Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Vine-ripened tomatoes are one grocery item that comes from Mexico and Canada and are therefore largely affected by Trump’s major tariffs that are effective today to the dismay of a lot of shoppers. Here are current prices from our four major supermarkets for organic tomatoes from Mexico and hydroponic ones from Canada:

• Big Y: Mexican: $2.39/lb., Canadian: $3.29/lb
• Whole Foods: $2.49, organic: $3.49
• Trader Joe’s: $2.99 conventional large
• Stop & Shop: $3.99 organic

Results

Last week I wrote about W.F.’s problem with internet provider GoNetspeed charging her an extra $10 a month and not removing this surcharge as promised several times. She asked if I could help, and I talked to a rep who wouldn’t pass along a message and would only say that she should just call again. I figured that’s all I could do, since he said there was no media contact – which usually guaranteed a solution. But I was wrong.

Here’s what happened:

The rep told his boss that a newspaper reporter had contacted him about the problem and would write about it.

Then I got the following phone message followed by a lot of texts and W.F.’s angry responses and, finally, the end result:

April 1:

“This is [name withheld] with GoNetspeed. the senior inside sales manager, just reaching out. I know you spoke with [name withheld], one of my sales reps, a little while ago. I just got done kind of reviewing the call, and I want to reach out to you to get the customer’s information, ‘cause I wanna make sure they’re taken care of. I understand that she did give you her account number, and I would like to get that account number to reach out directly to her just to ensure that we do take care of her completely, so give me a call back. Thank you. I appreciate the help.”

I called him and gave him the account number, and he said he’d get back to me.

April 2: Here’s W.F.’s account of that phone call to W.F.:

“I just got off the phone with [name withheld]. Initially he said it had been fixed, but I pointed out that the balance shown on my account on their app was -$10 when it should have been -$30. He then put me on hold and returned saying he had added the additional -$20 to my account. I then mentioned that there had been no customer communication for an issue that they said affected 8,000 customers. And now you’re crediting accounts individually? (Also mentioned I’m a retiree on a fixed income, and this could have caused bounced payments.) He asked what I wanted to make things right. I said I  wanted a written apology and a free month. He said he couldn’t do that, but he’d have a manager call me.”

Apr 2, 4:54 p.m.: W.F. then emailed the next response from GoNetspeed:

“Subject: GoNetspeed Response

“Good afternoon [W.F.], GoNetspeed has always been passionate about bringing high speed fiber internet and competition to the consumer. We pride ourselves on customer service, speed, and value.

“When GoNetspeed entered the industry in 2018, we offered our customers 50 meg for $50. A tremendous value at the time when others were charging more than double for less speed.

“About a year later, we discontinued the 50 meg product, because we felt that was not fast enough for the industry applications, so we moved those customers to our lowest tier speed which was 150 meg with a price pledge for $50. That price pledge applied only to that tier of service.

“In 2021, we eliminated the price pledge from our new products. In 2022, we discontinued the 150-meg product for the same reasons we discontinued the 50-meg product (common in this industry as it is complex and expensive to support too many tiers of service/equipment/etc.).

“We then notified all the existing 150 meg price pledge customers that the 150 meg service was being discontinued and they had three options to move forward as follows:

1. 1. October 3rd: Email sent informing the customer of their options.
   2. October 6th-9th: Paper mail the letter (attached)
   3. October 17th-18th, Billing Insert/notification letter
   4. November 7th Email reminder to customers
   5. November 17th changed any customers that have not made a decision to default 500 meg service

“1/17/2025 is the one-year anniversary of that event and the customers that have been on the 500-meg plan have been notified. You have received a $10 courtesy credit and on 3/24 your rate was adjusted back to $49.99 and back dated. On your next invoice you will receive an adjustment credit of $58.33. That’s a total of $68.33 in credits.

“We value you as a customer, and we apologize that our communication regarding the boost to the 500 meg plan being an introductory rate was not more clear or easier to understand.”

April 3: W.F. emailed me her response to the above email:

“I did not receive any of the five notifications Ms. H listed, nor did she attach a copy as she said.”

I then wrote W.F. that I did not think she’d get that free month and should settle with the apology, refund, and rate rollback.

April 4: W.F.’s response to me:

“That’s where we left it, with a refund of overpayments and restoring the rate. Thank you very much for your help with this. If they don’t make the adjustments in next month’s bill, I’ll be in touch!”

So, my help was effective, thank Hashem, just in time for Passover (Saturday night)!

Any reader needing help: Email me.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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