WTH! PACNET Charges me termination fees!

[YellowFlash]

Dear forumers, here is my situation..

 

I've been a loyal pacnet subscriber for close to 10 years and have been renewing my contract with them but somehow each time when i was looking at for hot promotions, they always seem to have lousiest ones, despite that thinking it is inconvenient to switch ISP, i decided to stay with them. However, i've decided to make a switch to another ISP after looking at so much better promotions and deals offered by their competitors. I called them up to terminate and to my horror i have to pay a termination fee of $42.75 even when i am not longer under any contract and to make it worse, they need a notice period of 1 month (wah lao, they think tender resignation ah, so inefficient!).

 

And so i call up the other ISP to check whether it is a industry norm that they need such a long time to process and whether is there any termination fees outside contract period. When i talked to the other customer service officers they all were puzzled when i asked if there's any termination fees outside contract period and it definitely isn't a norm! Also they only need 7 working days to process termination. So feeling pissed, i decided to send pacnet an email to their "we care" customer services asking nicely for them to expedite my process and also see if they can do anything about the termination fees.

 

After 1 day which is today, they replied to me saying they know that i've been a subscriber since blah blah blah, they have forwarded my request to the

relevant department and will be able to shorten the process to 1 week (which i am rather please) but however they are unable to waive the termination fees as they will need to release my DEL number and if they do not release, i will not be able to use to subscribe to other ISP for ADSL using this phone line. <--- I felt they were threatening me that if i don't pay, then i won't be able to get my new connection. So in reply i told them that if they can't waive off the fees, they can actually keep the DEL number if they want because i don't need it for my next internet connection as i have more than 1 line at home and to end it, i told them i may be writing to the media or CASE to seek advice regarding such issues

 

 

Signed off

Disappointed Consumer

[YellowFlash]

btw if there is still any pacnet users around, i hope you wake up now and look at other alternatives... btw i was paying $26++ for a 512kpbs connection and when i renewed the contract 2 years ago it was a crap $50 voucher(and i had to buy my own ADSL modem when the previous broke). Nowadays singtel, starhub and even m1 offers much greater deal at faster connection with a lower price...

[Happily1986]

I think it is not right for a termination fee to be levied on you since you have already served your obligatory contractual duration. Normally what happens is that the ISP will continue service (and you will pay for it) but you can terminate any time since you are no longer legally bounded to the contract.

 

I think in your case, you request to speak to the Cust Svc Manager or Supervisort to make this point clear to them.

 

Get their name and if possible try to communicate with them via email to capture documentation in black and white. If they do not budge on this, forward and escalate this matter to IDA.

 

I am sure IDA will have something to say about this.

[YellowFlash]

I think it is not right for a termination fee to be levied on you since you have already served your obligatory contractual duration. Normally what happens is that the ISP will continue service (and you will pay for it) but you can terminate any time since you are no longer legally bounded to the contract.

 

I think in your case, you request to speak to the Cust Svc Manager or Supervisort to make this point clear to them.

 

Get their name and if possible try to communicate with them via email to capture documentation in black and white. If they do not budge on this, forward and escalate this matter to IDA.

 

I am sure IDA will have something to say about this.

 

then they refer me to their terms and condition which state that clause of termination fees even not in contract...but to me, i don't ever recall being told that clause when i was prompted to renew my contract 2yrs + ago. I think its a very simple thing that they can actually just waive and its definitely not a industry norm...so i am quite unhappy with this. Btw its not like its a huge amount of money but i felt that they are just trying to take advantage of consumers over here. Their service has been deteriorating over the years and yet they still want you to pay before you can leave them. No logic!

Edited June 10, 2010 by YellowFlash

[Ngck]

then they refer me to their terms and condition which state that clause of termination fees even not in contract...but to me, i don't ever recall being told that clause when i was prompted to renew my contract 2yrs + ago. I think its a very simple thing that they can actually just waive and its definitely not a industry norm...so i am quite unhappy with this. Btw its not like its a huge amount of money but i felt that they are just trying to take advantage of consumers over here. Their service has been deteriorating over the years and yet they still want you to pay before you can leave them. No logic!

