The letter I just wrote. It will not get read or answered, like all the other letters I have written:

Hello,

This is the second message I am writing in two weeks, and the third total. None of my messages have been answered, and for this reason, among many others, I will be canceling my RCN service within a month.

I have finally been able to log into my account to pay my bills. This is the end of a process that has taken many months. At first, I wasn't able to get the new security PIN numbers, despite repeatedly calling the number suggested (which was only open during work hours, when I work, so I could never reach a person), and sending messages through this form which were never answered.

I finally took a chance and called the Tech number, even though this was not suggested anywhere on the page telling me about the new PIN number. I finally found someone who was able to give me a PIN. I set up my new account, but was not able to log in. However, the message said that it may take 24 hours to activate my account (bizarre...), so I waited.

I waited for a week, and was never able to enter my account. Every time I tried (and I always tried with the same, correct, password) it would say it couldn't log me in. I tried the "forgotten password" form several times, and answered the security questions correctly every time, and still could not log in. No helpful error message was ever given.

I finally called Tech Support again. To confirm my identity, the person on the other end asked me to give him my password(!!!). I did not feel comfortable giving him the password I created, but did it anyway. I have never, ever, heard of any security system where the tech people are given access to customers' passwords. In any modern web company, the passwords are encrypted and hashed, and only the hashed versions are stored on the websites. As it is, (1) random tech people have access to our passwords, (2) we are obliged to give our passwords out over the phone, and (3) anyone that hacks into your servers gets them all in plain text. Are our bank account numbers unencrypted as well? If you like, I can give you the numbers of some good courses in web security you could take if you are ever in the Boston area.

He finally "re-activated" my account. He told me it had become disactivated after I put in incorrect passwords three times. As I had only just created the password after re-registering after getting a PIN number, this is impossible. Was it counting my attempts before I received a new PIN number? Further, there was never any error message that suggested that my account needed to be re-activated -- it just said the system could not log me in.

This is the worst service I have ever had the displeasure of using. (My comments about the abysmal computer phone system were mentioned in my last message, which, if it had been read and responded to, might have alleviated this whole problem).

My inability to log in, coupled with the fact that I have stopped receiving *any* bills of any kind, paper or email, for several months (which was mentioned in my last two messages), have caused me to rack up many late payment charges. I will not bother to dispute these charges, as just waiting to find a human at the billing department would take far too long. Instead I will be canceling my account at the end of the next month, and will be recommending Comcast or Verizon to everyone I know.

I had internet service with RCN for sometimes, though it was never reliable and many times was not working I continue to pay them. Finally I called tech support to fix these problems. They send a technician out to check it out and I wasnt home. On the next bill a charge for $49.95 appear for the technicians visit because I wanst home. I was never informed about that charge before and when I called numerous times to have that charge reversed, not only they had a nasty and rude attitude but they kept insisting that the charge is valid and it is "understood" by most people that they're will be a charge if I'm not home to let the tech man in. If its not stated nothing is understood, they're just scumming people, they're thieves and liars and the worst service I ever had. I refuse to pay the bill even the legitimate sharges for the time I had to waist on the phone with them and I order service with ATT.

I cancelled my internet service because the cable internet was operating as one way only (outbound) with no inbound data so the internet could never connect. A year later I still do not have a refund for the pro-rated difference of my overpayment. A measely $14.76. The third Customer Service representative I spoke with in a year's time was very nice and professional however, when I requested the timeframe for my refund in writing he was unable to comply...he told me he was not allowed (I pressed him to even write me sticky note). So, he transferred me to a billing supervisor (Whitney ID#39108) who in a very mean and condescending way proceeded to inform me that the only way to receive something in writing in any way would be to email Customer Service and receive an email response. Whoever I spoke to before her should be promoted to her job. She sucks at it. I was not being a "bad" customer. No cursing, no yelling, no impatience...I believe you catch more flies with honey than vinegar and yet she started off the conversation like a donkey. The bottom line though, is that they try to keep your money and hope you just forget about it, they are thieves.

In October, RCN took over an unauthorized draft of $700 out of my bank account. The billing error was for equipment that was already returned. This has caused significant hardship for my family.

I had gotten a bill for the $700 amount before the draft, and when I called RCN I was assured that I would not be billed for it and that it showed on my account that the equipment was returned. Sure enough, a few days after the due date on the bill, there was an unauthorized draft on my bank account from RCN. I have been on the phone with customer care at RCN for hours trying to get my money back. Every time I speak with them they say it will take 4 to 6 weeks to get my money back. I have faxed them my bank statements along with their own billing statements to me (this amazes me), and still nothing.

It has been over a month and I still don't have my money. Sprint did this to me for over $700 once and I filed a suit against them. It was the only way to get my money back. It seems that RCN plays the same tactics with billing errors and doesn't care how it hurts the consumer. Of course, we know that the companies hold the money for interest and only give it back when they absolutely have to. This kind of business scam should be extremely illegal and should result huge fines for the company. It is unethical and hurts consumers.

I have filed complaints for this kind of scam with the Massachusetts attorney general, my congressman, the FTC, the FCC, and the BBB, and only the BBB got back to me. I think the FTC needs to look into this billing practice and outlaw it in the United States.

RCN has got to have the absolute worst Customer Service (if one can even call it that) on the planet Earth bar none! I have moved a fair number of times and have never had such bad customer service from any other cable company.

First, the bills from RCN seem to be sent at random times and as of late I had not received a bill for thee months. Trying to resolve this with customer service on the telephone has become such a nightmare that now I use the e-mail service which is just about as ineffective but at least I'm not on the phone on hold for extended periods of time plus it is a bit of a paper trail. Now it seems that the account number on my paper bill and the account number I received from RCN security via e-mail are different. I am trying to at least get e-mail notification when a bill is sent so I can send in a payment regardless of receiving, or in my case not receiving, a bill. I have this set up with other services as well as electronic billing and I was able to set these up in less than several minutes. With RCN this has been going on for about a month now.

I finally got into the website and register for my account. This took about 45 minutes of diligent work to get my account number recognized. I still can't get into the e-mail account to register for e-mail notification. The RCN website is fraught with errors with page not found, circular references, etc. My favorite is in looking at bundled services.

I am collecting the e-mail responses fro RCN to my questions and reading them in retrospect they are hilarious. The people obviously don't read the customer e-mails and reply with scripted responses or total nonsense. After I collect another month of these I think I'll put them in book form and sent it to the RCN Board of Directors. Maybe a book is in the making?