Bev Cruise is tired of battling with Bell Fibe over escalating bills.
Her monthly bill, which includes television, Internet and phone, shot up from $165 to $235 from March to April, she told Thorold News.
“We moved in two years ago in March,” and residents were told to expect a “$99 package” for three months.
“But the second month, it was $128, and it goes up and up and up.”
“I got a really high bill and there were Pay Per View channels included. I fought it and I knocked it down to $178, but they said, ‘Someone added it’,” she explained. “Why can they put things on that you haven’t asked for and charge you?”
After moving to Thorold from Sudbury six years ago, the senior moved into the two-year-old affordable housing unit at 24 Cleveland Street, for people aged 55-plus.
She said residents should have a choice of providers.
“With Cogeco, you have a contract for a year, but with Bell, it changes every month. I call and they bring it down, but I don’t want to fight every month. I spent four hours on the phone, trying to get someone to talk to. It’s so frustrating. I have fought with them monthly for the last year and a half. They always say, ‘We will fix it,’ but then, I have to call again next month.”
Cruise said she has the support of other residents, including neighbour Cathie Phelan, as well as “four on this floor, some on the bottom floor, and two upstairs” in the 14-unit building.
One lady “tried three different antennae,” Cruise stated, “but then, you don’t get Internet.”
“We’re not electronically savvy. We’re seniors. We just want a choice.”
Few of the residents work, said Cruise, “and none of us have busy social lives,” so TV “is important” in their day-to-day lives.
Sergio Paone, president of the Thorold Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation (TMNPHC) which operates the building, spoke with the ThoroldNews about the situation.
He is aware of the problem and the letter Cruise sent to the board about her frustration. He explained events that led to the current situation.
“I would love to provide her with as many choices as possible but when the building was built, Bell was picked as the provider," said Paone.
"In the past, other smaller providers could offer service using the Bell coaxial cables. However, it turns out that what Bell has done in the new building, is put in fibre optics. With their fibre optic technology, they are not offering the same kind of deals they used to offer with the coaxial cables. The upshot being that Bell charges so much (for access to fibre optic lines) that other providers can’t afford to enter into a deal with them. So basically, Bell has a monopoly wherever they put in fibre optics."
Paone noted, the TMNPHC building adjacent on Ormond St., is wired for both Cogeco and Bell. Tenants in that building can decide to go with a smaller provider.
"So we thought why not have Cogeco come in and offer service as well, but the lines Bell put in are only large enough for fibre optic lines. Cogeco would have to drill holes throughout the building into each unit and it would cost of tens of thousands of dollars. So we can’t just say yes to Cogeco because that's a big outlay of cash for us to do that," explained Paone.
“Wow,” said Paone, when he heard Cruise’s bill went from $165 to $235 a month. “I’ve never heard of such prices.”
He added, “I have kids on Youtube all the time and I don’t pay anywhere near that. I’m going to have to look further into this to see what services she’s getting.”
A call to the Bell help line confirmed seniors do not receive any discounts. As with every subscriber, Internet speed and TV package prices vary with options chosen.
“Of course, if there’s a problem with her bill, then she has to take that up with Bell," Paone noted.
Stymied by the current situation, Paone explained, “We would be happy to provide Cogeco, in fact, we thought we could, until we found out about the holes just being big enough for the fibre optic lines. Rewiring the entire building and drilling holes into each apartment is just too expensive.”
Paone concluded, “We’re going to try to help her as much as we can, but we can’t rewire the whole building. All we do is wire our buildings; we don’t pay for Internet or charge our tenants. Billing is between them and their provider."
(with notes from Bob Liddycoat)
