Bell
Reviews and Complaints

I think their website should be hell.ca. There are so many examples of poor technical service, poor customer service and money grabbing behaviour from this company.

We have regular dial up service as we live in the country. They provide a dial up accelerator, supposedly to speed up the process of downloading. Well... That's when it works. It cuts in and out causing your connection to hang. Just great when you're in the middle of banking.

We had a problem connecting to our mail server and I was directed to someone overseas who couldn't speak english, his phone head set wasn't working and it sounded like a party going on in the background. Obviously no technical knowledge whatsoever. He advised me to buy a new computer. I told him it was one of their sympatico mail settings that had somehow been altered on my computer and needed to know which one to change. (I'm a computer programmer). He kept insisting it was my computer and to go buy a new one. I eventually figured out the setting by myself. Awful awful awful!

Last year, it took us 10 months to get them to disconnect an unused second phone outlet. Everytime I called they said it would be taken care of and every month it wasn't. Finally, I went to the top and had it taken care of... But only 4 months credit against a 10 month bill. Crooks.

Our satellite provide, (The bill is in my name), will not let me change our programming because my husband signed for the connection. Supposedly he was given a code 8 years ago, that he's supposed to remember in order to get my listed so I can change the programming myself. I bet if I stopped paying the bill, that would get their attention. They're charging us for another receiver, even though it's not hooked up. They don't seem to know how to remove it from the billing!

I'm investigating how to get rid of all of their awful service in my home. I don't even care if it costs me more in the long run, I just can't stand being associated with such a terrible company.

Eileen doran

Attention all long distance phone users:

Please check your phone bill to see if you are paying exorbitant long distance phone charges. I recently uncovered the fact that my elderly in-laws were paying approximately $100 per month in long distance charges for calls that were made in ontario only. They were on bell's old first rate plan whereby long distance savings only kicked in after 6:00 p. M. And on weekends. Unfortunately, due to several illnesses in the family, my in-laws had to make calls prior to 6:00 p. M., which is why their bill was so high every month. Bell now has a new plan, which costs $14.95 per month for unlimited 24/7 calling in ontario. They also have another plan, which covers canada and the u. S. For only $19.95 per month.in addition, there is a monthly activation fee (Under $5.00) per month for either plan. This savings alone is huge for my in-laws, especially since they are on a fixed income.

Please check with your elderly parents, aunts and uncles etc. To make sure they are not paying too much for their long distance phone charges. Bell won't call them to explain the new plans, they have to call bell and make the change. We need to protect and respect our elders, so please pass this message on.

September 22, 2008 I called Bell Canada to cancel my second telephone line. I was asked security questions such as account numbers, name, address, etc. which I answered all. While on the phone I was forwarded to another person where I was asked the same questions, and she kep asking more irrelevant questions which I could not answer precisely such as the exact date four years ago when I set-up the account. And then she kept asking why I was terminating the service, and that she could offer better packages. She then told me that she could not cancel the service because I could not answer security questions. I said I will hang up and find exact dates she needed, but she eventually gave up on me and agreed to cancel the service. I told her that she was trying her best tactics to discourage me from cancelling the service. Bell Canada hired people to harass subscribers not to cancel service. If you know where else can I complain, please let me know.

I was a customer of bell's sympatico internet service from december 2006 to april 2008. Had a one year contract originally and never renewed it, so my contract expired in december 2007, right?

In february 2008, I got my bill and it was DOUBLE the usual amount! (Well, got my bill is probably wrong seeing as bell canada refused to ever send me a bill, until march 2008 they said it was not possible to send me a bill since i only had the internet with them, insetead they took the money off my credit card)

When I called to find out why, I was made to wait for over half an hour, to find out that the plan I was on no longer existed, and that they had switched me automatically to a plan with 3gig of download for the price that I had been paying for unlimited, when I had gone over my new limit every month that I had the service!

The fee for the extra download was what changedmy bill. After calling several times, I was able to get one customer service agent to remove the extra fees, give me a comparable plan that I had before and some compensation money. At that point I decided to accept it, and that when I moved in april I would change providers.

When I contacted them on the internet in march 2008 to have my service cancelled, they wanted to charge me a 25$ DISACTIVATION fee! And, they said that it took 30 days to disactivate my service and that I would have to pay for the service during that time. I calmly told them that it wasnt happening, and that my service was to be cancelled the next day, and the reasons again why I was cancelling. I also told them that I was calling my bank and telling my bank to withhold all payments to them on my credit card pending my approuval. The charges were dropped and my account closed the very next day! :)

The following month, I got a bill for 100$, a cancellation fee. Even though I had no contract they tried that. In the end, I was able to get a check from them in the amount of 126.75$, how htey came to that I have no idea, but since it is money that they gave me, I call it a mental duress fee that I charged them!

