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Best Buy Acquires SpeakEasy
spazimodo writes "From the announcement e-mail from Speakeasy CEO Bruce Chatterley: 'I am pleased to announce that Speakeasy has been acquired by Best Buy, an innovative and growing Fortune 100 company and the top consumer electronics retailer in North America. This is a significant milestone for our company as our new relationship will help us realize our goals of becoming the No. 1 provider of voice and data solutions to small businesses. It is important to note that though Speakeasy will now be a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy, we will continue to operate as a standalone, independent operating division with headquarters in Seattle.' As a longtime Speakeasy customer, it's too bad to see their business moving in this direction. Back in the day when I called up their support with a problem, and mentioned I was using an OpenBSD box as a firewall/gateway the response was: 'cool!' — slightly different from the response Comcast or Verizon would give. I can't imagine they'll be able to maintain that independence, and there's no way I'm paying a premium for Internet service to Best Buy."
Well that kinda sucks. I'm already saddened by the fact that I can't get Speakeasy at my current home. It was always worth the extra money for their service, and static IPs. Now I have to live with the fact that by the time I move to another house, Speakeasy will probably suck as badly as SBC. :(
Nothing to see here
A few years back, at the time I signed up for Speakeasy DSL, they were the only decent ISP who would serve me. Verizon said I was too far from the CO (mechanized loopback test said 17000 feet) and they weren't eager to build new infrastructure in a zip where the median age of residents is 60-something. Comcast didn't have the capacity in my neighborhood development, although their flyer route drivers didn't seem to know that. Speakeasy said "sure" and I got 1.2 Mbps down and the line was clean. I have 2 static IPs, one on a FC5 box and one shared on a wireless router amongst 2 (and sometimes more) Windows boxes, and all for $42 a month. I was on the verge of getting rid of my Verizon POTS, even though it would push up the DSL cost $15. But the main reason I stayed with Speakeasy was the cheap static IPs, no complaints about what services I run, and knowledgeable tech support. I swore I would never ever give Comcast another dime of my money for any service, and I really don't care for Verizon support. But if Speakeasy goes the way of Geek Squad, or in any way resembles Best Buy customer service practices, I might just give up completely.
Anybody know any other independent ISPs left who might not treat home techies like criminals for running something besides Windows?
I would bet on it they will. BestBuy is known for taking something that is good and then leaning it out so far it starts to eat it's self. They started this in Geek squad by paying gutter wages, which gives you no skills techs and huge turnover. I actually get more clients from people screwed by Geek Squad that anyone else. Speakeasy will be the same. the rates will not go down but the QOS will drop to a level that the executives will deem acceptable to maximize profits. Also expect tactics used by companies like Vonnage that will make it near impossible to quit your service so switching to another provider will be incredibly difficult.
Everything Best Buy has touched they screw it up in the name of maximized profits.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.