(edit title) Bredbandsbolaget - 4,000 kr prepayment No credit record yet Options

[elk200]

Hi everyone,

I just ordered broadband from Bredbandsbolaget for my flat. Because I have no credit record yet (freshly immigrated), I had to choose to either name someone who would vouch for me, or pay 4,000 kr in advance. I chose the latter option because I am fed up with people having to vouch for me, I am perfectly capable of caring for myself.

The guy told me the 4,000 kr would be used as credit, and all upcoming invoices would be paid off with that. My concern was if I would get the remaining credit back if I would happen to cancel the contract before the 4,000 are actually used up. He confirmed it verbally, but said there was no written terms that I could check this against, as this is sort of an "exception" they make for cases like mine. He promised I would receive some written confirmation via e-mail or SMS before payment.

Anyway, does anyone here have experience with that? It could very well be that I need to move in 6 months or so and it would be a pain in the ass if I'd lose 2,000 kr or so.

Thanks!

[Shibumi]

I don't get why an internet service provider gives a rat's ass about your credit worthiness. You pay, you get internet. You don't pay, they shut off your internet. Simple. It's not like a mobile phone contract where you could rack up thousands and thousands in charges and skip town without paying. So what's the deal? Why do you have to have a credit history when the only risk they are taking is to lose 1 (maybe 2 if they're slow) months worth of business at 335 Kr/month? Seems like an egregious overreach to me.

[sometimesinsweden]

This is Sweden.

Had similar problems. Pain in the hole.

[Yorkshireman]

I don't get why an internet service provider gives a rat's ass about your credit worthiness. You pay, you get internet. You don't pay, they shut off your internet.

Hmmmm ... You don't run a business by any chance, do You?

The best customer is one that You can get money from ...and having customers with good credit rating on contract means You can plan your business better. It costs to take on customers, costs to send reminders, charge additional late payment fees, chase those also, inkasso costs, basically it costs to chase bad credit, it costs time (people) and money, it is not just about providing internet access and switching it on/off ... mind you if you include the wireless modem, it also costs to deliver that, and lose it if the customer has done a runner... Depending how many customers you forecast to have, you need to plan and invest in your infrastructure etc. etc...

1 customer doing a runner may lose you 1 to 2 months revenue ...multiply that up into thousands!!!


It only takes a few minutes max to do a credit check, depends how slow your connection is ...that can save a lot. Plus, like the special they did for OP ... taking on the cash in advance, depending upon how many others they have done that for ... give extra revenue from interest since they put that into the bank to either generate income, or reduce shorter-term borrowing needs. It all adds up when you multiple up the number of customers from 1 to 1000's to 100.000's

[Shibumi]

Valid points Yorkshireman. I'm not 100% convinced it's totally justified, but I understand the perspective from the business' side better. Thank you.

[sometimesinsweden]

Hmmmm ... You don't run a business by any chance, do You? The best customer is one that You can get money from ...and having customers with good credit rating on contract ... (show full quote)

Hmmmm ... You don't run a business by any chance, do You?

The best customer is one that You can get money from ...and having customers with good credit rating on contract means You can plan your business better. It costs to take on customers, costs to send reminders, charge additional late payment fees, chase those also, inkasso costs, basically it costs to chase bad credit, it costs time (people) and money, it is not just about providing internet access and switching it on/off ... mind you if you include the wireless modem, it also costs to deliver that, and lose it if the customer has done a runner... Depending how many customers you forecast to have, you need to plan and invest in your infrastructure etc. etc...

1 customer doing a runner may lose you 1 to 2 months revenue ...multiply that up into thousands!!!


It only takes a few minutes max to do a credit check, depends how slow your connection is ...that can save a lot. Plus, like the special they did for OP ... taking on the cash in advance, depending upon how many others they have done that for ... give extra revenue from interest since they put that into the bank to either generate income, or reduce shorter-term borrowing needs. It all adds up when you multiple up the number of customers from 1 to 1000's to 100.000's ... (hide full quote)

Majority of interet service providers around the First world seem to run profitably without the credit checks and personnummner necessity that Swedish companies insist on.

I think its more to do with a reliance on the personummer in Swedish society and historically, lesser numbers of transient workers (such as me) spending non-continous time in Sweden, so have no need to apply for personummers, yet run business from the country... certain aspects haven't caught on to this growing trend in Sverige yet.

[elk200]

I was complaning less about the fact I had to pre-pay 4,000 - I do get that, as new customers cost money. It was just so ridiculous that they were unable to provide me written confirmation that I would get the remaining prepayment back if I cancelled my contract early. I called the hotline once again, was promised to be e-mailed the audio recording of when I ordered the contract - but nothing. I finally tried via the customer support chat, THAT worked and I received a transcript via e-mail.

But basically this already proved my suspicion of Bredbandsbolaget being yet another incompetent telecoms operator. It's like a universal law.

[Essingen]

I think that the refusal to provide services to immigrants coming from other EU countries because they have no Swedish credit rating is probably a contravention of EU law. Such individuals will almost always be logged with credit rating agencies in other EU countries, but Swedish companies are too lazy to contact such institutions. It is about time that this issue was solved.