ComplaintsforBlue Ridge Cable Technologies, Inc

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  • BRC is the only available internet (or TV cable) company available in this area. My internet speed is getting worse and worse, constantly pausing. According to my bill, I should be getting 300Mbps. In my house, if I connect to my WiFi, I get 6Mbps! If I connect directly to BRC cable, I get about 36 Mbps! • IF I were to go down to the basement and connect directly to BRC’s box, I get about 95Mbps. 95Mbps would be fine, if I could get it in my house, I should not have to sit in basement to connect to their box (BUT it is NOT the 300 they claim). • I have been back and forth with them, since they are the only internet available; they ‘have us over a barrel’. They tell me basically, it is MY problem and that I need an extra box leased from them $$ or purchase another box $$ to get the speed I am already paying for. They offered me a speed upgrade (UPGRADE, I do not need!) at a slight discount with the box, but after two years my bill would increase another $25! (I cancelled the TV cable because I could no longer afford it.) • IT IS LIKE BUYING A CAR, BUT IT DOES NOT COME WITH THE TIRES OR STEERING WHEEL, FOR WHICH THE CUSTOMER HAS TO PAY MORE. • I just want a reasonable speed from them for which I am already paying.

  Business response

  05/11/2023

  May 8, 2023
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** states her internet speed is constantly pausing and getting worse and she isn’t receiving the up to 300 MBPS of internet speed she subscribes to.  *** ***** states she receives 6 MBPS when connected to the WiFi, 36 MBPS when connected to Blue Ridge cable and 95 MBPS when directly connected to the modem in her basement.  *** ***** states Blue Ridge is the only available internet company in her area and was informed she would need to lease a piece of our equipment or purchase one from another vendor to get the speed she is paying for.  *** ***** states she was offered a speed upgrade which she doesn’t need and wants Blue Ridge to provide whatever set up is necessary to receive the speed she is paying for.
  
  *** ***** subscribes to our up to 300 MBPS internet service at $59.95 per month which offers a download speed of up to 300 MBPS, an upload speed of up to 7 MBPS and unlimited data.  Our customers have the option of using our equipment or supplying their own with *** ***** choosing to use her own modem and router.
  
  *** ***** spoke with technical support on March 13th and April 4th regarding a speed issue.  On March 13th she wasn’t able to bypass her router to troubleshoot the issue and advised she would have her son call us to do this.  On April 4th, after power cycling the equipment and being told the router was unplugged, the technician requested the router be plugged in but *** ***** stated that shouldn’t matter as she felt the issue was with the modem.  She requested a technician come to her home with one being dispatched on April 11th.  A speed test was completed directly from the modem with the technician receiving 300 MBPS.  He noted *** ***** is using a ****** router that is attached for her home telephone service and is receiving only 35 MBPS download off of it.  The technician explained to *** ***** that she is receiving the full speed that she is paying for through our cable line, but her router cannot produce that speed.  He informed her that he could install one of our eero routers in between the modem and ****** router so she could have increased WiFi coverage and speeds throughout the home, but *** ***** was adamant that she did not want to incur any additional expense so this was not an option.  The technician informed her the problem will continue to happen until a new router is installed.
  
  On April 26th, *** ***** emailed Customer Service regarding the information provided to her by the technician.  The agent informed her that the issue would continue to happen until a new router is installed and that she could use one of ours or she could purchase one from another vendor.  Since leasing an eero router from us would increase her monthly rate by $5.95 plus tax, the agent asked *** ***** is she would consider upgrading her speed so she would be eligible to receive a promotional discount.  Included in the promotion would be our up to 400 MBPS internet service which offers a download speed of up to 400 MBPS, an upload speed of up to 10 MBPS and unlimited data, a 3.1 Docsis modem and 1 eero router.  This is a 24 month promotion with a monthly rate of $44.95 which would decrease her current monthly rate by $15.00.  Beginning with month 25, the cost of the service and equipment would return to regular rate which currently would be $70.90 per month.  This promotion includes a $5.00 per month AutoPay and paperless billing discount which requires a subscription to Blue Ridge internet service and enrollment in both automatic payment (AutoPay) and paperless billing.  *** ***** would need to enroll within 30 days of placing the order to be eligible for the discount.  If she chooses not to enroll, the monthly rate for the promotion would increase to $49.95 per month for 24 months and would decrease her current monthly rate by $10.00.  This offer is available for a limited time and can end without notice.

  Blue Ridge isn’t the only internet service provider in *** *****’s area.  According to www.************.com for the Bushkill ***** area, internet service is also available from ******** (5G Home Internet), ****** (satellite), ********* (satellite) ******* (DSL) and ********* (5G Home Internet).
  
  If *** ***** is interested in upgrading her speed to receive the promotion mentioned, she would need to speak with a Customer Care agent at ###-###-#### to request the change.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Customer response

  05/15/2023

  June 9, 2023
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** is rejecting our previous response stating Blue Ridge never told her that she would need special equipment with the last speed upgrade completed on her account.
  
