Optimum — Local services in College Station

Where do I even begin?

I’ve been a loyal Optimum customer for over five years here in College Station, and until now, I tolerated the ups and downs — outages, slow speeds, questionable customer service — because I figured, “That’s just how internet providers are.” But what I experienced recently took me from mildly annoyed to deeply betrayed.

Let’s start with the billing. Over the years, my bill quietly doubled. No warning. No courteous email. No notification of a rate increase. Just a higher and higher charge with no warning and I only noticed it now because my tenant asked to why my internet price was so high. I have a full time job and own a rental property, and I don’t have time to scrutinize my internet bill every single month, especially when I was under the impression that once you commit to a plan, the company would have the decency to give you a heads-up before making drastic changes. Apparently, Optimum disagrees.

Yes, I understand that prices go up. Inflation, infrastructure, whatever. But what I don’t understand is how a company can take advantage of long-term customers by raising prices behind their backs, while still expecting them to feel “valued.” That is not how loyalty works.

What really sealed the deal for me was when I did a bit of comparison shopping and realized that AT&T, who I already use for my phone plan, could offer faster internet, better service, and coverage for both of my properties for LESS than what I was paying Optimum for just one. So, I made the switch. Easy choice.

But here’s where things go from frustrating to infuriating.

When I called Optimum to cancel, the experience was like stepping into a bureaucratic nightmare. The automated phone system is confusing and frustrating to use — clearly designed to wear you down before you ever reach a human being. Once I finally got someone on the line, I calmly explained the situation. I expected some understanding. What I got instead was blame.

I was told I was the reason my bill went up — because I hadn’t taken advantage of their “special deals.” You mean those spam emails I unsubscribed from because I thought I was on a stable plan? Those emails that flood your inbox daily, most of which look like marketing noise? So now it’s my fault that I didn’t opt into a promo I didn’t know existed?

Let’s be clear: Optimum had no issue collecting an inflated amount of money from me every month without a word. But the moment I try to cancel, suddenly they’re offering me free internet for months and a $20’s monthly for life? Why wasn’t this offered before when I was quietly paying your bloated rates? Why was it only available the moment I tried to leave?

What made it worse was the attitude of the representative. I was calm but firm — I said I had lost trust in the company and was moving on to a more transparent provider. And their response? Cold, condescending, and dismissive. Almost as if they were annoyed I dared to leave. After 45 minutes of being shuffled around, I got treated like garbage for choosing a company that respects my time and money. Not once did anyone say, “We’re sorry to lose you.” Not once did they thank me for being a customer for half a decade.

I left the call more upset than I was going in. It wasn’t just about the money anymore. It was about the lack of respect, the gaslighting over the bill increases, the manipulative retention tactics, and the sheer arrogance of a company that thinks it can squeeze its loyal customers until they either break or give up.

Optimum had a chance to treat me right. They had years to do it. But instead, they chose short-term profit over long-term loyalty. Avoid...

I am writing to formally express my deep concern and disappointment regarding a recent interaction I had with one of your representatives, which has left me feeling taken advantage of during an extremely difficult time in my life.

Earlier today, I called your customer service line and was connected with an agent who claimed to be in the retention department. He expressed how “lucky” I was to have gotten him on the line, provided me with his employee number, and even empathized with me over the recent loss of my grandparents—a loss that has placed me in both emotional and financial hardship. I shared that I was behind on my bill and planned to pay my balance in full by this Thursday.

I explained that I had previously called to discuss lowering my bill due to my circumstances, but after nearly two hours on the phone, the prior rep informed me there was nothing they could do. Today’s representative, however, assured me that he could help—but only if I paid something immediately. Although I was hesitant and my instinct told me to hang up and call back, he pressured me, insisting I could trust him and that no one else would be able to offer the deal he could.

He promised that after making a payment, my monthly bill would be reduced to no more than $178 without any changes to my current services. I made the payment in good faith.

However, when I returned home, I discovered that my DVR service had been disabled—something I had not agreed to. I called customer service again and became so overwhelmed that I broke down in tears. While they were able to restore the DVR, the emotional toll this situation has taken on me is immeasurable.

I sincerely urge you to review the call recordings from today. It is heartbreaking to think that someone would take advantage of a grieving customer during such a vulnerable time. I feel exploited, misled, and profoundly disappointed. No customer should be made to feel like this, especially while navigating personal tragedy.

Please escalate this complaint to the appropriate department. I would like a full investigation into this matter and a written explanation of what actions will be taken to ensure this type of manipulation does not continue.

Thank you for your attention to this serious concern. I hope you will do the right thing and make this right.

⸻

Let me know if you’d like help sending this via Optimum’s contact portal or if you want to include any...

I’ve been dealing with Optimum for over a month now and honestly, it’s been one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve ever had with an internet provider. The internet is absolutely terrible for gaming — constant lag, random disconnects, and speeds that are nowhere near what I’m paying for. I can’t even get through a full session without rubber-banding or losing connection. For anyone who cares about stable service, especially for gaming or streaming, this is a nightmare.

The worst part? Their customer service. For weeks, they’ve been promising to send someone out to “fix” the issue. Every single time, I get a date and a time, and every single time it’s a complete no-show. Not even a call to let me know they’re not coming. Just silence. When I reach out, I get the same scripted apologies and empty promises that someone will be there “next time.” Next time never happens. It’s been over a month of this cycle and nothing has improved.

I’m paying good money for a service that flat-out does not work, and Optimum clearly doesn’t care about their customers enough to actually follow through on anything they say. I’ve wasted hours on the phone with support, hours waiting around for technicians who never show up, and I still don’t have stable internet.

It’s honestly insulting at this point. If they can’t fix the issue, they should be upfront about it instead of stringing me along and wasting my time. Optimum is quick to take your money every month, but when it comes to delivering the service you’re paying for, they’re nowhere to be found.

I wouldn’t recommend Optimum to anyone — not for gaming, not for streaming, not for working from home. If you need reliable internet, look elsewhere. This has been nothing but a headache and a huge...