Legal Question in Consumer Law in Virginia

Service Vendor Responsibility for Sub-Contractor Failure

For the second time in less than five months, we are being told by our ISP, that our DSL services are being discontinued. Amid the ISP's apology was an offer to continue our business Internet connection using their ''T1'' service, at a cost of over three times the monthly cost of our DSL contract.''

This is a typical example of how large Internet Service Providers simply walk away from their contract obligations and commitments. Imagine buying a new car and being told five months later, when your new car is in the shop, that the part required is no longer being made! What obligations would you expect from the auto dealer? Perhaps a new car, or a total refund might be in order.

Business DSL users are stuck in the middle, usually with little time to make alternative arrangements for their customers. Most small businesses do not have the resources to support a three-fold increase in monthly Internet fees. With few alternatives, many small businesses that rely on the Internet will either fold, or restructure their services to be less dependent upon it.

Is the Vendor obligated to replace the contracted DSL service with a comparable service after their DSL sub-contractor went out of business?

1 Answer from Attorneys

Related Questions & Answers

More Consumer Law questions and answers in Virginia

Looking for something else?