  On June 19, 2020 *** ***** upgraded her internet speed from websurfer to the up to 50 MBPS speed which required a modem of ****** 3.0 or higher to obtain that speed.  *** ***** was using her own ****** 3.0 modem at that time so swapping the equipment wasn’t required.  On June 22, 2020 a technician was dispatched for a report of intermittent modem issues and he replaced our premise equipment (drop, fittings, splitter and ground wire) and replaced *** *****’s customer owned modem with a ****** 3.1 modem at no charge to her.
  
  During 2022, we realigned our internet service by increasing our speeds on 3 separate occasions.  *** *****’s speed increased from up to 50 MBPS to up to 100 MBPS, then from up to 100 MBPS to up to 200 MBPS and finally from up to 200 MBPS to up to 300 MBPS which is what she subscribes to currently.  The ****** 3.1 modem she is using meets the requirements to receive the full speed she is paying for.
  
  With our technician at *** *****’s home on April 11, 2023 for a reported speed issue, he completed a speed test directly from the modem and received a download speed of 300 MBPS.  He noted that *** ***** is using a ****** router that is attached for her home telephone service and is receiving a download speed of only 35 MBPS off of it.  Through our cable line we are providing her with the full speed that she is paying for, but her customer owned router cannot produce that speed wirelessly.
  
  All routers are not created equally with some being of better quality than others.  The wireless speed received when using a router is determined by many factors which can include the limitations of older equipment, how many devices will be connected it, etc.  To increase the wireless coverage and speeds throughout her home, our technician informed *** ***** that he could install one of our eero routers in between the modem and her ****** router but she declined the offer as she didn’t want to incur any additional expense.  She was advised the problem will continue to happen until a new router is installed.  *** ***** has the option of leasing a router from us for $5.95 per month plus tax which covers 1500 to 2000 sq. ft. or she can purchase a new router from a third party vendor.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Business response

  06/13/2023

  June 26, 2023
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** is rejecting our follow up response stating Blue Ridge claims she didn’t need new equipment originally, but now needs new equipment to get the speed she has been paying for all along.  *** ***** wants to know how it is justified that she needs to pay more for what she’s already paying for.
  
  With the previous realignment of our internet service and the speed increases we provided to our customers, the possibility exists that equipment the customer is using currently may not be capable of producing the new speed.  With technology constantly advancing, limitations of older equipment can occur causing the equipment to no longer perform as it once could.  *** *****’s customer owned router may have been able to provide sufficient wireless service previously, however, with the realignment of our service to increase our speeds, the router is not capable of producing the download speed of up to 300 MBPS that *** ***** is paying for.
  
  To increase the wireless coverage and speeds throughout her home, *** ***** would need to either purchase from a third party vendor a new router that is capable of producing a wireless output of up to 300 MBPS or higher, or she has the option of leasing an eero router from Blue Ridge for $5.95 per month plus tax which is capable of producing a wireless output of up to 1.3 GBPS and covers 1500 to 2000 sq. ft.  Should *** ***** choose to continue using her current Vonage router, the wireless speed limitation will continue to happen.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Customer response

  06/14/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It seems that you claim that originally I did not need the equipment for the speed you provided, but now I DO NEED EQUIPMENT TO GET THE SPEED I HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR ALL ALONG. How is that justified, I need to pay more for what I am already paying for!!??
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  

  Business response

  06/26/2023

  June 26, 2023
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** is rejecting our follow up response stating Blue Ridge claims she didn’t need new equipment originally, but now needs new equipment to get the speed she has been paying for all along.  *** ***** wants to know how it is justified that she needs to pay more for what she’s already paying for.
  
  With the previous realignment of our internet service and the speed increases we provided to our customers, the possibility exists that equipment the customer is using currently may not be capable of producing the new speed.  With technology constantly advancing, limitations of older equipment can occur causing the equipment to no longer perform as it once could.  *** *****’s customer owned router may have been able to provide sufficient wireless service previously, however, with the realignment of our service to increase our speeds, the router is not capable of producing the download speed of up to 300 MBPS that *** ***** is paying for.
  
  To increase the wireless coverage and speeds throughout her home, *** ***** would need to either purchase from a third party vendor a new router that is capable of producing a wireless output of up to 300 MBPS or higher, or she has the option of leasing an **** router from Blue Ridge for $5.95 per month plus tax which is capable of producing a wireless output of up to 1.3 GBPS and covers 1500 to 2000 sq. ft.  Should *** ***** choose to continue using her current Vonage router, the wireless speed limitation will continue to happen.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Customer response

  06/28/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was never told that I had to get BlueRidge Phone service  to be able to  obtain the speed promised! Never getting speed I pay for all these many months, and all I get is excuses.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  02/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I discontinued my service on Saturday February 11,2023 and was told I was getting a full refund of $150 cause I didn't use the service all month I contact them today February 17,2023 and was told I'm only getting a refund of $17 I want my $150 refund cause I didn't use the service for the whole month

  Business response

  02/24/2023

  February 24, 2023
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** **** states she contacted Blue Ridge on February 11, 2023 to disconnect her service and was advised she would receive a refund from us in the amount of $150.00.  *** **** states when she contacted Blue Ridge on February 17, 2023 she was advised she would receive a refund of $17.00.  *** **** states she didn’t use the service for the entire month and is due the refund of $150.00.
  
