So, I've been meaning to do this for a while, but I finally got around to calling Rogers today about my cable and internet bill for the 5 days we lost service during the ice storm that hit Southern Ontario around Christmas. When my next bill came (next 2 bills, actually) after the ice storm, I was charged my usual cable and internet fees. However, I did not receive service for approximately 5 days in December. That isn't right.

If I owned a small business that was affected by the ice storm, and couldn't open, I wouldn't have gotten any revenue. That would not be a fun situation to be in, but you can't get paid for services or goods you don't provide, right? That even applies to the gas company or electric company, who bill you based on metered usage.

For some reason, our telecommunications companies don't think that this common sense rule applies to them. So, I phoned Rogers today and asked why I didn't get a credit or discount on my bills. I was told, "we only provide a credit if the customer requests it". Wow. So, if you don't ask, they will charge you for services that you didn't receive. That's an underhanded practice at best, and criminal at worst.

The good news is, if you call, you will get a credit. I will be receiving a $38 and change credit on my next bill. Call your cable and internet provider now if you were without service for any period of time due to the ice storm!