Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Earthlink, LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 602 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 256 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:09/18/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On August 13th we decided to get your internet service since we needed this for our kids ***** was our contact that offered us this service ************) his phone number. We paid for the modem $80 on August 17 we received the modem and ***** did not mention to us that we had to paid for internet service.. since we thought we had.. ( we paid for the modem he later said). Our internet service only lasted 4 days I guess ***** did not understand our needs after we clearly told him what we needed internet for in our home on August 26 we told ***** we wanted to cancel since the Internet was already used in total. ***** being a desperate person to keep us called us and told us that he can offer another service to keep us, we said no.. since he clearly didn't understand our needs the first time. Today I received a text that I needed to pay my internet service which was weird since we had cancel with ***** he said we can cancel any time without a charge. We never signed a contract or anything. I called you guys and **** told there was a cancelation fee since they didn't have in their records about our cancelation since August 26. I told him I wasn't going to pay for that since ***** said there was no charge , now you only CHARGED MY CARD WITHOUT MY PERMISSION but you also want the modem that I already paid ( and by paid for i mean you never said i needed to return this, not that i want to keep it) to be returned to you ( NOW YOU TELL ME IF THIS WAS JUST A LOAN DEVICE THEN I WANT MY MONEY BACK FOR THIS TOO )after the internet service you provided was the worst ever. You guys are so unprofessional for doing charges without customers authority. I WANT MY MONEY BACK FOR THE UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE YOU DID TODAY AND I WANT MY MONEY AS FOR THE ****** Your company is taking advantage of people's need and bank information that you have and are only supposed to use when you have a customer approval. I will do a charge back or even worst *** you because of your lack of ethic
Business Response
Date: 09/19/2022
Date:- 09-19-2022
************************* BBB Consumer Complaint # ********
Wireless Home Internet Acct # ************
Acct status: Inactive
In the complaint the consumer states that he had called up and signed up for EarthLinks internet service. The consumer states that he had paid $80 for the modem. The consumer states they later got the services cancelled as it had a data cap which got over in 4 days.The consumer states that they did not agree to sign up for a service which had a data cap as they wanted to use the internet for home purpose. The consumer states they had cancelled their services on August 26, 2022, however they still got charged after it. The consumer states that they called up EarthLink and was informed that the charges was for cancellation of services. The consumer states that they did not sign up for a service with a contract. The consumer states that he was informed that he needs to return the modem back for which he has paid for. The consumer in his resolution has requested a refund towards the modem charge and also towards the last charge. The consumer states that he would otherwise do a chargeback towards these charges.
We sincerely apologize for the miscommunication that might have happened during the signup. . We would like to assure all our consumers that EarthLink always strives for better customer experience.We are sorry to know that the consumer did not get the desired connection. We see that the consumer had signed up for Wireless Home Internet service. Initially the consumer has to pay $79.95 which is an activation fee and not a device fee. The consumer is not charged any kind of monthly fee towards the modem. However the consumer has to return the modem back within 30 days after the cancellation date of the service.If the consumer fails to return the modem, the consumer would be charged a non-return item fee of $200 which does not include taxes. Let me inform that consumer that we have sent a return label and the consumer would receive this label within a week time.
In order to bring this matter to close we are refunding the last charge of $116.47 which include taxes. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for this refund transaction to complete. We would advise the consumer to not to dispute any charges with their bank as the refund transaction would be declined or stopped. Lastly to avoid any further charges we would request the consumer to please send the modem back after they receive the return label. The confirmation number for this response is SDP ******.
