Welcome to FT GatorMike.

I'm not sure this is the correct forum for this rant, however...

The thing you'll hear a lot from FT members is.. if you don't get the answer you want from one CSR.. hang up and call again... repeat until someone gives you what you want.

I had a long conversation with the Earthlink folks at a Atlanta Thrasher's game and was able to get the deal with no activation. So my guess this wasn't false advertising but a untrained CSR.