Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Hawaiian Telcom Communications, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Hawaiian Telcom Communications, Inc.

  1177 Bishop St Ste 3 Honolulu, HI 96813-2808

• 

  Hawaiian Telcom Communications, Inc.

  711 Kapiolani Blvd Suite 800 Honolulu, HI 96813

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:10/17/2023

  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.

  Hawaiian Telcom **** #: *************** (******************************/29/23 called ************ to report I made a payment to them in error and wanted it refunded. $557.75 to be refunded. ***** said it will take 4-5 weeks.9/11 I called as they deducted the current month bill which I instructed not to do. Was told $498.21 to be refunded in 2-3 was.10/02: called to report no check received. I said I have been patient and complained why is it taking so long. **** said will get check in 2-3 business days.10/06: explained situation to *** and how upset I was. Another months bill deducted after I told them not to. Said she will put in a rush refund request for $438.67 to receive in 2-3 weeks. I stressed do not make anymore deductions.Its been a total of 7 weeks and they still have not refunded my money. Every time I call it seems the date of refund is pushed back. I asked to speak to someone in charge of the accounting office but was told its not possible. Please assist me to red this problem. Thank you!

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations contacted the complainant on October 18, 2023, to apologize for not sending the refund check as promised. The complainant understands that the refund check will be mailed on October 25, 2023, and has our contact information should she need further assistance.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/19/2023

  I was told many times in the past 7-plus weeks that they were going to send me my refund check. They said it was processed on October 11 and will be mailed on October 25th. I dont see why it takes so long but what else can I do but agree to it. But until they actually follow through my complaint is not closed. 
  

  I really appreciate your assistance in thinking matter. I dont think they would have done anything to assist me if I hadnt contacted BBB. Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2023

  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.

  The quality of streaming video has gotten progressively worse over tge past several months to the point that all internet video is extremely blurry. Definitely not 4K/UHD quality. Internet speeds are slow and not at the speed advertised.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations called the complainant on September 18, 2023, to troubleshoot issues with the ***************** which appears to be with the modem. A replacement modem will be mailed to the complainant, and he understands that we will follow up with him to ensure the **************** is working properly. He has our contact information and can contact us if he needs assistance.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/19/2023

   
  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.

  Hawaiian Telcom is a terrible company to work with. I started with internet service for $69.99 in August 2023. I made a request to add hard-wired internet jacks by a technician and the agent incorrectly placed my order as some self-service thing. Because of that, my bill is now $250 per month and my promotional rate was removed. Instead of correcting everything, Ive talked to three agents who all say they cant do anything in the system. They cant remove the charges. They cant give me my original rate. They cant escalate me to a supervisor. They cant even cancel my account because of this incorrect order. They tell me they cant do anything about this and then they ask me is there anything else I can do for you? Why ask me that? I have ZERO options. You dont let me cancel. You dont let me revert to my original charge. I am being charged $250 per month and I cant even cancel!! This is a terrible company that outsources everything and makes it so difficult to talk to anyone that can actually do something.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations called the complainant on September 13, 2023, and apologized for his experience. Based on our records, a system glitch inadvertently removed the promotional discount. To resolve his complaint, an order to reinstate the promotional discount will be issued once the system glitch is corrected and ****************** totaling $209.63 have been applied on the invoice dated September 4, 2023, to honor the promotional discount. ****************** will be reflected on the invoice dated October 4, 2023. The adjusted account balance as of September 13, 2023 is $42.90.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/08/2023

  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.

  9/08/2023 - My household has been a customer of ********************** for years. We have multiple people in our household who heavily rely on the internet service they provide and we pay for to do our jobs as many of us are still working remote. We have been and are currently experiencing issues with our internet service constantly being spotty and disconnecting at random times, we live in a location in a residential area of ******** in the Liliha/Nuuanu area where this should not be an issue. When my housemate who pays for our service called called to speak with a representative and explain the current situation and see what can be done, they stated there is nothing they can do about the situation and it is a constant issue they are having and working on. When we asked for a pause of our service, a future discount for not having "constant access to the internet", or even a cancellation of our current plan, we were informed that was NOT allowed and they are not authorized to do anything to assist in this situation. It is ridiculous that even a request to cancel service has been denied in this situation where we have been unable to use the service we have been paying for. The customer service agent also informed us that the business is NOT cancelling or doing anything about service for other consumers on the island of Maui that have been affected by the recent wildfires. It is unbelievable that these shady practices and monopoly of what is now considered a basic need and necessity can continue to go on unexplained and unchecked on multiple fronts.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on September 8, 2023, and apologized for his experience. The complainant agreed to have a technician visit tomorrow, September 12, 2023, to assist with resolving his concerns. The complainant has my contact information and understands I will follow up with him on September 13, 2023.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/29/2023

  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.