Respectfully
Roiden
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ************************************************************************ | 30328
****************************
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthLink.net/tcs/Initial Complaint
Date:09/14/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I became an Earthlink customer 11/22/2021 with ******************** service . Had no issues with services or billing. I relocated to a new unit within the same complex and had a technician by the name of **** come by on 08.31.2022 to reinstall services. After his tries and Due to no fault of my own, my new unit is not able to receive the service due to wiring. I was told to contact my maintenance team to see if they can fix. . The owner of my condo would not re-wire at this time. We had to go with another carrier. My wife works from home and we waited almost a month for an available tech. I was billed $44.70 for the Month of August as services are still active in my old unit and NO ONE is using the service. It is unfair I am paying for a service that no one is even using. I was told there would be a $150 cancellation fee since I was still in my one year contract. I was not cancelling because I didnt want the service, I was cancelling because I could no longer have the service. One of the reps I spoke to advised that the term fee could not be waived due to a fee Earthlink would have to pay to **** who is I guess funding them?? In the interim, I would like a refund of the $44.70 charged for August and a waiver of the termination fee as the term is not my fault. Thank you.Business Response
Date: 09/15/2022
Date:- 09-15-2022
************************* BBB Consumer Complaint # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Inactive
In the complaint the consumer states that he had EarthLink services at his old location and later decided to move to a new location within the same complex.The consumer states that the installation tech who visited his new location informed him, that services could not be provided over there, due to wiring issue. The consumer states that the owner at the new location would not allow to do the rewiring. The consumer states he wanted to cancel his EarthLink account however he was informed that he would be charged an Early Termination fee of $150. The consumer states that its unfair as EarthLink is still charging for his old location *****************. The consumer in the resolution would like to have a refund of $44.70 and also want to cancel the account without an Early Termination fee.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer and we are sorry to know that due to certain technical circumstances, the ***************** could not be provided at the new location. The complex nature of the internet service depends upon various factors some of which are beyond EarthLink's control. According to our records, the consumers old ***************** was still under a one year term commitment. As per the EarthLink policy, if the account is cancelled within the first year of service at any given location, the consumer is liable to pay the Early Termination Fee. The Early Termination Fee is levied on the location where the service was installed. So when a consumer cancels the service at that location then the consumer is liable to pay the Early Termination Fee.
As per the consumers request we have cancelled the Hyperlink account as of today September 15, 2022 and it may take 7 to 10 days for the line to release. The consumer was billed for an Early Termination fee of $150 as the old location service was still under a one year contract. However in order to bring this matter to close, as a special consideration we have waived the Early Termination Fee of $150. We have also placed a refund of $44.70. Please allow 3 business days for this refund transaction to complete. The confirmation number for this response is *********.
Respectfully
Roiden
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ************************************************************************ | 30328
****************************
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthLink.net/tcs/Initial Complaint
Date:09/14/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
We have tried multiple times to cancel our Earthlink account. The company has made it impossible to cancel their service and they keep charging us monthly ($11.90/mo at this point). This has been going on for years without resolution.Business Response
Date: 09/15/2022
09/15/2022
*********************-BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Inactive
The consumer states that they have tried multiple times to cancel the account. It is made impossible to cancel the services and are being charged monthly $11.90. It is stated that this is going on for years. The consumer would like to get the service cancelled and would appreciate any refund.
I would like to apologize for any confusion or misunderstandings related to the account cancellation. On reviewing the account we see that there are no previous contacts to cancel the account. The account was active and therefore billed. The charges are subscription based and not usage based. EarthLink does not track usage and there is no way of knowing that the service was not used. When the consumer contacted EarthLink on 09/14/2022 the account was cancelled as requested. As customer appreciation we are refunding three months charge in the total amount of $35.70. The refund will reflect in the credit card statement in up to 3 days. The current status of the account is inactive as of 09/14/2022 and there will be no further billing. The confirmation number for this response is 201410132.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced in bringing this to a close.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/Initial Complaint
Date:09/13/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My internet services where set to be disconnected if my bill was not paid by the 13th of September. I paid my bill on the 12th before I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning my internet was off and the money was taken off of my credit card, which should be some type of federal violation. How can I pay for a service and it still be disconnected. How can my account be disconnected when I paid my bill. This is outrageous and will cause me pain as I cannot complete work because I work from home and will probably loose my job. These large companies should not be allowed to handle people this way just because they can. If my employed is lost I will seek damages.Business Response
Date: 09/14/2022
Date:- 09-14-2022
********************************* BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Active
In the complaint the consumer states that her internet services were set to be disconnected, if her bill was not paid by the 13th of September 2022. The consumer states that she made the payment on 12th of September however her internet was disconnected. The consumer has mentioned her dissatisfaction towards EarthLink in this regard. The consumer is seeking a resolution from EarthLink in getting her services reinstated as soon as possible as she is working from home.
