Seasonal / Vacation Mode

I'm a seasonal resident of Arizona, out here for six months of the year. Last spring when I left, I called COX to put my account on seasonal mode. I was first quoted $39.99 per month then found out my neighbor who has the exact same service was only paying $12.99 so I called COX and they said they would give me the $12.99 price. For the next three months they billed me the higher amount of $39.99. Each month I called to complain and they claimed that is the standard fee for seasonal hold and that NOBODY would ever get $12.99. I even escalated this to a manager who claimed the same. So I cancelled my service and paid $166.59 early cancellation fee and was done with them until I returned.

Last week, I was telling my friend, who is a seasonal resident also, about the whole ordeal  and she said they only pay $9.99 per month for the same seasonal service, and she sent me a copy of her bill and yep, they only pay $9.99 per month for seasonal hold. What gives with COX charging everyone a different rate for seasonal hold, isn't this illegal?  I'm using COX again for internet only as they are the only real option in the South Valley and I made the move to YouTubeTV and love it. We'll see what they try to charge me when I leave in May of 2020, I did not sign a contract this time and won't ever sign one again.