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Review by Maranello See Profile

  • Location: Butler, Butler, PA, USA
  • Cost: $65 per month
downtime is very rare.
Data caps that I was never informed of.
Oh, those caps but the service is reliable.
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:

I have the "Zoom Pro" plan, 15.5 Mbps down and 4.7 Mbps up for $60. No contracts, month to month billing..... but no real competition for Armstrong either. In a time when my Comcast friends report Comcast is officially stating (on their billing page) they are no longer enforcing their 250GB cap, Here comes Armstrong with lower caps with bundling plans and "low" cap overages to "help" the customer. Unfortunately I don't have any real company to turn to in protest as they have no real competition in my area.

I was never informed that a cap was being put in place until I was at 80% of said cap... at least they gave me a heads up on that.

My connection has been very smooth. Outages have been very minimal but it should be when I compare my bill and data speed vs those Comcast friends.

Update 2/10/16 - The price of all plans is being raised as of 03/01/16. The current cap for me for internet only is 200GB (i dropped TV service). $10 per 50GB extra over the 200GB cap so my bill is normal $70 a month because I pass my caps and have to pay for more. I have subscriptions with Hulu, Netflix, Prime, Xbox Live and PS Plus. Xbox Live and PS Plus offer free games with paid subscription.... normally 2 a month for each console. Games are 20-50GB each to download for the One and PS4. PS3 and 360 are 3-7GB each. My average monthly data usage is 205-210GB with games and streaming media.... which isn't rare today.

Update 2/29/16 - The cap did not raise and is still 200GB. My usage for the month of Febuary was 221.33GB.... so $65 for the new Zoom Pro rate plus $10 for the 21.33GB (still paid for 50GB however) overage means a $75 bill. I can't say as I'm very happy at this point. My lease is up in March so I most likely will be moving into a Comcast or FIOS area.

member for 23.2 years, 7215 visits, last login: 7 years ago
updated 8 years ago

MissyL
join:2013-11-22
usa

MissyL

Member

Cap

I also was not informed of a cap.

I called and complained about this cap and even wanted to speak to the legal department.
They have no clue on how to contact the legal department.
We are should be Grandfathered in:
Grandfathering
Black’s Law Dictionary defines “grandfathering” or a "grandfather clause" as “an exception to a restriction that allows all those already doing something to continue doing it even if they would be stopped by the new restriction.”

New Rules. If, for example, the board adopted a rule that pets over 50 pounds were prohibited, the board must grandfather existing oversize pets. Therefore, the owner of a 75 pound dog who resides in the development prior to the adoption of the restriction could keep the pet. However once the pet died, his next pet would have to comply with the new restriction.

Existing Rules. The same is true for existing rules. If an existing rule has not been enforced by prior boards, a new board has no choice but to grandfather existing violations and begin enforcing any new violations. If the board plans to enforce a rule that had previously been neglected, it needs to give written notice to the membership of its intentions.

Missy, the Federal Government is required to follow this even if they dont want to, The term grandfather clause in its current application refers to a legislative provision that permits an exemption based upon a preexisting condition. For example, through the application of grandfather clauses, certain prerogatives are extended to those regularly engaged in a particular profession, occupation, or business that is regulated by statute or ordinance. Such a clause might allow an individual, who has been in continuous practice in a particular profession for a specific period, to circumvent certain licensing requirements.

Or you can just read it here
Code: Select All

»AT&T Pays Price for War on Grandfathered Unlimited Data Users [89] comments

AT&T Pays Price for War on Grandfathered Unlimited Data Users
Pays FCC $700,000 Will Refund Customers
by Karl Bode 10:42AM Wednesday Nov 07 2012
AT&T has paid a penalty for their heavy handed effort to force unlimited wireless data users on to the company's metered plans. According to the FCC consent decree, AT&T will be paying the government $700,000 and refunding consumers after pushing grandfathered unlimited data toward metered plans.

Click for full size
After eliminating their unlimited data option in 2010, AT&T grandfathered those users -- though most knew the fun wouldn't last. In 2011 AT&T announced they'd start throttling wireless data customers who consumed "more than their fair share" of network data. AT&T stated that the throttling would specifically focus on just the top 5 percent of the heaviest data users in a billing period. AT&T also stated targeted users consumed 12 times more data than the average of all other smartphone users.

Whiile grandfathered users were allowed to retain their unlimited-but-throttled status, AT&T waged a quiet war on those users -- using any excuse to nudge those customers toward metered usage plans. Everyone from customers who moved to customers who used AT&T's phone insurance plans (or used their warranty) were migrated to metered billing, and the FCC says it took a year to investigate mounting complaints about the practice.