On reviewing the consumers account we see that the service was signed up for high speed HyperLink internet access for $69.39 a month which included the modem fee. As per our records the consumers billing cycle is 1st of each month and the consumer has been usually paying the bill amount every 2nd of each month. As per past records there was no delay in payments made by the consumer. Let me inform the consumer that EarthLink service prices are based on a model that includes the use of automated form of payment. As per the policy, If consumer provides EarthLink with a valid credit or debit card, he/she agrees to maintain a valid and current credit or debit card information with EarthLink at all times. The EarthLink system is designed in such a way that after the grace ****** of making a payment gets over the account gets inactivated automatically. This programmed system is followed for all the EarthLink consumers.
In regards to reinstating the consumers internet service, we have escalated this issue to our concerned team. We have received a confirmation from them that the service is reinstated and the consumer could accordingly use the internet. In case the consumer continues to experience email issues he can contact our Tier3 tech on ************ followed by the pin ****. Looking at the past payment history of the consumer, we have decided to waive the reactivation fee of $25. Lastly we would request the consumer to please maintain sufficient fund on their card before the billing cycle date that is 1st of each month, as when the bill gets generated our system automatically charges the card the very next day of the billing cycle. This will avoid any interruption in their services. The next bill would generate on October 1, 2022 for $69.39.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer. The confirmation number for this response is 201405683.
Respectfully
Roiden
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ************************************************************************* 30328
****************************
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.EarthLink.net/tcs/Initial Complaint
Date:09/08/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I set up service for fiber optic internet with EarthLink in June. I pad $40 upfront for the installation, and after 20 days of service, my internet was suspended due to a bill they said they sent me and had not been paid. I asked how much to restore service and was told with several fees it would cost $250 and a week to restore my internet. At that point I told them I want to cancel service with them. The person I was speaking to told me I have a past due balance and cant be cancel service until the last due amount was paid. I informed him this is not true and they cannot continue charging me for services because of a past due amount. He placed me on hold for ***** minutes before coming back and letting me know that they had successfully closed and canceled my account. Then he informed me that they would place a line hold which would not allow any other internet service providers until they released the line in **** days. I cancelled on the 28 of August. Ive since set up with ATT and they havent been able to set up service due to EarthLinks line hold. I called EarthLink today and verified that they have not released the line and that they would look into it and I would receive a call back when theyve released the line. This is an unethical and unheard of practice on EarthLinks part. No other internet service provider has practiced any such policies, and this is costing me greatly as I work from home and have had to pay almost $200 for a hotspot as a temporary fix. The price and loss Im paying for EarthLinks policy is irreparable. Ive been trying to resolve this with EarthLink and att since the end of August and even now Im still without internet and att cant do anything to fix this issue and they have tried. I contacted EarthLink today and they did not seem very concerned despite it being over 10 days that this shouldve been resolved. They also offered no specific information as to when this would be resolved or if I would even be notified.Business Response
Date: 09/09/2022
Date :- 09-09-2022
*************************** BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Inactive
In the complaint the consumer states that he had signed up with EarthLink for Hyperlink service. The consumer states he had paid around $40 for the installation. The consumer states that after 20 days his services were suspended due to non-payment of bills. The consumer states he was informed that he needs to pay around $250 to activate the account and a week to restore the services. The consumer has mentioned his difficulties while trying to get his services cancelled. The consumer states that now he has issues switching to AT&T as EarthLink has not released his line. The consumer states that he was informed that it would take 7 to 10 days for the line to get released. The consumer is seeking a resolution from EarthLink in this regard.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer while trying to resolve his issue. We would like to assure all the consumers that EarthLink always strives for better customer experience and we take this opportunity to improve our staff and services. On reviewing the account we see that the customer was signed up for 2 GB high speed HyperLink internet service for $144.10 a month. The EarthLink service prices are based on a model that includes the use of automated form of payment.As per the policy, If consumer provides EarthLink with a valid credit or debit card, he/she agrees to maintain a valid and current credit or debit card information with EarthLink at all times. The EarthLink system is designed in such a way that after the grace ****** of making a payment gets over the account gets inactivated automatically. This programmed system is followed for all the EarthLink consumers.
