I Knew QWest DSL Would Suck
This server was down for most of the day while I tried out my new QWest DSL line. I ordered it on July 20, QWest promised they'd have me online in 9 business days. The hardware arrived almost immediately, but nobody ever called me to tell me when the phone line went active. So I called QWest and asked them when I could start configuring. The rep checked and said my DSL was active, so I should call my ISP and get connected. After working all day with the ISP, I learned that the line has not been activated. So I call QWest back, they say I'm not scheduled to be turned on for two more weeks. Oh great, I've already started paying for ISP charges that I won't be able to connect to for two weeks, that's $15 thrown in the garbage.
This situation is intolerable. This is absolutely typical of "DSL Hell" that people get into when trying to use an independent ISP instead of the heavily subsidized MSN. QWest is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, they made a deal with BillG to infuse some cash, and BillG slavers with anticipation of the next company he drives to bankruptcy so he can gobble up their old assets and customer base. I contacted the Iowa Attorney General's office and filed a complaint. I have to do some paperwork, once it is refiled, QWest will have 14 days to respond to the Attorney General's inquiry. Maybe I can bust up this anticompetitive local telecom market.
This situation is intolerable. This is absolutely typical of "DSL Hell" that people get into when trying to use an independent ISP instead of the heavily subsidized MSN. QWest is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, they made a deal with BillG to infuse some cash, and BillG slavers with anticipation of the next company he drives to bankruptcy so he can gobble up their old assets and customer base. I contacted the Iowa Attorney General's office and filed a complaint. I have to do some paperwork, once it is refiled, QWest will have 14 days to respond to the Attorney General's inquiry. Maybe I can bust up this anticompetitive local telecom market.
Comments
I've had Qwest DSL for years here in Mpls; for the first year I used uswest.net as my ISP [got me the router for free], but switched to visi.com when the year was up. The only problem I had came one day when my service didn't work, around the time when the switch was to take place. I called visi, and they didn't think the switch had been made. Called Qwest and they said it had. Called visi back and they said Hey, you're right. Try it now. Worked. About ten minutes. No problems since. Other than that, I can't recall ever having had to contact support. FWIW. Sorry you're having such a hard time.
My Time-Warner digital cable is a much bigger PITA. The rates on cable modem service are attractive relative to DSL, but if it works as well and consistently as my cable service does [not], it wouldn't be worth the $10-15 monthly difference.
Oh, wait. There was a problem when it was first installed. I got the box of hardware, and the night before the installer was to arrive, I plugged it all in [I figured he'd panic at the sight of Macs, and was right]. He arrived, said "Hey, you've got this all set up and ready to go", and plugged in his laptop to check the config. No signal. He called the support office [which was in Phoenix] and started talking to the guy there. As he was dialing, he said to me, "It's the Fetzer Valve down at the CO" [or whatever]. After talking to Phoenix et. al. for an hour [mostly trying to convince the techs that he wasn't an idiot], he finally called his coworker down at the CO: "Hey, Joan, can you give that Fetzer Valve on line ABC-123 a twist? Thanks." Immediate signal. So, Qwest has at least one competent tech. ;)
Posted by: Chaz Larson | June 28, 2002 6:08 PM