ComplaintsforOpticalTel

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My *********** purchased a **** home in ****************** ******, **., July 11, 2023. Our HOA is $125 per month, and that fee covers ************* services through Opticaltel in South Florida.I scheduled the first appointment in Jul 2023, and the young man told me I didn't have the proper wiring inside the home to hook up service. He said to call an electrician, so I did, **************** came out and said wiring needed to be run from the box on the outside of the house along the gr ound to the room I have for a computer. I cannot get Opticaltel to do anything, management is non- existent, advance Electric came again 10/20/23, and even spoke to the receptionist at Opticaltel to explain that I need power for them to wire to.I have called Opticaltel twice today (10/23) and am always givin an excuse that so and so will call me back.I have NO wi-fi inside my home, and I am paying $125.00 every month for nothing.

  Business response

  10/25/2023

  Per the notes in this residents account:

  Date Posted By Comment
  
  10/25/23 @ 09:21 AM When I spoke to the customer she explained that the tech told her she needed an electrician or handy man to run cables for her internet and TV. She said she had an electrician come out and he said he needed power before he could run any lines. I informed her that all she needed was one coax to be ran from her desired location for internet to the grey box outside since she only wants internet and we would take care of the rest of the installation. I told her it doesn't have to be an electrician it can any company that runs cable. She said ok I will keep looking for someone to run that cable.
  
  10/24/23 @ 12:01 PM Contact was made. Explained in detail what was needed and the customer now knows.
  
  10/24/23 @ 10:55 AM Called customer. No answer. Left voicemail.

  It appears the customer has been given a clear message of what is needed to provide service to her home.

  Please let us know if you have any further questions.

  Thank you.

   

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have opticaltel as my provider for cable and ******** services I have been without services for almost a month. They dispatched a technician to come out but canceled the day of my appointment and told me it was a field issue. I have received no information as to when the issue will be corrected yet they sent me a seven day suspension for payment expecting me to pay for services that I have not had Now for almost a month. I have requested a call from a supervisor to no avail on several occasions. My services are still currently not working and I cannot get in contact with management at this operation.

  Business response

  10/20/2023

  Customers service was restored and a credit is being applied to her account.

  We apologize for the inconvenience.

  Thank you.

  Business response

  10/25/2023

  Customers service was restored and a credit is being applied to her account.

  We apologize for the inconvenience.

  Thank you.

  Customer response

  10/25/2023

   
  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

  09/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Opticaltel has a security deposit of $120.00 of my money for 2 cable boxes. These boxes were picked up by their employee on April 25th, 2023. They acknowledge receipt of boxes but have not returned my $120.00. I have made many phone calls and sent many emails and standard answer is I will have to send an email to our accounting department . I have requested to speak to a supervisor however they are always busy and will get back to me. I have requested a phone number so that I could call accounting department myself and have been told there is no phone number! This is the worse customer service I have ever received. I just want my money.

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  We apologize for the delayed response.  Unfortunately, due to a software glitch we were under the impression that this issue was resolved.  When a resident owes a balance or has a recurring monthly fee the refunds are applied to the account and a check is not issued.  This customer  has the $120 deposit applied to the account.   See below:

  
  Date No. Transaction Type Reference Amount Balance
  11/01/2023 ******* Deposit Refunded Deposit to account ($60.00) ($98.70)
  11/01/2023 ******* Deposit Refunded Deposit to account ($60.00) ($38.70)
  11/01/2023 ******* Invoice $21.30 $21.30
  10/03/2023 ******* Payment Payment Posted By Customer: Approved ($21.30) $0.00
  10/01/2023 ******* Invoice $21.30 $21.30
  09/10/2023 ******* Payment Payment Posted By Customer: Approved ($21.30) $0.00
  09/01/2023 ******* Invoice
  
  

  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

  Customer response

  11/02/2023

  I have not received any credits from Opticaltel. I do have a monthly amount due of $21.30 a month. I have paid that amount every month with a direct payment from my checking account. This has been going on now for 6 months. I have called multiple times, I have emailed multiple times and I have tried to speak to a supervisor to no avail.