 

 

screw around with them.... make them work hard so that the manhour cost needed to collect $42.75 is more then $42.75 itself....

[Happily1986]

If i am not wrong, IDA is the authority that legislate the industry. They estabish a level playing field for all players and also ensure that all players adhere to an agreed upon set of industrial practices. As far as i know, inserting clauses such as "getting the subscribers to pay for termination when the obligatory period is over" is running afoul of regulations.

 

My understanding is that the termination fee or penality is meant as a recourse and a deterrent against would-be frivolous individuals from cancelling their contracts premature. It is apparent that you do not fall in this case.

 

What i feel you should do is to ask IDA whether it is lawful of ISPs to insert that clause to make you pay a stupid fee even though your obligatory period is over. The ISP cannot suka suka insert such clauses because it potentially run afoul of the anti-competitive act.

[Donut]

sent a letter to IDA, Straits Times forum, CASE and Pacnet CEO at same time......

 

very sure someone will reply to you and apologise for everything.

 

Wat termination fees??? LS ar.....

[Kangadrool]

could it be that you are asking for immediate termination when there is a clause for 1 month notice period? That's where $42.75 comes in. If premature termination, the penalty is much higher.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Kangadrool

[YellowFlash]

If i am not wrong, IDA is the authority that legislate the industry. They estabish a level playing field for all players and also ensure that all players adhere to an agreed upon set of industrial practices. As far as i know, inserting clauses such as "getting the subscribers to pay for termination when the obligatory period is over" is running afoul of regulations.

 

My understanding is that the termination fee or penality is meant as a recourse and a deterrent against would-be frivolous individuals from cancelling their contracts premature. It is apparent that you do not fall in this case.

 

What i feel you should do is to ask IDA whether it is lawful of ISPs to insert that clause to make you pay a stupid fee even though your obligatory period is over. The ISP cannot suka suka insert such clauses because it potentially run afoul of the anti-competitive act.

 

thanks bro!! thats great information, i'll take note and see what i can do about it..

[YellowFlash]

could it be that you are asking for immediate termination when there is a clause for 1 month notice period?

 

nope i did not ask for immediate termination and regardless of the termination process, the fees are imposed. Pretty ridiculous i would say...

Edited June 10, 2010 by YellowFlash

[Bluepica]

I'm still using pacnet since 1998... but now I'm not using their internet service, just keeping my email acc for $5/month which I am using it extensively and also nostalgic

 

and yes, I do know they have clause to stated that termination fee will be charge even out of contractual period. And ONLY Pacnet have such clause.

[macrosszero]

I terminated my Pacnet dialup account some years ago without termination charges.

[YellowFlash]

I terminated my Pacnet dialup account some years ago without termination charges.

 

think it applies to ADSL broadband only...

Edited June 10, 2010 by YellowFlash

[Kb27]

think it applies to ADSL broadband only...

 

Don't release whatever never mind, just sign up with StarHub cable.

There's nothing to release in a cable modem.

[Dafansu]

didnt know Pacnet still exist

[Bluepica]

think it applies to ADSL broadband only...

 

yeah yeah.... I think only applies to boradband only... cos they don't own anything... cable belongs to Starhub and tel line belongs to Singtel, so I think they need to pay to do the termination with the other provider but yet their internal "pasal" are being charged to consumers.

[YellowFlash]

yeah yeah.... I think only applies to boradband only... cos they don't own anything... cable belongs to Starhub and tel line belongs to Singtel, so I think they need to pay to do the termination with the other provider but yet their internal "pasal" are being charged to consumers.

 

yea...i told them they can keep the line if they want cause i have other lines at home... and like what another bro said, i can sign up with starhub as well..

[1fast1]

Get everything in writing, and take your case to the media (ST forum, STOMP) and regulatory bodies (IDA and CASE) simultaneously.

 

Pacnet is a wheezing, dying horse anyway - help to accelerate an end to its misery. Put it out of business.