As per EarthLink policy once the service is installed, the consumer gets charged for their internet services in advance. So when a consumer signs up for a new ****************** the consumer initially gets charged towards installation fee. This amount is paid to the installer to personally visit the consumers premises to install their services. Once the installation is completed then the consumer is charged for the internet service. As per our records we tried to bill the consumer after the installation was completed. However the payment for this monthly internet bill which was generated on August 5, 2022 for $144.10 was rejected by the consumers card. Therefore due to non-payment of this bill the consumers account got inactivated.
In regards to line release of ****************** as per the policy, the time ****** to release the line is 7 to 10 days after the inactivation of the account. However looking at the urgency of the consumer we did send a request to our back end team to work with the vendor to get the lines released as soon as possible. We have got a confirmation from the vendor that the consumers lines has been released and AT&T can install their services on this line.
Lastly in order to bring this matter to close as a courtesy we have waived $44.10 from the past due balance of $144.10. The customer towards the final settlement has to make a payment of $100. There would be no further billing after this payment is made to EarthLink. The confirmation for this response is 201391527.
Respectfully
Roiden
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ************************************************************************* 30328
****************************
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.EarthLink.net/tcs/Initial Complaint
Date:09/08/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This transaction has occurred 2-3 times. They are not providing the service that was paid for. You see, I am a successful businessman so I pay attention to the fine print. I have been paying $95.80 (the screenshot will show the exact amount) and they are not giving me the service that was paid for. I called them looking for internet service and everything they said was documented by me in case something like this happens. They said that once the data limit was reached for the wireless internet that it only throttles once. They are now trying to continue throttling it to the point where it can't be used after the data limit was reached. I have tried resolving this with customer service and all them, but they are refusing to remove the continuing throttling of speeds after it has already been throttled. They are refusing to provide what was paid for and basically try to force me to buy credits for speeds to be what they are supposed to be. They breached the terms of agreement. It was agreed when I bought it that it would only throttle once, when the data limit was reached. That's it. It would still be usable. But since they breached the agreement, the internet is not usable at all. That needs to be fixed right now and the continuing throttling of speeds at certain point after the data limit was reached needs to stop now.Business Response
Date: 09/09/2022
09/09/2022
***********************************-BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
The consumer states that the transaction has occurred 2-3 times and he is paying $95.85 but not getting the ******* that is paid for. It is stated that he was told that it throttles only once but it continues to throttle and cannot be used after the data limit is reached. The consumer states that he tried to resolve the issue with customer ******* but they refuse to remove the throttling of speed after it has already been throttled. It is mentioned that they try to force to buy credits for speeds. The consumer wants to stop throttling of speed once the data limit has reached. If not then the consumer wishes to be offered fiber which he states is better ******* that he is looking for.
On reviewing the account we see that the ******* of ******** Home Internet is active. We are sorry for any confusion or miscommunication that *** have happened. The initial charge of $79.95 is the activation fee and must be paid before the equipment is sent to the consumers house. To start the ******* the consumer must pay the first month invoice in advance. ******** is not unlimited but the consumer has the ability to purchase more data or switch plan. Once the purchased data is used the ******* will stop working. The speed will get throttled every time the data is reached. If the consumer wishes to cancel and move to fiber internet ******* then they must send the router back using the return label within 30 days of cancelling to avoid unreturned hardware fee of $200. EarthLink *******s are location specific. After we are provided with the correct address we run a *******ability check that helps us understand if a consumer is eligible for the *******. Based on that we will be able to provide a more specific information. The consumer can contact our level 3 support on ********** followed by the pin number **** for the month of September and **** for the month of October to set up fiber internet. The confirmation number for this response is SDP 381088.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer *** have experienced.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/Customer Answer
Date: 09/09/2022
Complaint: 17932531
I am rejecting this response because:I understand all of that regarding the data. But, I would like to focus on part of what you said. "Once the purchased data is used the service will stop working. The speed will get throttled every time the data is reached.". I understand that. Once the data limit is reached, it throttles. But it is still usable. The issue is that it continues to throttle at a certain point. One of your agents described it as this, once the 75 GB (current plan) is reached, it throttles. Once 80 GB is used, it continues to throttle to like 256 KB/s a second. That's the problem. Once 80 GB is used, it should not throttle again. Because as you said, it throttles once the data limit is reached. Not the fact that it throttles again at 80 GB to like 256 KB/s. I am in a high end area so once it throttles when the data limit is reached, the speeds are still supposed to be excellent.