"Today’s action sends a clear signal that wireless carriers can’t wrongfully charge consumers,’" said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski in a prepared statement -- even though the penalty once-again likely pales to the money made from the practices being punished. "These strong FCC accountability measures will ensure customers are not over-charged. I am pleased that AT&T is taking the appropriate steps to resolve this issue."

Under the agreement AT&T must complete an audit of their billing practices, and users impacted could see refunds ranging from $25 to $30 per month depending on data usage. Impacted users should be contacted by AT&T during their normal billing cycle.

Update: AT&T has provided us with the following statement on the settlement with the FCC:

quote:"The consent decree involves less than 0.03 percent of our wireless customers, who inadvertently had a monthly data plan added to their account after getting a new smartphone through a warranty or insurance exchange or after relocating.

We had already discovered and corrected the issue by Nov. 2010, and had given refunds to customers who contacted us. Based on a review of our refund process, we believe a vast majority of those customers affected by the billing error have already been made whole. But as part of the decree we’ll be providing a bill-page notice to affected customers, offering refunds, and giving them the option to return to a data pay-per-use plan, or to have a data block applied to their phone."

If the FCC is going to nail AT&T this badly, do you think for one second they are going to allow any ISP to do the same thing they just ruled was a violation?
__________________

Not a Lawyer
@zoominternet.net

Not a Lawyer

Anon

Re: Cap

I'm sure the cashier at McDonalds has no idea how to contact the legal department either. If you need a legal department, get a Lawyer.
Not a Lawyer

Not a Lawyer to MissyL

Anon

to MissyL
Terms of Service were updated, in May, they sent letters to large offenders, telling them, they sent different letters to people who were close, and the letter sent to everyone else said read the terms of service they changed. They then started "enforcing" the caps in June/July, with warnings at 80, 90 abd 100% with automatic credits for the first months overage, credits for the second month's overages when requested, and a third prorated credit for the third month if asked.

How much more warning do you want?
»www.armstrongonewire.com ··· ult.aspx

Here is an excact quote from the Terms of Service.

"Armstrong reserves the right to amend, modify, supplement, or replace (i) any or all of the terms, conditions, and policies set forth in this Agreement, (ii) any other terms, conditions, or policies
incorporated into this Agreement by reference, or (iii) any prices or fees at any time, for any reason,with or without advance notice of any kind"

"Because notices may appear solely on the Website, You agree that You will check the Website from time to time for any amendments or other changes. If You find an amendment or other
update to be unacceptable, You may cancel Your Service(s). However, Your continued use of the Service(s) and / or Your payment to Armstrong for the Service(s) after the effective date of any amendments or other changes will constitute Your acceptance of such amendments or other updates.
You may not amend or otherwise change this Agreement by making any handwritten, typed, or other changes to the Agreement for any purpose. "
Orange
join:2013-08-21
Butler, PA

2 recommendations

Orange

Member

Re: Cap

After reading some of these responses I can't help but think Armstrong is posting on them...

Let's be realistic. The cap is garbage. It's lower than many other ISPs who cap and we all know that bandwidth is getting cheaper and cheaper.

ISPs are using caps to try and force revenue they lost from those who are cutting cable TV.

Other ISPs like Verizon still have no cap in many areas and are still dominating their markets.

If Armstrong didn't have a monopoly on cable internet in most places I can't believe they would even consider such a ludicrous data cap.

disgustedno1
@sbcglobal.net

disgustedno1 to MissyL

Anon

to MissyL
At&t has elite 6 mb speed direct internet with out voice service $34.95 for 6 mo. than it goes up to 53.00 a month and you guys are complaining about getting 10 mb speed for 39.95 a month.what do you guys live on line to use 150 gigs,WoW
Orange
join:2013-08-21
Butler, PA

1 recommendation

Orange

Member

Re: Cap

LOL, always anonymous posters defending armstrong.

Su
@zoominternet.net

Su

Anon

Balls

On a scale of sucking to balls armstrong manages to gobble down the entire scale. The cap is ludicrously small if you are renting with several other people, I live with 3 others near school. The connection is bad, they give you your own router which you do not get access to adjust settings in. Neighbors also affect my bandwidth, often making it impossible to do much of anything if they are all on the internet as well. 0/10 avoid this monopoly money hungry whore of a company at all costs, would move if I could, just praying for a quick death.