ComplaintsforDirect Communications

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I can say this is the worst absolute possible company I have ever had to deal with in terms of customer service and that applies from the corporate office down to the regional office here in *********. You cant get through to the local number ever, technicians are never available to trouble shoot over the phone and there is a 2 to 3 days wait minimum if they have to send someone out. They flat out lie to you whenever you call to complain if they answer the phone and call them back the next day and they will tell you a different lie contradicting themselves. They were awarded a federal ***** to install fiber in the rural area which I live 3 years ago because the copper lines in the ground here are over 50 years old. Weve been paying for **************** for 15 years when it was owned by a local telephone company. Although we pay for 10mbps on any given day the most you ever get is one megabyte per second which is useless. After a two year wait finally the main fiber cable was laid into the ground along the roads in the area but we weve been waiting for over a year for to be contacted for new fiber service setup after we signed up. Over the last 3 months my neighbors and I have watched them hop skip and a jump around all over the area to homes which are newer and/or ones which currently subscribe to none of their services although they are the only service provider in our area. The homes would be new business for them and generate new income therefore they been focusing on them instead of the customers that have been with him for 20+ years. We are having to get our US congressman and the *** involved as a result. Its so unacceptable and they have no idea of customer loyalty or what it means to listen to your customers comments and maybe change the focus to existing customers and not new customers. Like I said the worst ever company to deal with.

  Business response

  07/21/2022

  Unfortunately, we cannot specifically address an individual account because the complainant is not listed on any account at our ********* location.  However, we were able to review over an hour of recordings of calls made to our local and Technical Support offices by the complainant last week.  We announced future fiber projects supported by Reconnect in early 2020.  However, due mostly to delays in federal funding and also equipment/supply lead times, contractor shortages and Covid,construction didnt begin until Spring 2022.  Our first priority has been to get current customers converted to fiber who are served by unreliable and outdated equipment.  We used this methodology to determine high priority areas within the Reconnect projects.  We have and will continue to stay with this methodology as we work through the project areas.  We are not,as alleged by the complainant, only connecting new customers and ignoring our current customers.  There are many steps within a fiber project; many which happen behind the scenes and some that are more public.  After design, engineering,permitting, staking, mainline work and splicing, the duct is placed for the drop from the street to the customer premise.  After which, the fiber is pulled to the house through that duct.  The duct and equipment are then mounted to the outside of the home.  Once everything is spliced and light confirmed through the fiber, a technician is scheduled to install the service.  Based upon the call recordings, this complainant may be under the misconception that when drop duct has been placed or equipment mounted to the home that a location has been installed.   This complainant has talked with our location office staff and several Management members about fiber in his area.  We have been honest and clear about the areas in which we are currently working and our path forward to set the expectation of when fiber will be available along his street.  However, the complainant continues to insist we change our project plans to meet his needs by publicly criticizing the company and our employees.  As it stands,our employees are hesitant to do any work along his street because of how they have been treated.  Regardless, we are excited about the fiber projects we are currently putting all our energy into and appreciate everyones patience and understanding.  We want everyone to experience what fiber can do for them!

  Customer response

  07/21/2022

   
  Complaint: 17586315
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As per usual the response is full of inaccurate or untrue information.
  1) no, my name is not listed on the account for my household as I handle all the issues and communications with your company for my parents and have for years. That should not matter anyways.
  

  2) yes, I spoke to the business office last week actually two weeks ago multiple times in one day to speak to a manager to complain about the implementation of the new fiber and was told the project manager would call me but he never did.I then called back to speak to someone else of authority and the nice lady in the business office called me back to confirm the office manager would call me by EOD and he never did.I did have a pleasant conversation with the same lady apologizing to her for having to be the one to receive all these complaints from all my neighbors and have to deal with all this stress and not have her manager deal with it.She said thank you and didnt take it personally she stated.On my initial call this day I also had to speak to the technical office to report my LAN line and my grandparents were not working and needed repair.So, no I have never spoken to any management from this office as they do not return calls to me or none of my neighbors either.
  

  3) I can give you multiple statements or addresses of multiple neighbors who have been hopped skipped and jumped over to hook up people who do not currently have their service at all unless their last name is ******* then they all have service no matter where their home is located.Are the have been hooking up customers in the village of *********** and Rosedale where theres another communications provider ***.  There are multiple families in our area who have had their services for 40 years and never have been contacted to hook up but the homes on each side of them are hooked up and are new customers.So, it is totally in accurate to say that our first priority has been to get current customers converted to fiber who are served by unreliable and added equipment.  They have not been focusing on current customers. Especially those who already pay for ***************** This also can be supported by the ******** posting they posted about a month ago with the number of connections in the first 2 phase who have been connected who is covered by *** communications versus phase 4 that have only direct communications as a service provider. 
  

  4) Im fully of aware of the process on how installation is done and the steps that must be completed.I spoke to one of the technicians about two months ago that stopped by my home to inspect the line.
  

  5) There is no reason for any employees to be hesitate to do work on my street as I have never approached anyone in person like I know others have so that threat is not appreciated or something any respectable company would do.I have posted a review on ****** and ******** with the same information in this complaint and it all is the result of the way that I and my neighbors who have been loyal customers for many years have been treated by this company. 
  

  For a company to say they are so focused on customer service anyone who reads their response can see they are for from that.   The inaccurate and threatening statements in their response is so inappropriate.  I have asked for nothing
  unreasonable.  If any manager would have returned my calls like promised all of this, I am sure could have been avoided.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  07/29/2022

  Our focus is to upgrade the rural communities we serve to fiber without prejudice of any kind.  Our decisions are network based. We regret that after your conversations with our Assistant General Manager and Construction Supervisor that you have taken this position.  Regardless, we will continue to upgrade our network and build fiber out to rural ********* as fast as we can.

  Customer response

  08/08/2022

   
  Complaint: 17586315
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I have never spoken or communicated with any direct communications manager or construction supervisor although I was told about 3 weeks ago, I would be receiving a call from one of them but as per usual they never return calls.   Since they have previously stated that they record telephone calls they would know I have not spoken to anyone of authority and stop using that scare tactic to make people afraid to call and complain  There is no construction crew or Direct Com techs working anywhere in phase 4 as of this time today as I drove to search for them in the hopes of getting an estimate for myself of how much longer it may be before they get to the 5 homes on my street in phase 4 but they are nowhere to be found.  They are pretty much done with hwy 386 so all thats remaining in phase 4 is hwy 77 and the end of ****** Road.   Its obvious customers that have had telephone service with star for over 45 years and useless internet service since **** aren't a priority whatsoever.  
  

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

*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. ↩