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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-02-12          105990


I'm trying to grasp if I'm all pissed off over nothing. So please keep reading and supply your thoughts, opinions, or knowledge.

Over a week ago on Friday, Feb 4, I faxed in forms to the local telephone provider to setup DSL at my home. I was tired of dial up and since DSL was available and reasonable, why not. I had the order forms in my work email inbox within 15-20 minutes after I had gotten off the phone with customer service. Great response. I faxed in the forms between 3:05 and 3:15 pm that Friday. I then went out and spent my money on the necessary hardware to run the DSL and have some security for my home computer (ethernet card, router w/firewall, modem, etc).

Now, exactly 1 week later on Friday, Feb 11, I have heard nothing from the local guys about the DSL service. It's also clearly not working. So I called. The customer service lady was nice and told me that she saw no order in their system for DSL service. No order in their system a full week after I faxed in the forms. I can appreciate it takes time to get the service set up and operational, but to not even get the order in the system after a week? She wasn't going to do anything but say it takes 7-10 business days for the DSL to be activated. I'm cool with that, but there should be at least an order placed in the system.

So I sent an email that afternoon asking for a status update. On Saturday, a full 8 days after I sent in the forms, I get a response saying my order is in the system with a due date of Monday, February 21. That is 10 business days and 17 calendar days after I faxed the forms. I am not buying any hardware from them and already have my local and dialup internet service with them.

Am I unreasonable to expect them to have an order placed by the close of business the next business day? I realize for most businesses today, 24 hours to enter an order into your system is considered slow. Every place I've worked, 8 days to even enter an order would get people fired or the business would be out of business.

What is your experience with high speed internet service providers? Am I unreasonable to expect certain standards of customer service? Am I just pissed off because I stood in line at a Wendy's today to buy lunch for my pregnant wife and in 10 minutes time, they had only managed to take and fill 4 orders? And at least 2 of those orders weren't even filled right? So I left with 5 people ahead of me. Am I just to sensitive to customer service problems today?




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denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 542 Quarryville PA
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2005-02-12          105993


about the fast food, whenever I complain, a good friend likes to say, "If they were any good, they would not be working there." And for the DSL, my local provider responded to our request promptly. They sent us a contract for $83,000 to hook it to our house. Yeah, I'll get that right back to you with my check. LOL ....


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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2005-02-12          105994


If you have the luxury of choice, I'd let that outfit stew in their own incompetence. Is there an area broadband cable provider? I'm in a rural area likely never to be served by terrestrial broadband, ever. But I was able to resolve my need for speed about 4 years ago - said goodby to the old dialup and put in a fancy new two way satellite broadband connection. Never looked back.

//greg// ....


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JParker
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 152 Richmond, VA
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2005-02-12          105995


I handle some of the computer networking and setup tasks for a small engineering firm.

Back in 2000 we were contacted by a local phone company that was trying to break into the old Bell System company’s monopoly. They offered us DSL and all our local lines for about what we were paying for just the local service and dial up account.

Following is a log I kept after it became apparent this would take a while. Phone numbers, last names removed to protect the guilty.

Signed up 3/14/00
Patrick xxxxx - Outside Sales ###-####
Ellen xxxxxx - Inside Sales ###-####
Amy xxxxx - DSL Coordinator ###-####
Will be installed 5/17/00
Spoke to Tanya 5-19-00 Delay due to length of run. Working on it. Will call.
Spoke w/Ellen 5/25 - Length of run solved. Will call to re-schedule before 6/2/00.
We called 6/1 - Told work scheduled for 6/7/00.
To be delivered week of 6/7/00. Lines owned and run by Bell Company. They have no control.
We Called+/- 6/27 - Requested name of Bell Supervisor - They wouldn't provide. Promised Week of 7/1/00
We Called 7/7/00 - On Hold 16:50 ....

Called Better Business bureau. Got name, address and fax of company president. Sent letter documenting history. Hooked up next day.

I don't remember the date when we were finally hooked up.

I will admit that once it was hooked up, we have had pretty good service.

Later when other phone companies have come by and I ask them about DSL service, they start to explain the benefits and costs. Then later they call back and say that we are "... too far from the switch for DSL service."

Given that, maybe the delays were understandable? But we were about 4 months from sign up to hook up.