Bell canada is one of the most fraudulent companies I have ever delt with. To get my check, I had to wait 6 weeks, or talk to the refunds dept. When I asked to be talk to a manager or a supervisor, I was told that they had none working that day, and when I asked to be tranfered to the refund dept, they told me that that dept had no phone extention! A phone company htat has no managers, no supervisors and a dept with no phone service... What kind of idiots do they think their customers are to believe that!?

In August of 07 our family was transferred from Saskatoon to Calgary. We had one cell phone 3-yr contract with Sask Tel Mobility at the time. It was no trouble to cancel the contract as long as we transferred to an affiliate - which in this case was Bell Mobility.
So we did, but not only did we transfer, we added 3 more phones for a total of 4 and signed-on for another 3 yr contract.
At the time, and apparently up until about July 08 - (not sure because to my knowledge I had received no notice of any change in that regard), Bell reciprocated the same affiliation with Sask Tel.
In late August of 08 our family was unexpectedly transferred back to Saskatoon from Calgary. When we enquired and attempted to change plans, after many confused conversations both on my part and that of Bell Client Service staff; we were finally told that Sask Tel was no longer an affiliate of Bell Mobility. And thus we would be required to pay a cancellation charge of $800 per phone. When I pursued the issue, after several explanations and attempts to understand- through various levels of staff, I was told that they would (so honourably) reduce that charge to half. And to add insult to injury, I was told that I could not cancel, as of that time, I had to give 30 days notice, essentially meaning I had to pay yet another month's fee. Is it just my naivety or does this translate into a serious lack of integrity on the part of a well known and established company?

Some many, many, many months ago, I returned Bell Canada's Tv/Cable receiver thru Purolator. Employees at the cable/tv department confirmed that they have received the receiver but still was billed for the receiver for the amount of $ 191.something which represents the amount of the receiver. I called them many many times about it. They said that every thing's Okay and that they will send me thru mail the final bill which is $0.00 balance. I told them that I need it to clear my name in the credit bureau. They said yes. It will be ready in 4 weeks time. After 4 weeks had elapsed, I called Bell Canada again but this time, I called the customer service. Again, they assured me that they will mail the final bill. I told them to check the final bill and the guy at the customer service said " nothing to worry as everything is $ 0.00 balance ". I asked them " how long will it take them to mail it to me. They said 4 weeks. Again, I waited for another 4 weeks but nothing came up. I e-mailed them a couple of times and a guy named Roy Aditi answered me indirectly. I told this guy " Is it the policy of Bell to Delay sending final bill if you opted out of Bell? Just imagine a bill is all I need. Is it hard for an organization like Bell Canada to send out a final bill to one of it's former client? Or they want me back again. Are they so desperate enough to use this kind of strategy. Is Bell Canada using lazy, incompetent, indifferent and do nothing guys as employees? All I need is my FINAL BILL, that's all.

