Review by DemonChicken 
UPDATED: 1 year ago
member for 3.1 years, 188 visits, last login: 336 days ago
 Boon,Wexford,MI
 $60 per month
 "Faster than Dial Up"
 "Working, happens infrequently, more often, its terrible"
 "Avoid, with the exception that it can be Better than Dial up... sometimes."
| Pre Sales Information:
Install process:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings below consensus)
|
Edit at bottom.
The max speed I ever get and stay at is about 500kbps. When downloading some things it loads for about 2 seconds drops to 0kbps and starts again, I do not know why it does this, I have swapped out the modem and it still has the same problems it had before the switch. Do not get this internet service unless you desire to disconnect every hour or less.
I do not know what causes all these problems, Some days it will not disconnect at all during the time I am on the computer, to date, that has probably been about 5 days total, max. I got this service near November of last year, there seems to have been no fluctuations in quality of service, It has always been poor.
Customer Service was nice helpful and friendly and did not treat me like I was an idiot. At least the man with the southern accent was. I cannot recall his name. He should be commended.
There was a slight case of lying to me while I was buying the service, they told me adapters for PCMCIA to PCI cards were $200, as I thought at the time, they are about $10-$20. The USB modem we have (CDU-550) COULD be the problem, however, I would recommend, that if ALL you do online, is download and check email, and non latency requiring tasks, that satellite MAY be a better option, if you are willing to pay the outrageous install costs and service costs.
In my experience, gaming can be possible, sometimes I will ping to a server on Team Fortress 2 for 180, A very playable ping especially for a person like me who is used to high ping, however after playing at that "good" ping, my usual of 250+ was unplayable.
Sometimes my service will drop to 0kbps for no reason, and then it will disconnect, instancing in WoW being one of the two off tanks with no main tank was not what I or my group would prefer.
I can honestly say I wish that I had never discovered this service, and that I just had dial up, at least then I would not disconnect so much.
I cannot wait for charter, as I read in a review from them, a review disconnected only every 2 hours, and that that was unacceptable. There has been some tree cutting on each side of the road around my area, I am not sure if it is for the installing of cable or so cars can see further at intersections, I would prefer it be the former, however with my luck I'm almost sure it is the latter. I would prefer that over disconnecting every >20 minutes. For an example, I just disconnected while writing this review, after 15 minutes of a connection.
The longest time it has ever been connected is 12 hours, and that was idle, while it was doing nothing.
In conclusion, avoid this service in Michigan. Heck Avoid it if at all possible. If you know a better service is coming to your area, DSL/Cable, Fixed Wireless, and less likely WiMax, wait for that, do not subject your self to this terrible service.
EDIT(11-4-2008): Service is improved with a new USB modem, I am not going to change my ratings, for lying to me about a converter, which granted is information I should have known, regaurdless, it performs well now, and deserves a higher score, but due to its pre fail, it will not receive one. I am happy with the service, SOMEWHAT, and as soon as something better comes along, I will jump, and avoid getting this service again if at all possible.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Alltel Axess |
|
Alltel Axess
(12)