's control.  We are sorry to know that the consumer did not get the desired connection.   The consumer has mentioned her desire to cancel her service and so as per her request, we have canceled the account. We do see that the consumers services are under a term commitment of one year. As per the policy, if the account is canceled within the first year of service the consumer is liable to pay an Early Termination Fee of up to $200.   Based on the situation and in exception to the standard policy we have decided to waive the Early Termination Fee of $200 plus taxes as compensation for the inconvenience caused to the consumer in getting this matter closed. The current status of the account is inactive as of 09/07/2023.  There will be no further billing.  Please allow 7 to 10 days for the line to release.  The confirmation number for this response is 202379431.
  
  Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced in bringing this to a close.
  
  
  Respectfully
  Roiden
  EarthLink Executive Relations
  EarthLink
  **************************************************************************** | 30328 
  ****************************
  EarthLink ************** Agreement:
  ***************************************