By Charlotte Lane
WV Public Service Commission Chair
When you sign up and pay for a service, such as a company promising cable television service, you expect the television to work when you turn it on. Unfortunately, for many who subscribe to Suddenlink for cable television and other services, that has not been the case for far too long. The Public Service Commission has received thousands of complaints from Suddenlink customers over the past few years. The complaints have covered all areas, from interruptions in service to billing problems. To make matters worse, customers calling to complain have had terrible experiences and very little success in getting their problems resolved.
Commission staff tried to intervene on behalf of customers over and over. The response from Suddenlink was always less than satisfactory. That’s why the Public Service Commission recently took the extraordinary measure of fining Suddenlink $2.2 million and demanding 16 very specific corrective actions. The $2.2 million penalty fine will not be sent to the Commission or to any other government agency bank account. The Public Service Commission has ordered Suddenlink to refund that money directly back to its existing customers who have been forced to endure years of bad customer service.
The Commission has also put Suddenlink on notice that these penalties can continue to accrue until the Commission determines that the company is finally providing the safe, adequate and reliable service customers are paying for.
Consumers deserve to get the services they request and pay for. When the service breaks down, customers deserve to be able to report the problem and have the service fixed.
If you are a West Virginia customer of one of the businesses we regulate, know that the Public Service Commission will do everything in our power to make sure you get the service you are paying for and deserve. You have my word on it.
