Cheaper Phone & Internet... but at what cost???

So I had a Telus guy come to the door a week ago, and offer me full internet, TV, and Phone for $10 each, plus a $5 cable box rental.  This would be offered for each month up to 12 months.  After double and triple checking that there were NO contracts that would hold me from going back to Shaw, I agreed!

Well, I've been warned a million times that Telus has horrible customer service, but I want to save money!  I agreed, and set up the installation date.

I got a phone call from Telus asking me for details around our installation date, and it was at that time that I realized that everyone is right about Telus.  Don't believe me?  Here's how the conversation went:

Telus:  We will be disconnecting your Shaw phone a few hours before we come and install your Telus phone.  Can I have an alternate phone number that I can reach you at on that day please?

Me:  I don't have an alternate number.  Why would you need one?

Telus:  We need to call you and make sure you are home prior to sending our installation technician to your house.

Me:  You are going to cut off my Shaw phone, then you want to call me to see if I'm home??  Can you please call me first, then cut off the Shaw line?

Telus: No, we have to do it this way.  It's our policy.

Me:  What happens if you cut off my line, then can't guarantee that I'm home?  Then your technician doesn't come, and then how do I get ahold of you to re-book??

Telus:  I just need an alternate number.

Me.  I don't have one.

Telus:  If we can't guarantee you are home, we won't send the technician.

Me:  So then guarantee that I'm home BEFORE you cut off the phone line.

Telus:  I can't.  It's policy.  Do you have a family member who can verify that you are home?

Me:  You can call my mom...

Telus:  Perfect, we'll call her.

Me:  So let me get this straight.  You are going to cut off my phone line before you call.  Then you will call my mom, who lives across town, to ask if I'm home.  She'll say yes, because that's what I now have to tell her to say, whether I'm actually at the house or not, and then you'll send your tech. 

Telus:  Correct.

Me:  And what if he doesn't show up, or if he can't find the place?  Then I'm left as a stay at home mom with three little ones with no contact to the outside world?  Then how do I get ahold of you to figure out what happened?

Telus:  You'll have to use your alternate number.

Me:  Have you seriously never had anyone with no alternate number before??

Telus:  Oh we do all the time, it's just policy, so they need to find one.



I was left baffled at the stupidity of this so-called policy!!!  Are you serious?  You disconnect my phone, then you want to phone me and see if I'm home??  Seriously????  Did no one with a working brain go to that policy-creating meeting??  No one said, "hmmmm... we should probably call them and confirm the appointment BEFORE we cut off their phone service."

Anyways.  Yes, I see what everyone means, it's ridiculous.  But still... it's cheap, so I'm staying so far.

It doesn't stop there though.  Nope, it got worse.  I received a letter in the mail from Telus stating that I had entered into a 3 year contract and it outlined the fees of cancelling that contract.  I opened the letter, picked up the phone again, and called Telus. 

After demanding that the contract be voided or I wouldn't switch from Shaw, I was told that I had already signed and wouldn't be able to go back without paying fees.  I got transferred up through a couple levels of managers, and finally, a person with a fully functional brain!!!  I stated that I had confirmed and re-confirmed several times with the sales person that this was NOT to be on a contract, and he had even called his supervisor to confirm for me.  I would never had agreed to any sort of a contract. 

The Telus representative said to me, "Well, I will make sure your account does not have a contract on it, as that's what you were told." 

Wow... so at this point in time, we are still heading towards our Telus service, but with each passing day I wonder if the saved money is worth the frustration of all their policies and customer unservice. 

If this keeps up, I'll be switching back to Shaw.