Therése's Broadband Frustration: 'You Feel Completely Powerless'

Therése Wallhult's broadband has been non-functional for over two months. Despite countless calls and emails to the broadband company, nothing has changed.

– They just say, 'We understand your frustration, thank you for your understanding.' But I have no understanding!, she says.

It was at the end of April when Therése Wallhult, 32, and her partner noticed that the TV in their villa in the northern archipelago of Gothenburg wasn't working. Neither was the robot vacuum or the couple's mobile phones, and soon they realized it was the broadband that was down.

Therése Wallhult called her broadband company, Bredband2, to ask for help.

– I said it wasn't working, that the internet was completely dead. After a week, they got back to us and asked us to call back for a follow-up. When I called, they wanted us to unplug a power cable and plug it back in. It felt strange, that's something you do right away when it doesn't work.

– I asked if that was all the technicians wanted. Was that all the help we would get? Yes, that was all, he replied.

Called and Nagged

Since then, Therése Wallhult has called, emailed, and chatted with the company several times a week, but nothing has happened. Therése Wallhult perceives that the company is stalling and avoiding.

– They just say, 'We understand your frustration, and thank you for your understanding.' But I have no understanding anymore! Then they blame the city network, but this is not the city network's fault.

She has tried several times to cancel the subscription, which cost the family 12,000 kronor in installation fees and then 400 kronor a month. 'Begging on our knees,' she wrote to the company in early June, 'please, please, please, do anything to waive the notice period.'

But the plea has not helped.

'Powerless'

If the family cancels the service before the fault is fixed, Bredband2 refuses to refund the months the service hasn't worked.

– It's a principle they have, but I think it's a strange behavior for a large company, says Therése Wallhult.

She is now tired of going month after month without broadband.

– You feel completely powerless. You can't do anything. I've sent emails and called and chatted, but nothing happens. It wears on you, she says.

Customer Anger

Therése Wallhult is not alone in having problems with Bredband2.

Among the reviews online, the invectives are flying. Many are dissatisfied:

'Customer support is below all criticism, they lie, delay responses, or just refuse to answer. Not even Telia's support is this bad,' writes one person. 'I HATE Bredband2,' writes another.

'Worthless company, real scammers. Deliver a lousy product, even though it's their only one. It's like the only thing they should be able to do. Unpleasant customer service. But the price keeps going up and up.'

In a comment to Expressen, Bredband2 states that they understand the frustration:

'The fault report is still active, and we are following up on the case continuously, but since we do not have access to the faulty link, we unfortunately cannot take any technical measures ourselves. We continue to pursue the issue with the highest priority.'