  On February 11, 2023 *** **** contacted Blue Ridge to disconnect the cable service effective that day and while processing the order, our agent quoted an amount of $150.56 to be refunded to the customer.  In reviewing the call, the agent noted a prorated amount of $150.56 listed on the account and mistakenly quoted it to *** **** as the refund amount which would have been correct if ******* had paid the amount owed for her service through March 14th.  Her last payment was for service through Feb 14th only which provides her with a refund of $17.71.  Below is a breakdown to help understand how we arrived at the amount of $17.71. 
  
  $132.85 – January 9th statement for service from 1/15 to 2/14 and due on January 30th
  $132.85 – payment applied on February 1st for January 9th statement
  $    0.00 – balance remaining due
  $132.85 – February 8th statement for service from 2/15 to 3/14 and due on February 28th
  $    0.00 – no payment received for February 8th statement
  $132.85 – balance due at the time of requested disconnect on February 11th
               
  $150.56 – prorated credit applied to the account for unused service from 2/11 to 3/14 (breakdown below)
  
  $132.85 - credit for service for 2/15 to 3/14; no payment was received previously for this timeframe.  
  $  17.71 - credit for 2/11 to 2/14 which *** **** paid for with the February 1st payment but did not use     
                   due to the disconnection of service on 2/11.  
  
  We apologize for the misinformation and any confusion this may have caused *** ****.  
  
  If you have any questions, please let us know.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On hold 25 plus minutes regarding the loading issue attempting to watch cable tv. Newly installed system yet nothing displayed in real time , constant loading message and cannot reach tech support , NOT SERVICE I AM PAYING FOR !!!

  Business response

  01/23/2023

  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ********* states she contacted Blue Ridge regarding a video issue with her television service.  She stated that her service was recently installed with nothing displaying in real time and was receiving a constant loading video message.  *** ********* states this is not service she is paying for and wants the issue fixed.
  
  *** ********* lives in an area with Blue Ridge Fiber service and was installed with television and internet services on December 27, 2022.  On January 8th, she reported a loading video issue with the television service.
  
  There are different variables that can cause a loading video issue.  Our representative advised *** ********* that she receives her television service via streaming using her WiFi connection.  An attempt to troubleshoot the issue but was unsuccessful as *** ********* advised the issue was no longer happening due to the long hold time.  *** ********* requested a technician to visit her home to set up a direct connection.  Because she is located in a Blue Ridge fiber area a direct connection with video isn’t possible since all video service in Blue Ridge fiber areas is delivered via streaming and a broadband connection.  Following protocol, our representative discussed the issue with our Technical Support team who was unable to locate an issue occurring at that time.  Since we were not able to identify and confirm any issues occurring with *** *********’s service we advised her that if a technician is scheduled to come to her home, a charge would be incurred for the visit.  *** ********* requested to speak with a supervisor and while in the process of doing that her call was disconnected in error.  
  
  A representative spoke with *** ********* on January 17th to discuss the reason for the complaint.  *** ********* advised on January 8th, she was experiencing service issues.  She stated the issue wasn’t just with the television service but with all devices in her home that connect to the internet and WiFi service.  *** ********* stated that she wants her television service set up as a direct connection and was advised that isn’t possible as she is in a Blue Ridge Fiber area which uses an internet connection and WiFi to stream video content. *** ********* was offered a call from a Technical Support agent who can investigate and troubleshoot remotely and, if needed, would schedule a technician to investigate on-site.  *** ********* accepted the offer and requested a call at 6 p.m. that evening.  At 6:02 p.m. on January 17th   a call was placed by Technical Support and a voicemail message was left requesting a call back.  Another call was placed on January 19th and the agent was advised by *** ********* to return a call to her after 6 p.m. that evening.  An agent called *** ********* at 5:56 p.m. on January 19th and was advised by the customer that she was still at work.  When the agent asked for a new call back time, the call was disconnected.  We apologize the call to *** ********* occurred before the time she requested.  Understanding she is at work and cannot be disturbed, an email was sent to the address on file to advise that an agent will be contacting her after 6:00 p.m. on January 20th and if that time isn’t suitable for her to please let us know.  The agent placed the call to *** ********* at 6:20 p.m. on January 20th and left a voicemail due to no answer.
  
  We will attempt to contact her again and schedule a technician visit to review her connections and provide customer education.
  
