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Bell review: unfair business practice and poor customer service 52

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6:19 pm EDT
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On June 30, 2010 my Blackberry Storm 2 was stolen while I was on a trip to Montreal on the way back. We had stopped by St. Joseph's Oritoire (Church) before heading back home only to find out 30 or so minutes later that we were victims of theft (my wife and I as well as another couple who are our friends). We suffered over $3, 000 worth of damage.

I called Bell to have the account suspended which happened right away. The next day I called Bell to receive a replacement Blackberry Storm 2 as I was paying monthly insurance on it. They advised that that service was contracted and taken care of by a company by the name of Asurion. So, I called Asurion and asked for a replacement but they advised that I would be billed $150.00 for a replacement fee which I wasn't told about while signing up with them for a 3-year contract in the store (of course that would happen otherwise there is a risk of losing commission on the sale for the employee if I didn't sign-up for the service). I tried to fight the charge but got nowhere so I had no choice but to give in and pay it.

I received the phone the next day but with a crappy packaging where the device didn't even have proper protection around it like the foam or bubble plastic. It only had the letter stating basically that I needed to activate the phone by call a 1-800 number. It didn't come in the original RIM packaging like my first phone nor did it have the manuals, phone case, or the headphones. I called Asurion right away as I was shocked that an electronic device could be packaged this way and be brand new but they insisted that it was brand new just the packaging wasn't original.

The next day when I wanted to use the headphones (because I had forgotten to inquire about it and the case on my last call with Asurion) I called Bell and explained the situation. The rep by the name of Daljit said that they couldn't supply me with the replacement case and headphones and that I had to call Asurion (after putting me on hold for quite some time).

I called Asurion and Cindy the rep there (again after being put on hold for a while) originally said that they only supplied stolen accessories. I advised her that that was the case (which thief would steal the phone and leave the case behind... geniuses [nodding my head at their common sense]). So, she put me on hold again for a longer period than the last and said that Asurion could not supply anything extra other than what I had received. I didn't agree so she offered to transfer me to "Advanced Customer Care" line, which I accepted and was once more put on hold.

I got tired of being put on hold so I timed it. Approximately 10 minutes later I spoke to Brenda, the "Advanced Customer Care" rep only to listen to her repeat the same thing over and over again like a tape recording. I even questioned her as to I didn't get the original packaging of RIM but her answer was that I should call Bell and ask them and when I called Bell afterwards they said that I should call Asurion (they basically pass the buck and play Yo-Yo with the customer in hopes that they would give up and sadly enough that's what I did after swearing at the Bell Rep, Bradly in frustration because he started to sound like a tape recording as well and kept on saying that there was nothing he could do and I should contact Asurion for questions related to my claim).

Fortunately for them, my 3-year contract is fairly new and I am a first time customer for them so cancelling the contract early is not an option. I regret leaving Rogers. I had problems in the past with them as well but as far as I can remember they were always rectified. I am banging my head against the wall for making that mistake right now. I hope Bell goes down the drain unless, their customer service improves. The almost duopoly in Canada is not helping our situation as customers. In fact, I may even give the smaller service providers a try next time since I have a feeling that because they need to grow their customer base as a small provider they will give better service.

I pretty much have made up my mind that I will be leaving Bell Canada's services once my term expires unless they can offer me something that almost sounds too good to be true. At this point I very dissapointed in them and ticked off.

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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

52 comments
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cylo
Edmonton, CA
May 07, 2013 7:51 pm EDT

Just to give you some advice, please do not do business with Telus either. They are one of the worst phone providers you will ever have to deal with. if you are going to switch from Bell, shop around. Do not do business with Telus, you will have nothing but headaches, they are thieves and will do the same to you as Bell did.

