dorian moore

I wish I would have seen this before I signed up with them. I experienced everything you described, plus some. Sitting her right now with a call center that has no service & guess what the best part is. XO is down as well. I can't even call to report the outage.

Worse company in the world

Definately worst company in the world. Their customer service probably operates less than 5% of usefullness. I have encouraged all my companies to change to another carrier.
One company switched to another telephone/internet company in August. Each month they tell me to call for the credit on our account. This is now November and they are telling me to call back again in December as our bill has not reached a zero, and Novembers cycle has passed. This is after talking to 3 supervisors, 3 members of customer service. AND I have all their ID numbers and names, but XO only have record of one person I talked to.
One of the original sales people who switched to another company, agreed this company has been full of false promises since the beginning!

They automatically renewed my contract for another 3 years after I called them I was told I could go month to month. Then after they renewed me they told me they dont do month to month . How can I shake these bastards. They said I could cancell all together but I would have to pay they remainder of two years on contract.

I'm getting the shaft from them as well. I started shopping our service because the contract end date is coming up. I was warned by other vendors that XO would automatically renew the contract if I didn't give them 30 days notice that I don't want to.

XO confirmed this. They also told me that they don't offer any month-to-month service, so either I renew the contract or the service gets shut off when it ends - period.

AT&T is telling me that's actually untrue per FCC regulations. Most of me is hoping that the transfer just goes smoothly so my service has no disruptions - but the other part of me is hoping they try to mess it up so the FCC can come and smack them upside the head.

While I can understand your gripe. Service at XO has significantly improved but you need to understand their methods of dispute, and also have very good sales rep to go to bat for you. If you want a very good provider, try our web site. We can consult on good vendors; we have experience with all of them for 10+ years. Companies with great back office and billing are Internap, Megapath, Telia and believe it or not, Cogent. Who has the worst customer service and billing? Verizon Business, Abovenet, and Qwest.

This is still a horrible company to do business with. Avoid at all costs.

Glad to hear all the testimonials, you all have effectively persuaded me from using XO Communications. Thank you all!

So I'm in a similar dilemma and if anyone has insight it would be incredibly appreciated. We got their 3M flex package in 08/06, which then apparently auto renewed in '08. I called in June of '09 and spoke to a rep and asked what the terms of cancellation were. He stated that I would need to pay the current billing cycle and the next 30 days, which I said ok no problem. I asked are there any additional fees, and he stated no.

I then went to shop for a new service - The amount of phone problems I've had with XO warranted me going somewhere else. I just got the service installed 8/31/09, called on 09/01 to cancel and was told that I owe $14000 for the remainder of the contract.

After speaking to several reps, they will not accept a payment of $3600 which is the 2 months service I was told I needed to pay, and now I already have the new service as well.

I should have gotten this in writing and a phone recording, but I didn't think anything of it.

How do I get rid of these people, Jesus?!!!

I was talking to my XO rep in early August about how expensive our data lines were compared to all the other service providers who are always contacting me. She went silent for a moment and then came out with the truth that they had been over-billing us for the past 2 years. She said she would take it up with a supervisor and call me back. She never did call back. When I finally chased someone down they told me that they have a back billing tariff that protects them from having to pay more than 3 months. So now I am talking to the retention department because I have threatened to leave when the contract runs out in November. Believe me, I'm going to another provider but I'm going to try and get my money back first.

Nick,

Going through the same thing. Was told it was ok to cancel, then we received a $24,000 adjustment a few months after changing. We never received notice of renewal either, which the contract states they must do, and, according to customer care, should be included in the notes on your bill. We have an open contract dispute with them, but I doubt they will let us out.

If they won't let you out, complain to the BBB and any applicable governing bodies.

Hi,

I just received a $14,000 early termination fee bill from XO. And yes it was another unaware auto renewal of a 3 year contract. This is very expensive stuff to be auto renewed. I find it extremely unfair. And it will mostly put me out of business. Please email me if you have a same problem.

opps the email didn't show it's mphan0302@gmail.com

I currently work for XO, and while I don't agree with the auto-renewal policy, why do you continuously blame XO for you NOT reading the paperwork you sign? The auto-renewal clause is plainly listed in the Terms and Conditions of the contract that you sign. Take responsibility for your own actions.