  If you have any questions, please let us know.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When first started with BR, I only needed one main box and one TiVo mini but we were told that it would be cheaper to get everything we would possibly need, even in the future all at once. Ended up going with one main cable box, three minis and internet service. In either late July or early August of 2020, I returned a mini to the local branch and I did receive a receipt for my return however, we had a flood in our basement a few weeks later and the receipt was destroyed. Called BR in December of 2020 when I first realized that I was still being charged for the returned mini.I was told that it would be handled and removed from my bill. I had followed up again with BR in April of 2021 because I realized that I was still being charged. This time I was told there was nothing that could be done without a receipt.I followed up again in September of 2021 and January of 2022 all of which were unsuccesful. I chatted with a rep last Friday and for the first time since this issue started, she asked me for the serial numbers of the minis that I still had. I went to go get the serial numbers and she ended the chat for taking to long. I called in the following chance I had and spoke with someone in cs and she told me that I needed to speak with a supervisor but there is a way for them to check the sn # and see if there had been any use on the mini since I returned it which would prove I did not have it.Spoke with a spvr who said this is not true but offered to take the mini off the account finally and credit me three months.She spoke to me as if she were doing this amazing favor and I should be grateful for her.I explained that I have been trying to handle this for 2 years and 3 months is really nothing compared to the over $250 I have paid for an item I do not have. I have offered to provide proof of the flood and they tell me it doesn't matter. I can't imagine they tell customers with house fires that.

  Business response

  12/06/2022

  December 6, 2022

   

  Dear ******* *******,
  
  Somehow this complaint was overlooked and we apologize for the late response to it.
  
  *** ****** states she previously installed cable and internet service with Blue Ridge and chose to have 1 **** DVR cable box along with 3 **** mini cable boxes.  She states in July or August of 2020, she returned 1 **** mini cable box to her local office and received a receipt for the return of it but it was destroyed a few weeks later due to a flood in her basement.  *** ****** states she contacted Blue Ridge in December of 2020, April of 2021, September of 2021 and January of 2022 to dispute the charges for the equipment but was unsuccessful.  *** ****** states she chatted with a representative on November 4, 2020, but the chat was ended while she was obtaining the serial numbers for the **** equipment she has in her home.  *** ****** stated she spoke with a supervisor who offered to remove the **** mini cable box from her account and provided her with 3 months of credit for the rental of the equipment.  *** ****** states the 3 months credit doesn’t compare to the money she had paid for a piece of equipment she doesn’t have.  *** ****** states she offered to provide proof of the flood to Blue Ridge but they advised her it will not matter.
  
  When *** ****** installed cable service on January 16, 2017, she was provided with one **** DVR cable box along with 3 **** mini cable boxes for her cable television service.  In checking her account for July and August of 2020, we have no record indicating one of the three **** mini cable boxes was returned to Blue Ridge.  In reviewing a chat conversation with one of our agents on October 23, 2020, *** ****** stated she wanted to get rid of her three **** mini boxes and keep the main **** box.  *** ****** advised she could take the three boxes to the local office and that they were moved into storage to continue with their cleanup as they had a flood in their basement.  According to this conversation, *** ****** still had possession of the 3 **** mini cable boxes 2-3 months after she states she returned one of them
  
  All Blue Ridge leased equipment is tracked via a corresponding serial number attached to each piece.  When equipment is returned by the customer, it is immediately removed from the account based on the serial number and a receipt is provided to the customer for their records.  Our records do not reflect the equipment was returned, and due to this, *** ****** would need to provide to us the receipt she would have received at the time she states the box was returned.  *** ****** claims the receipt was destroyed due to a flood in her home, however, providing us with proof of a flood occurring in the home isn’t sufficient proof of the return of our equipment.
  
  In reviewing the tracking log of *** ******’s account, none of our agents were in the account in December 2020 or April 2021.  On September 12, 2021, an agent was in the account due to speaking with *** ****** via our chat option regarding adding *** ******* to her account.  During this conversation, the subject of the **** mini cable box was not addressed by *** ******.  In January 2022, only one agent was in the account and that was an agent with our Level 2 Technical Support department who does not deal with account billing. 
  
  *** ****** spoke with agents via our chat option on November 2nd, 3rd and 4th regarding being billed for a **** mini cable box she states she returned to Blue Ridge previously.  Each time she was advised for the equipment to be removed from the account, she would need to provide the receipt of return given to her by Blue Ridge.  As a courtesy, the **** mini cable box was removed from *** ******’s account effective November 2, 2022 and a credit of $31.64 (which represents 3 months of rental for the equipment) was applied to the account.  We feel the credit provided is sufficient since she is unable to provide the return receipt to us as requested numerous times.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications

  Customer response

  12/06/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have made it very clear that I do not have a receipt due to a natural disaster that occured at my home. There was a flood due to a hurricane that came up the coast. I was told by Blue Ridge on numerous occassions that I would need to provide this receipt even though I have explained the flood countless times. As we can see in their response, they are still asking for a receipt even though there is not one. If a customers house burns down, and the receipt is inside, there would be no way to provide said receipt so why am I still being asked for a reciept when I have made it very clear that I do not have one any longer. My office was in the basement and I kept all of my receipts in one central location which was damaged by water. I have not had a single issue with any other company or bill or anything other than Blue Ridge. I also kept records of each time I spoke with someone there and your records do not reflect mine. I have dates that I spoke with people and you are stating that I did not. If I need to, I will get a detailed phone record to prove that your records are incorrect. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ******
  