In May 2008, we talked to a bell representative. because were moving from Ottawa to frankford ontario. He gave us a packaged for the new home phone + the express vue + internet "wireless with the antivirus" 3 months or 12.00$ and 119.00$ for 1 year and 129.00 for the second year. We agree with the plan and made arrangement for the connection to new house on the 31 July 2008. A week prior of the moving date, I contacted bell canada to make a change for the connection on the 1 of August 08 with a confirmation#... that I guess so they told me is no good for a reference. Anyway on the 31 of July, the Internet rep. came to the house since we were not ready for him we turn him down because first we did not have a phone and we were getting our furniture. On the 1 st of August we spent about 2and half hour on the cell phone in regards of getting our home phone connection + transferring to about 7 agent when my cell phone connection hang-up . Anyway they told us: No... this will not be possible because they are too busy... they will be there on the 6th of august. We waited all day on the 6th... nobody came. We call again... there is a problem with your phone lines, we have to send engineer because there is not enough phone lines for your area... How long this will take? It will be done by the 20th of Aug 08. OK! not to impress but I will wait. 20 of August, nothing. Call Bell Canada again... 2 hour later of fighting with the rep. we ask to talk with a Technical Rep. Which she told us the work as been done and someone would be at my house tomorrow to connect my home phone ligne up. 21 of august, finally someone showed up and it took him about 30 minutes... not even... and he told us that the connection were there but they were so bad that they had to change them. OK... this is not what we were told at the beginning of this... We were told that there was not enough connection in our sub-division because someone had 8 lines in there house and someone else had 5 connections and thats why we did not have one but now the story change! UMM! Anyway I got the phone today but I got an other issue with Bell. They had promise me with a wireless router + antivirus in my package. Well... I did not get it and I guess I will not get it anyway... We spent an other 2 hour and half with them..up to some manager... and they were not willing to help us out.. I just which it will happen to them and make them realize how frustrating this is. My dad is far away from me and he is very sick and the only thing I need from him is a phone call so When you don't have phone and even your cell phone doesn't work well it is very painful. I would like to suggest a better way of providing service so no one will be stock like it happen to us. Before heyou agree or any company offer you something to ensure you have it on paper or by e-mail that you are able to go back of what was offer to you... Also this miss representation from bell and I'm very disappointed by the way I was threaten. I was told that I was lying about the package... I would not spent 2 hour and half on the phone arguing if I was! They are the one that lie to me and in about 2 year from now because I'm stock! They will not see me again in there customer list for sure... They are the worse company that ever dealt with in my life. HO! I was forgetting they were going to bill me from the 21 of July 08. Which on that date, I did not own a house yet, so go figure how mix up they are! Anyway I which someone up there will understand why I'm writing this and understand. It has been hell and its not finished I still have an issue with my cell phone but this will not last long as I'm done in September and I'm not going with bell again. I have friends in the same boat then us but it is worse for them. They are still waiting for there phone line and I guess as they were told it just need from someone to push the button at the main office at 54 kings St. Isn't that terrible when you have been waiting for over 3 weeks that the only thing they need to do is this and they will not do it... It just piss me off. I'm done with Bell.

I purchased a HTC phone because of its features. My first phone had problems within the first week of purchase and was replaced. This was the same for the next 4 replacements I received within 3 months. I contacted cust serv inquiring about replacing the HTC with a diff phone; the rep told me that other customers had the same problems and i was able to get a new phone in the store. at the store, the rep told me that i was unable to receive a diff phone and that i would have to contact cust serv on my own time. The next day i contacted them and was told the rep i had spoken to had no knowledge of procedures and had given me the wrong information, and were unable to honor their word into giving me a new phone. I filed a formal complaint, as their policy would require for them to send me a HTC phone monthly during a 3-year period, because of the technical problems that the HTC had. I was contacted by a rep at the executive office named Noushin Tuncer, and was assured that she would solve my problem and send me a new diff phone within a week. A week later, I was contacted by another rep from BELL asking if i had received the phone, after I told him I had not, he realized that they had not in fact sent the phone to me. He assured me that it would be sent the same day. Next day i received a package with a phone and spent 10 hrs trying to activate the new phone; and realized that all the features i had paid for were not available to me. I called cust serv to contact with Ms. Tuncer and the rep was rude and offered to transfer me to Bell Canada. I asked to talk with her manager and she transferred me to a closed bell Canada office, after being on hold for 20 minutes. The next day I called Ms. Tuncer directly and left her a voicemail explaining that i had received the phone but that i was not content with it as it was not what i had paid for and signed up for with BELL, I also asked her to contact me ASAP. 2 weeks later, the voicemail now said that she would be away from her office, with the incorrect date and it was full. Its now a month since i have received the phone, the contact # only informs me that the voicemail is full, and then hangs up. The CSR directly emailed Ms. Tuncer requesting her to contact me. The problems with this new phone extend from not being able to receive calls to the lack of applications and features that i had purchased and signed a contract for. I have contacted the cancellations dept spoke to Abe empl #6021230 and explained me that the cancellation fee cannot be waved when i personally know of other customers who have in fact done it. As a 3-year old BELL customer, I am unsatisfied with the answers provided by bell Canada. Their lack of commitment to loyal customers who just want a decent service to be provided to them. I have spent most of my time trying to reach someone who can help me and restore the agreed contract as they refuse to take responsibility for the changes that the new phone makes to the agreement. Under their own terms and conditions i should have been notified if any changes would be made to my bell contract or the features of the device provided. This has not been the case; BELL has continuously avoided to follow through with their contract terms.

