Review by Phill7 
UPDATED: 9.5 years ago
member for 9.9 years, 102 visits, last login: 5 years ago
 Havertown,Delaware,PA
 Contract price not specified.
 "Very good sales staff. Always available."
 "You will be hard pressed to talk to a human after teh sale"
 "Don't go to PSN!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Value for money:
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SEE UPDATES TO ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW
When I ordered DSL service from PSN, I told the sales rep supervisor that I was not beyond posting a good report card for them on DSLreports. I will try to be as objective as possible and write this as I would have liked to see the review written, not THEY SUCK!! or even "they walk on water".
Having said that, here goes...
I was a bit sceptical seeing all the bad reviews about PSN but they fit my criteria of static IP, and essentially "anything I want to do with the line" from web hosting to email and they would even host a DNS. Also, I wanted Covad as the line supplier NOT Northpoint. Look at the common denominator for most of the bad reviews. See Northpoint?? Not as much about Covad. They tried to sell me a NP line but I insisted on Covad.
In cronological order, here's the rest. I kept a log:
2/4/00
- Pre sales info was very good. They answered all my questions both technical and not. I even threw in some very technical questions to try and trip him up, he (E.C.) did well. He gave me a time frame of 30 to 45 days and laid out the whole process step by step.
2/14/00
- Got my Covad order number. They should have Bell install date by 2/21/00. (I had to call Covad for this info, PSN didn't have any info)
2/21/00
- Covad has Bell install date of 2/25/00. Again, no info from PSN, I called Covad.
2/24/00
- Bellatlantic installed my line this morning. Yes! A day EARLY!
2/25 - 3/17
Calls back and forth between Covad and PSN trying to find when the final install will be done. They both say they're waiting for the back haul to go up. I come to find out, the back haul is the final connection from Covad to PSN. PSN presold Covad connections??? Possibly my city?? Neither had a clue as to when this would be completed.
3/19/00
- Call to Covad got my install date of 3/23 between 3 and 7PM
3/23/00
- 8:00AM, Covad truck parked in front of the house. Hmmm... The guy was in the neighborhood and would come back if needed but could do it now if it was OK. You bet, it's OK!! He wanted to put in a Speedstream bridge, I said I was supposed to get a Flowpoint. He said the line was setup as SDSL and the Flowpoint 2100 that I was supposed to get was for ADSL. But I ordered ADSL!! His paperwork said I was supposed to get a Speedstream 5250. My paperwork said FP 2100. Someone screwed up. I settled for the 5250 because he didn't have a FP 2200 in the truck. I haven't pushed the issue yet with PSN. I want to make sure I have no other issues to bring up.
All in all, I can't say I've had a bad experience so far. The major issues new buyers need to really be aware of is that DSL is still very new. This alone brings up all sorts of ugly issues namely,
- Everyone wants it YESTERDAY
- 4 major players are involved: local Bell, ISP, line supplier, YOU. These players need to play like a concert performance to get the service to you. Right now they need some more practice with the instruments.
- ISPs are trying to play conductor AND musician with very complicated and very new music.
- Customers are impatient, oh, did I say that already?? I was almost on a first name bassis with Covad and PSN people.
If I were to pinpoint some top hitters for these players, I would say first of all, PSNs communication is lousy at best. I made all the phone calls except 1 which was 2 days before the final install when PSN called me to give me the final install date that I had already had for 2 days. PSN needs to get on the ball and copy some of the other services out there with a web page that shows progress on your order.
I'm not sure how the Speadstream, SDSL / Flowpoint, ADSL issue came about but I will look into it.
The supervisor I spoke to (M.S.) was helpfull. She said she would keep on top of my order and I have no reason to doubt that, with the exception of the communication part. The other sales supervisor that I believe is below her (D.P.), was very unsure, shakey, and easily flustered. Not a good point man in an organization where customers may come to him loaded for bear. When confronted with tough issues he would defer to "his supervisor" (M.S.), a call transfered to him is pointless unfortunatly.
To close, the line is up, has been up with no interruptions since it was connected. 1 week is hardly a test though. If you are a gamer, pings are slow. If pings are not importaint then the rest is just as advertised. The throughput isn't quite what I paid for (bought 384 getting about 260) but I have yet to do full testing as to what is causing this. Could be plain old net traffic or logjams at PSN. Would be nice if PSN would put a POP on the east coast to reduce latency though.
If I were to be buying today?
I probably would not go with PSN. Not because of the install problems, I don't see that they would have been any different with any other service. There are other providers that have better deals, granted they are only marginally better. A provider as far away from me as PSN would put it close to the bottom of the list. PSN would still however make the final cut.
I can't rate the mail, DNS, news of PSN because I am not using those services. I'm running my own DNS and mail and have another news service.
I hope this helps someone that is looking for DSL. If you ordered from PSN, you didn't make a mistake. Like buying anything, especially high tech, "the other guy's always looks better after you bought yours". If you're looking now, PSN is one to put on the list to look at.
Phil
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
5/31/00 UPDATE: I am now in the process of trying to cancel my subscription to PSN because of their very poor service. I have been getting very consistantly high packet loss (4%), Slow speeds 100bps on a guaranteed 384bps line., and I can't get in touch with anyone there who can help resolve this.