  Business response

  01/13/2023

  January 12, 2023

  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  Ms. Miller is rejecting our response because she states she made it clear that the receipt she claims she received for returning the piece of Blue Ridge cable equipment previously was destroyed by a flood in her home.  *** ****** states she has records of each times she spoke with someone at Blue Ridge and our records do not reflect hers.  She states she will get a detailed phone record to prove that our records are incorrect if needed.
  
  *** ****** states she returned 1 of her 3 **** mini cable boxes to a Blue Ridge office in July or August 2020 and was given a receipt that was damaged due to a flood in her home in August 2020.  In a chat conversation that occurred months later on October 23, 2020, *** ****** advised our agent that she wanted to get rid of her 3 **** mini cable boxes that were put in storage due to a flood in her home.  According to this conversation, *** ****** still had possession of 3 **** mini cable boxes in October 2020 and we have no record of this equipment being returned.
  
  We had reviewed the account for the dates noted by *** ****** in her complaint and found that either no agent was in her account at that time, or if she did speak with an agent, the subject of 1 returned **** mini cable box was not addressed by *** ******.
  
  Based on our findings, we stand by our original position.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been having internet issue, i work from home have connected them multiply times, have had tech come to my home. spoke with a customer care rep 2 days ago never told me about a shut off that was for nov 2md (today) had tech at my home yesterday for over 3 hours no word of payment. woke up this morning to a shut off. and them saying they cant help me. I owed before today 143.98 as a past due and 122.56 was current bill. due on receipt of bill with a note to pay bill in full within 5 days. normally due by the 23rd of the month. as of today new bill now being told that 266.54 has to be paid to restore service. spoke with a sup who was unsure why i wasn't given info 2 days ago.. did a call back with a manger. manger Alice called back about 10am to inform me that there was nothing she will do. not sure why the rep didn't give the info about bill and that it was my fault for not asking. ( Great customer service for a manger). i asked about the credit and was told credits were applied as they should be. never told me the amounts. Just asked if there was anything other than needing to make payment else to get me off phone. I called back and spoke with a rep at 1020am asking when normally bill is due she confirmed the 23rd of the month and I asked how much my account was credited for the issues I had with the service and was told I was not given any credits on the account. so I was lied to also by a manger. Had i known the service would be shut off today i would have borrowed the 140.00 needed to keep service on until Friday if they would have not held the account until then when i got paid. Now i have to come up with 267.00 to get it turned back on when i work from home and need internet to make money. I am also being told they cant override the system since it was shut off payment has to be made to restore. Higher ups need to know how their cx are being treated as well.

  Business response

  11/14/2022

  November 3, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ****** is a Blue Ridge Communication internet customer.  She was having internet issues and contacted us to take care of it.  She states that two days after calling us, her service was disconnected for non-payment of her bill, but we never warned her that this would happen.  She states that the bill she received in October stated that her account was past due and to pay the full amount within five days.  After her service was disconnected, *** ****** spoke to a manager.  She states that she was told that we could not override the system or restore her service unless she paid the full past due amount.  *** ****** states that if she would have known the account could be disconnected, she could have made arrangements to borrow the money needed to keep the service active.  She also states that she was promised credit on her account from the internet issue, but when she asked about it, she was told that no credit was added to her account. 
  *** ****** called us on 10/31 because she was having issues with her internet cutting out.  A technician was scheduled for the next morning.  *** ****** inquired about receiving a credit due to the service not working correctly. Since the first agent that spoke to her specialized in troubleshooting, *** ****** was transferred to another agent who explained that we could not provide a credit until the issue was resolved. We do not provide credit due to service outages until the issues are resolved, so that we may provide the appropriate amount of credit based on the time the service was not working correctly.
  When *** ****** called us on 10/31 the agents did not go over billing on her account.  They worked with her through troubleshooting and scheduling a technician to the home to solve her issue.  Even though the agents did not speak with *** ****** about her past due bill, she does admit to receiving the message on her last bill stating that the balance needed to be paid within five days. She received a message on her September bill and on her October bill.  The message on the bill stated “We have not received your payment. To avoid disconnection, full payment must be received within 5 days.  If full payment is not received, your service may be disconnected.”
  *** ******’s bills print out around the second of each month and are due on the twenty-third of each month.  When *** ****** received the bill that printed on 10/3, that she referenced, her total amount due was $266.54, with $148.98 being past due.  She did not make any payments. Then on 11/2 another bill printed out making her total amount due $396.05.  Of that balance $273.49 was past due, and needed to be paid to restore service.  *** ****** made the payment that day and we restored service immediately. 
  A technician went to *** ******’s home the day after she called us to fix her issue.  When *** ****** called us the day after the technician came to her home, the agent she previously spoke to did not add the credit to her account yet.  Normally, we provide credit from the time the customer calls to inform us of an issue until the time the issue is resolved.  Providing credit like that in this instance, we would have provided *** ****** with $7.33.  As a courtesy, we added a $25 credit to the account.  Also, as a courtesy we have provided credit of $6.95 from September, $6.95 for October and $6.95 for November for late fees totaling $20.85. 
  At this time *** ****** has a current balance of $73.53, which is due on 11/23. We wanted to make sure *** ****** is aware that Blue Ridge Communications participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  ACP is a program through the FCC that provides a $30 per month discount on internet service.  We have information on our website about applying for the program and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through phone, email and chat to answer any questions.  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  Blue Ridge Communications

