does anyone NOT hate Bell Canada?

Hating Bell Canada (Canada's largest telephone and telecommunications company) is about as traditionally Canadian as liking Tim Hortons (Canada's favourite place to buy coffee and doughnuts), and I've written about this monolithic/moronic institution before, but why stop when there's always something new to complain about? This time it's about their Internet service, and I'm annoyed enough that after having been with Sympatico for a long time, I think I'm finally ready to switch.

One of the many sucky things about Bell Canada is their policy that if you want to terminate your current contract early (and they're very keen on having you sign up for two-year contracts at a time), then you have to pay a $100 cancellation fee*. What they don't feel obligated to do in turn is to inform you that your service fees are going up. Nope, at their whim they simply raise their fees without telling you. In my case, I happened to notice that my monthly Internet bill was suddenly $2 higher. Now this may not seem like a huge amount, but it's the principle of the thing that matters. No explanation given for the increase, and no advance warning. Were they hoping I simply wouldn't notice?

Fortunately for my brother though, this will likely mean that I'll be switching over to his TekSavvy group as he's been urging me to do for months. Why didn't I do so before (especially given my obvious dislike of Bell)? Well, laziness in part as I'll have to change my online email address in about 100 places. Just wait until I inform Bell Canada though. They have a habit of trying to talk you out of leaving instead of providing you with the kind of customer service that would make you not want to leave in the first place, snort.

And in case you think I'm exaggerating the national hate affair with Bell Canada, check out the 617 responses to Ellen Roseman's Bell Blues column! Also, check out Bell Blues: one year later for more happy reading. ;)

*to my knowledge I'm NOT on a contract at the moment

Comments

[Krissa]

I don't know if I can claim that the problem in Berlin is worse, but it is as bad with some extra things added in. Remember how when we moved it took us over 3 months to get our internet? That is normal and accepted here...but I've written about all that before. Our latest problem is similar to yours. When Nick chose the company we have, he chose it for a variety of factors mostly to do with the rate. The company we have provides our phone and internet both, the same as what you have/had. More than once he has been charged twice in one month, but on the second charge it is always a weird amount. I believe they are hoping people won't notice. I am sure it happens to other people too. Anyway, they do not have any way at all to reach customer service other than a very, VERY pricey phone number and in all honesty it would cost as much to wait on hold and then talk to those people at that rate than it would to just take the fake charge in the rear. So....a sadly worldwide problem that will never get better. We also have a strict cancellation policy, yet they are able to just raise their rates without notice. WTF???? We also are required to get automatic withdrawal to qualify for the rate we have. Shady? You bet! ... I hope your new service is better. It probably will be. Sorry you have to change email addresses though. That will be a pain.

[have gone vegan]

That does sound like it's probably worse over there! And yeah, I remember you being offline, for like, forever. I wouldn't be surprised if many people don't in fact notice extra charges, and that the service providers are literally banking on that. That's why consumers really do have to pay attention, be careful, and read the fine print.

I've been hearing lots of good things about TekSavvy (including that their customer support is based right here in Canada!), and switching over will save me at least $10 a month, if not more. Again, the main reason I didn't switch earlier is the email hassle, but it's high time.