OT - Verizon DSL or AOL service....which is worse

[Liz]

I posted about 2 weeks ago that I was switching from aol to Verizon DSL. I cannot believe the Verizon service. It is running neck to neck with aol IMO. Verizon stated they would have the connection ready by October 15th at the latest (this was about 10 days wait after ordering). I did get the software the day after it was ordered. They tested the phones the next day so it looked like it was a "go."

I just checked online for an update (they suggested doing this every few days). On my account, it was noted that my service is being post-poned with no future date set.

So I called the number they included if you have any questions. It was totally automatic with the assumption that you need technical support. I finally got beyond that after answering numerous questions programed by the automated voice that had nothing to do with new connections. Finally I got "we will connect you with a representative" followed by the message "we are encountering an overload of callers right now. Your wait will be over 30 minutes."

The first time I tried to call last week, the line was busy the entire morning.

Give me a break! If this is anything like the service I'm going to get from Verizon, forget it.

Any other suggestions? I'm not getting Cable. They have a poor reputation here - and there is only one cable company. However, I called them for specific information. They informed me that you have to set up a separate account with AT&T if you want to go online anyplace but home. This means 2 bills along with other annoyances - and I don't want to have another AT& T account.

Thanks for reading my "vent" again about internet service.

Liz

[Peter_AUS]

Liz,

Getting ADSL isn't like dial up. The have to provision the line at the telephone exchange first and that means get the port available and setting up codes. They also have to test you line to make sure it is within the useable limits for ADSL as well.

Here in Australia it can take up to 6-8 weeks to get a connection as it isn't available in all areas and ports are limited unless there is a big demand for a certain area. It all has to do with provisioning costs.

I wouldn't get too upset about the length of time, but I would be concerned a little about the length of time to get some service help/advice. Try ringing again and waiting to get to talk to someone. If not satisified with their answer, talk to a manger, keep going up the chain of command until you get a satisfactory answer.

[Liz]

Hi Peter
It's always good to see you around. Thanks for responding to my post.

Verizon tests the lines on the spot when you call them to see if you have access in your area. Then they have an automated test to see if your computer is ready. So, that was done the first time I called.

The morning after the order, Verizon was already working on the lines here. They told me it would be ready by October 15th at the latest because all they had to do was (splice?) the one line as it was already determined it was ready for that.

I agree 100% on the "service" thing. Last week I called and did get through on Verizon's regular landline number and the person was able to answer all my questions. I'll try that tomorrow because they are open business hours only. I will confront them about the service again - I complained about it the first time around and the fact that the DSL line was busy all morning.

Peter - I appreciate your replying. It's always good to see you around and I miss you when you don't come around as much.

Liz

[Liz]

Michael Fanelli warned me about their service. I should have listened!

After trying to get Verizon again since yesterday, I cancelled it. It took me an hour just to get someone in person to cancel the order. This morning when I called the DSL 800# they give you, the recording was "due to an overload, we cannot take your call at this time." This is after days of trying to contact them.

I called Verizon landline and cancelled it through them.

BTW, Verizon tested the lines again this morning at 4:45 a.m. Woke everyone in the house up!

Have a great day everyone - the sun is out! It's a beautiful day! ;)

Liz

[Michael Fanelli]

Michael Fanelli warned me about their service. I should have listened!

After trying to get Verizon again since yesterday, I cancelled it. It took me an hour just to get someone in person to cancel the order. This morning when I called the DSL 800# they give you, the recording was "due to an overload, we cannot take your call at this time." This is after days of trying to contact them.

I called Verizon landline and cancelled it through them.

BTW, Verizon tested the lines again this morning at 4:45 a.m. Woke everyone in the house up!

Have a great day everyone - the sun is out! It's a beautiful day! ;)

Liz

Wow! First, take a deep breath... OK.

1. DSL takes a long time to set up. I have never had DSL installed in less than 4 weeks after the initial order. What they are checking is that you are within a DSL service area, i.e., close enough to the switch.

2. You mention cable. That does work and is faster to install. However, the speeds are lower and it goes down several times a week. I had my cable broadband go out for a week or more at a time more than once. DSL is vastly superior.

3. Contact Earthlink (www.earthlink.net). This was the best service of all the providers I have had. It will still take 4-5 weeks to get you hooked up (they use COVAD). But the service is reliable, the people on the phone are friendly (you will still have to wait though), and I never had an outage on their side. They sell DSL, cable, and satellite.

Good Luck!

[Lara]

"2. You mention cable. That does work and is faster to install. However, the speeds are lower and it goes down several times a week. I had my cable broadband go out for a week or more at a time more than once. DSL is vastly superior."


I guess it's all in where you live and the provider.

I've been running Comcast Cable with very rare interruption. (Maybe 2 times per year for a short time. Usually about 10 min.) I've had to reset the router a few times, but that's no biggie. My download speed is in the range of 2.5 to 3 mbps.
I have no complaints for DSL. I had Verizon before Cable, but I have to disagree that DSL is faster. Unless of course one has a DSL subcriber line, which is super expensive.