  Please advise as to what I should do next.

  Thank you,

  ********;

   

  Customer response

  11/02/2023

  I just received an email showing my account was credited yesterday for the $120.00.

  Thank you for the help and disregard my previous email.

  ******************************;

• Initial Complaint

  08/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  have been waiting for repair to internet service for 2 weeks now, requested call backs from Management and get no response- came out to fix it and tech said he had to go get a part needed and would be back to complete the repair and still waiting on repair and call back from management

  Business response

  08/15/2023

  Service has been restored and credit has been applied to the account.

  We apologize for the service interruption.

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had internet service set up as part of HOA contract on 7/17. The tech on that date gave us an extra Ploom "for free" due to our apartment layout. On 7/19, another tech came to replace the "free" ploom as it did not function. On 8/1, I was contacted by the ****************** that this Ploom was not included on our HOA contract, and that it would cost $5.35/month to rent. I called Billing (******) who did not know how to handle this request, and transferred me to Tech Support (*****). After back-and-forth with his manager, the company wiped the initial charge. I proposed two solutions to maximize connectivity and minimize additional hidden fees given that the tech on 7/17 falsely included the third unit: 1) Send a tech to install our own WiFi router, or 2) waive the fee for the third Ploom moving forward. A ticket was filed for immediate callback from Management on my behalf by *****. After 6 hours, I called Tech Support back and was connected with ****. He declined both of my recommendations, and offered to set up WiFi remotely--now indicating an in-person installation would be a $25 charge. I declined due to connectivity. I noticed on 8/2 at 5PM that our third Ploom was no longer functioning. I called Tech Support and was connected with ****. He confirmed the third ploom was disconnected without our consent. He declined to indicate who cut off this service without our knowledge or consent but provided the date: 8/1/23. He also acknowledgedthat our ticket with Management remains open.As such, this complaint relates to the unlawful practice of shutting off internet connectivity without giving consumers advanced notice.

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  We apologize for the inconvenience this resident is experiencing.

  It is my understanding that the unit required a third Plume device.  There is a fee for additional device(s).  Our installation technicians do not know or have the authority to provide free services or know what is in the contract between the Association and Opticaltel. 

  At no time did the technician advise the resident that the additional Plume was free. This unit happens to be a very large unit and this customer is not the only resident paying for an additional Plume.

  Opticaltel only installs our own equipment.   If the customer wishes to use his own router that would be his responsibility and we would have to provision our device to be placed in bridge mode.  Customer would need to contact our Tech Support.  With that said if the customer uses his own wireless device ******************** would not be able to assist with internet issues, if they arise, as we would not be able to remote into his own personal router.

  This choice is the residents and may be arranged by contacting us.

  Thank you and we appreciate you brining this to our attention.

   
  

   

   

  Customer response

  08/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 20414530
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Opticaltel confirmed on a Technical Support call by **** on August 2nd, approximately 530PM EST, that I was "misinformed" related to the free services offered by the first technician who served my home upon move-in on Monday, July 17th. Opticaltel records these conversations, so the audio can be replayed to confirm this. This is also confirmed by my email conversations which have been uploaded previously.

  Moreover, this complaint relates to the unlawful turning off of ISP equipment without making a customer aware. This is unlawful under State (Florida Statute 83.67 Prohibited practices) regulations and violates FCC guidance (*************************************************************************************).

  Overall, I remain disappointed that the company maintains its position instead of simply apologizing for the mix-up with its customers. This is not the indication of a quality service.

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  08/31/2023

  Opticaltel will install another Plume within this customers home at no charge although we found no support for the claim that it was intentionally to be installed at no charge.  Our Field technicians are not privy to such considerations and it appears there was miscommunication.  

  One of our team members will be reaching out to this customer to schedule a complimentary plume.