All that I am asking is that once the data limit is reached and the speeds are throttled that the speeds remain the same until the service renews regardless of how much data is used after the 75 GB is used because as you said, it only is supposed to throttle once the data limit is reached.
Sincerely,
***********************************Business Response
Date: 09/12/2022
09/12/2022
***********************************-BBB 17932531
EarthLink Acct # ********
In the rebuttal the consumer states that once the data limit is reached it throttles but it is still usable. It is mentioned that it continues to throttle at a certain point. The current plan is 75 GB and once 80 GB is reached it continues to throttle like 256 KBPS. The consumer states that once it reaches 80 GB it should not throttle again. The consumer says that once the data limit is reached the speed is throttled then the speed remain the same until the service renews regardless of how much data is used after 75 GB because it is supposed to throttle once the data limit is reached.
We would like to apologize for any misunderstanding related to the account. In the previous response it was mentioned that the data is not unlimited but the consumer has the ability to purchase more data or switch plan. Once the purchased data is used the service will stop working. The speed will get throttled and continue to throttle every time when the data limit is reached. When the plan or purchase data is added the speed will go back to normal. The consumer has brought nothing new to the complaint. The confirmation number for this response is SDP 382482.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/Customer Answer
Date: 09/12/2022
Complaint: 17932531
I am rejecting this response because:I would like to thank you for your response here and your email. I would like to say again that I understand everything about the data. Perhaps I can better explain the issue with an example.
For example, this is for one billing cycle. Once 75 GB was reached, it throttles. But it was still usable because I am in a high end area. Once 150% usage was reached, it throttled again. This made the internet unusable because it throttled the speeds from MBPS to KB/s. That is the issue. Speed tests confirm the second throttle. When I had data, I got over like 5 MBPS. When the limit was reached and speeds were throttled, it was like 2-4 MBPS. But once 150% was used, it throttled to 256 KB/s. This was in one billing cycle. This happened once 150% was used in the other cycles as well.
I also called earlier about it. I would imagine that you can check the recorded call. They explained the situation about the throttling of speeds the way that I am explaining it now.
I hope that explains it because once the 150% was used, it prevented me from doing work that I needed to do. I am lucky if I am even able to do it.
Besides the resolution mentioned in the email, the other important resolution is that once 150% is used in one billing cycle, that the internet remains usable. You can check the usage for the other months and the calls that were made shortly after 150% was used because it made the internet unusable. These two resolutions is all that I ask for. Once 150% usage is reached, the internet should remain usable so that I could continue to do my work.
Please and thank you.
Sincerely,
***********************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/29/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
In December 2021, I switched to EarthLink Internet. After the technician, which was a local AT&T technician, set up my wifi, I had service for a little over two weeks before it was randomly turned off. I contacted EarthLink and was informed that my internet service was disconnected due to an "unpaid bill". I hung up and searched my email, assuring that I wasn't sent a bill or a termination warning. I called EarthLink back and told them that I had already paid for my first month of service, along with the expensive installation fee, and I'd only had service for a little over two weeks at that point. After threatening to involve a lawyer, they dropped the issue and turned my wifi back on. Then, everything was fine until late July. Pretty much right after paying my bill for the upcoming month, my internet randomly went out. I tried to fix it on my own but eventually had to contact EarthLink for help. The woman I spoke to asked me if I wanted to sign-up for EarthLink EasyTech and read me the conditions, she stated that this service would also include fast tech services; if a technician needed to come to my home, it would be within a four-hour time period. I said yes, and then she realized I was already signed up for EasyTech. I didn't know I had been paying for that service, but I was relieved because I thought the issue would be resolved quickly. Instead, I was informed that a technician wouldn't be out until two days later. A technician came and was unable to fix the issue, so I went another week without internet service. Another technician eventually came out and fixed the issue within minutes. It was on for less than 24 hours before it went out again, then it continued going in and out for the next couple of weeks. I told Earthlink that I was canceling my service and charged me a $175 termination fee. I told them that I wasn't paying for wifi that didn't work, and certainly wasn't paying to cancel.Business Response
Date: 08/30/2022
08/30/2022
**************************************-BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Inactive
The consumer states that she switched to EarthLink internet in December 2021. It is stated that the service worked for a while and then randomly turned off. The consumer was informed that the service was disconnected due to unpaid bill. It is mentioned that she informed that she already paid for the first month service along with the installation fee and had service for a little over two weeks. It is stated that again in July she paid the bill and the internet randomly went out. When she contacted EarthLink the consumer was informed about EasyTech which included fast tech services. The consumer has expressed difficulties with the connection and contacted to cancel the service. The consumer was informed about the Early Termination Fee of $175. The consumer does not want to pay the cancellation fee and does not want any further contacts by EarthLink.
