how-to block ads
|
Review by jameswade 
UPDATED: 355 days ago
member for 6.7 years, 1481 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Atlanta,Fulton,GA
 $59 per month (12 month contract)
 about 14 days
 BellSouth
 "Only down at least once a month"
 "No naked DSL, support has become terrible"
 "Try to find someone else"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
Well I've used these guys for several years, but they've been getting steadily worse in the last year:
Reliability - Our home and business lines (in three separate locations) intermittently stop working. These problems used to be with BellSouth (they provide the Internet access to Speedfactory), but now there are server and NIC problems within Speedfactory.
Support - The only way that we've received any sort of decent support is that we know someone that knows someone that works at Speedfactory. IF we get an answer when we call we have to deal with rude and/or clueless people. Finally Speedfactory marked our account as "Knowledgeable Users", but that doesn't help if the "support" person cannot access our account, as was the case this morning when the "support" person insisted on walking us through resetting our DSL transceivers and PCs. (To no avail)
It's been an hour and a half now since we discovered all of this wasn't working and still don't have a call back from them.
The support page on their web site always gives you the same "temporary (sic) down" error message. It's been this way as long as I can remember.
I've had to use my cell phone to get on line, but that doesn't help the business locations...
BellSouth is now offering naked DSL, we're moving to them - we will double our bandwidth and save around $40/per month.
Update 5/17/2007:
I came home today to find that I had no sync again - this happens about once every month or so. I cycled power, check my phone line going into the DSL transceiver, router login settings, etc.
I called support and was on hold for about 35 minutes and got dropped of the line. I called again and stayed on hold for around an hour and fifteen minutes!
While I was on hold I used my cell phone to hit the Internet and check Speedfactory's site for any outages. I didn't see any mention of outages so I tried the support link. It was down - just the way it has been every time I've tried before.
I sent an email to the support address in the 'contact us' link. It bounced!
Finally someone took me off hold and answered the phone. I got the usual "What lights are on?" questions - Power, USB, and ENET were on, DSL and ACT off, just like every other time that I've had to call about this. (It always gets fixed by a setting at the DSLAM)
I was asked to cycle the power, check that the phone line is plugged in - I'd already done that. Then he wanted me to plug into another power outlet. I explained that the power was on and other items on the power strip were fine and this was really hard to physically get to so I'd rather skip on to another step.
The support guy then asked me if I was refusing to follow the troubleshooting procedure, I explained my reasons for skipping this step and that I do this for a living and didn't think that there was a problem with the power. He persisted so I asked if he could just escalate the problem. He said that they don't have anyone to escalate to!
I asked him if there was someone else that could help me, he said that he was the only one there!!!
No wonder I was on hold over an hour and a half. The good thing is that my contract is up in fifteen days!
An older update in 2006:
It looks like Speedfactory has reversed the slide in reliability and service. We haven't experienced the intermittent service problems in months - these were mostly, if not completely BellSouth problems anyway...
About two years ago I ordered 3 Mbit down, 384 up. Installation went without a hitch and I never really had any problems.
About two years later I receive these speeds most of the time, but more and more often I lose service and it's more and more difficult to get Speedfactory on the phone to fix the problems.
To be fair it seems to be that most of Speedfactory's technical problems are a result of using BellSouth. The reason that I didn't go with BellSouth is because of the stress of dealing with their support people. I thought I'd pay Speedfactory a bit more so that they could deal with BellSouth. It's starting to look as though Speedfactory doesn't have much more clout than a regular customer.
Followup comments:  phaqu
join:2005-05-26
Marietta, GA | Look around, Theres more than one dsl provider in Atlanta. And at least one I can guarantee that wont suck.
I remember trying to get dsl a few years ago, and called Speed Factory, but I dont remember why I didnt go with them. | |
| krayzie bone
join:2006-09-03
Marietta, GA | atnex? have you tried atlantic nexus? a lot of people have had good experiences with them, but i doubt it will be any cheaper then AT&T | |
| | | |
| Forums » comments on review of Speed Factory |
|
|
Speed Factory
·
·