  Hawiian Telecommunication is unable to figure out how to bill correctly. We canceled our ** with the company and maintained or internet. We were prorated for the ** cancelation and a credit was placed on our account, but the ********************** fails to place the credit towards the bill. We have had this issue a few times and each time we call the company we get the run around on why the bill is off. This is an issue that seems to happen often and it never gets addressed.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on August 29, 2023, to review the invoice dated July 25, 2023, including the Previous Balance, prorated credits and charges for changes made between bill cycles on July 10, 2023, charges of $87.14 for the service period from July 25, 2023, through August 24, 2023, and the Total Amount Due. The account balance as of August 29, 2023, is $47.50 CR and the invoice dated September 25, 2023, will reflect a payment of $87.14,which was posted on August 28, 2023, and a credit adjustment totaling $47.50 CR issued on August 29, 2023.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  Today (August 17th), I made a call to ******* about 45 minutes long. I was concerned about the charges so I called Hawaiiantel to find out the cost. I was told that since I didn't have a plan called "Call more" I would be charged the international rate even though ******* is not international, and the charge would be about $2/minute. THIS IS COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS AND UNACCEPTABLE. I had previously been told by Hawaiian tel that for a $2/month charge I was allowed to make calls to the mainland and interisland. My phone bill did not increase when I called my doctor on Maui or a friend in *********. No one told me that this was no longer the case. Hawaiian tel should not be allowed deceive its customers and sneak in these outrageous costly changes without notifying its customers. Classifying ******* as international is just another way to rob ****** residents to pay dividends to Hawaiiantel shareholders and mangement.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/23/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on August 23, 2023, and apologized for her experience. We confirmed that she subscribes to the Hawaiian Telcom Long Distance Simple Saver Plus plan and Interstate (state to state) calls are $0.05 per minute. The complainant is thankful and satisfied with this resolution.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/23/2023

   
  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:08/03/2023

  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 to set up a new **************** for a newly purchased home. I was told they do not provide TV in my area. I was told by the service tech that they was unable to install their Gateway and that I would need to use the on that I had in the house already. I was ok with that. We had issues later on and they called and refused to work on the internet because they didn't have their gateway installed at the home. I called and had another company come out and install orbi to use instead of their equipment. After reviewing my billing since February of 2023 they are billing me for MGM+ **** which without TV I am not sure why I am being forced to pay for this service I don't have. I also asked for a refund for the charges of the rental of a gateway I don't have $9.99 plus an additional $19.99 premier value bundle which when I asked what that was for they told me it was to pay for the technician to come out anytime and work on the gateway I don't have. I asked for that to be refunded as well. They are charging me for an extender which I also don't have $5.00 every month. When I spoke with the customer service to help answer my questions about my incorrect billing. He let me know that the technician wasn't properly trained and didn't update my account accordingly and that they couldn't update my account because they couldn't access my account with out my consent but they never called me with any questions to be able to authorize them to fix my account. He told me that he would have to have his supervisor look into the issue. They offered to refund $30.00 for three months of the error of the gateway charge which I said no since this was their error for not updating my account with the information from the untrained tech that isn't my mistake. They have been charging me $96.85 which isn't what I agreed to for their promotional offer of $69.99 which included the rental of the gateway. I am asking for the refund since February and correctly billed in the future.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/07/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on August 4, 2023, to apologize for her experience and confirmed that our records indicate company-provided equipment was not installed. As a result, she will be credited for company-provided equipment effective on December 1, 2022. Since her bill cycle is on the 7th of the month, corrections will be reflected on the invoice dated September 7, 2023, including credits for the invoice dated August 7, 2023. Her experience will be used as a learning tool for our personnel. The complainant has been provided with our contact information and understands to expect follow up calls regarding status of her resolution. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2023

   
  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 **** appreciate the help from Customer ******************** and will contact them in the future with any billing questions. Thank you everyone for your time I appreciate it.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/21/2023

  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.