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  All year my internet service has been getting severely sub-par download and upload speeds (many times in the single digits). After repeatedly switching modems BRC sent a technician out in July 2022. He determined the underground cable needed to be replaced and a report to request this work would be filed and I would hear from them within two weeks. Over three months have passed and nothing has been done. Not only have I been paying for internet service but also for tv from Fubo on a monthly basis and I have not been able use either service without having to wait for endless buffering or blacked out screens. BRC still wants to get paid each month for a service I AM NOT ABLE TO GET and because of their poor business practices I am paying monthly for a television service which I cannot use also. I have been calling them on a weekly basis and nothing still has been done. Why should I be made to pay for a service which I am not getting? I feel that blue ridge should fix the problem and refund at least a partial amount of what I have paid them for a service they have not provided.

  Business response

  11/10/2022

  November 8, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******,

  *** ****** states she’s been receiving sub-par internet service which is due to the underground cable needing to be replaced.  *** ****** states it has been more than 3 months since being advised of the issue and the underground cable hasn’t been replaced.  *** ****** states she pays for a streaming TV service from another provider which she is unable to use due to buffering and black screen issues.  *** ****** is requesting that Blue Ridge fix the underground cable and issue a refund for some of the monies she has paid.

  *** ****** subscribes to the up to 300 mbps internet service which offers a download speed of up to 300 mbps, an upload speed of up to 8 mbps and 1.3 TB (terabytes) of data.  On July 25, 2022, a technician was dispatched to her home due to speed issues with the internet service where he replaced fittings on the underground cable.  A speed test was completed at the modem with a download speed of 300 mbps received and the technician noted the customer would need to make changes to her WiFi mesh network due to low signal issues with the units.  A splice was also located in the underground cable with the technician creating a sketch for new underground to be installed.  
  

  Due to the cable being located under the road, we needed to obtain a permit from the town to bore and/or cut the road.  We were informed by Jackson Township that the original paperwork we submitted to them prior had been lost and we were required to resubmit all paperwork again which resulted in a delay in making the repair.  Blue Ridge was finally able to obtain the permit and on November 1, 2022 the underground cable was replaced.
  

  A field supervisor spoke with *** ****** on November 2, 2022 to inform her that the repair was completed the day before.  The supervisor approved a credit for one month of service and on November 2, 2022 a credit of $71.90 ($64.95 for one month of service and $6.95 for a previous late fee charge) was applied to *** ******’s account.
  

  We feel the issue noted in the complaint has been addressed.  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  

  Sincerely,
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Customer response

  11/10/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Blue ridge has had a monopoly on the area for as long as I can remember. The internet is constantly slow and going down with no explanation and when you contact them customer service does nothing for you and acts like they have no idea that there is an outage. There is an outage at least once a month. They need to lower their prices or update their hardware so I'm not paying for a service that doesn't even work. And they offer no compensation for any inconvenience you may have encountered while your internet was out for an entire day. Please do something.

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  November 8, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** states his internet service is constantly slow and dropping with an outage at least once a month and customer service is of no assistance to him.  *** ***** states Blue Ridge has a monopoly and needs to lower their prices or update their equipment.  *** ***** states Blue Ridge offers no compensation when the service is out for an entire day. 
  
  Since the initial install of service in July 2020, there was only one trouble call placed on April 9, 2022 for no service due to the modem being offline.  A technician was dispatched, however, the customer canceled the ticket before the technician arrived at the home.  On April 28, 2022, *** ***** contacted Blue Ridge via email to report the internet service dropped for the 2nd time within the month.  An agent responded to the email to assist him with the issue, but no further response was received from the customer.  *** ***** called Blue Ridge later that same day and was informed the internet service was interrupted due to a past due balance on the account.  A payment was made at that time and the internet service was restored.  
  
  On October 25, 2022, *** ***** contacted Blue Ridge via email to report his internet service wasn’t working.  Before an agent could respond to the email, the customer called Blue Ridge and was informed the internet service was interrupted due to a past due balance on the account.  A payment was made later in the day and the internet service was restored.
  