Hope you are a little luckier.
....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-02-13          106006


I had gotten upset enough that I sent their customer service rep an email. I explained the benefits of LeanSigma to business processes with the end result usually being improved customer service and productivity. I then offered up my services as a certified Greenbelt. I wouldn't be doing it for money. I can use the experience for my blackbelt certification and maybe I could help others avoid the same horrible experience.

With so many options becoming available today, the smaller local companies need to have superior service or they will die. But they don't seem to get it. I'm also going to convert my customer service email into a hard letter that gets sent to their head honcho. Maybe wake them up over there. ....


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its_that_guy@yahoo.c
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2005-02-14          106079


I just got DSL thru Earthink and it wasnt the best experience either.. I ordered it on Jan 7th and was told it would take 2 to 3 wks to get it set up and verify the line was ready. I checked the status of my order online on 2/3/05 and was told there was a problem. I tried to send them an email, but their web based customer service contact system didnt work. I called (on hold for 20 min) and was told everything had been set up since the 14th, but something didnt trigger them to send me my modem.

I finally got my modem two days later as promised. BUT their online order status stilll showed nothing set up.

I dont think you are alone in your problems.. ....


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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2005-02-14          106081


See what happens when you take 6-8 weeks to pay the bill. ....


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kyvette
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 194 Central Kentucky
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2005-02-15          106130


The utility company I work for has a telecommunications department which provides broadband service in addition to IPS, local & long distance phone, security, & HDTV. The demand is high for the cable modem and IPS service. Right now we are booked about 3 -4 weeks out.

My daughter moved into a off campus apartment last fall, she is a student at University of Kentucky. Their provider is Insight and it took her about 6 weeks to get connected.

The demand is high throughout the country for high speed internet service. We have added temporary contractors to help cut down our lead time. ....


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kubotaguy
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 360 Shepherdstown, WV
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2005-02-15          106132


It took well over a month to get my DSL hooked up after I placed the order. They sent me two modems thinking I didn't have one. They wanted to send someone out to my house so they could charge me to check my system out. I declined that as my brother does that sort of stuff and said the problem was on their end. He called the customer service line and got the standard flip card crap, so he asked them to put their cheat cheat cards away and get him someone who knew what they were talking about. He explained the problem and after several weeks they finally found the problem was a switch at the local company. I called and got a customer service manager and explained the problem to which she said they are very busy and I shouldn't expect miracles. When I threatened to cancel my service, she then asked if I would like her to get that started to which my reply was "I guess I can expect the service to be shut off by next year sometimes and hung up." After some research, I sent a letter to headquarters and got an apology as well as a reduction in my bill. I still need to see if they are offering cable internet in my area yet. I think it they are, I would cancel phone and DSL. ....


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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2005-02-15          106145


I have DSL through Verizon. I ordered it through Dell when I bought a new computer. The response from verizon was great. I ordered the service through Dell, bought an external POTS splitter for the house (so I did not have to use 6578432687 filters). I got an email from Verizon a few days later with a service ready date. Few days after that the modem arrived from Verizon. Two days after that I reached my service ready date hooked everything up and it runs fine (Start to end was probably just over 2 weeks). I have never even spoken to Verizon. All in all a very positive experience. My connection is great and I have not been dropped once.

It's my observation that DSL technology is relativley new to phone companies. They are not used to being IT providors (usually your old dial-up ISP did that). DSL has technological limits (distance from the phone tel central office for example) so they are trying to come to grips with all the added tech time needed and the fact that the customer generally has no idea what is required to roll out DSL on a company wide basis. Plus their marketing departments make promises their tech guys cant deliver. Its a mess, but its new it will get better. ....


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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2005-02-15          106156


We have a SBC DSL and have never had an issue with it for 4 years. From what I've read here, I hope we don't. It is impossible to get good cutomer service from any provider any more. As long as everything is working fine, you're ok. As soon as you have a problem and need help to get it resolved, you are screwed. My wife has been hassling with Cingular over a botched up bill since November of last year for her cell phone. They have been able to do nothing but make the whole situation worse, and try to charge us for their problem, and threaten us with service disruption. It took filing a formal written complaint, stated that they where in violation of their own contract before we could get an intelligent human being to sort out a simple problem.

We can't figure out where they find these customer service rep's, or why they have the title they do. ....


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