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Business Profile

Internet Services

Astound Broadband powered by RCN

Headquarters

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Internet Services.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Astound Broadband powered by RCN's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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Astound Broadband powered by RCN has 17 locations, listed below.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 731 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 297 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    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.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/14/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      Astound broadband promised me a $65 per month fee, but they are charging me ***** every month in excess of that fee for Network Access and Maintenance Fee The salesperson ******** ***** ************ promised me a $65 flat fee to switch, and I switched, and now they are charging me junk fees. For instance a monthly $16.93 fee called a Network Access and Maintenance Fee which they deceptively include with Taxes and Fees. But they promised me a flat rate. They also charged me a bunch of one time fees, for instance, Web Payment Processing Fee of a dollar, charged in the third month of service for no reason. The dispute is over a monthly $16.93 cent fee. In 2022 in ******************************** settled a lawsuit about this for services going through 2022. It was a class action lawsuit and it was over a much smaller Network access and maintenance fee. This one is 3-4 times more than the one in the suit.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/21/2025

      I tried to contact using the number provided on the ticket but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/12/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 had Astound Internet service until 3/12/25 when I paid my past due balance and cancelled my service. They then proceeded to charge me a fee to restore internet ($40) and bill for the next month (~$120). I also got anew charge for a $75 equipment fee despite never having any equipment from them. I had used my own purchased modem to avoid those type fees. I have tried to deal with it via phone and webchat with Astound however they keep saying I had internet for another month yet it was disconnected and never restored because it had been cancelled. I cancelled my service and had paid my past due amount on 3/12/25 and do not expect to owe them anything additional because that is the point of cancelling.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/14/2025

      I tried contacting the customer using the number provided on the ticket but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/10/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 am filing a complaint against RCN (now operating as Astound Broadband) for both long-standing service issues and an unfair billing policy following the cancellation of my internet service.I was a customer of ********************** for nearly three years. I initially subscribed to their 600 Mbps internet plan, but consistently experienced significantly slower speeds than advertised. Despite a technician visit, the issue was never resolved.Later, I was encouraged to upgrade to the 1000 Mbps plan. While speeds briefly improved, they gradually declined again, with speed tests regularly showing only ****** Mbps. In the final months, the service became unreliableat times I had no internet connection at all.Because of these persistent problems and the lack of resolution, I called to cancel my service. I was enrolled in autopay and assumed my billing cycle aligned with my automatic payments. However, I was told that because I canceled mid-cycle, I was still responsible for paying the full montheven though I would not be receiving service for the remainder of it.When I called customer service, the representative I spoke with was kind and genuinely tried to assist. She acknowledged the issue but explained that it was out of her control. She escalated the matter to her supervisor, who was dismissive and unprofessional. The supervisor was not only unwilling to offer any resolution, but was also rude during the interaction, which added to the frustration of the experience.I find it unacceptable to be charged for services I did not receiveespecially given the consistent underperformance and eventual instability of the internet connection. I respectfully request that the final charge be waived or refunded, and that RCN/Astound reevaluate its billing and customer support practices to ensure a more fair and respectful experience for consumers.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/14/2025

      I spoke to the customer regarding the complaint. Per customer terms and conditions, ******************** only customers that disconnect service, must pay until the end of the current billing cycle.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/08/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      Called in as a new customer and requested the $19.95 service the I received via mail. Completed the process and had a technician come out the first week in February. I received 2 bills so far and both arent $19.95. When I called a representative stated that I had to fill out an application for the $19.95 service which the flyer didnt say nor did it say on the flyer I received. I filled out application and in order to finish application you have to pick a time for a tech to come out when I already have services on! I hate the false advertisement. I am requesting that you listen to the call when I called to get services ! All call are recorded and monitored ! I also want the extra charges token off my bill! I was under impression that I had the $19.95 services as asked when I purchased service.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/14/2025

      I tried contacting customer at the number provided on the ticket but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/05/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 December ******* we had a service call with Astound RCN to install local channel cable service. In the process, the service technician disconnected our personal TiVo electronic equipment in an effort to install the RCN TiVo. Upon leaving, he took ours without our knowledge. We called to report this numerous times. It took months for any response and only due to our repeated requests for the situation to be addressed. We supplied all details including the serial number of our TiVo device with each ******************** service representative we spoke with since then. It is now April 5 and we have been told theres nothing they can do. How about reimbursing us for the equipment the tech took from our home? Whether this was intentional or not, it should not be our loss. We expect Astound to find and return our property or credit our account.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/11/2025

      Reached out to customer to advise we are working with the local market regarding the **** box the customer owns, will follow up with update and *** on return.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:04/02/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      Astound is new to my area. They dug holes around my condominium complex at the end of 2024 and all the holes they dug are still not filled in or made safe. It’s a total eyesore and a safety issue. We need them to come back to finish what they started.

