Hey everyone, need some advice on a tricky situation. Client here in Grand Rapids discovered they've been paying for 1GB internet service from Comcast Business for 18 months but only receiving 100MB. Speed tests confirm they're capped at 100MB. Comcast is claiming it's a "provisioning issue" and offering 3 months credit. I think they owe much more. Has anyone dealt with speed provisioning errors before? What's reasonable to demand?
Huge Comcast Business Internet Billing Error - Need Advice
Tina, that's a clear breach of contract. You should demand full refund of the speed difference for all 18 months. If they were paying $400/month for 1GB but only getting 100MB service worth $150/month, they owe $250 x 18 = $4,500. Don't let them lowball you with 3 months.
Chester's right on the math. I had a similar case with Spectrum where the client paid for 500MB but was provisioned at 200MB for 8 months. Got full credit for the difference plus one month free for the hassle. Document everything with speed tests from multiple devices and locations.
Thanks guys. Client says they've been doing speed tests monthly and have documentation going back 10 months showing consistent 100MB results. They were paying $380/month for 1GB, comparable 100MB service is $165/month. So $215/month difference x 10 documented months = $2,150 minimum.
Don't forget to factor in any business losses from slow internet. If they can document productivity issues, missed opportunities, or customer complaints due to inadequate bandwidth, that's additional damages beyond just the billing error.
Willa makes a good point about business damages, but honestly Comcast will fight that tooth and nail. I'd focus on the clear-cut billing error first. Get that money, then if you want to push for consequential damages, do it separately. Don't muddy the waters.
Good strategy Rosa. I'm going to demand the full $2,150 documented difference plus the remaining 8 months based on contract start date. If they won't budge, we'll file a complaint with the FCC and state utilities commission.
Smart move threatening regulatory complaint. Comcast Business hates dealing with formal complaints because it creates paper trails. They'll usually settle to avoid the hassle. Keep us posted on how it goes!
Update: Comcast agreed to credit $3,100 total - they went back 14 months on their own audit. Apparently this was a known issue affecting multiple customers in the Grand Rapids market. Thanks for the advice on standing firm!
Excellent result Tina! Love when carriers actually do the right thing without a fight. That $3,100 probably covers your audit fee nicely too. Great work pushing back on their lowball initial offer.
Fantastic outcome! This is exactly why telecom auditing is so valuable. Carriers have complex provisioning systems and errors like this happen more often than they'd like to admit. The key is having documentation and not accepting the first settlement offer. Well done Tina!