Review by Tristan 
UPDATED: 14 days ago
member for 1.9 years, 297 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Nepean,ON
 $56 per month
 about 10 days
 "10 Mbps down/ 1kbps up, always on, no additional bills to pay"
 "Expensive. Cost to value ratio is aweful. Poor DNS service (security and reliability issues). No technical support."
 "Head to head with Bell, gunning to be the worst ISP in Canada."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
8/15/08 - I received a personal phone call from the office of the President of Rogers. They heard my crys for a solution [for the many Rogers customers] to a security issue.
- Service Specs -
As of July 20, 2008
--> High-speed extreme
--> »www.speedcheck.rogers.com shows Extreme to be 10 Mbps/1 Mbps down/up.
--> I get 9.66 Mbps/994kbps respectively to Rogers own servers.
--> Real-world speeds will vary greatly depending on time-of-day, and connections outside of Rogers jurisdiction.
--> Norton Security included. - not really for free, as it's rolled up into the cost to deliver service.
- What I hate the most -
--> Very expensive.
- Requirements -
GOOD FAST internet access in order to keep current for my job, hobbies, education, and increasingly to access and keep on top of very important services and discussions provided by my local government.
- Service Deficiencies -
--> Personal webspace is plain, no "added value".
--> No advanced web services (PHP, MySQL, etc).
--> Reduced quality of service due to interference with certain ports and services, such as bittorrent and encrypted traffic.
--> Security violation: DNS redirection vulnerable (as of 7/29/2008) (still as of 8/12/08).
--> Restrictive "Terms of Use" with regards to operating server applications.
--> Partnership with Yahoo!
--> Receive HTML error pages regularily, appears to be DNS related. Sometimes have to refresh a web page twice. Can be fixed by using almost any other non-Rogers DNS server.
--> Rogers is experimenting with DNS redirection on invalid domain lookup.
8/12/08 Update: Rogers has hidden an opt-out feature, unfortunately it requires a cookie be placed with the browser (a volatile opt-out). Upon opting out, I notice I'm still not getting proper error pages; I receive Internet Explorer error pages in Firefox (Rogers thinks it's ok to steal Microsoft's IE error pages).
--> Rogers injects warnings into web pages when you're close to hitting your monthly bandwidth cap, a clear-cut net neutrality violation, and security violation.
--> Norton Security - not really free as advertised, as Rogers rolls it up into the cost to deliver internet service. Norton's software gives nothing but problems. There are truely free solutions that work better, faster, and don't damage your computer if you have to uninstall them. If you choose to install Norton's, don't come asking me for help when it breaks. Value: $0.00, lower if it breaks the Windows in your computer.
- Cost to Value Ratio -
Rogers has issued several price increases over the years, and ALWAYS places the blame on increases in the cost to provide the service. The "cost to value" ratio grows worse with each price increase.
- Other Services Offered -
--> Home phone - overpriced! Why would anyone pay $19.99/mo for the first year, and $29.99/month there-after, only to get 1 calling feature included (ie: call display)? I've been using Primus talkbroadband for years, and I pay $15.95/month, and comes with 16 free calling features. Primus has made me a very happy customer, and I funnel the savings into my son's RESP.
--> Cable TV - very expensive. Too many unwatched and unwanted channels. Cost to Value ratio is pathetic, when compared to a rectal exam.
--> Cellular - expensive. Going to switch to another wireless carrier.
- Repeat Service Issues -
My connection has gone down several times over the past year, sometimes for a whole day. Calls to tech support result in the usual "We don't support home routers, connect directly" crap, yet the problem miraculously rectifies itself "during" the support call, while the router is connected. Inexperienced support reps. I get better tech support by placing my head inside the door jam, and repeatedly slamming the door closed on it.
- Conclusion -
Rogers needs to invest in more bandwidth, and improve network topography to offset technological advances. The internet will grow with more connected devices, and more software performing very cool stuff. Our ISP's should not interfere with internet access in any shape or form; this is referred to as Net Neutrality, and is a growing concern for virtually everyone who connects to the Internet. As "getting online" becomes more of a necessity, Net Neutrality will become increasingly important.
If the world switches to encryption by default on all net traffic, that will restore the integrity of the service - it's time ISP's understood that we want them to be dumb pipes, not value-added services, especially when it involves them interfering with the data we receive.
** We need increased competition with better service! Rogers is a sub-par ISP. **
I'd switch ISP's, but with my options limited to cable or DSL, and while throttling and other forms of interference persist, I won't be trading my noose for a tighter noose.
My condolences to anyone who is affected by Bell's recent throttling of wholesale partners. It's time the big broadband players in Canada started to clean up their acts. Consumers won't tolerate this crap for long!
I may require access to the internet, but it's the ISP's that are making the net less fun and less exciting.
Followup comments:  
Leathal
Premium
join:2002-02-09
Toronto, ON
| The waiting game. "I can't wait for increased competition. Rogers, your not the best, you are sub-par."
People have been saying this for YEARS now and nothing has changed nor do I think anything will change for at least another 10 years with the way Rogers and the CRTC moves on changing things.
Leathal | |
| Kdee
join:2005-08-26
Etobicoke, ON | There is competition. .... It's called Teksavvy. You should check them out. | |
|  | MmmPancakes
join:2007-05-29
Toronto, ON | Re: There is competition. .... DSL may not work out for some people and they have to stick with cable. And Rogers is basically the only cable provider throughout Ontario. | |
| 
Bellunder
@bell.ca
| Glad someone knows what's going on You are one of the very few who knows exactly what's going on. As can be seen the number one shorted stock on the NASDAQ is level 3. Level 3 sells bandwidth which is still falling sharply in price and will continue to fall in price. Equipment costs have fallen sharply the Canadian dollar has risen sharply. All of this means sharply higher profits for internet companies. The rest of the world has passed part of the savings along to their subscribers while Canada in its' infinite wisdom has fleeced their subscribers by doing the opposite. It's so bad soon satellite internet from America will cost less than Canadian broadband. | |
|
Jingles57
@rogers.com | Cybersurf No not 3web... very lowsy tech support and internet speeds are a little bit slower then advertized and they still go through rogers | |
| Tristan
join:2006-09-10
Nepean, ON
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
| 3WEB Hehehe, lousy customer service? So what you're saying is SSDP (same sh#t different pile).
I am my own customer service. I wouldn't dare let an "expert" give me advice (shudder). I've already been told that my Internet connection broke (twice) because of my router, which was utter BS. | |
|
Steven1
@rogers.com | Competition Im with Execulink Telecom and no problems with speeds or anything. Wonderful techs and with a satellite office close by the tech will actually come out here if Im having any problems. | |
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