Those who are frustrated with the service provided by Suddenlink will get the chance to air their grievances before the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) on Monday, Aug. 23, in Beckley.
This hearing comes after months of working with both Suddenlink, and its customers, to achieve positive results regarding allegations of poor customer service. Back in May, PSC Chair Charlotte Lane met with Suddenlink representatives regarding the more than 1,900 recent complaints they had received from West Virginians who are upset about the lack of quality service.
Customer complaints include everything from billing issues, to slow internet speeds, frequent outages and more. The following are just some of the examples of complaints received by the PSC:
– “I must say Suddenlink is the most frustrating company to do business with,” wrote a woman from Charleston. “I have no idea where their call centers are, but it is near impossible to speak with a live person who speaks and understands English well enough to rectify a service problem.”
– A Beckley customer wrote that she had been trying to cancel service. “I called 1-866-659-2861 to disconnect my service. I explained to the lady that our income has changed and I would no longer be able to afford cable and internet. She went threw [sic] every scenario possible to not disconnect my service.” After being placed on hold, the customer wrote “I held on the line for 32 minutes, she never came back on.” The customer was billed in July 2021 for $773.38. “I have been asking Suddenlink to cancel my services, shut my services down, the end, since February 2021. I am not paying for services I didn’t want.”
– A customer in Elkins wrote about frequent internet outages. “It is extremely frustrating, let alone knowing that you’re paying for it. We pay almost $130.00 a month. We just want the speed to be exceptional. That’s what we’re paying for – high speed internet.”
– One 89 year old man wrote “They keep raising my bill, and I just can’t keep paying a higher one. Last time, they jump it $20 more. I’m paying $129.58 and I’m on a fix [sic] income.”
– A Scott Depot customer wrote “It is time that Suddenlink (Altice) steps-up and invests the resources necessary to insure [sic] that the service they provide meets acceptable standards.”
Following the May meeting with Suddenlink representatives, Lane directed Suddenlink to provide a correction plan within 30 days.
According to information provided in a press release on July 1, “Suddenlink sent a letter to Chairman Lane on June 7, 2021, that contained neither a correction plan nor details of the steps that Suddenlink has taken to improve cable television service.”
Now, the PSC has asked Suddenlink to provide a detailed report on what the company is doing to address concerns. Suddenlink is being required to provide information on completed and projected improvement projects to its cable television service; specific outage information; the processes used to issue and track trouble tickets; customer complaint call logs; a copy of all Suddenlink’s current franchises for cable television service in the state; metrics regarding training, personnel, office locations and hours of operation. Suddenlink must also show cause as to why they should not be required to take specific remedial steps regarding its cable television service and why the commission should not impose penalties as authorized by state law. As part of this report, the PSC wants to hear from concerned customers through several in-person hearings.
The first hearing will take place on Aug. 23 in the second floor ceremonial courtroom (Courtroom B) at the Beckley-Raleigh County Courthouse located at 215 Main Street in Beckley. The hearing will begin at 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the PSC will conduct two additional hearings in Charleston at the PSC Howard M. Cunningham Hearing Room at 201 Brooks Street. The first hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m. and the second hearing will start at 6 p.m.
For those who cannot attend the in-person hearings, the PSC welcomes letters and comments.
Anyone desiring to file a written comment should do so as soon as possible. All written comments should state the case name and number and be addressed to Connie Graley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323. Written comments also may be filed electronically via the “Submit a Comment” link on the Commission website at wvirw.psc.state.wv.us.
Suddenlink offers cable television service to more than 300,000 households and small businesses and has over 133,000 cable television customers in West Virginia. The Company provides service over a hybrid fiber optic-coaxial network with more than 8,500 plant miles and eight headends across the state.
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