“Telecommunications today is not like it used to be,” San Diego State University Marketing Professor Steven Osinski said, “It involves data, it involves internet and it’s involving cable.”
That’s why Steven said it’s no surprise companies sometimes confuse new customers when they are signing up for a good phone, data or internet plan.
“A little bit of deception on the sales person-side and a lot of misunderstanding on the consumer-side,” Steven said.
NBC Responds units across the country have received more than 2,300 complaints from consumers who said they agreed to a bundle price for TV, phone, and internet services, only to find a higher-priced bill arriving in the mail. When the consumers call the company to complain, the companies have sometimes offered excuses as to why the consumer is not getting the lower rate they thought they had agreed to.
How can you prevent this from happening to you?
Steven and experts say to make sure you get the agreement in writing before you sign up. If the company refuses to provide a written agreement prior to signing up, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
“I would ask them to provide me with a summary, item by item of the key services I’m paying for,” Steven said.
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To learn more about filing complaints with the FCC, click here.
“Get it in writing,” Steven said. “The way I would do that is asking for an email and if they refuse to do that, I probably would not do the deal.”