I moved in Feb. 2007 and moved my Bell services with me, up to that time I had no complaint. The first bill in my new house was wrong! Each subsequent bill has also been wrong, numerous phone calls later we have had some credits issued but still haven't received all credits due nor have we been billed correctly. We finally decided to cancel all services with Bell, to our dismay we discovered a 2 year contract for Express View of which we were unaware. Since there is a $300.00 cancelation fee, we decided to stick it out, actually spoke to someone who gave us a credit long overdue and we cleared our account to $0, this was in June of 2008. Yesterday (1 month later) we discovered our channels were disconnected and we called Bell only to be told we owe $456.00, how this is possible I have no idea! I am also fresh out of ideas on how to fix this issue. I will never have any doings with Bell after my contract runs out.

My parents have recently returned to Bell after a short association with another company. Bell was very happy to have them and their $100+ per month back. Everything was just as it was, with one big exception. When I call them using a prepaid long distance calling card (purchased from a reputable company) my call goes directly to a voice mail box that DOES quote their area code and number but ISN'T their v-mail box. My sister tried for days to get through to them from overseas and got the same phantom voice mail. Needless to say, if I dial directly the call goes through no problem. If I use the same LD calling card to call someone else, the calls go through fine, so it's not the card.

And we aren't the only ones that this is happening to. Friends and relatives have called and left messages, in some cases important messages, on the phantom v-mail. There's no indication from Bell that calls have been diverted and
Mum & Dad don't have access to that v-mail box so the calls are missed.

Bell keeps insisting that there is something wrong with my parents' lines or phones and have sent 3 separate repair people out to have a look. They didn't find any problem and reported such to their masters. Bell then informs my parents that their problem is fixed. It's still happening of course. When my parents called again today, Bell offered to send yet another repair person out, refusing to accept their that the problem is not in the house or admit they are blocking or diverting calls from pre-paid calling cards.

Has anybody else experenced anything like this? Can anybody suggest a solution?

I have phoned Bell Canada Repair, and was told that someone
would come to my home and check for the problem, nobody came. (1st request)

Phoned a second time and was told repair would be dropping in.
Nobody came(2nd request)

Went to Bell store and Eastgate Mall in Hamilton On Canada and was treated by a very rude young man who said he could not help me. He dismissed me as if I was a bother,

I am a Senior Citizen and I thought your service was considered essential. I guess I was wrong.

For years I have been a Bell customer, I have your Inter Net & Dish, and land line.

I am now going to have to cancel my service because I am without my land line, and I am in poor health and need to be able to contact my Doctor.

Regards

Agnes Niziol
[protected]

On April 8, 2008 a Bell telemarketer called me at home to offer me 3 months of free phone service and 5 cents long distant any time minute to North America and Hong Kong. After 3 months my phone bill would be $17.95 per month, after one year my phone bill would be $22.95 per month if I agreed to return to Bell. I accepted his offer and agreed to have the Bell technician to come in on April 17, 2008 to reconnect to the Bell line in my home. He assigned a confirmation #[protected] to this conversation.
My first phone bill received on May 12 was $126.21, with $ 65.51 for 302 long distant minutes. After numerous phone calls to Bell and talked to five different staff in two occasions, finally on June 5 someone by the name of Marg agreed to assign an investigation into this issue and provided me with an investigation #5493893 and promised a report in five days. On June16, a message left on my home phone to inform me that I was not qualify for the three months free service because I only have one feature on my phone, I need to have at least three features to qualify for the three months free service. I am really disappointed to hear this message and admired Bell's inovative way to trick customers into their trap. At this moment I feel helplless in terms of getting Bell to honour their offer and committment. Any suggestions is appreciated.

Since Bell Canada Sympatico could not provide me in my rural area with high speed internet service as the CRTC mandated them to do I jumped at the first chance to sign up with a new company that could. using radio tower technology. I got it up and running and phoned Sympatico to cancel my ancient slow dial up service. They informed me that it would take a month... A MONTH to meet my request and that I would be charged for that month.

I now must pay for a month of service that I cannot physically access and dont want to use. Talking to the supervisor was to no avail. They justssay
"it is their policy". I call it theft and fraud. Perhaps a class action suit would change their policy.

It has inspired me to investigate Vonage, now that I have the high speed that Bell could not provide and I will be free of bell once and for all.

