Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Since I am a beta tester for MSN 8.5, I still had to sign up as a regular subscriber... and now i am calling them to cancel my subscription..now they have put me on the phone for 20 min already... MSN stinks..and i haven't been able to cancel it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Sorry to hear that…I know a long time ago (with MSN Explorer) they allowed members to cancel their subscription online. I’m almost positive they have removed that option. (Security reasons)I have MSN as a back up incase my Satellite service goes down or if I’m traveling, and I’ve NEVER had to wait more than 5-8 mins to talk to someone. That goes for tech/customer care support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Well, I suppose they don't work during weekend. cuz eh I have been on hold for close to 35 min. I already sent out an email to the beta program and complained. I did make some threats as in consulting my laywer. They need to watch out for what they are doing. They think if I get fed up, I would stick with them. They are dreaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Thunder,Are you on the eve of an ending trial with the MSN service, or did MSN require you to pay (the monthly fees) to test the latest beta? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 To your questionthe answer is both...still on the phone by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Oh, I see...That is troubling. In the past I've called them at strange hours and have never been on hold for as long as you have.Probably because of the holiday weekend, they are running a skeleton crew... Hey it could be, anything to save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 I suppose but it is not memorial day yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 True.It will be interesting to hear what the BETA group replies with, after you’re your mail treating a call from your lawyer. That tends to open eyes, however you would be going against the ‘almighty**â€If push comes to shove, you could call your CC and tell them the situation and they could probably block any transaction tried by MSN… You do have proof after-all that you are trying to cancel the service: the email to the BETA group and the posts here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 MS obviously doesn't know nor listen to what I want... From: <msn_85_beta@msn.com>To: <*******@hotmail.com>Subject: CST117878565ID - RE:I need to unsubscribe!!!!Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 12:45:34 -0700Hello Sunny, Thank you for writing to MSN Internet Access Member Support. This is Carol and I understand that you would like to unsubscribe in being aBeta Tester.I know how frustrating it is to have several issues using MSN 8.5 software. Weappreciate the time you spent in letting us know about the concerns you'reencountering.To help improve the quality, reliability, and performance of Microsoft softwareand services, we have asked for your help by being a beta tester. MSN uses betaprograms such as this one to help us understand what works for the customer andwhat does not work. We'll use your feedback to help us make MSN InternetServices easier to use and to improve functionality. You would be using softwarethat is still under development. You may find parts of the product that youthink are not working correctly or that do not work as you expected them to -and this is exactly the type of feedback we would like to hear. If you have decided to forfeit your continuous participation as a Beta Tester,then we can uninstall MSN 8.5 and then reinstall MSN 8.Here is how we can achieve that:To uninstall MSN 8.5: 1. Click Start 2. Go to Control Panel 3. Double click the Add/Remove Programs icon 4. Highlight the MSN software that you are currently using - "MSN InternetSoftware" 5. Click Remove.After MSN 8.5 has been uninstalled, we can now reinstall MSN 8:1. After inserting the MSN8 CD, please click Install MSN 8.2. On the set up MSN 8 window, click on OK.3. Please click on "Accept" on the agreement. The program will now install.4. After installing you will be prompted "add to start menu", please click on"yes"5. Click I have already signed up.6. Type in their email address and password and then click on next.7. You will be prompted to enter your home phone number and then click on next.8. You will be prompted with your local access numbers, please select least twoand then click next.9. If you have any special dialing circumstances please choose them and thenclick next10. Click on "I accept" on the agreement and then click next11. Click on Finish12. You will be automatically signed inYour thoughtful consideration of taking part in the beta program is greatlyappreciated. Sincerely, Carol MSN Internet Access Member Support--- Original Message ---From: *****@hotmail.comTo: msn_85_beta_msn@css.one.microsoft.comSent: Sat May 24 12:15:32 PDT 2003Subject: I need to unsubscribe!!!!<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /> Being a beta tester for this program has been a pain because I had tosign up like a regular user, and now I want to cancel my account after 2months of usage! As your service puts me on hold for 30+ min, I think no matter how goodyour program is, no one will choose your service! You don’t force peopleto stay with your network! If I see MSN billing me next month, I will consult my lawyer. I hopethat's a clear message for your MSN network service. Unhappy customer,Sunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Thunder,Have you tried the Online Chat support system?Maybe you can get online with a billing/customer support rep, and they may be able to give you a direct number to someone so that you can cancel your MSN subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Where is the online chat system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Okay after the whole time, one rep is finally with methings should be going alright then, but we will see.. it has been more than 1 hour and 26 min.