      Business Response

      Date: 04/03/2025

      I tried contacting customer through the number provided on the ticket but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:03/29/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 am writing to formally complain about a billing discrepancy and the unacceptable treatment I received from one of your representatives on March 28, 2025.Billing Error:As a new customer, I was promised certain incentives, which were not reflected in my first months billing. When I contacted your support team to resolve this, the representative not only failed to correct the error but also behaved in a highly unprofessional manner.Unprofessional Conduct:The representative was dismissive, raised their voice at me, and made disrespectful remarksincluding questioning whether I could "understand or not" and implying a "language barrier." They then refused to provide their name before abruptly ending the call.Failed Resolution:Upon calling again, another representative acknowledged the billing mistake and apologized for the previous agents rudeness, assuring me the issue would be resolved and my complaint escalated. However:The billing problem remains ************* complaint was never forwarded, as promised.I received no follow-up email documenting the incident or the steps taken to address it.This entire experience has been frustrating and unacceptable. I expect:Immediate correction of the billing error, including any owed incentives.A formal apology for the representatives conduct.Confirmation that this incident has been documented and addressed internally to prevent recurrence.I will be looking for ways to escalate this matter to the relevant consumer protection authorities. Insulting your customers over the phone and shutting it without any provocation is unacceptable.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/31/2025

      I reached out to the customer regarding his billing and customer support concerns. We went over the bill and the amount owed for services. Will be also submitting feedback.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:03/26/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 contacted Astound, Powered by RCN, in February via webchat and then in email on March 3 to cancel my service. On March 24, I received a letter from Astound letting me know that my service would be discontinued because of non-payment. This was strange because I previously cancelled my service. Upon calling them on March 26th, they let me know that my service cancellation wasn't processed and that I owed a late fee for a payment that occurred after cancelling my service. Astound has made it extremely challenging to cancel my service (including not processing my cancellation request for more than a month) and then engaged in extremely deceptive business practices by assessing a late fee on a month of fees that I don't owe.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/31/2025

      I tried contacting customer at the number provided on the ticket but there was no answer. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:03/25/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      Continue to try and resolve billing issue after canceling service. I have called numerous times and spent way too much time on the phone being switched from one person to another, to be hung up on. This company shouldnt be allowed to do business in ********

      Business Response

      Date: 03/26/2025

      I tried contacting the customer at the number provided in the ticket but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my contact information.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 04/02/2025


      Complaint: 23115753

      I am rejecting this response because: 

        Ive received numerous calls,emails and have had conversations with them. All of them state POLICY is pay for the whole month or nothing. No person whom writes the policies can be spoken with so next step is to send me to collections. I tried to be as acceptable of the policy , but my policy is not to pay for something Im not getting. 
        I stated Im willing to pay the 1/2 a month of service, but that is unacceptable to them. SAD


      Regards,

      ***** ******

      Business Response

      Date: 04/09/2025

      Customer was notified in March 2024 of the change in terms and conditions for Internet Only customers moving to a monthly subscription basis effective date of April 2024. The Terms and Conditions can be found at ******************************. They state: "For Customers that subscribe only to ******************************************** Service: Astound provides the Service to Customers that only subscribe to the ********************** Service on a monthly subscription basis. In this case, Customers monthly service period begins on the first day following your commencement of Service date and the Service subscription automatically renews thereafter on a monthly basis beginning on the first day of the next billing period assigned to you until you cancel the Service. You are responsible for the full monthly charge (without pro-ration) for the Service, even if you terminate the Service prior to the end of the monthly service period. If you terminate the Service prior to the end of the monthly service period, such termination shall be effective at the end of the then-current monthly service period. You will continue to have access to the Service at the account location through the end of the then-current monthly service period." 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 04/13/2025


      Complaint: 23115753

      I am rejecting this response because: I dont ever recall being told when canceling service, I was responsible for the entire month of service. I have told I dont mind paying for services rendered, but the entire month, no. 




      Regards,

      ***** ******

      Business Response

      Date: 05/01/2025

      We reviewed this concern with the customer. We went over the prior calls where he was advised about the disconnect policy for data services.The customer has stated that he will not be paying final balance. We have explained that we must follow the policy for all data customers regarding disconnection and final billing. The customer declined a callback from a manager and he is aware that if not paid the balance will go to collections.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 05/01/2025


      Complaint: 23115753

      I am rejecting this response  because:
      The executive team member has the same response as a regular customer service person and can only state policy I asked to speak with someone whom make these policies, and have been told THEY cant be spoken too. A call from another manager whom cant make a decision outside of policy is  waste of our time. 
        I have offered to pay whats fair for service I used, half a month. Thats not acceptable to them. So the bottom line is yes send me to collections and they will settle for 1/2 the bill which is what Im offering. 
        This corporate policy to step over a dollar to pick up a dime, I hope will lead to this companies demise.

       If someone whom makes policy changes can contact me Im willing to talk. But with all the past service issues I feel Im being MORE than generous with my offer

        ***** *.

       

       


       

      Regards,

      ***** ******

      Business Response

      Date: 05/06/2025

      We spoke with Mr. ****** again and explained our Terms and Conditions regarding the disconnection of his internet service. Mr. ****** disagrees with the policy which has been noted and forwarded to upper management.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:03/24/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      When I called to cancel our service I was told there was nothing further I needed to do, specifically no equipment that needed to be returned. We did not use their equipment for our service, but I asked twice just to be sure, as I have found Astound/RCN to be exceptionally dishonest and untrustworthy as a business generally. Frankly, I expected their to be something they would come up with to justify more charges after the fact, as they are well known for it.The *** assured me there was no equipment to return and nothing more I needed to do. Then I received a $100 **** for "Phone Equipment". We didn't have a phone. When I called, the *** could not help me but said she could see we did not have a phone and she opened a case (********) and someone would call me later. I received a voicemail and called back again. Today I spoke with someone who also could not help me and refused to transfer me to a supervisor. He put me on hold and claimed he spoke to the supervisor and that the equipment charge was for internet (even though the **** says phone equipment) and would not be removed. After a ridiculously worthless conversation which ended with the *** telling me if I don't pay they'll send me to collections, I am now filing this complaint (and any other complaint/negative review I can find on the internet). I do not have any RCN equipment to return. These charges must be removed from my account and the account closed immediately.

      Business Response

      Date: 03/25/2025

      Tried contacting customer at the number on file but the call went to voicemail. I left a voicemail with my department's contact information.

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