Dear Anonymous XO employee,
I have NEVER posted a rant before - I was looking for others in the same predicament as my company is in with XO. Reading your defense of this policy set my blood pressure through the roof.

You have got to be kidding us, while the auto-renewal is in the contract, it also states XO will notify "in writing" that the contract will be renewed. That is very ambiguous if that "notice" (read contractual obligation) is occasionally stating that policy notice on the back of a bill. That is not an intentional notification to the responsible party of a contract.

XO is placing 100% of the burden for the 30 day cancellation period solely on their customers.

Further, XO has a host of resellers with a multitude of business practices. How can you defend that every one of your customers has received your "terms & conditions"? I signed a 1 page contract that was hardly more that a credit application.

I find it unethical the 6 months prior to my term renewal date that "notice" failed to appear the 2 months prior to my contract expiration date. As a matter of fact, it failed to appear 3 of the 6 months leading up to my term date. If that is a standard business practice that exists on all accounts, why is it not on every invoice every month? It almost seems intentional?? More importantly, where is the specific auto-renewal notice the contract party is entitled to?

I am sure all of those who have fallen prey to this company also feel that XO bears some burden to counsel their customers when "any" XO employee is contacted of their intent to change carriers or cancel their account - NOT after the fact. Very poor business practices which come very close to, if not, deceptive.

I have had more contact with your company since I cancelled my service that the prior term of my contract. XO is very reactive to their auto-renewal policy.

Every single business class voice/data providor in the United States has an auto-renewal clause in their contract. Also, tariffs are not mandated by individual companies but by the states within which they reside. So now ya know. ;)

Ok -- Ditto we had the same thing happen. Auto renewal-
it was our own fault by not realizing after 4 years of being with XO that we had not fulfilled our contract in full. By enlarge all phone companies are shady with their business practices. Has anyone challenged them legally? Please post if you have. We are thinking about it due to the unfairness of the policy.

This needs to be at the top of Google. XO is the worst company. XO Sucks. XO is bad. Don't use XO. XO customer service is the worst. XO contracts are shady. XO doesn't care about the customer, only about their money. XO customer support techs don't know anything about their system. XO doesn't communicate. XO doesn't inform customer of issues that will arise when services are moved. XO doesn't verify issues with customer before closing trouble tickets. XO just doesn't communicate.

Here's my story. We signed up for their Flex service in Aug 2008. From the beginning we were hung out to dry. They didn't help us configure their services. Calling the support line resulted in their tech people reading the same online help pages I was reading, and having no additional knowledge. Their "Tier 2" support was more helpful, but constantly didn't communicate with me to fully understand and resolve our issues. This led to constant unresolved or prolong issues with our service.

XO cannot make changes quickly. Everything requires at least 30 days, including adding additional long distance minutes (took 60 days), and adding a call center (30 days). We ordered extra phone numbers for our service and XO gave us numbers starting with a neighboring area code as the local prefix. This causes us to constantly receive wrong number calls. XO said they didn't have any other numbers to give us and that we should "tell the callers to dial a 1 first." Meanwhile we get close to 100 wrong number calls a day on these lines.

I spoke with XO Reps, local reps, customer satisfaction reps, and retention reps about the issues we've been having all along. EVERY ONE OF THEM has left the company or changed to a different location and department. Now that we are trying to end our contract with XO, I can not reference my prior phone conversations with these people as proof of our issues.

XO has denied culpability in any of this. They have only said that "we" have had communication issues, as in XO and my company. However, on my end, *I* have communicated, *XO* has not. More times than I can count, I have submitted trouble tickets and have them closed without a tech talking to me. Multiple times I've had to open new trouble tickets and verify that the support rep is putting the exact notes in the ticket that I need for the upper-tier tech to fully understand the problem since they don't care to talk to me about it. Numerous times I have contacted our account rep only to never be called or emailed back.

XO is a joke. They don't know how to run a business. They now are holding us to our contract claiming that lack of communication is not a breach of our SOA. Lack of customer satisfaction in their service is not a breach of our SOA. They say if we cancel they will charge us for the remainder of our contract (17 months) as an ETF (early termination fee).

If you are looking at XO as a service provider, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. XO is not good for your company. XO will ruin your company.

Somebody should start a class action against XO.

I would file a complaint with your state PUC.