  *** ***** subscribes to our up to 300 mbps internet service which provides him with a download speed of up to 300 mbps, an upload speed of up to 8 mbps and 1.3 TB (terabytes) of data each month.  On November 7, 2022, a resident manager spoke with *** ***** who advised that he is no longer having an issue and his internet service is working fine.  *** ***** stated he generally receives 200-215 mbps of download speed with the manager advising that he shouldn’t have issues receiving up to 300 mbps.  The manager offered twice to have a technician come to the home to verify the service, but *** ***** declined the offer both times.
  
  Blue Ridge does not have a monopoly and we do not prohibit other companies from servicing the East Stroudsburg area.  Other service providers can apply for a franchise at any time and build in *** *****’s area.
  
  Our prices are comparable to other service providers and we’re constantly working on improving our infrastructure to provide the best service possible to our customers.  Our multi-year plan to rebuild our entire cable system has begun and we will be upgrading 8000 miles of cable to create a 100% fiber-optic solution that delivers Fiber-to-the Home directly to our customer’s homes.  
  
  If a customer is without service for an entire day, credit will be applied to the account for that timeframe at the customer’s request.
  
  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have BLUE RIDGE CABLE AND I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SERVICE FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND THE SERVICE REMAINS THE SAME..I HAVE TALK TO THEIR TECHNICIANS SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE CORRECTLY.. THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE MODEM ,SO THEY CAN CHARGE ME A MONTHLY FEE FOR THE MODEM, THAT DID NOT WORK..THEY TOLD ME TO BY ANOTHER WIFI ROUTER, THAT DID NOT WORK THEY SENT A TECHNICIAN TO WORK OUTSIDE MY HOUSE, THAT DID NOT WORK..I DAYS I SIT CRYING FROM AGGRAVATION DEALING WITH THE INTERNET SERVICE HERE. BLUE RIDGE CABLE IS THE ONLY CABLE SERVICE THAT I CAN RECEIVE IN MY AREA AND I FEEL THEY ARE TAKING AN ADVANTAGE OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR IS NO COMPETITION FOR THEIR COMPANY..I WANT THEM TO FIX MY INTERNET CONNECTION CORRECTLY AND REFUND SOME OF MY MONEY BACK BECAUSE I BEEN GOING THROUGH STRESS DEALING WITH THIS COMPANY FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW.

  Business response

  10/31/2022

  October 31, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** **** states she has been experiencing issues with her internet service for more than two years.  *** **** states she replaced both the modem and the router at our suggestion with no resolution and work completed outside her home did not resolve the issue.  *** **** states there is no competition and Blue Ridge is the only provider in her area.  *** **** is requesting that Blue Ridge fix her internet service and provide her with a credit due to the ongoing issue.
  
  Prior to March 17, 2021, *** **** was using her own modem for internet service which limited the amount of troubleshooting we’re able to provide since it wasn’t Blue Ridge equipment.  To be able to better assist *** **** if issues should occur, we suggested that she lease our modem for $5.95 per month which would allow us to be able to monitor the equipment and troubleshoot more in depth.  *** **** agreed and our modem was installed on March 17, 2021.  As of October 1, 2022, we no longer charge a monthly fee for our modem and *** **** is no longer being billed for the equipment.
  
  In reviewing the account, there were two trouble calls placed within the past two years.  On January 22, 2022, due to connection issues *** **** was experiencing, we monitored her modem for 48 hours and noted issues were found with the signal to noise ratio and TX power.  A trouble call was scheduled for February 2, 2022, where our technician replaced a piece of equipment on the drop to the home. 
  
  On June 2, 2022, *** **** spoke with a technical support agent due to dropping of her internet service and a trouble call was scheduled for June 8, 2022.  On the trouble call, the technician noted there was no problem observed because due to Covid reasons he wasn’t allowed to enter the home to be able to investigate.  Also noted during the call on June 2, 2022, the technical support agent discovered the personal router *** **** was using, wasn’t capable of supporting the up to 600 mbps download speed she was paying for and it was suggested she check into replacing that piece of equipment.
  
  On October 27, 2022, a representative spoke with *** **** to discuss the ongoing internet issues.  With approval from her, a trouble call has been scheduled for November 2, 2022, to have a technician investigate both inside and outside of her home to attempt to locate the cause of the ongoing issue.  *** **** is aware the representative will follow up with her after the trouble call has been completed to discuss the findings and what credit will be applied to the account.
  
  Blue Ridge is not the only provider of internet service within the East Stroudsburg, PA area.  In referencing www.broadbandnow.com, service is also available from ******** 5G Home Internet (limited areas), *******, ****** and ****** ***.
  
  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications

• Initial Complaint

  07/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I transferred my service to another company and was asked to return my equipment. Upon returning the equipment, I was told that I had over $300 credit and it would be returned in 3-4 weeks by a check. I asked why when I paid the bill online via my debit card wasn't it returned that way immediately. I was told it's the policy for online payments. I asked to speak with a manager and was denied stating that a manager can only override payments every 2 weeks and I'd still get my money back in the same time. I left and called customer service asking for a manager and was again denied. I tried emailing as well, was asked information to verify my identity and after supplying the information, I never heard back. This is 1980 practices in 2022 and denying the opportunity to speak with a manager is unacceptable. Not answering written communication is unacceptable. Not refunding payment through a debit card is unacceptable.