  We apologize for the confusion an any inconvenience this has caused.

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

  Customer response

  09/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 20414530
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was never contacted as promised by OpticalTel regarding the third plume.

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  09/13/2023

  Customer was called to confirm plume was operational.   Customer had unplugged the device.   ******************** sent a technician to confirm plume was operational and although the customer refused to let the technician into the home the customer did confirm that the additional plume was working.

  Thank you!

  Customer response

  09/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 20414530
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  OpticalTel is again falsifying facts, this time by claiming that I refused entry to the technician (see above). Here is today's factual timeline:

  I was contacted from a blocked number today at 11:32 (see attached screenshot) at which time I was informed that the Plume had been reinstated without notifying me. We agreed to have a technician enter our home this afternoon to confirm the Plume's functionality. He did so at approximately 3:20PM, and departed at approximately 3:21PM.

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Have the service as part of the **** It is the most unreliable service I have ever seen. Often channels are not working and playback or recording will not work. The most interesting part is that the service goes out every month around the same date and will be off for days. No one knows why it is out and never has any answers. Cant wait until the contract is done so we can drop this poor excuse for a ISP.

  Business response

  07/25/2023

  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about our business. We appreciate all feedback, both positive and negative, as it helps us improve our services and customer experience.
  
  We are sorry to hear that you had a negative experience with our business. We take all complaints seriously and would like to know more about what went wrong so that we can address the issue and prevent it from happening in the future.
  
  Please feel free to contact us directly at ********************************** so that we can further discuss your concerns and work towards a resolution. We value your business and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future.
  
  Thank you again for your feedback and for choosing our business.??
  
  Best regards,
  
  OpticalTel 

• Initial Complaint

  06/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are customers of Opticaltel in ***** **. We have been without internet service from 6/25/23 through 6/30/23 and we still don't have service. On Monday 6/26/23 I was told that the service would be restored by the end of the day. On Tuesday 6/27/23 I was told they needed a bucket truck. It is now 6/30/23 and I'm told it is still an ongoing problem.. The problem is only on ********* in ***** so they refuse to send anyone out to correct the problem.

  Business response

  07/11/2023

  Thank you for the reach out.

  Unfortunately, this damaged area was caused by weather related issues.   Opticaltel is waiting for equipment to arrive to complete the service restoration.   At this moment we do not have an exact date but are working on a 100% resolution.

  This customer will be credited for the service interruption once service has been restored so we will know the appropriate dollar amount.

  We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate their patronage.

• Initial Complaint

  05/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 4/26/23 I created a service request with OpticalTel for no internet service at my location. fast forward to today 5/22/23 and the issue has not been resolved. I call every other day and hear the same response that they are working on it with no estimated date of repair. This lame excuse for a cable company continues to give the same exact response each time I call. I might as well be talking to a recorded message. I am in the communications business and this by far the worst service I have ever experienced in my 67 years.

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  Internet service has been restored.   Customer has been credited for service interruption. 

  We apologize for this concern and appreciate the customers patience.

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I moved and discontinued service on 3/15, paying the last bill in full. They're attempting to collect wat was $5 late fee and a $30 "reconnection fee" and billed me $35. This shows how disconnected they are and how they don't value their customers, paying on time every month for the 5 yrs with them. I don't want a negative paying ****** on my credit and want this fraudulent balance removed and my account closed permanently, with no further business with OpticalTel

  Business response

  05/09/2023

  Our billing system is an automated process.  When this concern was brought to our attention the fee was removed and there is  a zero balance on the account.

  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

  Have a great week.

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Every three days or so multiple channels will not play. The customer service refuses to tell me why there is zero accountability on their end for the horrible service they provide. And there is never ever any offer for reimbursement for the days their service is out. By far the worst cable company in the entire country hands down

  Business response

  05/11/2023

  Channels have been restored.

  We apologize for the inconvenience.

  Thank you.

*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. ↩