I am actually with a competitor of XO, and while I love reading all of this beating up of XO,I must say it is unfortunately a symptom of an overly complicated 1/2 A^^ regulated industry and legal mumbo jumbo that most lawyers would not even understand that usually gets clients and customers in trouble. Your SalesRep is your best ally, whoever you are with. Utilize them as much as possible. I do find clients all the time who do not read their contract. I also find Salesreps, who purposely make their contracts non-understandable, or gloss over the details in hopes the details will be overlooked. Agreements boil down to (2) entities doing business, And like a marriage, those two entities will agree sometimes, and agree to disagree others. Two good people, if they are open will try to work together to make things work. But, also like in a marriage, if you stick your head in the sand, and if either side believes it's all the responsibility of the other.....the relationship is toast! So analyze, review, investigate, who you are going to marry. Because Like a pretty girl....many times what's underneath ain't worth it. Buyer beware!

Hmmmm...The above comment makes sense. I am a consultant in the Telecom World. And it does amaze me, that vendors and clients, and consultants even, always want to make it an us against them world. For us to win, someone's got to loose. We have got to stop looking at it that way. Vendor's have bad salesreps, just like clients have bad employee's, etc. Shady is as shady does. Most salesreps cannot survive long term without a decent, integrity oriented, approach to both sides. Do they have their own interests at heart....of course, but so do clients. I see clients worming the price down by a few dollars, and then griping about the service they get, etc. Pitting one salesrep against another, treating the vendor like they are dirt, and then expecting the best? In a marriage...how far does that get someone? Treat people like you want to be treated. They will do their best for you. XO has great reps, and bad ones, just like everyone. Ask for a meeting with their management, try and work things out. No company wants to hold onto a client that hates them, but,.......a contract is a contract. Take some responsibility. Did you really just not pay attention. did they not fulfil their side? If not....I think any reputable Manager will work it out with you. Have your proof ready. But, don't expect someone to walk away from a contract, if you just want out of your obligation and are going to give the services to someone else? Your organization wouldn't do that either? Grow up......take responsibility. Or, if they are really that bad. Get your ducks in a a row, show proof, and that they too have contractual obligations. Make them fulfill them.

In response to "XO-Hater, on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 on 00:15 GMT"
XO doesn't choose the numbers that you are assigned. The numbers are generated by the "Rate Center" in which you are located, which is governed by the FCC.

I agree XO is not a compnay to do business with, My compnay is stuck becuase we were not aware of the auto renewal clasue. we now are stuck for another 2 years and they will not offer us lower price plans which they are currently offering to others.

A horrible business company. Future shoppers do not use XO Communications.

"My compnay is stuck because we were not aware of the auto renewal clasue"

Or another way to say it would be, "My company is stuck because we didn't bother to read the terms and conditions of the contract that we signed."

We have been using XO for a number of years and we are running from them as fast as we can. Their service is the worst and we have tolerated it way too long. We have had critical services down for days at a time and their support and response times has to be among the worst in the industry. Do not even think of running your business on XO Communications. Most Telco's suck to some degree, but XO is by far the worst. Glad to see this page in the top 10 on Google... more consumers need to be informed about XO

XO the worst company ever.. The blocked my number porting and refused to let the DID go.. Filed a complain with FCC, let see what FCC can do..Stay away as far possible from XO..

We have similar issues. Our contract renewed last year for 2 years automatically, but we have found out our landlord is out of business and we must vacate our offices. Because of the time limit we have to virtualize. XO has categorically refused to terminate our agreement without penalty since the circumstances are out of our control and as of now isn't offering us better than a penalty of 80% of the remaining life of the contract (some 14 months and $11K). This despite steering business their way over the past 6 years between my company the one I used to work for. Basically, they are sticking us with a $8100 bill for service they can never provide. They've effectively lost me and everyone I know as a customer. Don't just run away, ACCELERATE!

I was just told by XO that we have an early termination fee of $20,000. This was not an auto-renewal, but they company has gone out of business. I don't remember seeing anywhere in contract about the ETF. STAY AWAY FROM XO Communicatins!!!!!!!!!!

