Signing up for TWC’s auto-bill-pay seems like an opportunity for convenience, n’est-ce pas?  Well check out this insanity:

Signing up for ABP turns out to be something that takes up-to 45 days to become effective, according to the very nice tech support rep on the phone.  Their website makes no mention of this, and I had to call said rep because I got tired of ABP never working.  You see, if your account is overdue, TWC places your ABP into suspension.

Hunh?

When I signed up for ABP, I incorrectly assumed it would be immediate.  Or at least soon soon.  So the following month’s bill would arrive, which I discarded with confidence knowing that I had signed up for ABP.  Now my account becomes overdue, and ABP gets suspended because WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR WHAT I OWE?  Boggles the mind.  Clearly they have too much cash-flow and this is their way of clamping down on THAT problem.

So I signed on to Ye Ole Webe (sic) Site and paid the overdue balance.  And had the same problem next month.  Why do you ask?  Simple: once your ABP is placed into suspension, you must delete it, and recreate it on another day to make sure both transactions “go thru.”  

Sweet merciful crap.  Now waiting 45 days.

Bless her heart though, that support rep was very nice and patient with me as she attempted to explain the ridiculousness that is the TWC bill-pay system.  “So let me get this right: you won’t take my money because my account is overdue, but the only way to get my account in good standing is for you to take my money, right?” 

Thankfully their system failed to assess any late charges.