Highstream.net Dial-Up ISP screwed me over, do I have any recourse?

[LiQiCE]

When I signed up for Highstream.net Dial-Up ISP they did not mention anywhere on their web site that the $8.99 per month ISP access is limited to 150 hours per month. Check out their web site and see if I'm just dumb and overlooked it ... Highstream.net ...

Yesterday when I was unable to logon to their ISP and called tech support I left a message and they called me back today to tell me I used up my 150 hours! What action can I take against this company? I feel I've been royally screwed by them since they don't mention this hourly limit anywhere on their web site! I emailed their tech support the first day I signed up to ask if there was an hourly limit and recieved NO response! ... In any case, STAY AWAY FROM highstream.net!!!!!!!!

 

[MJT2k]

Did you read their Terms of Service?



<< User agrees that for all published Highstream.net access numbers, that they will be limited to 150 hours of access per month. If a customer exceeds the 150 hour limit, there account will be temporarily disabled until the first of the next month. The timezone used for determination of hours will be internet standard GMT time. >>

 

[LiQiCE]

Yeah unfortunately I just read their Terms of Service today ... Why don't companies put restrictions like this on their MAIN web page? ... Grr ... I got referred there by somebody else on the Hot Deals forum who must have not read their TOS either because that person said it was only $8.99 for unlimited too :-(

I remember somebody saying at some point that Terms of Service do not usually hold up in court because they are so long winded that nobody can fully read them, and since I am not signing anything, I cannot agree to anything.

Does anyone else think that there is something I can do since they did not clearly state the limitations of their service on their web page? Putting it in little fine print at the bottom of their TOS seems like it is misleading to me.

 

[LiQiCE]

Anyone else?

 

[Schlocemus]

Hehe...

Just call them and say this is unacceptable and you will cancel your service if they do not fix this problem

Edit: Worked when I had slow cable speeds

 

[LiQiCE]

I called tech support and they said "You can cancel on our web site if you want." to that I said "How the heck am I supposed to cancel on your WEB SITE when I don't have Internet access" ... And he said "Well you can email bidding@highstream.net ... they can help you" ... And to that I said "How the heck am I supposed to email anyone when I don't have Internet access?" ... and to that he said "Wait until October 1st and your account will be given 150 more hours" ... yeah and I'll be charged $8.99 again ... I'd rather deal with a real ISP that doesnt screw you around like that.

 

[Lucky]

thats crap.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

<< I remember somebody saying at some point that Terms of Service do not usually hold up in court because they are so long winded that nobody can fully read them, and since I am not signing anything, I cannot agree to anything.

Does anyone else think that there is something I can do since they did not clearly state the limitations of their service on their web page? Putting it in little fine print at the bottom of their TOS seems like it is misleading to me. >>



If you did not agree to their terms since you did not sign anything, they have the right to cancel/maim/screw with your account since legally you never signed a contract with them. I agree to a certain extent it was semi-misleading but the fact that they didn't put "Unlimited usage" or a signifier stating how many hours you get per month is sort of a tip-off.

 

[LiQiCE]

Yeah I really should have been suspicious, but it does say on their website "Available 24hrs, 7 days/ week " ... Which I took to mean unlimited, but I guess I should have looked more carefully and checked to see if it really was unlimited. I already filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau to request that they at least change their website to clearly indicate the limitations of their service so people don't make the same mistake that I did ... Another Anandtech user stated it was unlimited for $8.99 I think, so I am probably not the only person who did this ... (Boy I feel dumb)

 

[kikokam]

dang it... i signed up with highstream too and didn't know about this.... now i gotta cancel too

 

[LiQiCE]

Well, I'm glad I was able to warn you about their misleading practices!!