JACKSON COUNTY, Ore.- In the wake of the Almeda fire, many Phoenix and Talent residents are reaching out to internet and cable providers to cancel or suspend services. And judging by what we’re hearing, some aren’t pleased.
NBC5 News looked into some of the issues fire victims are encountering.
Among the laundry list of things to take care of following a fire, you might think canceling utilities should be one of the easiest things to do. Some fire victims have told us that Charter Spectrum has been less than flexible with their situation.
One Spectrum customer in Talent, who’s apartment wasn’t destroyed by flames, shared her bill with us. She says after deciding to cancel service she was charged for the modem and router, even after telling them they were damaged by smoke.
She’s requested a refund, but the charge is still pending.
She says she also tried to suspend her service because her apartment is currently unlivable. She was told that would cost her $13 a month.
That’s when she decided to end her service.
When we reached out to Charter Spectrum for comment, they assured us fire victims will not be charged for damaged routers and modems.
Below is their full statement:
“In the event of a natural disaster, Spectrum works as quickly as possible to identify impacted addresses so that customer service specialists can proactively reach out and provide service options, including the option to suspend or cancel their accounts. Charges are waived for any unreturned equipment that has been damaged as a result of a disaster event. Customers who contact Spectrum prior to our proactive outreach are also directed to this group of specialists to go over their options and provide any assistance that is needed.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.