This report documents our findings and prescribed remedies for the following issue raised by the customer:
The customer’s complaint is that the service provider makes an error or takes an action which the customer considers to be a breach of an existing agreement.
Please note that in their complaint, the customer also submitted issues that fall outside of our limitation period. As a result, our investigation findings are based solely on the numbered issues listed above.
Summary of Findings
After analyzing the information and evidence from both parties, we determined the service provider failed to meet its obligations towards the customer and is required to take the following actions:
The service provider shall provide an explanation to the customer.
We note that the provider has already completed this remedy during the complaint handling process.
Analysis Details
Issue 1: The customer’s complaint is that the service provider makes an error or takes an action which the customer considers to be a breach of an existing agreement.
The customer complained that the service provider disconnected their internet service in September 2024, alleging they were not entitled to it, following a service call the customer made to address their home phone service issue.
Services providers are obligated to deliver the correct services the customer agreed to. If there is a service provisioning error, such as activating or deactivating the wrong service, it is the service provider obligation to take the necessary steps to correct the mistake as soon as possible after it’s reported.
We asked both the provider and the customer a copy of the service agreement in use. Neither party submitted an up-to-date copy of the service agreement.
Our review of the customer’s invoices from December 2023 to November 2024 shows that the customer was provisioned with home phone, internet with no plan and TV services.
We asked the service provider for evidence of when the customer service agreement was updated. The service provider indicated that the customer canceled their internet service in April 2022 and has since been provided with zero-rated internet to use the phone service because the customer’s premises have fiber technology and needed an internet line for other services to work.
Zero-data internet refers to internet service which solely enables the customer the fiber-to-thehome (FTTH) phone and/or TV service to which they subscribe. It does not include any data permitting the ability to browse the internet or use any internet-based applications.
We reviewed the screenshots of the customer’s address qualification and confirmed that it qualifies for FTTH technology and that the customer is provisioned with zero internet service. • We reviewed the customer’s invoices for the disputed period from December 2023 to
November 2024, and noted that all invoices included phone, internet, and TV services. However, there were no plan, nor charges associated with the internet service.
We requested the account notes for the dispute period. The service provider explained that the account notes were no longer available because they were purged from their records in December 2024, following the account’s migration to a different platform.
We note, however, that the service provider admitted that although the customer’s internet plan was supposed to be removed and replaced by a zero-data internet connection in April 2022, it continued to provide full internet access due to a “system glitch.” It added that during a system audit in September 2024, it discovered the “glitch” and immediately corrected it, effectively disabling full internet access.
In light of our analysis, we determine that the service provider failed to meet its obligations to provision the proper internet service on the customer’s account.
However, we note that the service provider’s failure benefitted the customer, as they received full internet access for free during the disputed period.
Furthermore, we contend that the provider already explained the issue to the customer prior to the submission of the complaint and during the complaint handling process.
Consequently, although the service provider failed to meet its obligations, the service provider is not required to take any further action with respect to this complaint.