Hi Stu and turtle family!
Darrell and I went through something similar years ago with VoiceStream cellular service. Darrell got a cell phone only to find it didn't work once out of the Denver area. Returned the phone within 1 week of buying it, paid a service charge and got another cell service that worked. For the next 3 years off and on I'd get bills from VS, I'd call them and straighten up the problem. The problem always seems solved until about 6 months down the road, then another bill...this went on for years. Finally, we were turned over to a collection agency for close to $600! I called VS, they said it was now out of their hands, and the collection agency didn't want to reason - they only wanted to be paid. Bull hockey! I finally lost my patience and called our local TV station that had a consumer reporter...WOW, did that change things!
The reporter was very confident and within 24 hours not only had the problem cleared up, but forwarded us a written apology from the VP of VoiceStream.
All had been quiet for 2 years until last year when VoiceStream was bought out by T-Mobile. Oh goodie- turned into a collection agency again! Thank heavens all I did was fax a copy of the consumer reporter's finding and the apology letter from VS to the collection agency....never heard from them again (and our credit report is clean).
Check into your local Media, businesses HATE bad press - it works!
Good luck!