DISPUTE BETWEEN MS. JANICE HAROLD AND CABLE AND WIRELESS (FLOW)
- Complaint
On February 10, 2022, Ms. Janice Harold of Frenches, Kingstown submitted a complaint form 1 against Flow indicating that a long absent sister returned home in October 2021 and she contacted Flow via telephone to provide her sister with broadband and Flow installed a modem in the sister’s quarters (bedroom). Ms. Harold indicated when the technician came, she refused at that point to bundle her Cable and Wireless landline in her own bedroom to this broadband service in her sister’s bedroom. Further, Ms. Harold indicated that at the end of October her landline was cut off after which her sister went to inquire and pay the bill and the service was reconnected on the same day. Ms. Harold indicated that this happened again the next 2 months, and each time she was told that the reason was the payment was overdue. Ms. Harold indicated that she pays the bills each month directly to the flow store in Kingstown. On May 3, 2022, Ms. Harold provided an April 2022 bill to the NTRC which showed that the previous bill balances were paid up as well as provided the NTRC with receipts for payments made at the Post office made in February 2022 which is faded and March 2022 for $250.00. Ms. Harold further indicated in her complaint form 1 that Flow sent a technician to investigate why the service was being cut off and unbeknownst to her, the technician connected her landline and cable services with her sister’s broadband service. Ms. Harold indicated that she protested but they insisted that it was necessary as it was now policy, and she was told she will just have to accept it. Ms. Harold indicated that she cannot accept this as it is inconvenient. Ms. Harold ends her complaint by stating that she would like the NTRC to investigate and assist her in getting a resolution, where her telephone service and cable tv service is unbundled from the internet service. A follow up call was placed with Ms. Harold on May 3, 2022, to obtain receipts from October 2021 to December 2021 however she indicated that they are now faded and not properly legible at this point.
Cable and Wireless acknowledged receipt of the complaint on February 22, 2022, indicating that a fuller response would be received once a complete investigation was done.
On March 21, 2022, Ms. Harold filed a complaint form 2 to the NTRC and selected no preferred option.
2. Decision of the Tribunal
Flow has agreed to assist Ms. Harold in getting a bill that has her fixed line and internet, in addition to assisting Ms. Harold’s sister with getting her own internet service in her name with her own bill. Flow has also agreed to provide Ms. Harold with a free UPS backup power supply for her fixed line at no cost to Ms. Harold by September 30, 2022.