Major Hurricane Just Wiped Your Neighbors Off the Face of the Earth. And Spectrum Is Coming to Collect.
The past few months have been challenging, even deadly, for many in Western North Carolina. Hurricane Helene wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a passing tropical storm. We’ve weathered plenty before, and they usually lose steam as they reach our mountain range. But Helene was different. In just a few hours, it dropped half a year’s worth of rain on our mountains, transforming streams into torrents and sweeping away entire towns.
On Friday morning, September 27, 2024, the storm hit with devastating force. Though the sun returned not long after, our mountain road was a nightmare. Dozens of old-growth trees blocked the way, mudslides had transformed the landscape, and power lines were tangled in the debris. With teamwork and mountain ingenuity, it took about 16 hours of hard labor, deep in mud and dodging power lines, to clear the road. Neighbors pitched in with chainsaws and tractors, creating temporary repairs to damaged culverts. But the reality set in that recovery would be a long and grueling process.
Fifteen Days Without Power
It took over two weeks before power returned. Along the steep incline up our mountain, 22 utility poles had been snapped like matchsticks, leaving wires scattered across the ground. This included Spectrum fiber internet, which had only recently reached our area. Spectrum began sending updates, but they were as absurd as they were frequent. “Service will be restored in a few hours.” “Expect service tomorrow.” These updates continued for weeks. At one point, even Spectrum’s Executive Vice President of Customer Operations, Cliff Hagan, admitted in an email that they had “dropped the ball.”
While we understood that repairs take time, we certainly didn’t anticipate what came next. Just this morning, on November 2, Spectrum sent a new message. They claimed our internet service had been restored and that our bill was due. They even placed the burden on us to initiate a trouble ticket if we were still having issues. Here’s the problem. Not a single household on our mountain has internet access. The Spectrum lines remain severed and tangled on the ground as I write this.
Turning to Starlink for Reliable Service
With no word on reliable internet from Spectrum, I ordered a Starlink system. Neighbors who already had Starlink told me they’d had no service interruption, as long as they could power their equipment. Despite the upfront cost for Starlink equipment, they’re offering free service to anyone in the area through the end of the year. This act of goodwill stands in stark contrast to Spectrum’s approach.
The Hidden Cost of Cheap Internet
While Spectrum lures customers with limited introductory rates that may appear more affordable compared to other options, there is a huge untold cost in both money and aggravation. Dealing with a company like Spectrum comes with headaches that aren’t reflected in the advertised price. The frustration of unreliable service, misleading updates, and inflexible policies adds up quickly. I assure you, the true cost is far greater than what is advertised. If you are a Spectrum customer, I implore you to stop supporting them and cancel your service.
A Disconnected System and an Unyielding Bureaucracy
Fed up with Spectrum’s endless updates and insistence that we pay for non-existent service, I logged into my account to cancel. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. The online chat directed me to call customer service. I made the call, only to be told by a representative that if I canceled now, I’d still be responsible for the entire bill, even though service had been out since the hurricane. Their proposed “solution” was a vacation plan for an extra $5 per month. Spectrum would eventually review our account, and at some indeterminate time in the future, they might credit us for the outage period, at which point we could call back to cancel.
When I asked the representative, who proudly mentioned his Florida roots and understanding of hurricanes, if he could recognize right from wrong, he insisted that Spectrum’s policy was all they could offer. It’s astonishing to see a company of Spectrum’s size and influence disregarding the needs of its customers, particularly when they’re facing the fallout from a natural disaster.
A Call for Action from Regulators and Spectrum Leadership
I urge Spectrum’s President and CEO, Chris Winfrey, the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Jessica Rosenworcel, and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein to address these practices. Spectrum should be held accountable for its treatment of hurricane victims, and regulators need to ensure companies like Spectrum respect the communities they serve, especially in times of crisis. Contact them and your elected officials today:
NC Department of Justice
https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/
FCC Broadband Complaint
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/115002206106-Internet-Form-Descriptions-of-Complaint-Issues
BBB, A+ rating with 1.09 out of 5.00 stars
https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profile/cable-tv/spectrum-0121-460
Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter Communications (Spectrum):
- Mailing Address: Charter Communications, Inc. 400 Atlantic Street Stamford, CT 06901
- Phone Number: (203) 905-7801
Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
- Mailing Address: Federal Communications Commission 45 L Street NE Washington, DC 20554
- Phone Number: 1-888-225-5322 (General Inquiries)For press or meeting inquiries specifically related to Chairwoman Rosenworcel, please refer to the FCC’s official contact page: Federal Communications Commission
Josh Stein, Attorney General of North Carolina:
- Mailing Address: North Carolina Department of Justice Attorney General Josh Stein 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
- Phone Number: (919) 716-6400
Let this stand as a reminder that the right thing isn’t always complicated. It’s often just overlooked by those who are supposed to be upholding it.
Tell Us What Spectrum Did To You After a Hurricane or Natural Disaster
Update: After following up with Spectrum again, they claimed to have canceled my service. I still need to return the equipment, but I will be monitoring to ensure there are no further billing issues or unexpected complications. It’s truly awful how nasty the experience has been for so many. Spectrum should be able to detect when a modem isn’t connected and automatically apply credits. Instead, they bill us for service they aren’t providing and even threaten collections when we try to cancel, while Starlink is generously providing free service to those affected. Unbelievable.
