When you call a telecommunications company to request Internet service, from what day may they bill you? The complaint for this class action alleges that Charter Communications, Inc., which provides Internet services under the Spectrum name, begins billing subscribers before it has begun providing them with services.
The class for this action is all persons in the US who are customers of Charter Communictions and who were charged for Internet usage before their services were activated.
According to the complaint, Charter is “the second-largest cable operator in the United States, and third-largest pay TV operator.”
The complaint quotes the company’s General Terms and Conditions as saying, “Billing may commence on or after the earlier of (a) the activation of any Service or Device, or (b) 8 days after customer pickup or shipment by Spectrum of Devices or Equipment.” However, the complaint alleges the company does not abide by its own terms.
Plaintiff Hope Wojtowicz contacted Spectrum on December 21, 2019 and signed up for its services. The device she needed was shipped out to her on December 22, 2019, and she began receiving Internet services on December 24, 2019.
By Spectrum’s own rules, she should have been billed for services from December 24. However, she was billed starting on December 23. This was both before the date the service was activated and before the date that was eight days after her devices was shipped.
The complaint quotes other online postings which make similar complaints:
“Has anyone gotten their payment date moved up in the past year? … 2-3 cycles ago, my forever 18th due date was changed to 16th. CS said it was no big deal because [I] could still pay 10 days later. … [I] pressed the issue. He apologized and said he was reverting the date back. Next bill had the 17th instead, this bill back to 18th.”
“I resided in my apartment form 7/13/19-7/11/2020… [S]ervice started on 7/15/19. I’m being charged for an entire month of the Internet for 7/8/2020-8/8/2020 period, even though I canceled my services as of 7/11/2020… [I]s there a reason why the billing cycle started on 7/8/2019 and not the activation date?…”
The complaint alleges that Charter “has roughly 6,500 complaints on Better Business Bureau’s website related to ‘Billing/Collection Issues,’ and an ‘F’ rating from Better Business Bureau.”
The counts include breach of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment, and violations of New York’s General Business Law.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Spectrum Internet Service Charges Before Service Begins Complaint
January 15, 2021
When you call a telecommunications company to request Internet service, from what day may they bill you? The complaint for this class action alleges that Charter Communications, Inc., which provides Internet services under the Spectrum name, begins billing subscribers before it has begun providing them with services.
Spectrum Internet Service Charges Before Service Begins ComplaintCase Event History
Spectrum Internet Service Charges Before Service Begins Complaint
January 15, 2021
When you call a telecommunications company to request Internet service, from what day may they bill you? The complaint for this class action alleges that Charter Communications, Inc., which provides Internet services under the Spectrum name, begins billing subscribers before it has begun providing them with services.
Spectrum Internet Service Charges Before Service Begins Complaint