[Mig]

Ditto. My cable is just as fast as my co-workers who use DSL, and I've only had one very brief service interruption.

Danielle

[Trevor Ash]

Ditto. My cable is just as fast as my co-workers who use DSL, and I've only had one very brief service interruption.

Danielle

Double ditto. Don't be afraid of cable, be afraid of a provider.

[Liz]

In northern NJ we only have one cable company. They don't have a good reputation.

When they have come to our house at different times when our cable (TV) was down, we had to make appointments well in advance. So, we did without cable for days. A few times they really did not know what they were doing. The last time they came, they didn't have a clue. I ended up telling them what I felt the problem was. They wouldn't listen at first. Then as a last resort, they checked what I suggested - and.......problem resolved!

The above are the reasons I didn't want cable, and chose Verizon.

Michael - the BIG reason I cancelled was not because it took so long to connect. Although they did promise it wouldn't take more than 10 days and they had already checked the lines and reported they were A-OK. They just had to come and set it up. Without a word to me, they cancelled the promised date - with a "detail" note that just stated there is no future date set.

The reason I cancelled is because it is literally impossible to contact them and talk to a real person. I am so "dumb" when it comes to technical stuff, that I knew I couldn't go through this every time I might have problems or questions after I get DSL. Their lines were literally busy for days at a time. This is unacceptable.

How do you respond to a recording that you're "conversing with" that only has 2 options: "if it's (a) press 1. If it's (b) press 2 - when it is neither and there is no option to choose anything else, so they disconnect you.

Thanks for the suggestions and I'll check into them all.

Liz

Double ditto. Don't be afraid of cable, be afraid of a provider.

[Liz]

I did inquire about Cable at an earlier date.

I asked them how I would connect if I'm away from home, either at a friend's house, my laptop - or in a motel.

They were surprised I wanted to do this - which was strange IMO. Then she said "well, you'll have to set that up with AT&T.

Could someone tell me what that means exactly? Does it mean I have to have 2 accounts - one with Cable. And one with AT&T for dial-up?

Thanks.

Liz

Ditto. My cable is just as fast as my co-workers who use DSL, and I've only had one very brief service interruption.

Danielle

[Michael Fanelli]

I guess it's all in where you live and the provider.

I've been running Comcast Cable with very rare interruption. (Maybe 2 times per year for a short time. Usually about 10 min.) I've had to reset the router a few times, but that's no biggie. My download speed is in the range of 2.5 to 3 mbps.
I have no complaints for DSL. I had Verizon before Cable, but I have to disagree that DSL is faster. Unless of course one has a DSL subcriber line, which is super expensive.

Well, I have had both cable and DSL and DSL has always been superior for me. My first cable experience was with AT&T, the worst service I've experienced. The second cable hookup was with RoadRunner, better than AT&T but that's not saying much. Both systems were out so many times for so long, I was paying for dial-up each month to use as a backup.

My last DSL connection with Alltel was just $35/month so it wasn't the upgraded business service. My friend using Comcast cable was visibly slower on the same sites. Not "slow-slow", just slower than the two DSL connections I've had (the other DSLs were through Earthlink).

[Liz]

Maybe I'll check out Earthlink or comcast. I don't think I can get comcast here though, but I'll check them both out.

Thanks Michael.

Liz

Well, I have had both cable and DSL and DSL has always been superior for me. My first cable experience was with AT&T, the worst service I've experienced. The second cable hookup was with RoadRunner, better than AT&T but that's not saying much. Both systems were out so many times for so long, I was paying for dial-up each month to use as a backup.

My last DSL connection with Alltel was just $35/month so it wasn't the upgraded business service. My friend using Comcast cable was visibly slower on the same sites. Not "slow-slow", just slower than the two DSL connections I've had (the other DSLs were through Earthlink).

[Mig]

With either cable or DSL you need to dial-up when you're away from home. With both services you are provided with a special modem and connection at your home. Some providers automatically give the dial-up access with the cable/DSL account. RoadRunner currently gives me free dial-up access (I would have to pay any hotel phone charges of course or long-distance charges if their was no local access number, etc) although I believe they're changing it soon to 10 hours/month + .99 for any additional hours.

In this case I still only have one account because the provider is the same. If your cable/dsl provider doesn't offer dial-up, then yes you would have to get a separate dial-up account with another provider.
By the way, I'm assuming you're talking about connecting away from home on a laptop? If you're just talking about being able to access your e-mail account on a PC away from home that already has internet access, then most providers have webmail available.

Danielle

[Michael Fanelli]

Liz, just remember that the more complex the technology, the less reliable and fixable it becomes. I think we will finally reach a point where no one has a clue how to make technology actually work for anyone but hardcore geeks.

Or, as Dr. Who once said via Douglas Adams, paraphrasing, "the more sophisticated the lock the easier it yields to a hammer."