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Wow… what a wait. Hopefully the representative can take care of the situation.If not, here is the way to access the online support chat system:May be different in 8.5 but in 8.0:Help & Settings (upper left) > Settings > Member Services (left side) > Customer Support > Contact Us > Interactive Online Support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Finally done with it.. after 1 hour and 30 minutes... thank god today I had some time for it. ( I called at 2:40 PM EST, and ended at 4:10 PM EST)I complained to them about the wait time, but all they said is "Well, we apologize for the wait time, but we have taken care of your account though.." What a nice comforting way they put? I am at least glad that they will most likely not going to charge me by 4th of June, which is when my two months subscriptions expires. I don't really understand though. Since I am a beta tester, why do they still treat me like a regular subscriber. How is it going to enhance my beta experience with the MSN Explorer per se if I have to worry about payment? This is very very odd.MSN Explorer 8.5 beta itself is very very sleeky. It is filled with user interface that relies on PNG format, which means that no matter how much you resize your window, the resolution of icon on the UI will look crispy clear, and further more, the interface will most likely be adopted by Windows Longhorn. You should expect to see a large deployment of PNG usage in Widows Longhorn as opposed to traditional GIF or JPEG format.ThunderRiver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 MSN Explorer 8.5 beta itself is very very sleeky. It is filled with user interface that relies on PNG format, which means that no matter how much you resize your window, the resolution of icon on the UI will look crispy clear, and further more, the interface will most likely be adopted by Windows Longhorn. You should expect to see a large deployment of PNG usage in Widows Longhorn as opposed to traditional GIF or JPEG format.Cool!I turned MSN down when they offered me to beta test 8.5… I don’t have time right now to test it, and I don’t want to go through the hassle of disaster recovery if something were to severely crash my system.I can wait for the public release, however I’ve almost given up using my MSN subscription for the email address… I swear they have sold my email address. Even with their advanced junk mail filter set to the second highest setting I get about 200-300 spam emails a day.And having the junk mail filter set to the highest setting is unrealistic… I don’t want to be limited to access email only from addresses in my address book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 (edited) One thing though you don't need MSN Explorer to experience the UI I mentioned in this thread.MSN Messenger 6.0 is free, and it is going to implement the exact same UI as MSN Explorer. Currently, it is still beta of course.Yes, I am pretty sure MSN sold my email address too. I have received soo much junk mails that I simply don't use hotmial account anymore. I still have my Yahoo, but it is getting spammed very heavily lately as well. Not to mention my college account, getting lots of spam per day as well. The funny one is about the viagra one.. it always keeps coming..like they are desparate to sell it or something.Another fun fact about Ann Arbor, the maker of Viagra (Pfizer Inc) is in Ann Arbor. In fact, I will be living 3 blocks away from that company next year. Edited May 24, 2003 by ThunderRiver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 About being a beta tester:If you’re a long time MS beta tester I don’t think you should have to subscribe to the MSN service to test it… I think MS should implement a system for long standing MS beta testers so that they can test it, and once the test is over, access is denied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Bout MSN Messenger 6:I’ve seen so many screen shots that it does look better than the current offering (in my opinion.) The feature set and overall changes look promising. After all Microsoft Loves Messenger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 About being a beta tester:If you’re a long time MS beta tester I don’t think you should have to subscribe to the MSN service to test it… I think MS should implement a system for long standing MS beta testers so that they can test it, and once the test is over, access is denied.True they should; however, they don't want to do it. The reason is simply, they want to gather as many user base as possible, including beta tester as well.MSN Explorer 8.5 beta doesn't provide any user forum/newsgroup; thus the only way to contact the Beta program is through email to Microsoft MSN 8.5 beta. It is one of the progam that doesn't involve a lot of user interaction; although I have reported various number of bugs in that program, such as lacking in unicode support and etc. Nonetheless, this has marked the end of beta testing with MSN 8.5. I think it is too much hassle for a beta program, and I have other beta to work with, so I don't miss it abit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcubednyc Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 If push comes to shove, you could call your CC and tell them the situation and they could probably block any transaction tried by MSN… You do have proof after-all that you are trying to cancel the service: the email to the BETA group and the posts here.A friend tried out MSN as his first ISP three years ago. After about six months, he decided he wasn't crazy about it, so he tried to phone them to cancel. He could only ever get through to tech support, who would transfer him to customer service, where he could never actually get to speak to anyone. Either he'd be placed on perpetual hold, or the line would keep ringing. After four days of trying, he finally called his credit card's customer service to see if they could cancel the subscription. The woman he spoke with said they could handle it by cancelling his card and issuing a new one. She also told him many of their customers were having this problem and that the bank was trying to contact MSN to resolve the issue. I'd have thought MSN would have seen the light by now.He had a number of other recurring charges on that same card he had to arrange to have transfered to the new card. He said by the time it was all over, he'd made over 50 phone calls, including all the MSN attempts. Needless to say, nothing will persude him to do business with them ever again.--Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 Yeah this is the first time that I tried MSN, and the experience is alright, but the cancellation process really marked it down.A friend of mine from Israel is also enrolled in this program, and he simply just put in wrong address, so that the credit card charge will be bounced back to Microsoft. In his reasoning, it would cost more to call MSN support than letting the account bounce. Unbelieveable, but that's what he is doing right now. ThunderRiver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbredmound Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 I remember looking at the broadband offerings in the large market that I used to live in. Since MSN was one of them, I decided that I would try their dial up service, just to see if I liked the portal.Wow! It took me three or four days and several phone calls to finally get my initial logon.One guy actually told me they were working on the problem of too few registration servers.Then, I had a problem wit the dial-up, and I must have spent 3 - 4 hours wandering about, on hold, etc, looking for the answer. I finally said enough is enough. It wasn't however, as I remember jumping through more hoops just to get the account closed.The whole thing left me with butterflies in my stomach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 The whole thing left me with butterflies in my stomach!LOL! Way too funny!I saw a really cool avatar one time on the Mozilla Forum site that I thought was a riot ... it was a chameleon or some other lizard with a very obvious M$ butterfly hanging out of its mouth! LOL! I almost fell off my chair laughing when I saw it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 hahaha.. well, that's indeed funny..But my question is: is MSN the only one that does such lousy customer support when you want to cancel an account? What abouat AOL? EarthLink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 By phone, AOL can be a real pain in the neck.BUT, they have a fax number, and as long as you give the right info, the fax is the last communication you will ever need with AOL. I mean it! It really was just that easy!I helped a client with that about a year ago. They were floored at how easy it was using the fax. There was an ISP that used to have a cool fill in the blanks fax sheet for just such a purpose. The only thing you had to add was your actual registered mailing address by hand under your signature (at least according to the requirements on AOL for cancelling by FAX).Will have to try to see if they still have that page up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Hehe alright. I just think these trial services are tricky. Technically they say they have 24/7 support, but I suppose their support is more for TechSupport, and for account calcellation department, there is probably one person working there part time nation-wide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Ok... chiming in again:For Christmas one year (I think 2 years ago) I bought my Mom an MSN Internet Appliance (the flat screen one from Compaq). Needless to say, the preinstalled version of the MSN software had a minor glitch, and when we registered an account, it signed up for two accounts. How or why it did that I have no idea.We didn't even notice the second account until we received the first bill after the introductory 4 months. I promptly called MSN, didn't have to wait very long, and I explained what I thought happened.MSN, deleted the duplicate account, and refunded the CC for the second billing -- NO questions asked! I assumed they looked at the activity of the account and saw that it was never used, since we didn't even know that it was there.--I've been an MSN dialup subscriber since late 1999 and I've never had to wait on hold for as long as you had to Thunder.I would say the only problem that I've had with them that really ticked me off was the release of MSN 8.Wont go into detail, but I was really peeved that they were not offering MSN subscribers the option to DOWNLOAD MSN 8. Instead all MSN subscribers had to wait to receive a CD in the mail.Needless to say, after 5-8 calls I NEVER got a CD, until I told the rep on my LAST call that I was going to cancel my account (it was just an empty threat).Low and behold I finally got one, then a week later two others arrived. --About AOHELLI swear for about 2 years I refused to run any software made by AOL on my computer... AIM, Netscape, Winamp, etc...After having probably the worse experience ever with AOL, I honestly can't see how people (who know how to use a computer, and use it well), still use AOL.One thing, AOL wouldn't ever talk to me about support or general customer care because my name wasn't on the account. What a bunch of BS. I finally called one night, yelled at the rep that I wanted the account to be terminated, and threatened legal action (similar to what you did Thunder), and they canceled the account, after offering me 6 months free.I still refuse to use AIM and Netscape.I must say, I downloaded Firebird the other night and I’m impressed (just a little) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 I really thought MSN 8 came with Windows Xp?Anyway, how come they don't allow you to download the online executable of MSN 8 though? It doesn't make any sense heh.Well, I know maybe it just happens to be me, but I never really had any types of real one to one interaction with any of the MSN rep until the time I want cancellation. Like you said, once they answered the phone, I only had to give out my phone number, last four digitals of my credit card number, and my full name, and 4 min later, the account is expired. However, I don't think I will ever touch MSN for a long time. I had to sign up because they invited me to beta test it. The idea of credit card number requirement never really came in MSN Explorer until 8.0, and I think it is a bad idea because it forces people with only MSN subscriber to use it. Rumor of dying Internet Explorer has been shown with Mac OSX, and just recently one of my friends notice that Microsoft pulled off all the Internet Explorer beta testing site for PC as well. I don't know what that exactly means. I do know that Internet Explorer 6.5 will be out, but the fate of Internet Explorer 7 remains unknown. The point is that Microsoft is trying to force people switching over to MSN Explorer, which requires credit card number input, and that's just not going to work that way. I don't think it is right to ask people to enter their credit card just so that they can browse net. With the existance of MozillaFirebird; perhaps, they will realize the importance of Internet Explorer and make it stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.