On reviewing the account we see that the service was signed up for high speed HyperLink internet access. The initial charge of $79.95 is the installation fee. To start the service the consumer must pay the first month invoice in advance. The first invoice of $60.62 dated 12/22/2022 was rejected and the account went inactive due to past due balance. EarthLink Easy Tech is remote access technical support for home tech devices. The consumer had subscription of **************** at no extra charge. EarthLink provides toll free technical support to its consumers. EarthLink makes all reasonable efforts to provide high quality service with award winning support. We see that the consumer contacted EarthLink to cancel the service as she has moved to another location and already has service there. As per the policy, if the account is cancelled within the first year of service the consumer is liable to pay an Early Termination Fee of up to $200. The consumer was offered a discount on the monthly charge so that she could complete the term commitment and cancel at the end of the term without having to pay the Early Termination Fee. Despite the policy we are waiving the Early Termination Fee of $150. As a special consideration we are also waiving the past due balance of $71.39 that was invoiced on 08/22/2022. The account is closed with zero balance as of 08/30/2022. There will be no further billing. The confirmation number for this response is 201358663.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced in bringing this to a close.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcsCustomer Answer
Date: 09/03/2022
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
**************************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/25/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up for internet services with Earthlink on 8-16-21 for a 12 month contract. My package was for 75mbps at $69.95 before modem ($8.95) & other taxes, fees. I didn't realize at the time that Earthlink had its internet provided by Frontier who came out on 8/20/21 to set up my internet. On 7-29-22 I received a call from a lady at Earthlink saying she could upgrade my account for free at 300mbps and could send someone to my house on 8-1-22 to do this for me. I told her "No, I work that day and I don't know what I want to do with my internet at this time. I will have to call you back." I received calls from Frontier on Monday, 8-1-22 while working, and this guy said he was about 15 min out from my house to work on my internet. I told him that I clearly stated to the lady at Earthlink that I would be working, to NOT send anyone and that I did not want any upgrade. On 8-12-22 I called Earthlink to disconnect service as I knew approximately one year earlier I set up my term and wanted to get a date scheduled. I spoke with a lady named ****** (sp?) who said if I canceled sooner than my one year contract I would get charged an early termination fee. She said it was pro-rated and that if I called on **** my year was up. I called today on ****-22 and this lady had a completely different story saying I had a 24 month contract. Then she would say that it was 378 day contract. She also said because she was retainment she could not see sales notes or other departments but yet she could read notes from 7-29-22 and 8-20-22, which sounded very strange to me. She would claim that the 300mbps upgrade that was to be free would not involve any work, but yet why would they need to send Frontier out then? I have screenshots below to show it all. I just want my $100 back that they charged me today for an early termination fee when I signed up for a 12 month contract. My install was 8-20-21, over 12 months ago. When they withdraw the money I will provide a copy of that to you as well.Business Response
Date: 08/26/2022
08/26/2022
***************************-BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Inactive
The consumer states that she signed up for the internet service on 08/16/2021 with a 12 month contract. The package was for 75 MBPS at $69.95 with modem fee of $8.95 and tax. The consumer states that she did not realize that the internet was provided by Frontier who came to install on 08/20/2021. The consumer states that on 07/29/2022 she got a call from a lady at EarthLink saying that the service would be upgraded to 300 MBPS for free and would send someone to install on 08/01/2022. It is mentioned that she declined as she works on that day. On 08/01/2022 the consumer while at work got a call from Frontier to work on the internet. The consumer said that she did not want any upgrade and called on 08/12/2022 to disconnect the service as one year was almost complete. It is stated that the representative said if she cancelled sooner than one year she would be charged an Early Termination Fee. The consumer was told to call on 08/25/2022 when the contract would end. It is stated that she called on 08/25/2022 and the representative said that she had a 24 month contract. The consumer states that she was charged $100 and is seeking a refund.
