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Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1937
One day last month, Kansas City resident Victoria Tane's Google Fiber Internet service stopped working.
It turned out that Google Fiber cut off her Internet access because she owed 12 cents after an odd series of events involving an unused e-mail address, automated customer account systems, and a sales tax increase. Google Fiber quickly restored her connection and forgave the 12-cent balance after she called customer service, but the incident highlights a problem that Google Fiber may need to fix in order to prevent other customers from losing service over similarly trivial amounts.
The Kansas City Star of Missouri detailed what happened in a story yesterday. Tane has Google Fiber's basic 5Mbps Internet service which has no monthly payment and required only a $300 construction fee. Google Fiber no longer offers that package to new customers, but those who signed up for it and paid the construction fee can use the service with no further payments for a total of seven years.
Tane "paid the total upfront" a year ago, the Star wrote. "$300 to connect, plus $25.08 for taxes and fees. Transaction done. Free for seven years."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Whoever on Sunday September 17 2017, @04:27PM
The only reason she "owed" 12 cents was Google's faulty (and possibly illegal) accounting.
She paid a one-off installation fee and Google did not report the sales tax at the time of sale. Instead, Google chose to spread the reporting of this one-time sale over 12 months.