FairPoint Communications
reviews and complaints

I agree whole heartedly. They have double debited my account twice and put me in the hole for over 1oo.oo dollars. No one in that office knows what the other one is doing. I would not reccommend FairPOint to any one. I never had this trouble with Verizon.

I hate them too, their website is awful, doesn't work with Firefox, half of the things that should be secure are not. I have paid my bill with their new system only 2 times, and so far has not gone through...

I wish there was someone else to switch to so I can have my Fios... if Comcast had Fios or speeds like it I would go back in a heartbeat.

I have not had any problem with poor service when contacting the call center for DSL support or wireline support for voice services. The service has been much better then with Verizon and unlike Verizon I spoke to an English speaking person in this country not a poor speaking person from India that Verizon out sources to

I agree completely...this company does not have it's act together. I tried to call and cancel my service on Feb 5, and was told I can't because they are doing data conversion and their systems were down until Feb 12! Can you image a communications company with a planned system down for over a week. Honestly, I think prior to this venture, the management team for this company ran a donut shack. I'm still trying to cancel my service, that is, if I'm able to reach them during their customer service hours of M-F, 8-5! I guess I'm expected to be on hold for hours while I'm working. Can you tell...I hate this company. I'm no fan of Comcast, but they're looking pretty good right now, and I'm switching back to them if I can ever reach FairPoint.

Hello
this is my first time on & I have not read a positive note about fairpoint-I agree the service cannot be put into the terms I feel. Surly miss verizon

We switched from Fairpoint to Comcast over two months ago, but they continue to bill us for service. We cancelled at the time of conversion. It has been extremely frustrating trying to reach a person who can help me as I've called 7 or 8 times and either been disconnected or on perma-hold greater than 15 minutes. It's a sign of a poorly run company when you can't get through to a person to cancel their service.

Shocking lack of customer service and complete inability to provide services sold.

3/2/09
I called and placed an order to change my phone number and add internet service.
I was given a new phone number and told both the number change and the internet service request would be complete 3/12.
I was told I would receive a modem in the mail before that date.

3/3/09
The phone service was immediately changed to the new number.
I could call out/receive calls using the new number.
I could not set up or use voice mail

When the old number was dialed - there was a message that the number was no longer in service.

3/14/09
I called to report that I had still no received the modem and that I could still not use voice mail.
I was told that there was some sort of error in the original order and that a repair order had been placed and someone would call me back on my cell.

3/17/09
The old old number and voice mail seems to have been reinstated and now when you call the new number there is a message that it has been disconnected.

I called the order/repair status department and was told there was now a new repair order in and it would be “fixed” by 3/18.
When I asked how could it be fixed if I don’t have a modem, I was directed to another department – told the whole story again…placed on hold until a 3rd person picked up the line.
I started all over again only to be told that she couldn’t help me and that she could give me the number for the repair department – but there would only be a busy signal today and I should try tomorrow.
I have asked for a supervisor to return my call and I need help.
This call lasted over 77 minutes. In fact when I got the 3rd person a on the line she said I see you called at 12:17 – yes, and over an hour later it was still the SAME call.

3/18/09
Heather called:
Confirmed that the modem was never shipped and that the order seemed to be in “progress”, and I was told phone order was in progress but I would have to call repairs to find about anything about the phone line.
Polite – but not very helpful.

3/20/09
Send an additional email and held on the order department and repair (both) phone for 20 minutes each – calls were never picked up.

3/20/09
Nicole called from repairs:
Phone line is in progress.
Internet = Can’t help me – I need to call the order department

3/21/09
Phone and voice mail are finally working.
(the old number still has voice mail too FYI)
Received a call and was told the internet service was still “on order” but there was no estimated date…no info available.

4/17/09
Called to check on internet service.
Was told there was some conflicting info and she needed to speak to a supervisor - put on hold for 23 minutes….and the operator got back on the phone and asked me if my phone number was waiting to be changed to the old number…how is this even possible?
No – and I had to recount all of the above…again.
Hold again to talk to supervisor – hold: 8 min
Operator confirmed that modem kit will be sent…she was going to talk to the technicians…back on hold:
She also said that there seemed to be a signal…back on hold: 8 min
Technical support can’t help because they can’t confirm if there is a signal unless I have a modem.

Was told she would ask them to send the modem today – should receive by Tuesday.

If I had a problem then I would have to call tech support.

Told I would receive a free month of service and that the operator would take care of this and call me to confirm it was done.

4/23/09 – this message was sent to operatorservice@fairpoint.com and I have not received a response.
Received a bill today with the credit mentioned above and a charge for $112.00 for internet service.
I was told the price of the bundled phone and internet was approx $65 per month.
Not to mention the fact that I have STILL not received a modem and therefore DO NOT have internet service.

4/30
Called customer service, before I could even describe my issue I was transferred to repairs...
Repairs told me they could only help if I didn’t have a dial tone – transferred to orders...
Orders told that the order was “complete” and they couldn’t help me – transferred to ...[protected]….dept?
On hold for 22 minutes...I had to hang up and go to work.

5/4
[protected] repairs…can’t help me – have to talk to customer service…
Transferred to Ron….
Shipped 5/4 Fed-Ex.
Will arrive tomorrow – Ron called fed-ex and confirmed they would leave the package without a signature.
Asked about charges…..41.27 will be credited.