My own Bell tale (apparently everyone in Canada has at least one.) I had a $95 (approx.) long distance call one month, back when I had Bell because there was no other choice! to a place I'd never heard of. So I called, and immediately get some comment like "oh ya, that's a big problem right now. You dialed something through your internet and got charged through a 3rd party billing." Then I was informed that regardless of the nature, nor the fact that they were obviously aware of this 'scam' or problem, that I was responsible for all charges on my bill. I'm fairly computer savvy, and take reasonable security precautions. After many back and forth arguments, I was offered a $20 credit, not as an admission of guilt on Bell's behalf, but (I quote the rep verbatim) because "I'm being nice to you, and you obviously can't afford the charges, but you are responsible for your bill." I said I wanted full credit; smart guy then says "Well, we won't do it, and if you don't want at least the $20 credit, then that's your loss." Probably not even a month after that, another local provider went active in my area, and I switched phone service right away. I never did pay the disputed amount, and it has been dragging through collections limbo for years. It hopefully has cost them far more than it' worth, and I'll maybe settle it with a 3rd party, as long as I know Bell won't get squat. They still continually call and write me with promos they are offering though!

On May 28, 2008 I received a call from the automated service from Bell, asking me to hold the line and that a french message would follow, after listening to their message for ten minutes I tried to hang up the phone to call them back to find out what seemed to be the problem. No luck. When I tried to dial out I still was listening to Bell Canada is trying to reach you... a french message will follow. How long does it take Bell Canada reps to contact me? I have been on hold with their techs for less time. I am finishing this to call an emergency outgoing number, from my pharmacy five minutes away. Thanks to Bell Canada. My money working hard for them. Hello Bell? What if it were your children who needed the emergency help? And please, no apology will EVER make up for this one.

In Early March, 2008, I had made a complete payment for my current balance and notified Bell of the transaction. On April 2nd, Bell withdrew the exact funds from my account through a preauthorized payment setup.

At no point have I signed up for preauthorized payments. I never consented to funds being withdrawn automatically from my account under any circumstances.

The withdrawal took place minutes before my rent payment (which IS preauthorized) was to come out; putting my account into overdraft.

If my account balance was zero, why did they withdraw the same amount as my last payment which had already been received? How were they able to access my account to withdraw the funds without my permission? If a signature was used, what signature was it (as it was certainly not mine; and preauthorize actions on this account require my signature)?

Bell claims that it is impossible that I did not agree to a preauthorize payment. They refuse to take responsibility for this action. They would not even admit fault at withdrawing an amount which has already been paid in full 3 weeks earlier.

Bell should additionally cover my overdraft fees, or provide some sort of apology for obviously violating my rights.

This is the worst Customer service I EVER DEALT with.

Problem: 3 yrs ago, Bell replaced their smart cards with new ones. They were supposed to be sent to all subscribers free of charge, so they could replace their old ones. We were never sent new smartcards for our receivers, the only reason we had satellite was that we purchased a PVR model, just prior to the change so it was already equipped with the new version of their smart card.

After many requests, I was promised they would send my cards out... they never came. Now I am told that being that it's been 3 yrs I will have to pay $70 each for the smart cards

Bells argument:

- they have no record of me calling to request them, and why do I wait 3 years?

My reply:

- I have requested them and have been promised they were coming, it's not my fault this was never recorded. Bell Express employees get paid to take my calls, I DON'T get paid to sit on hold, beg, argue or plead for my smart cards. That's why I did it only every few months, that and I was patiently waiting for them to be mailed as promised.

Bells Argument:

- The receivers in question are 8 yrs old. Be happy you got that time out of them and purchase new equipment

My reply:

-They weren't 8 yrs old when I first requested my smart cards. On top of that why should we be punished for taking care of our equipment. I just want the smart cards so we have satellite in our bedroom. We don't need anything fancy as we have our PVR upstairs. Plus we will replace our equipment when we decide to, Bell should have no right to try and force that on thier customers.
If we want to be cheap that is our prerogative! We pay our $100 monthly programming bill so they should be happy.

In Closing:
I emailed them through their site in Dec never got a reply. Now it's Feb 2008, still no smart cards.
You can't complain to anyone, because everyone seems to be a manager there, but yet no one can do anything. As far as getting a hold of anyone that is really incharge it's impossible.
I swear if you complain they pass you around the call center, laughing.
We've been long standing customers since 2000, all I asked for is my Smart Cards that I should have been sent 3 yrs ago... nothing more... nothing less. The fact that they are willing to loss our business over this, shows their dedication to customer service.

Thanks for listening everyone :)

P.S
We called Star Choice about their programming, ( because we felt if we are being forced to buy new equipment and get crappy customer service, we might as well change providers) Anyways, with Star choice you DON'T have to wait on hold, you leave your number and it calls you back when you are next in line for a customer service representative... what an awesome idea and a real time saver!