  For the past month, I have been receiving mail from Hawaiian Telcom advertising fiber optic internet service that featured high speed download at a low cost. On July 10, 2023 I had internet service installed and went with a plan that claimed download speeds of 1 GB for the price of my current provider (Spectrum) which only offered 300mb. After the installation I checked speed and was only getting between 28 and 90 mb download and so I called and made an appointment for the technician to come troubleshoot why I was not getting anywhere near the speed they claimed I would receive. The appointment was made for 7/20/23 at between 8-9 am. This date came and went and no one came to troubleshoot the line. I had taken this day off so that I could be here for the technician who not only did not show, but also did not communicate via phone or text to let me know. I then called Hawaiian Telcom again and spoke to a call center in ***************, in spite of having difficulty understanding the representative, he stated he was unable to assist me. I have been trying to reach anyone at Hawaiian Telcom to assist me but I am unable to do so as I keep getting offshore tech support that cannot help me and they are unable to transfer me to a ****** Representative. I cant even seem to cancel my order. What can I do? If I am able to get through, I just want to cancel this and stay with Spectrum as at least I can speak to people there. I do not want to be charged for installation or any service as that service was not what they advertised it to be.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/21/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on July 21, 2023 and apologized for his experience. The complainant agreed to an appointment tomorrow 7/22/2023 for a technician to troubleshoot the slow speed issue. I gave my contact information and advised the complainant that I will check back with him on Monday 7/24/2023.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2023

  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 said that I didn't cancel my service but I turned in all my equipment so I am not able to view any of their shows or any of the programming nothing was nothing was mentioned when I turn the equipment in they didn't ask any questions. I called for adjustment on the bill and they said wait for July 24th for a new bill to come out and they will make an adjustment and the adjustment is the same exact amount and there's a like a whole extra month in the bill it's not even close to what it seems fair

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with the complainant on July 19, 2023, to apologize for his experience. We confirmed receipt of the ** and Internet equipment he returned on June 10, 2023, and explained that our agent should have confirmed the reason he was returning the equipment and taken steps to disconnect his account. To resolve his complaint,credit adjustments for terminated services from June 11, 2023, have been applied to his account and he understands to expect the final balance on the invoice dated July 25, 2023. We will follow up to review the invoice dated July 25, 2023, and credit any equipment charges that *** have been automatically generated with the disconnect order issued on July 3, 2023. The complainant was thankful and satisfied with the resolution.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/30/2023

  they came up with different amount Im not totally satisfied with it .  It is definitely in the right direction because spoke with them several times and ended with the same bill. Thank you for your help.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/14/2023

  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.

  Received a flyer from Hawaiian Telecom. The flyer noted new service for internet of ***** and optional add on of 10 for TV. Total of *****/ month Offer expires Aug 31. I called and requested the offer.. The agent said , yes that offer plus other fees is 134/ month and not *****. After pushing to honor offer, she came back and said , we can offer 106/ month. She noted other fees of 17 for gateway and set top box. Noother details of why the ***** offer can be provided. . No other details of 106 price as well.. I asked for company to honor the ***** offer on the flyer.. She said she is not able to honor that price at this time- This is false advertising Action/ Help Requested- honor the offer of *****

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  Hawaiian Telcom Customer Relations spoke with and apologized to the complainant on July 17, 2023. He was informed that the promotional terms and conditions (Terms) of the offer is noted on the bottom of Page 2 of the letter he received. The letter features the discounted rate for specific services and details in the Terms that Taxes, surcharges and other fees apply, and to Visit Hawaiiantel.com/terms for details. The complainant did not seem receptive to an explanation of the rate he was quoted and commented on Hawaiian Telcoms advertising tactics.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/19/2023

   
  Complaint: 20323383
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the offer is misleading.   the printed offer is *****

  the total cost with the other costs , not detailed,  Is 106.  Or 66 of other feels, or 100% of the printed amount.  It is very misleading that the other fee mentioned are not detailed and are 100% of the printer offer of *****.  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************