CENTRAL FLORIDA – Sitting outside his quiet Winter Park home, writer Asili Nadhiri can't help but laugh when he gets an automated response and then hung up on by Spectrum.
"We apologize for your inconvenience," the automated voice says before hanging up.
"I've been calling," Nadhiri laughs. "They give you this quick deal whip and that's it."
Being a writer, now on the editing phase of his novel, he needs the internet and simply wants to know when it will be turned back on.
"Just restore the internet," he said. "Or if you can't restore it and there is a technical problem, I can understand, just say it."
But according to a director of charter communications Joseph Durkin, the answer isn't that simple.
"The primary cause of Spectrum service being out is the massive loss of commercial power that the state suffered. In some cases, commercial power is back on but the cable is still out. As our network relies on commercial power there may a loss of power further down the line to one of our hubs that power a given area, preventing the delivery of Spectrum services," he said. "We don’t provide customer numbers because they constantly change due to the fact that most customer issues are power related."
That was the same reasoning other major cable companies including CenturyLink, Comcast Xfinity and AT&T all offered Monday.
None of those companies were able to provide a timeline on when cable and internet can be restored.
However, many are offering credit to customers for when they didn't have service and waiving late fees. It's a move that comes after Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter asking for that last week.
Below is a list of responses from cable service providers:
CHARTER STATEMENT ON CREDITING CUSTOMERS:
Charter wants to ease concerns of our customers impacted by the storm and assure them Spectrum crews are working around the clock to restore service. We recognize the extraordinary impact Irma has had on the lives of many Floridians and are committed to working with customers to provide appropriate credits. Customers who have suffered damage to their homes will not be charged for any equipment damaged or lost during the storm, and we have also suspended collections in impacted areas. We and our more than 7,500 Florida employees are part of the communities we serve, and we will be supporting recovery efforts in the days and weeks to come.
RESPONSE FROM CENTURY LINK:
CenturyLink offers free Emergency Call Forwarding and other services
to central Florida customers impacted by Hurricane Irma
APOPKA, Fla. – CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) announces it is offering Emergency Call Forwarding for 90 days free of charge to residential and small business customers in central Florida impacted by Hurricane Irma.
The service allows customers who have been displaced from their home or business due to flooding, wind damage or emergency evacuations to receive their home or business phone calls on an alternative number, helping them keep in touch with family and business associates. This service is available to CenturyLink customers throughout central Florida region.
Emergency Call Forwarding service allows calls to be forwarded to a wireless or landline phone of the customer’s choice. To activate this service, customers can call the CenturyLink repair center and identify themselves as a customer affected by the flood.
Residential customers – 800-788-3600
Small business customers – 800-786-6272
Customers can also request this service on the CenturyLink Facebook page or by tagging @CenturyLinkHelp on Twitter.
Additional services that are available free of charge include:
Standalone Voice Messaging /Anywhere Voice Messaging: Residential customers can create a standalone voicemail box to receive messages from family and friends.
Suspend service: Your service can be temporarily suspended and a recording will direct callers to another number of your choice.
Transfer of service: If you cannot return to your home or business soon, your service can be transferred to another location.
In addition, CenturyLink has waived late fees and has ceased all collections activities for customers impacted by the hurricane through Oct. 16, 2017. If customers have questions about their account, they can contact CenturyLink at 877-837-5738.
COMCAST RESPONSE TO CREDITING PEOPLE:
We are working with customers on a case-by-case basis and will work with them to suspend their services or request a credit. We will also we will replace any impaired or lost XFINITY equipment at no additional charge.
We will not charge for an in- home appointment with a technician during recovery efforts.
During our recovery efforts we have suspended late payment fees and suspended collections activity.
We have waived trouble call charges, early termination fees, unreturned equipment fees, reactivation fees.