ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A Frontier customer says that when he switched to fiber-optic internet and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service, he never received everything the company promised.

The customer is pleased with his service after abandoning his old landline and going with Frontier’s new offering of fiber-optic internet and VoIP, which allows voice calls over a broadband internet connection. He says it was a great price with just one drawback — if you don’t have battery backup, you can’t use your phone.

He says in emails, mailers, and calls, Frontier told him that battery backup was included. He sent News10NBC a copy of the email he received from customer service confirming his appointment, which clearly states that his appointment would include battery backup.

Joseph Mele, Frontier customer: “I called Frontier and I spent a few hours on a chat line and I did get an appointment set up.”

Deanna Dewberry, News10NBC: “Wait a minute, did you say a few hours on a chat line?”

Joseph Mele: “Yeah.”

Deanna Dewberry: “Oh my gosh, how frustrating.”

When the technician finally showed up for the battery backup appointment, Mele says, “He tells me, we don’t do that in Rochester.”

Then a Frontier salesman called trying to sell him the service he already had. So he asked about battery backup.

Joseph Mele: “He said, ‘Well, call this number and they should be able to help you.’ What the rep from Columbia ended up doing was pointing back toward the website.”

Deanna Dewberry: “Wait a minute. Columbia, Ohio?”

Joseph Mele: “No, Columbia, South America. That’s where their customer service rep was. Right, yeah.”

News10NBC reached out to Frontier, and a media representative responded immediately. In an email, she said that battery backup is available for purchase. However, that’s not what the email from Frontier customer service says, indicating a clear disconnect.

If you believe you received a mailer promising battery backup that you didn’t get, you can contact Deanna Dewberry at consumer@whec.com.

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