5/9
Arrive home on Friday evening – finally the box is here!
Alas...the disk does not “read” in my computer.
No instructions in the box.
I call for technical help [protected]) and am told:
No record of my account exists.
I need to go on line to set it up. (I DON’T HAVE INTERNET)
That I need a filter – that should have come with the box...no filter in the box.
Was told I should have a BLUE cable – do not have a BLUE cable.
Was told I could try to set it up instead of my phone for the time being because there was no filter.
Then I asked her to give me the instructions verbally so I could hang up and try it and go buy a filter on my own later, and she said “You don’t understand the problem – I told you I can’t help you - you need to call customer service on Monday”
I said wait let’s try it - just tell me how so I don’t have to call back (at my expense on my cell because my phone won’t be working) and wait after I disconnect the phone...and then she hung up on me.

You, as a company, are beyond the pale of meeting any expectations to a consumer for the products and services that you are selling.

Yes Fairpoint Communications DSL speed is extremely poor. Especially to Monmouth ME.
Slow Monmouth speed is however not surprising. If you do some network analysis you will find that the Monmouth NOC uses DSL to communicate to the Winthrop NOC.
Simply put, there is no switch in Monmouth providing true DSL but a bunch of DSL modems in the Monmouth NOC bridging the customer DSL modems to the Winthrop NOC via DSL.
(Even more simplified explanation) If you live in Monmouth ME your DSL modem is talking to a DSL modem in the Monmouth NOC talking to the Winthrop NOC switch that generates the DSL connection.
Only reason I can think that Fairpoint would do this is because there is nothing but twisted pairs from Winthrop to Monmouth and they are to cheep to upgrade their lines.
So YES if you are paying for DSL in Monmouth Maine Fairpoint Communications is knowingly riping you off.
Additionally if you run a trace route out to anywhere in the world from Monmouth via Fairpoint DSL you will find that it typically takes 6+ hops to get out of the Fairpoint network.
You will also notice that some of the Fairpoint switches route connections back to the switches that routed connections to them. This usually indicates total incompetence on the part of the network engineers or failing port cards in the switches. Either way it means that quality of service is not a high priority at Fairpoint Communications and YES when you speak with Fairpoint you find BS is actually the highest priority.
This also indicates that the Main PUC is not doing their job otherwise they would be investigating Fairpoint Communication practices so you get burned not only by Fairpoint but your taxes are being wasted on a usless Public Uitilities Commission.

I moved down 3 doors to another apt. same building called a week before I planned to move and was told they needed 5 business days. Ok they said hook up phone and Internet on 10/2/12 never showed up. Called again next day and was told my order got stuck then canceled for some reason. they gave me a new date for a week later, never showed up. I called and talked to a supervisor and was told they would do it next day. Guess what never showed up. There getting tired of hearing from me by now. I called yesterday and was told it was on, but it wasn't working. I then had to talk to a tek and was told he'd give me a ticket and would take 4-5 business days. I asked him to expedite please as it had already been a month. He did and they showed up yesterday afternoon. Thank God! Couldn't get my computer to except my mortem so he did it on his. Everything working fine now. Thank god for the teck. guy that showed up. I was so grateful to him I gave him some home made cinnamon rolls.

After reading some of these complaint I don't believe my making one will make any difference. I've several complaints but will probably get more action from my cat than Fairpoint. I'm looking for another way around this bunch...what a laugh their service is.

I don't believe that this company is still in business!

What more can I say?

Fairpoint is a con, plain and simple

Fairpoint gets away with it by paying off the PUC tiny fines with money they steal from customers that are not receiving what they are billed for month after month.

I'm in Washington and we use to have a private company for 25 years here everything was great service was great now they got this stupid low life company Fairpoint Com. PHONE SERVICE AND BY FAR THEY ARE THE WORST company I ever have seen in my life theire sevice sucks and they are overpriced and must have retarted people working there they never get anything right they are worthless and it should just shut that dumb companany down and turn it over to AT@T.

Fairpoint you are in the wrong business GO HOME LOOSERS!

I can empathize with your frustration and situation. I have lived in Vermont for 45 years and never have I seen such poor customer service!
We here in Vermont have phone lines that are older than the hills but our cost for phone service still raises.

My mom has desperate need for phone for her testing for her heart is done via phone lines and at least once a month Fairpoint looses connection at their residence!

I could not even get a technician by phone with out trying to answer 50 question
mostly not even pertaining to my situation and before hanging up with machine customer service I used language that certainly should not have led me to this point! And yes I was extremely upset!

Stan had an excellent idea
“I will make them sign a contract that allows me to back-charge them for any and
all headaches and downtime their poor service ends up costing me”
Now if we all get this message to Fairpoint Communications maybe they will see we
all have had enough of and not willing to put up with their crap!

Sometimes I receive a bill and sometimes I don’t!

Unfortunately we cannot switch to another communication line since we live in country and are lucky we can even get phone service!

I want the government to force this company or the next one to use live customer support not some stupid machine that’s worthless! Any one have any ideas if there are other places we should be placing our fustrations! I was thinking BBB (Better Business Bureau)
Thanks all for listening-very ups!