Astound Broadband: cancellation problem

Collect

• cancellation confirmation
• disconnect work order number
• FedEx tracking or office receipt

Steps

1. Call to cancel and schedule the disconnect work order.

   PhoneAstound residential customer care and support +1-800-427-8686

2. Return equipment on or before the disconnect date.

   OnlineAstound equipment return policy (local office or prepaid FedEx label)

3. Expect any deposit back within 30 days after termination and equipment return, less amounts owed.

Facts you can cite

• Policy

  Customers may terminate any or all services at any time by notifying Astound. Internet-only service is billed the full monthly charge without proration and termination takes effect at the end of the current monthly period; other services are prorated by days of service.

  Source: astound.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  Astound refunds any required deposit within thirty (30) days after termination and return of equipment, minus amounts owed.

  Source: astound.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  Customers must give Astound notice of a dispute within one (1) year of the event giving rise to it.

  Source: astound.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• FCC informal complaints against common carriers
  47 CFR 1.711 and 1.716-1.718 (Communications Act section 208)

  A consumer can file a written informal complaint with the FCC against a common carrier under section 208 of the Communications Act. The FCC forwards it to the carrier, which must respond in writing to the FCC with a copy to the complainant, by a due date the FCC may set. If the complaint is not resolved, the complainant has 6 months from the carrier's response to file a formal complaint that keeps the original filing date.

  Source: ecfr.gov, verified 2026-10-12

• Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) negative option requirements
  15 U.S.C. 8401-8405

  A seller that charges consumers online through a negative option feature (for example an automatic renewal or a free trial that converts to paid) must clearly disclose all material terms before taking billing information, get the consumer's express informed consent before charging, and provide simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges. The FTC enforces ROSCA.

  Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  3 citable points

  • Policy

    Before obtaining the consumer's billing information, the seller must provide text that "clearly and conspicuously discloses all material terms of the transaction".

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    The seller must provide "simple mechanisms for a consumer to stop recurring charges" on the consumer's credit card, debit card, bank account or other financial account.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Process

    A ROSCA violation is treated as a violation of an FTC rule on unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and the FTC enforces ROSCA with its FTC Act powers and penalties. Report violations to the FTC.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

Rules not in force (do not cite)

• FTC "Click-to-Cancel" amendments to the Negative Option Rule (2024) Vacated
  16 CFR part 425 (2024 amendments, published November 15, 2024)

  Vacated in full by the Eighth Circuit on July 8, 2025 (Custom Communications, Inc. v. FTC, 142 F.4th 1060). The FTC removed the 2024 text effective February 12, 2026 and restored the pre-2024 prenotification rule. A new rulemaking is only at the ANPRM stage (March 13, 2026), with no proposed text as of 2026-10-12. What remains in force: ROSCA (rules/rosca-negative-option), Section 5 of the FTC Act, and state automatic renewal laws (for example rules/ca-automatic-renewal-law, rules/ny-automatic-renewal-law).

  Not in force. Do not cite it as current law.

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneAstound residential customer care and support +1-800-427-8686

2. Retention team

   Astound publishes no retention number.

3. Written complaint

   MailAstound Legal Department (address named in the customer terms) ASTOUND, 650 COLLEGE ROAD EAST, SUITE 3100, PRINCETON, NJ 08540, ATTN - LEGAL DEPARTMENT

   Astound publishes no complaint address; this is the only postal address in the terms. Send disputes within one year of the event.

4. Federal regulator

   RegulatorFederal Communications Commission, Consumer Complaint Center +1-888-225-5322

5. State agency

   Your state’s utility commission. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

6. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

7. Arbitration

   Arbitration covers disputes not resolved informally. Claims of $5,000 or less may go to small claims court instead.

Watch out

Related

• Cancellation problem at other companies
• Internet, cable and satellite TV — how complaints work
• Astound Broadband: billing error
• Astound Broadband: equipment return
• Astound Broadband: outage credit