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DyingSlow
Montréal, CA
Jun 16, 2013 9:37 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

could I ask a question? when you TV brakes down, do you call Videotron, Bell TV or what ever? no you don't (at least I hope you don't) but when your cell is dead...you assume because you have a contract that your network provider must exchange it free of charge...well guess what, it is not in their policy, and that is clearly written in their terms of service...and I'm not only talking about Bell, but Rogers, Telus, etc... if they ask you to send the phone for repair, you need to understand that it is send (normally) to a service centre that deals with the manufacturer...not the cellular network provider...they are the middle man (not you)
btw about the Purolator and Bell requesting a shipping WITHOUT signature ...I got the same issue with a lost phone and I did get the same answer from Puro.. "it was Bell who requested it to be shipped without a signature" guess what? I demanded and got a copy of the terms between the two of them, and no where do you see Bell having such demand...Puro screwed up and I got a refund in the amount of a new cellular phone's price from them...you should do the same.

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Joey500
Vancouver, CA
Jul 10, 2013 4:12 pm EDT

My HTC Raider phone was beginning to show signs of software malfunction after 16 months, it did not charge properly and the headphone jack was beginning to malfunction. So I called and place an order for a new phone to Asurion on June 24th. They assured me they would send the phone off the following day and I would receive an email with a tracking number. My phone finally bit the dust on July 8th. I received no email and no phone. I called Asurion through a Bell service store only to find they were still waiting on my address. I specifically remember giving her MY ADDRESS over the phone. The lady said it was she that I talked to and denied it straight-up. What a joke this company is! So now I've waited two days and still no email. ###en tools!

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sibimalayil
Scarborough (Toronto), CA
Sep 23, 2013 4:50 pm EDT

I lost my mobile phone google nexus 4, I called asurion, and they told me to submit my application, I done that and after two days I called them they told its approved and I will get new phone within 2 days, I waited, no hope, I didn't get, I called them again, this time they said wait for 24-48 hours we will inform you what happen to the package . after 48 hours I called them, they told that warehouse didn't reply, we are waiting for that . ok then I called them back after few hours, they told me they sent a new email to warehouse / verification department wait for another 24-48 hours, this calling from my side and sending mails to verification department process gone upto 14 days, they didn't replaced my phone yet ... I called bell they told me to ask asurion, when I am calling asurion they are fooling me, I paid insurance amount and they didn't replace my phone . so what I do, may be I am going to sue them . I will wait upto 30 days-45 days . if I wont get my phone back I will sue them for $50, 000 with a lawyer help.. all customers treated like this must do this

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Mandyfedup
CA
Sep 23, 2013 7:49 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

LOYALTY DEPARTMENT ...NOT!

I have called the loyalty department several times in the past and Bell has arbitrarily changed my charges, given me credits and waived certain charges when i've called.
I called today to ask them to credit me to offset the charge I would get when I UPGRADED MY PHONE WITH BELL and they REFUSED to credit me saying it's a valid charge. I asked them why they wouldn't credit me to keep me as a customer and they said they can't. i pointed out that they have done this many times in the past.
THEY SIMPLY REFUSED. After hours on hold, them hanging up on me, they SIMPLY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO KEEP ME, A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF THEIRS FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
I am now going to go to the Rogers store and CANCEL EVERYTHING I HAVE WITH BELL. Rogers is evil but at least they try to keep you as a customer.

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Alex Mezei
Peterborough, CA
Jan 09, 2014 8:35 pm EST

Bell Canada is technically incapable to provide as per their promises. After about one year with frequent service interruptions due to non-resolved technical issues, they left me without internet service for about one week. The satellite TV also was up and down repeatedly during that time-frame. The service was virtually non-existent, taking several days of insistence to have someone come and try fixing the problems (several hours on the phone, no exaggeration). Then the problems re-occurred again, It was so hopeless that I was actually forced through the trouble of cancelling my account and hire a competing-provider.
Mind you, they started rising their price within 3 weeks since the inception of the contract...and did so every 2-3 months thereafter. Now the best of it: with the account cancelled, equipment sent back, they keep billing, like nothing happened...for no service provided at all.
Avoid at all cost Bell Canada - it is equally dishonest and dysfunctional - beyond hope really.
Alex.

