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Updated by user Mar 29, 2021

To recap, before Frontier bought Verizon, Verizon offered in writing and I accepted effective September 1, 2008, a fixed-price contract for low-speed internet of $21.99/month plus taxes, which is guaranteed to remain the same until I would cancel the service. At the time Verizon was widely advertising this offer and later when Frontier bought them out, Frontier made a pledge in numerous media sources to honor Verizon's contracts.Effective December 16, 2017, Frontier instituted on my account an "Internet Infrastructure Surcharge" (IIS) of $1.99, stating, in contradiction to itself, that this charge was NOT to apply to guaranteed-price accounts.After nothing promised by the normal channels was done, I was forced to write to the President's Office and ask for resolution.

At that point, Frontier resolved it; they began a monthly offset credit; and when in 2018, the IIS went to $3.99 they increased the credit to $3.99.Unfortunately it has now become again unresolved. Effective March 16, 2021 the IIS has escalated again, now to $6.99. Now in the latest twist, not only is Frontier unwilling to increase the credit I am receiving, they inform me they will also end it in December.To top it all off, they also incredibly now start to claim that I do not have a "true" price-for-life contract.

They don't explain how my guaranteed-price-for-life contract is different than a "price for life" contract. Unfortunately I have documentation -- and so do they ...There is a 2/12/21 online article by ArsTechnica which calls this ever-escalating IIS "a sneaky way" to raise the advertised (or in my case guaranteed) rate: "In other words, the fee covers the cost of providing the Internet service that customers are already paying for in the advertised (or guaranteed) rates." Exactly.

Updated by user Jun 26, 2019

I am updating my review as of 6/26/19; it should have been updated before but I had forgotten about it. I upped the rating to 4 stars; one star off because I believe Frontier should be capable of removing the infrastructure surcharge from my account in the system, as per their notice of the charge that fixed price customers would not be affected.

However, since my earlier review, contacting the Office of the President did receive a welcome and prompt response and follow up action.

Frontier credited back the IIS and has since continued on with a monthly credit, although it does require a senior official of the company to manually input it in the system. I think at least they have taken steps to remedy the situation and abide by the contract with Verizon, therefore I've appreciatively increased my current rating of this company to reflect that.

Updated by user Feb 22, 2018

The info you are asking for above does not apply. There is no link the offer was made in a letter by mail.

A special lifetime set rate offer contract from Verizon for low speed Internet.

The contract has been in force for several years. If you re-read the complaint it should be clear to you.

Updated by user Feb 21, 2018

This concerns overcharges on my Frontier Communications Internet DSL plan with a fixed-for-life price contract violated by these charges.

Original review posted by user Feb 21, 2018

I had landline phone service with Verizon from 1992. Back on 8/29/08 I received a letter from Verizon offering me a low-speed lifetime contract of $21.99 of up to 768 kbps (less than 1MB - the service has always been lower than the 768 but that's another story).

This is a fixed-price plan that is guaranteed in writing to remain the same until I would cancel my service or move my residence and I have done neither. In 2016 Verizon sold in to Frontier Communications and my billings continued correct. Until December 2017. In November Frontier announced the addition of a $1.99 "internet infrastructure surcharge" beginning in December which was applied to my bills as of December.

This is despite the fact that their own announcement of the $1.99 charge says it will not apply to customers on an Internet price protection plan, which I am on. Because Frontier had discontinued sending me paper billings and the online bill was not informative about this charge, and the promised November and December paper bills never arrived, it was not until January 9 that I learned what was going on and called Frontier. The November and December bills announced the $1.99 charge, not to apply to customers on a price protection plan (which I am on). The first person I spoke with in Billing kept putting me on hold for very extended times, finally coming back and telling me she had no authority to fix the billing issue.

She transferred me to "retention" who said they only had authority to close the account, this is not what I wanted; I asked to speak with a billing supervisor and was disconnected. Calling Frontier Billing again I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with a supervisor. After reviewing my account she agreed 100% this surcharge should not be applied, that it would be removed and I would receive a credit for the December overpayment. She even gave me her email address.

None of what she promised was done. The January bill came along and the charge was again applied; although there was a credit against the January surcharge no credit for the December overcharge. I sent 3 emails to that supervisor prior to my February bill with no response. Come the February bill and the surcharge is still on the bill but in a very sneaky manner they removed it from the Internet section and put it under the "state tax and other charge" section this time.

I instituted a chat with Frontier 2/20 and the person now said he escalated this issue, which is the same thing the supervisor had told me (fortunately she did leave notes in my file of our conversation so I'll give her credit for that). Bottom line, this charge per Frontier's own announcement on my November and December bills should never have been applied and all I am getting is the runaround from this company. I am on a limited Social Security income which has not increased for cost-of-living in 3 years and thus I also receive Lifeline phone assistance, small as that is. Frontier is giving me a huge run-around.

I'm calling for some kindly attorney out there to look into the possibility of a class action suit since, if Frontier is violating my contract with them they are likely doing the same to other people.

Internet service should be strictly regulated as a utility which it was from the beginning until recently. Supposedly de-regulation was to bring in more competition but instead has resulted in ISP's and phone companies colluding among themselves to constantly add bogus charges such as another "road work recovery fee" Frontier tacked onto my phone bill and the "internet infrastructure surcharge".

Reason of review: Pricing issue.

Preferred solution: Price reduction.

Frontier Communications Cons: Excessive price violates my contract.

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