Log so far:
5/11/00
- Called the prospective new ISP to see what it takes to get the xfer rolling. They provide lines from Covad so I won't pay the Covad disconnect fee. ($250). They sent me a letter to send to PSN telling Covad to release the line for Xfer.
- Called to PSN to start the Xfer. Spoke with S. Stiers. She told me it would cost $250 early disconnection fee!!! I told her I shouldn't have to pay a penalty because as I see it they haven't lived up to their end of the contract ie; guaranteed speed of 384. She then also told me she needed my request to be in writing, I told her I would fax it in within a few minutes. She said I could Email it to them. I Emailed my request and the leter for Covad. I have not gotten ANY information confiming delivery or ANYthing from PSN to date (5/31/00)
5/22/00
- Tried to call PSN to find out why I haven't recieved confirmation of the Xfer. I can't get through.
Re-sent Email for transfer request, and asked for confirmation, still no answer.
5/31/00
- Called new ISP to see what they can do to push this along. They will look into it.
- I have tried several days to get through to someone ANYONE at PSN about this. They aren't answering phones.
Time to get some bigger guns involved with this scamming company.
Hello NBC... more to come....
Letter sent to www.fraud.org, BBB of Pheonix, Federal Trade Commission:
05/31/00
I had subscribed for DSL service through PSN in Feb. They insisted I sign a contract and pay up front before they would place the order. I paid 1 year plus service charges, etc totaling $1037 Their communication with customers was nonexistant after the sale is made. I had to make first contact. After 2 months I finally got my DSL line. It was not the promised speed, contract states "guaranteed 384/128bps". I get no faster than 100/60bps consistantly. I have tried in good faith to contact them to troubleshoot this problem but they do not help. I finally was able to get in touch with someone there who I told I wanted to terminate my subscription to their service. I was informed that there would be a $250 penalty. I told her of the letter I have from Covad (DSL line supplier) that states, since I will be changing the internet service provider but still using Covad, there would not be a $250 penalty. She insists that they can still impose their own penalty. The contract I have in writing states "The user will pay a one time dissconnection fee of $250" It says nothing about a Covad penalty or a PSN penalty. If they are representing Covad to sell lines, they should mention the difference in the contract. Needless to say, I told the woman I spoke with that I want to disconnect. She replied that they need it in writing. I told her I would fax it as soon as I was off the phone. She assured me that Email was ok and she gave me the Email address to send the request to. She told me they process these on the 15th and 30th of each month. If I got it in on time they could move it through within the next few days. I also sent a copy of the Covad letter they need to use for the transfer. That was on 5/11. On 5/22, I re-sent the Email along with a note reminding them of my request and asking for some sort of confirmation that the letter was received. It is 5/31 and I have yet to hear anything from them by Email, phone, pony express or carrier pidgeon. The other infuriating part of this is that part of the signing bonus was a rebate of $150 for the install fee. I have yet to see this! Please let me know if you can help. Thanks, Phil
5/31- Tried to call again to get disconnection status, busy signals all afternoon. Sent another Email to Ms. Stiers and Support.
6/1- Busy signals for most of afternoon. Finally got through and left a message on Mary Sirles' Vmail.
6/2- I have not had any contact with anyone at PSN since 5/11. A certified letter went into the mail today to Ronald Merritt (president of PSN)
I will hold off on my letter writing campaign for a few more days to give PSN a chance to get their act together. Then I will send to all major PC magazines, Consumer Protection Agcy., etc.
I couldn't resist this one. Consumer reports is doing an article on broadband connections and they want info. Here's what I sent them.
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Review of: Planet Systems Network (www.PSN.net)
It would take way to long to follow through all that goes on with my problems with them here. So I'll give you the latest happenings and let you read the review I have been keeping up to date at DSLreports.com. The URL is: »User reviews - PSN Internet Service, look for the review by Phill (that's me)
They have constant busy signals, getting through to the staff AFTER the sale is next to impossible. I am trying to get changed over to another ISP because PSN stated in the contract I had a guaranteed bandwidth connection of 384/128 but I have test results from many locations that differ with that. I told PSN that they have not held up their end of the contract and that I should be released from the contract without penalty because they aren't providing what I paid for. They have so far denied the "guaranteed bandwidth" clause in my contract and said that regarless of that, I still will have to pay $250 for the transfer because it says so in the contract. Someone needs to educate them in contract law!
I have sent Email after Email enclosing the past emails so they know I have been sending them and they actually left a message on my answering service stating they never got any emails except the one that I told them I was going to the BBB, and several other organizations. Funny thing is, that very same Email is the one they sent my tranfer request form to me enclosed in. It had ALL the Emails I sent to them that they denied ever getting?!?!?
Now, they knew I was transferring and the proceedure for a transfer is to wait until the new ISP takes over the line. PSN instead decided to cut my line off which now makes Covad, the line supplier, start all over from scratch!
PSN tried to tell me that if I switch providers, my service with another provider won't be any better than theirs as far as speed goes. Being a network engineer, I am aware of how networks operate and I am aware that my line was routed from the Philly area all the way to Phoenix by way of L.A. When I told their provisioning manager that is why the system was slow, she told me I was wrong and that I get out to the internet in north Jersey. She obviously understands less about networks than she does about contract law.
As it stands now, I am waiting for them to tell me what kind of rebate they will let me have. I told them I want a full rebate for service that I have not received yet. I am more than willing to pay for what I have used. (2 months worth of connectivity)
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