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AngryDrunkenDwarf
Riverview, CA
Jun 03, 2014 9:26 pm EDT

So it totally surprises me that everyone here is calling this insurance and are upset over the fee they have to pay when they need a replacement. If you use your insurance whether it is your car..home..or health you WILL pay a fee to use it. There are ALWAYS terms a conditions to anything you sign up for..all I can say is READ them people!

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TomN
US
Dec 26, 2015 2:16 pm EST

Hate to tell you this folks but Asurion provides the insurance service for ALL the cell service providers. When you go to their web site you have to pick your provider and they're all listed. It's still cheaper than paying $800 for a new phone.

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CRAadmin
Brampton, CA
Jun 22, 2016 4:06 am EDT

you can get any fee or charges waived by asking to speak to CRA, even if they are valid usage charges. You may not get CRA if you ask for a supervisor, that might only get you a more experienced representative...just keep asking to escalate until you get to CRA to get anything waived. they can even send you out a free demo phone sometimes.

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Zhelz
US
Jun 22, 2016 4:06 am EDT

I bougght the MiFi mobile wireless internet and had to return based on a recall that the batteries were overheating. After waiting much linger than expected, I rec'd my new unit and does not work. I have now called customer service, tech support, management and retention over 20 times and they claim it's not their issue, it's a hardware problem. They sent me another unit. Funny enough, I have 2 MiFi's and one turbo internet stick here with return envelopes. None of the MiFi's are working and all they want to do is to send me a 4th unit and return the other 3 which involves paperwork and a drive to the Purolator store. I spend about $1000 on Rogers service and tried to use Bell to see the difference. Well, 2 out of 2 they have failed miserably. You don't even want to know what happended to the Palm Pre return process when the speaker jack failed to work. Bell has proven to deliver the abosulte worst service and customer care I have ever experienced. Cameron McCuaig I hope you read this and realize that your organization has failed badly!

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Ozz1hogg
Saskatoon, CA
Jul 15, 2016 7:47 am EDT

I have a disturbing story about Bell Canada.
My family and I were very good customers for 4 years with a rented HDPVR unit and all the bells and whistles.
One day in June the receiver started to overheat and shut down randomly every 1-3 hours. We made the call and Bell politely agreed to send us a new receiver at no cost as a replacement. Once the receiver arrived after realizing that it was a used receiver that still had some type of old liquid stains on it we hooked it up and nothing happened, I phoned there customer service and they said it needed a new card and would send me a card to repair the used receiver they had sent. Soon after there was a bill on our Visa for $600 for the receiver and 140 for programming we never had. And then for the card that was never needed and was shipped back with the receiver. Again this week they have billed us for another receiver! We do not have any receivers they have been sent back and still they bill the credit card even after we told them under no circumstances do they have any authority to bill that card. So now after numerous more calls and mental stress we are out more than $1300 dollars and are told it may take 6-8 weeks for a credit check to be issued. How hard is it to just credit the card back? I have asked on 4 occasions for a call back from a senior manager and been told that one would call within 72hrs and surprise surprise no call. My wife is a wreck and they will do nothing to help other than tell us to contact our card holder, file a reverse charge to bell cancel said card and wait for new card and credit to be issued. The employees at bell told me this would be faster then waiting for them. I cannot believe that even the employees are trained to handle calls this way.
Meanwhile the summer holidays we had planned all year are on hold and probably canceled as we cannot afford now to pay for hotels and meals on our trip. And by the time everything is straightened out Thanks for nothing yet again to the big corporations that are only interested in paying the CEO’s and don’t care about who gets stepped on along the way.

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una
Aug 08, 2016 6:17 am EDT

can someone tell me how bell can put up a dish on my home without my concent? i am the home owner and is renting it out, , , , can bell canada do that, , to my understanding if you are not a home owner just renting, you need the home owner's concent or a letter from the landlord... am i wrong?
i must be becouse they went and did it...
all home ownere who want to rent, be awere that the tenet will and can do anything to your home...

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