Optimum — Local services in Piscataway Township

I have been an optimum customer for 3 years now. I use to live in Parsippany, where I had the choice to get optimum or Verizon. I went with optimum and never regretted it.

I recently moved to piscataway. Here I was given no choice but to go with optimum, coz of their monopolistic contract.

I started getting serious speed issues, so I upgraded my speed. Still got those issues and I complained. They sent a technician to my home and he looked around and he said this is how it is, take it or leave it. When I complained I ain't getting good signal in my room, he said the walls are like that and asked me to get a mesh router. For this help they charged me $80.

Then recently my router stopped working properly, the call center agent said go to the store and exchange it. I go to this store in the morning. Store opens at 9, but the employees started showing up after. The last one to come was their store lead around 9:30. The guy didn't even respond to me wishing him good morning.

I go to the counter after waiting outside for half hour. I give them the modem and tell them what the call center representative said. Their system was not updated or something but the poor lady didn't know what to do. She calls in the store lead Apurva, he comes in asks me what's going on looks at the system and takes away my modem and is like you can't have this modem, whoop gave it you? His tone was like I stole it or something. I explain him that optimum at Parsippany gave me. He said we aren't related to them and took away my modem, instead of exchanging it. When I asked me to return the modem he said it's not mine and I can't have it. He was so rude that I felt like I robbed that thing and came to sell it.

I call the call center, coz this Guy wasn't listening to me anymore. The call center again said that the store is suppose to exchange the modem. I pass my phone to the store lead Apurva. He stared questioning that agent, as if I called some rando, the agent gave her details. Then he asked how long is she working for optimum in a very condescending tone. She said a year. He is like he is working since 3 years and starts lecturing this agent on policy and his seniority. Well the poor agent gave up and apologized to me.

Then I found out that my cable modem is not registered in their system. So I asked this store lead to register it. He looks at his system and started his mistrustful attitude again. I gave up on him coz he wasn't listening. I called the call center again and they re-registered my modem.

Now I asked this lead what does he see on his system. He looked at me with disgust and made me recall the agent and talk to him. Again condescending that agent.

Now while he was doing that the manager walks in. Oohlala, should have seen his face. I told the manager bluntly,I have never been treated this worst ever in my life. And I come from India where the customer service is pathetic. He stared cutting me off and speaking over me, whole I was speaking to the manager. She shut him off but he still refused to let me talk. Then the poor lady manager gave in to this man's superiority and let him speak first. He talked all about policies and rules and regulations. When my chance came up I told her what happened.

Finally after this torture and abuse, I was given a new modem. Not out of courtesy but because they were supposed to according to their rules and regulations. I hope I don't find him anymore in that store or any other...

I disconnected from Optimum around June 2020 due to my Military transfer to North Carolina. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I was informed that I was not allowed to return my equipment to the physical location and would have to use a pre-paid FedEx shipping label. I reluctantly agreed and packed all equipment (3 HD DVR receivers with their corresponding remotes, one modem and one router) and shipped them on Tuesday June 23 at 4:31pm. The tracking number for the shipment was 393722578560 and the package with all of the equipment was delivered on June 25 at 10:49am and signed for by "LGERMAN".

On September 6, 2020 I received an email from OPTIMUM stating that I owed $100. The email did not state what the charge was for and having closed my account in June I was unable to view it online. I contacted OPTIMUM and they stated that I never returned the modem. I explained to them that I packed all of their equipment up and shipped it via FedEx as instructed and that all equipment was in the box. I explained that the equipment was very outdated and did not work well to begin with so the accusation that I still have the modem was outlandish.

OPTIMUM then had a collection company call me at 8:00pm after stating that the charge would be looked into and they would be calling me back. With this I contacted OPTIMUM again on September 18 via chat and spoke with an agent named "Allie" via their website. "Allie" confirmed that she filled out the proper forms "that way our Team can remove the charges from your account as soon as possible.". I then asked "will the charges be removed?" and "Allie" stated "Yes, if you are telling me you returned all the equipment, then, yes. The charges will be removed.".

On September 21 I received a pending charge on my AMEX card for $100 from OPTIMUM. I contacted them yet again and spoke with "Saif" who assured me that the charge would be removed much like "Allie" did. This is an unauthorized charge and fraud on the part of OPTIMUM. I believe that their agents are not trained well, their policy is predatory and that their accountability for their equipment during COVID is severely lacking.

I returned all items and have provided proof several times, I have no need or want for their outdated technology. I followed their procedures which they have turned into a money making scam. Using COVID and their fear to blatantly steal from current and former customers is reprehensible, they are a horrible company and I pray they are never my...

I don’t usually write reviews unless the customer service has been terribly poor, this incident certainly meets the criteria. I went to the optimum store because my router was not working properly and despite having a field order for the following business day, tech support told me over the phone that a new router should resolve the issue. I take the router to the store, the employee tells me I have a second router at home, and how that occurred. I told her that i’ve had lots of issues with various routers and one was left by a previous field tech. She states she cannot issue me a new router despite me bringing one back, she needs both. I told her and her manager that I’m trying to save a service field call, they do not care. I state that the router intermittently loses connection daily but since my tenant and I work from home, i was not able to bring in both routers, I wanted to make sure the new one actually works. She told me to my face that it must not be bad then, and to go home “since I live so close” and come back with both routers. So instead of providing me a 30 dollar router, the company will now be spending 300-400 on a field repair. The manager was rude, dismissive, and didn’t care that the service has been abysmal for the past year I’ve had Optimum. On top of that, customer service says one thing and the store says another. I had cut cable months ago and they had me paying more than I should be, when the person on the phone assured me I had the best package. Worst...