Called Netgear Support on 1/26 with a question regarding Orbi Armor subscription renewal cost (2x what is was last year). After 30+ minutes in the queue Support rep provided no explanation, talked in circles, assigned a case number, asked me to email a screenshot of the credit card charge, & said that they would be in touch.
Today I received an email with the case #, claiming that Netgear had tried to call, & providing a number to call them. After 45 minutes in the queue, I provided a rep with the case # & read the Netgear email to her. She first claimed that the case # had been created today, then back tracked when I read their 1/26 email to her. She then proceeded to ask the same questions as the 1/26 rep, including a request for a screenshot,.... making my head hurt. Why do they make it so difficult to calmly, politely communicate?
The rep eventually told me that the 2x cost is the annual subscription cost, & last year's cost was a "special discount" (i.e. a means to suck unwitting customers into their system). They could have just said this during the first call & saved me the time of sending a screenshot, as well as the frustration experienced with the second call. This is ignoring the fact that the cost of an Armor subscription is absurdly high for the service you receive.
While Netgear's hardware has proven to be reliable, their customer support is beyond dismal. Life is too short to put up with such nonsense (& 45 minute hold times). I will not renew my subscription & I will replace my Orbi mesh network with a competitive system next year.
