Help! My phone’s been disconnected!

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By Christopher Elliott

Linda Brown-Westmoreland’s phone is suddenly disconnected. Comcast promises it will fix the problem fast, but it doesn’t. Is she out of luck?

Question

I need your immediate assistance. Tonight at 5 p.m. Comcast disconnected my phone service without a verbal or written warning. When I asked Comcast agents why this transpired, none could provide me with a valid answer or fix it.

I’ve talked to several Comcast employees via online chat, and they were not able to assist me with getting my phone line restored today, as they promised. Nor would they provide me with a valid explanation as to why Comcast disconnected me.

My accounts are current and are in good standing with Comcast. Please help me correct this issue. I need my home phone service restored immediately. — Linda Brown-Westmoreland, Fresno, Calif.

Answer

Comcast shouldn’t have disconnected your phone without a reason — and without ample warning. When you reported the disconnection, it should have restored service quickly, as promised.

I reviewed the chat transcripts between you and a company representative. (And, by the way, nice work on getting Comcast’s responses in writing, and kudos for saving it.) It appears the representative had absolutely no idea what was going on with your phone line, and was in no position to assure you of anything. (Here’s our guide to resolving your consumer problem.)

This is one of those rare times when having written documentation is helpful, but when it’s even more helpful to get on the phone and sort this out. If you have a backup line, like a cell phone, or can borrow a friend’s phone, then call Comcast and explain the situation. A service outage like this is a serious thing, and it should be fixed quickly.

When the lights go out

I’ve had the misfortune of a sudden, unexplained shut-off myself. A few months ago, my power company cut the electricity to my home with no explanation. A technician pulled up to the curb in a truck, cut the power, and drove off with hardly a word. I felt ambushed. It took most of the day to restore power to my home. (Related: Comcast called my husband an a**hole – and they put it in writing.)

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It turns out someone had erroneously applied for new service at my address, which didn’t require any warning or verification. To call the experience “frustrating” would be an understatement — I was livid.

My advocacy team and I contacted Comcast on your behalf and a representative said they were “not entirely sure” why your phone went down. “But I know the team is looking into it, as well as to why the chat agents weren’t able to assist the customer,” she added.

Comcast restored your service and offered a $20 account credit or a free premium channel for three months by way of an apology.

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Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Panamá City.

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