When you negotiate services and prices with a telecom provider, keep in mind that you're negotiating a price for a full term of services, not just a monthly rate. The longer the term, the lower the monthly charge because the provider can spread their own costs (yes, they have to pay for things too) over a longer period of time. When you sign a contract and then break it before the end of the term, the provider will lose money. Not just revenue that they were planning to make but expenses that they've already incurred to provide your service. Obviously, that's not going to be an acceptable option for any business. So, they charge you the remainder of the contract or an agreed upon settlement. Think of it this way...if you buy a car and finance it for 3 years but then wreck it after 2, should the finance company eat the rest of the cost of the car which they've already paid the dealership for? How's that fair?!
As far as auto-renewals, yeah, those are shady but unfortunately they are standard in the telecom world and switching companies won't help. Do your research though because auto-renewals are illegal in many states regardless of whether or not they were in the T&Cs of a contract. They bank on the fact that you won't actually fight it in court.

It did not take long to find many people with XO communications gripes. Well let me join the crowd, and ask your advice. We had ongoing line problems and were promised a contract rate, every month we were charged from 100 to 500 dollars more each month. When asked about the overage, it was always the slow reaction of the billing department (even after 90 days) we were still overcharged. After problems with our point to point and never getting the billing problems corrected, we cancelled service and found a new provider. XO sent us a bill for $31,000.00, telling me that they have a department of lawyers that do nothing but collect on these contracts. Well if the service is bad, billing is incorrect and overpriced every month and after 8 months it is never corrected / WHAT ARE YOU TO DO??? I am ready to take them to court, and will be creating a website too. The best I can hope for is a class action suit agains XO Billing Practices - and from the looks of this forum and a google search - Bet we have some members of a class action suit here. If you have been damaged by XO in anyway PLEASE post here AND e-mail me, if you e-mail me - I will let you know about membership in a class action suite against this company.

You didn't leave your email address.

Need your Email address, just notified them that the business is changing locations and the new buidling will not allow them to put a line in as it is contracted through another provider. When I told XO they told me that I would have a $24K early termination fee. They are the ones who can not provide service at the new location.

So XO should be out the money that YOU agreed to pay because YOU have decided to move to a building that already has telecom service? Unbelievable.

we have the same problem, we discontinued service with them in October last year after 7 years. never once did we receive a notice of renewal, not a call from anyone at XO over that period except when we had numerious servious outages. They sent us a bill for 24,000 early termination, we beleive that this is a far wider problem than just the few people who have responded to this blog, if so then this is a case for the FCC to investigate as it is a clear case of preditory contracting.

Wow, 24000 is quite a lot of money! What did they tell you when you asked if you had any contractual obligations left? Or did you just assume that you were on a month to month type deal, like with a cellphone or cable?

WOW! We have XO GIGe and 4.5M FLEX Service and are extremely happy! There will always be good and bad with EVERY service provider.

XO has alot of customers and each experience is different, every business is run independently.

Enough said.

wow is right, if you can't figure out a telecom contract and when it expires and what will happen when it expires then you honestly shouldn't be working ANYWHERE!!

after reading all this i have one question... is anyone happy with their current isp? it seems every isp i find has a page like this one with customers who hate it, can anyone honestly endorse their isp?

Google "the planet complaints" and see what comes up. Then try "poundhost complaints". You guessed it. My point is that no ISP is going to be complaint free. It seems that most replies here though have more to do with contract issues than service issues.

Be sure to file complaints through the Better Business Bureau, which is the path I will take in addition to all other possible avenues for remedy to deceptive practices. As of 7/14/10 XO Communications Inc. has a C rating (A to F scale).

The XO contract page which a previous Manager at my company signed, has a reference to a web link for additional Terms and Conditions. The link does not work. The Terms and Conditions document (titled XO Virginia, L.L.C. VA SCC Tarriff#2) is buried in the XO website. A company with honorable intentions would at a minimum make a highlighted footnote under description of services, terms segment regarding auto-renewal terms as they are one of the most critical aspects of considering whether or not to do business with a company.

THe only reason I am dealing with an auto-renewal issue is that when I requested the 'contract' months prior to the orginal contracts expiration date, I was emailed a scan of the cover / signature page.

I do not care whether all providers utilize these deceptive practices or not, they are in the wrong for doing it! For certain, this will lead to a class action suit and I predict that it will be a slam dunk when it comes. Shake hands with the devil to slap a devil, what a world.