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  July 18, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** claims that she is a former Blue Ridge Communications customer, who recently closed her account and returned our equipment.  She had a credit on her account that would be returned via check within three to four weeks after the account closure.  She felt that the credit should be given back immediately to her debit card.  She states that she asked to speak with a manager, but was denied. She also states that she wrote an email to us, but we never responded. She feels that denying her the opportunity to speak to a manager, not replying to her email, and refusing to immediately issue a refund through her debit card is unacceptable. 
  *** ***** disconnected her account on June 27, 2022.  An agent explained that since we bill a month in advance, she would receive a refund credit check in the mail within three to four weeks.  *** ***** did not feel that was acceptable and instead wanted the credit to be added to her debit card immediately.  The agent explained that it was protocol for accounts that pay with bank account information online, instead of credit or debit cards to receive their credit in the form of a check.  *** ***** wanted to speak with a manager.  There was not one available at that time, so the agent let her know that her concerns would be forwarded to a manager.
  Her information was forwarded to a manager.  The manager reiterated the same information, which was since the payment was made through her bank account, and not through a credit or debit card, we need to wait for the payment to clear, then a check would be sent to her in the mail.  *** ***** has stated several times that she made her payment through her debit card, but the only information we have on file is for a bank account, not a debit or credit card.  Her bank account may have a debit card attached to it, but we do not have that information on file.  We only have the bank account information, which *** ***** added to make payments on our website. 
  In the afternoon of June 27, *** ***** sent us an email about the situation.  When submitting an email, the customer receives a reply asking them to allow two to three business days for a reply.  We responded back to *** *****’s email the next day.  After confirming security information with *** *****, the last response in the conversation was us explaining how since her payment was made from a checking account, it would need to process, then a check would be sent to her.  We also asked if there was anything else we could assist her with, but received no further response. 
  *** ***** made a payment with her bank account on June 27 and closed her account that same day.  After the payment processed, we sent *** ***** her refund check on July 8.  If you have any further questions, please contact us.
  
  Sincerely,
  Blue Ridge Communications

• Initial Complaint

  07/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Companys online data usage reporting is on average 10-25% more than its own app that tracks usage through its router leading to multiple unwarranted cap overage charges per month. Company refuses to provide detailed usage reporting to explain what is causing the overages and why the discrepancy in data usage between the 2. Have been attempting to resolve for over a month with no significant progress. I believe the overage charges incurred to be fraudulent as a result of issues with their online data measurements.

  Business response

  07/25/2022

  July 23, 2022
  
  *** ******* *******,
  
  *** ***** states the data usage reporting via his My Blue Ridge account is on average 10-25% more compared to the eero app that tracks usage through the router resulting in multiple unwarranted data overage charges per month.  *** ***** states Blue Ridge refuses to provide details to explain the cause of the overages and why there is a discrepancy between the two.  *** ***** states he has been attempting to resolve this issue for over a month with no progress and believes the overage charges incurred to be fraudulent due to this issue.
  
  On June 2nd *** *****’s account was escalated to our Level 2 Technical Support team to investigate the difference in reported data usage between his My Blue Ridge account and the eero app for his router.  *** ***** was advised that a support ticket was opened with eero to look into this matter further and we would follow up with him when an update became available.  This issue has been escalated at eero and we are awaiting findings from them.  Notes on the ticket reflect *** ***** was informed of this and that we would be in touch with him when we receive feedback. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Blue Ridge Communications

  Business response

  08/12/2022

  August 12, 2022
  
  Dear ******* *******, 
  
  *** ***** is rejecting our response because he knows the issue has been escalated but it hasn’t yet been resolved so he wants to keep his complaint opened.  *** ***** states he received notifications from Blue Ridge advising “we think we fixed something”, but he is finding discrepancies of approximately 10 GB in data per day continue.
  
  On July 27th the eero representative replied to our inquiry and advised “that eero's Data Usage Activity Center View is meant to provide a general understanding of the amount of data devices and profiles are using on an eero network in order to help users to build better internet habits, but it's not designed to be relied upon for billing reconciliation or compliance purposes by either the consumer or their service provider.”  We’ve confirmed with our vendor, Open Vault, that the data overage charges applied to *** *****’s account are accurate.
   
  Sincerely,
   
  Blue Ridge Communications
  

  Customer response

  08/17/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  While it does nothing to explain the situation it is clear they are not really interested in understanding why their own product is defective and misleading. As a side note for anyone reading this, my monthly billing, once at approximately $90 per month for internet and phone package has now been changed without any notification that I have found to $90 per month for internet and $30 per month for phone. I'm not under contract so I guess they can just do that.

  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  

*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. ↩