To: [email protected]

From: AMS [email protected]

Date: 1 Jun 2002, 10:18:33 AM

Subject: I Seriously Do Hate Rogers

I most certainly do have a rant. After 3 months of living in a new house, I arrived home one day to find a notice on my door warning me that my ROGERS services (cable & internet) would be cut off for non payment. I thought this rather odd since they hadn’t sent me 1 bill yet. I contacted their customer service department, explained my situation and I was told that the problem would be resolved and I was assured that I would receive my billing in the future (yeah, right). I complied and left my payment Scotch-taped to my front door. Scotch-taped to the door??? Is that normal?

Anyways, 3 more months pass (and I of course never receive a bill) and I come home to find a phone message from ROGERS, warning me that again my services would be disconnected for non payment. I quickly wrapped my head with duct tape to stop it from exploding and proceeded to phone ROGERS customer service AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

I should mention that over that 3-month period I had contacted ROGERS no less than 4 times with internet and cable reception complaints, and made sure to mention that I have not yet received a bill from them. And wouldn’t you know it, each time they promised to rectify the problem. After speaking with 1 customer service agent, her supervisor and the supervisor’s supervisor I finally found out why I have not received a bill. It seems ROGERS has been sending all of my bills to a house I lived in between 1998 & 1999????????

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard." I said. "I lived there 4 years ago. Why are you sending my bills there?" I asked. The response (this is beautiful), "You told us to."

ROGERS, in their infinite wisdom, claimed, quite adamantly that I instructed them to send my bills to an address, which by the way, I couldn’t even remember, when service was initiated in my new home. I told them, "That’s absurd. I couldn’t even remember the full address of that house, and since I sold it more than 3 years ago, why would I want you to send the bills there?"

The customer service monkey robot explained that when new service is initiated, there is only one portion of the order form which requires special access by their agents. That is the part that instructs billing to a different address than where service is being initiated. Those billing instructions never would have been created, unless I instructed ROGERS to create them.

Did I yell? Yes. Did I swear like a truck driver on fire? Yes. Did ROGERS admit they made a mistake? No. Instead they chose to blame me and say this was MY mistake. ?????? The supervisor’s supervisor said that the supervisor’s supervisor’s supervisor would contact me if I was still unhappy. It seems the idiot chain of command at ROGERS goes on infinitely. It’s intentional, they do it to frustrate you in to submission. I however, will not submit. I asked the supervisor’s supervisor if her friends laugh at her when she tells them she works at ROGERS. She got upset and asked me if this was getting personal. I said, "Yes. This is getting personal, because you are an idiot and the people you work with and for are also idiots." Now she was getting mad. Hee-hee-hee-hee.

So what’s the bottom line? ROGERS is a huge company and they can screw you 7 ways till Sunday, IF YOU LET THEM. I chose not to let them. I found someone else to provide me internet (high speed from my local phone company), cellular phone service (fido) and bring me ‘Friends’ come Thursday night (via satellite). I’m happy now. Everything is right. Plus I have an informative web site that not only provides alternatives to the services offered by these media monkeys, it also tells the world 24 — 7 that I HATE ROGERS. And now you know ONE of the reasons why.

AMS — Creator of www.ihaterogers.ca

To: [email protected]

From: J.T.

Date: 5 Jun 2002, 02:57:26 PM

Subject: Rogers

What's worse than having to wait for 20 minutes for a @ Rogers tech support guy to come on the phone?

* the tech rep is rude and condescending

* he doesn't know how to fix the problem, puts you on hold to ask his supervisor, then comes back and he STILL doesn't know how to fix your problem

* the phone accidentally hangs up the moment someone answers

Be an idiot and subscribe to @ Rogers -- you're guaranteed to get at least one out of the three.

Oh, what fun!

Anonymously happy with Sympatico,

J.T. 

IhateROGERS.ca Comments

J.T. has a good point. ROGERS’ tech support stinks. Response time is too lengthy and the "techies" are inadequately prepared to resolve your issues. Save your precious time and make only ONE call to resolve your ROGERS related tech problems — CALL & CANCEL their service.

To: [email protected]

From: S. L.

Date: 17 Jun 2002, 01:11:07 PM

Subject: I hate rogers

I am the person who's gas line grounded cable you see on the home page of this website. This whole sordid and unpleasant situation began on November 24, 2001 and finally ended June 16 when I ended my relationship with Rogers.

The grounding on the gas line and ensuing lack of response (some may say criminal negligence - any lawyers feel free to contact me via this website for possible legal action against Rogers) was just the tip of the iceberg. I have spent the last 7 months trying to get clear television reception for a brand new home. I am the only one in a block of seven townhomes without proper cable. In the words of one of the dozen or so technicians to visit my home, "well, at least you get most of your channels". Do you think Rogers would accept a short-payment of a bill accompanied by a letter saying, "well, at least you got most of your money". Until the (very) bitter end I never did get adequate reception on any of my 5 televisions. But, then, who watches Global TV anyway?

Here's an interesting fact that you probably don't know: If you are an existing internet-on-cable subscriber and wish to terminate your service as I just did, are you ready...you must schedule a 3 hour window for a technician to come to your home. For what? you may ask. Why, to pick up your modem and power cord. You see, Rogers no longer allows you the convenience of dropping your equipment off at one of their stores. I guess that would allow for too much customer service.

My scenario goes something like this:

I made an appointment for 8-11 AM on a Sunday (I figured that someone would be home anyway). Well, at 10:45 the technician called to say he was on the way. One problem...I was sleeping and my wife was tending to the garden and didn't hear the phone ring. The message left was "please call the Rogers offices to book another appointment". Oh, did I mention that they continue to bill you until their technician picks up your equipment. At 11:15 I called Rogers to tell them that their options were: a) send the tech back immediately or b) I would drop the modem off at the local Rogers video and that would be that. Their response (after a couple of supervisor calls) was that they would send the technician out again, but could I be available until 2PM. Being a reasonable man, I said "sure". At 3:20 I called to find out where their guy was. While I was on the phone with a supervisor, the tech called and said he was on his way. After canceling my cable (they pushed me too far) I hung up, and the tech arrived at 4:25 - 8 1/2 hours after my initial needless appointment was scheduled.

I am now awaiting the hookup of my STARCHOICE satellite system. For under $500 (with programming credits) I will have a dish and 4 receivers in my home. Installation is free, and for the same money that I was paying Rogers, I get many more stations, and they are ALL DIGITAL (unlike Rogers digital cable where channels 1-80 are analogue even with the decoder box). Did I mention that when I move I leave my satellite behind, and they will install a new one at my new home free of charge. Oh yeah, both the receiver and dish have a lifetime warranty.

Customer service - I can't wait.

S. L.

IhateROGERS.ca Comments

This guy has experienced just about every problem possible with these media monkeys. How many chances can you give a company to satisfy you before you do something about it? You’re not restricted to dealing with ROGERS — there are ALTERNATIVES and S.L. found one and seems happier for it.