On reviewing the account we see that the service was signed up for high speed HyperLink internet access. The consumer was offered to upgrade the service to 300 MBPS at no extra charge as the speed of 75 MBPS would no longer be available. As per the records the consumer was signed up by our channel partner under a special promotional scheme that offered 24 months contract with reduced installation fees. We apologize for any misunderstanding that *** have occurred and any inconvenience caused. As customer appreciation we have waived the Early Termination Fee of $75. There is no charge of $100 applied as Early Termination Fee. The account is closed with zero balance as of 08/25/2022. There will be no further billing. The confirmation number for this response is 201343943.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer *** have experienced in bringing this to a close.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/Customer Answer
Date: 08/27/2022
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I appreciate your help in this matter as I truly believe it would not have been corrected without your intervention. You prevented me from being stolen from and I'm grateful for that.
Sincerely,
***************************Initial Complaint
Date:08/20/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On August 13th I logged into my Earthlink account and made a one time payment of $48.95. The amount $48.95 is what I pay monthly for my Earthlink DSL service. However, on August 13th my prepaid debit card was charged TWICE. 2 different transactions for $48.95 by Earthlink appeared on my bank statement. When I contacted Earthlink customer service about this, I was told by 2 different representatives that according to their system, they only charged me once. Even though all totals on my account showed no dates (this is what I was told by the 2nd Earthlink representative) that there was one charge for July and one charge for August. He was able to tell me that, but this was after he claimed there were no dates for any payments. Both Earthlink representatives suggested that I contact my "bank institution", which is pretty much saying, "It's ****** fault, not ours." When I contacted **** and was transferred to a billing specialist, she saw the 2 charges by Earthlink in the system. She also pointed out that the 2 charges were still pending. They hadn't been completed yet. I was then told 2 options could come out of this. The 1st option was when the first charge by Earthlink went through, there was a possibility that the 2nd charge wouldn't go through and my funds would be returned to my card.The 2nd option is **** would have to submit a dispute for the additional charge to seek a refund. Either way, **** advised it was best they make my current card inactive and send me a new replacement card, just to avoid any kind of fraud or theft.When I reached back out to Earthlink, to tell them what my conversation with **** was, I was still being told that Earthlink only charged me once. They only saw one charge. I was thanked for being a loyal customer of theirs for 7 years and they couldn't issue a refund because there was no evidence of a 2nd charge on THEIR end. So pretty much, "We don't see it, so it didn't happen. Even if you have a bank statement saying otherwise."Business Response
Date: 08/22/2022
Date:- 08/22/2022
***************************- BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Active
In the complaint the consumer states he was charged twice $48.95 when he was trying to make a payment to EarthLink on August 13, 2022. The consumer states upon calling EarthLink he was advised to speak to his bank as there was only one payment transaction showing at EarthLinks end. The consumer states that he saw two payment transactions of EarthLink on his bank statement. The consumer states that he tried to resolve the issue by contacting EarthLink, however the issue still remains unresolved. The consumer states that he has been a loyal and a long-time customer with **********************. The consumer is seeking a resolution from EarthLink in this regard.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the consumer.We would like to inform the consumer that if a customer updates a new Card or makes a payment with a new card, then an authorization transaction is done. During this authorization process the consumers will see two payment transaction on their bank statement. One payment transaction would be in pending and the other would be posted. The pending transaction would be dropped once the authorization is completed. This authorization charge which is held in pending status is returned back to the consumer within 7 days and so only one payment transaction would be posted. Incase if the consumer does not see the second charge getting returned back to his bank account, then we would advise the consumer to fax us his bank statement at ************. Our concerned department would accordingly work with the bank and get this issue resolved.
We do see that the consumer has been with EarthLink for a long-time and so as a courtesy we are placing a free month which would be applied to the consumer next billing cycle. This free month credit would be applied on September 7,2022. The consumers regular billing would resumed from October 7, 2022 for $48.95.
Incase if the consumer would like to check his EarthLink bills online, he could view them by going online at https://myaccount1.earthlink.net/. The consumer needs to login with his primary email address and password and under the billing information he would find the Billing Summary section and across from Last Invoice Date he could click on View. The confirmation number for this response is 201330335.
