I'm currently using Bell Atlantic for my DSL service in Maryland, and am desperate to change providers once my 1 year commitment to them is up.
Here are a few reasons why the evil is no less when using Bell Atlantic (or another line owner):
1. It still takes them weeks to process work orders! Yes, they'll have access to updates for you, but see number 2 below.
2. HOLD TIMES!!! The Bell technician that came to do my installation waited for 3 hours on the phone to his own company just to flip a switch. The second day of installation they never showed, and so I set everything up after waiting 4 hours. Then it still didn't work so I was on hold for 3 hours just to talk to someone, then another hour while they tried to figure out why I couldn't connect, only to discover they forgot to flip a switch.
3. The Bell phone people hate the Bell DSL department! Even internally the hold times are atrocious. I actually had a Bell phone employee censor herself as she cursed out the DSL department for 20 minutes worth of hold time (at which point she hung up) and I informed her that it would most likely take 2-3 hours of hold time. (she had an intern wait on hold on my behalf instead)
3a. The intern managed to get a hold of the manager of the DSL, explain the problem, and give him my information so he could call me. He never called, Bell phone lodged a complaint, and I got my $99 back for installation.
4. If you have technical issues (like the periodic down times, and there will be periodic down times), you have to call, and wait - see number 2.
5. THE BIGGEST REASON: They no longer give out static IP's! Instead they're using PPPOE (PPP over ethernet), which isn't nearly as compatible or easy to install.
6. Personal principle. While Bell phone may know what they're doing, Bell DSL does not. Or rather, I should say, they know Windows 95/98 but are sans knowledge when it comes to NT.
7. They're advertising too much, and overselling their bandwidth. Rumor has it that the reason they're offering so many promotions and cheap rates is because they simply want to corner the market. I imagine that's why they can't give out IP's anymore and had to adopt the PPPOE protocol instead, just to keep up with demand.
8. I'm moving across the hall in a few months, I simply want to move my DSL within the same building. Can't happen. They're making me pay for installation ($99), pay for the new PPPOE compatible modem ($99), and sign up for another year of service. Installation!? It's just a signal splitter that I've already got! Oh, right, more switches to flip on their side.
Basically going with a non-Bell provider means they handle all the hold time, all the headaches, and while you may have to be left in the dark, be assured that it takes the same amount of time to get something fixed if you're using Bell or someone else.
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I'm currently using Bell Atlantic for my DSL service in Maryland, and am desperate to change providers once my 1 year commitment to them is up.
Here are a few reasons why the evil is no less when using Bell Atlantic (or another line owner):
1. It still takes them weeks to process work orders! Yes, they'll have access to updates for you, but see number 2 below.
2. HOLD TIMES!!! The Bell technician that came to do my installation waited for 3 hours on the phone to his own company just to flip a switch. The second day of installation they never showed, and so I set everything up after waiting 4 hours. Then it still didn't work so I was on hold for 3 hours just to talk to someone, then another hour while they tried to figure out why I couldn't connect, only to discover they forgot to flip a switch.
3. The Bell phone people hate the Bell DSL department! Even internally the hold times are atrocious. I actually had a Bell phone employee
censor herself as she cursed out the DSL department for 20 minutes worth of hold time (at which point she hung up) and I informed her that it would most likely take 2-3 hours of hold time. (she had an intern wait on hold on my behalf instead)
3a. The intern managed to get a hold of the manager of the DSL, explain the problem, and give him my information so he could call me. He never called, Bell phone lodged a complaint, and I got my $99 back for installation.
4. If you have technical issues (like the periodic down times, and there will be periodic down times), you have to call, and wait - see number 2.
5. THE BIGGEST REASON: They no longer give out static IP's! Instead they're using PPPOE (PPP over ethernet), which isn't nearly as compatible or easy to install.
6. Personal principle. While Bell phone may know what they're doing, Bell DSL does not. Or rather, I should say, they know Windows 95/98 but are sans knowledge when it comes to NT.
7. They're advertising too much, and overselling their bandwidth. Rumor has it that the reason they're offering so many promotions and cheap
rates is because they simply want to corner the market. I imagine that's why they can't give out IP's anymore and had to adopt the PPPOE protocol instead, just to keep up with demand.
8. I'm moving across the hall in a few months, I simply want to move my DSL within the same building. Can't happen. They're making me pay for installation ($99), pay for the new PPPOE compatible modem ($99), and sign up for another year of service. Installation!? It's just a signal splitter that I've already got! Oh, right, more switches to flip on their side.
Basically going with a non-Bell provider means they handle all the hold time, all the headaches, and while you may have to be left in the dark,
be assured that it takes the same amount of time to get something fixed if you're using Bell or someone else.