Respectfully
Roiden
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
****************************
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/Customer Answer
Date: 08/22/2022
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ******** (I also need to point out that the business continuously referred to me as a "he" when I am a female. "She") It also catches my attention that even though I attached a copy of my bank statement to my original complaint, the person who responded still pointed out that I needed to fax a copy of my bank statement to a number that I'm guessing is their billing department.It has been mentioned more than once how long I've been an Earthlink customer. However, it has not been a smooth experience for me or other customers. Internet dropping, unreliable email service (for those who use it, I don't.) No customer wants to pay raising bills for low service and no customer wants to feel scammed or stolen from. This situation, for me, is just a confirmation that I need to take my business elsewhere sooner than later.
On August 20th I received a new debit card from **** and after checking my balance, the money mentioned in this complaint was still missing. All of this aside, I am willing to accept Earthlink's offer to compensate for the missing $48.95. I will keep a copy of this complaint and all responses, just in case I am still charged for the month of September.
Thank you BBB for resolving this issue.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/20/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
August 16, 2022 I activated my internet service with EarthLink for 50gb a month. As soon as I downloaded the app and opened it my the data started without the modem being on. Fast forward to the morning of Aug 18, 2022 I received a text letting me know that I had used 25 gb of the 50gb I had for the month. I was without Internet for two weeks before I got EarthLink. I used the data off my phone I get about 30gb a month. I watched movies did everything but game online. My phone service starts on the 25th of course each month, Ive used 28gb of my data from the 25th till today. My point is that EarthLink is purposely running our Internet up so we can buy more minutes I mean more data or different plan. Theres no way I can use 25 gigs literally in a day and a half and I work its not like Im just sitting at home all day theres something definitely wrong about that. No way I can activate my service on the 16th that evening and the morning of the 18th Ive used half of my data for the month no way possible and when I called them on this only thing they did was tell me to put in a ticket and they gave me 10 extra gigs which doesnt make any difference because they slow you down when you get halfway ither businesses slow down when you get towards the end they slow you down when you get halfway. I paid $71 to activate and $81 for service. $150 for not even two days of internet that is unheard of. Could you please help me with this . Im not the only one going through this.Business Response
Date: 08/23/2022
08/23/2022
***************************-BBB # ********
EarthLink Acct # ********
Acct status: Active
The consumer states that on 08/16/2022 she activated the internet ******* for 50 GB a month. As soon as she downloaded the App and opened it the data started without the modem being on. On 08/18/2022 the consumer received a text that 25 GB of 50 GB was used. The consumer states that the phone data was 30 GB a month and watched movies did everything but game online and from the bill date 25th till today 28 GB is used. The consumer states that it is not possible to use half of the data. When the consumer contacted EarthLink they were told to put a ticket and gave 10 GB extra. It is stated that this does not make a difference because it slows down when you get halfway. The consumer states that the payment was $71 to activate and $81 for *******. The consumer is seeking a billing adjustment, explanation of charges and contact by the business.
On reviewing the account we see that the ******* of ******** Home Internet is active. The initial charge of $79.95 is the activation fee and must be paid before the equipment is sent to the consumers house. To start the ******* the consumer must pay the first month invoice in advance which includes $14.95 Router Rental fee. The first monthly bill was $81.17. On reviewing the account we see that the ******* plan is 50 GB. We see that the data usage is accurate, the data spikes are regular and there is high usage for just a few days but it also depends on what the consumer is streaming, what apps are updating etc. ******** is not unlimited but the consumer has the ability to purchase more data or switch plan. Once the purchased data is used the ******* will stop working. To save data the consumer can stop streaming when not using or not leaving it on while sleeping or away from home. Our team tried to contact the consumer to give details about the usage and how to use the ******* but the calls went unanswered. The consumer can contact us by phone ************-select option 1 to purchase additional data or to switch the plan. The current status of the account is active. The confirmation number for this response is SDP 369666.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of EarthLink for any difficulties the consumer may have experienced.
Respectfully
*******************
EarthLink Executive Relations
EarthLink
980 ******************** | NE, Suite 400
*******, ** | 30328
[email protected]
EarthLink ************** Agreement:
https://www.earthlink.net/tcs/
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