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 Review by sbhusted 
UPDATED: 83 days ago
member for 9.5 years, 805 visits, last login: 77 days ago
 Bethlehem,Northampton,PA
 $79 per month (12 month contract)
 about 7 days
 Verizon
 "Stable, Good Speeds, No limitations due to commercial agreement"
 "They depend on Service Electric - who doesn't care that they over subscribe your node"
 "When it worked, it was great. If your node gets over subscribed - good luck. You're basically screwed."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
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UPDATE 2 August 2009
Two weeks from reporting the initial problem of bandwidth. Earlier this week I got a message that they installed the new router for my area, etc. Today, I got a message stating that they expect to "turn it on WITHIN 30 DAYS". Wow, that's some FANTASTIC service there. I guess my business can just go on hiatus while they sit around deciding when it's time to "turn it on". Although this is more of a Service Electric Cable issue than PenTeleData - my contract is with PenTeleData. It's not my responsibility to deal with SEC.
UPDATE August 2009
Over the last couple months I've noticed my download speeds deteriorating. Nothing major, but I noticed during peak hours instead of the 4.0 I was getting when I first signed up that I was getting more like 3.0 on average. However, over the last several weeks it has gotten worse to the point when doing speed tests using their tool - I'm averaging between 400kbs - 600kbs down speed!! They've admitted that my node is over subscribed but they are waiting for service electric to move me to a new node - which they tell me I'm scheduled for in a 'few days'. However, it's been almost a week and I'm still only getting about 10% - 20% of the bandwidth I'm paying $80 a month for in a Commercial contract. I'm not happy at all with this situation first of all in regards to them allowing it to get to this point, but I'm also not happy with the fact that I'm not getting any concrete time frame for resolution to this problem. I realize they can't guarantee 4.0 at all times... but we're talking about 400-600kbs! That's about 33% of what I was getting with a 1.5 DLS line!
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I was with COVAD via DSL for years - I think close to 8. I always had good service with them, but then they moved tech support to India and it just became infuriating trying to solve the problem I was having with line noise. It was fine for 7+ years but recently began to have issues with upstream noise. I paid $79.99 for 3.0/768 service but I was only getting 384 or so up and would occasionally experience loss of sync when it was pushed. Tried two different modems as well.
I decided to try cable and got 4.0/768 service from PenTeleData for the same price - plus it is a commercial package so I don't have any limitations on it's usage (Within legal limits, etc. of course). I've only had it for a little over a month but it's been a rock and no issues at all. Speeds are almost always at or above advertised.
Installation was great. The installer was very professional and friendly. He answered all questions and did a very clean job on the inside wire running and a fantastic job running the wire outside our house to the pole. You hardly see it. I think they quoted me installation within 14 days but they were there the same week I ordered.
So far so good!
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Review by wbrault
UPDATED: 1.3 years ago
member for 6.8 years, 316 visits, last login: 218 days ago
Tamaqua,Schuylkill,PA
Contract price not specified.
"Quick install?"
"Never get half the speeds I'm paying for."
"Don't get it."
| Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
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I can't remember the last time I go advertisement speeds. Being the reason I switched for the faster speeds. Might as well just go back to Verizon DSL. Might just do that here shortly. We'll see...
UPDATE 210 Days later. Same old garbage. Half of what you pay for. No one has an answer. Two good things maybe? It works and I never had any downtime. Maybe once or twice but didn't last very long.
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Review by briangawenus
UPDATED: 1.9 years ago
member for 1.9 years, 3 visits, last login: 1.9 years ago
Jim Thorpe,Carbon,PA
$51 per month
about 5 days
"tech support"
"will supend service if using more then they deam excessive and service is very slow during peak times"
"find a better isp or dsl for the area"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
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download of 15000kbs its 4am and d/l is 12248 kb/s
upload of 1500kbs its 4am and d/l is 1825 kb/s
12/6/2007 received letter in email from penteldata to below
.December 5, 2007
Dear Mr.
RE: PTD ACCT #
Please read this critical system message from PenTeleData/Blue Ridge Communications regarding the excessive usage statistics that continue to be recorded for your residential cable Internet service.
PenTeleData previously informed you about excessive bandwidth usage through your cable modem account.
6/11/07 – First notice for May ’07 usage sent – 136.6 gigs down & 49 gigs up
8/6/07 – Second notice for July ‘07 usage sent – 139.95 gigs down & 41.14 gigs up
11/7/07 – Re-sent second notice for Oct ’07 usage – 88.22 gigs down & 21.93 gigs up
After careful analysis of recent usage data on your account, it was determined that your cable Internet account continues to consume bandwidth in excess of what is considered normal for the cable package that you are paying for. We asked you to please review your computer system(s) and your usage patterns for any activity you thought might cause your account to exceed the acceptable usage totals. We also asked that you sharply reduce the bandwidth utilization for your account or upgrade to a higher speed package. Today, your cable Internet service account remains identified as utilizing an excessive amount of bandwidth.
Your bandwidth utilization for the month of November ‘07 was 91.56 gigs down & 25.34 gigs up. As a result, on December 12, 2007, your Internet service with Blue Ridge Communications / PenTeleData will be suspended. The account will remain closed for a period of 30 days. If you would like to have your service reactivated in the future, you may contact your local Blue Ridge Communications office after (30 days) to request account reactivation.
If you choose to reactivate your service after the 30 day suspension and you continue to use excessive bandwidth, your account will be terminated.
PenTeleData/Blue Ridge Communications
Followup comments:  lordkosc
join:2005-01-18
Northampton, PA | omg wow, that sucks, switch over to DSL if you can, no limits!  | |
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Donkaroo
join:2000-07-02
Hawley, PA
| Horrible I just received my second notice today telling me I'm using too much bandwidth. The thing is they consider ALL usage in those reports, including normal web browsing and email. It's not like its only counting actual downloads of games/movies/data from work etc. I have 4 computers in my house with 3 kids and these threatening letters are getting annoying. I purchased their top package of 15/2Mbs thinking that would allow for "unlimited access". I was wrong.
I moved here from NJ and Optimum Online offered a Boost package of 30/5Mbs that imposed no caps. It was great. It seems like PenTeleData is hinting at making me upgrade to a commercial account. That would be fine if they offered a decent package, but they dont. $180/month for their 10/1Mbs package. Thats ridiculous. I'm really starting to despise not having a choice when it comes to broadband service. Its some racket they going. I looked over my contract and the only thing referring to caps is that its at their sole discretion. How can I ensure my kids stay within a limit if theres no limit given?? Absurd.
When I received these letters I asked my kids about it and they said they download mainly overnight so its done the next day. They also put caps on the speed so the line doesn't slow to a crawl while downloading. I just don't see the issue with this. Now knowing that my service can be cut off is very displeasing as I need access for work. Being that DSL isn't even available here really puts me in a bind. I don't like being "strong armed" or threatened into a commercial account when this is a residential household with 3 kids using the internet for everyday activities. They advertise downloading movies/songs etc in their commercials! That is by far the biggest reason for getting broadband in the first place. Its getting to the point where I actually wish broadband would be regulated and do away with these monopolies. | |
| | AndrettiFan
Premium
join:2007-10-18
Alburtis, PA
| Re: Horrible I would go to your local township / city / borough organization in charge of offering the license for them to operate in the area and complain. At worst, you wasted a little of your time. At best, the letters will stop and you still have your service.
I'm still waiting for them to fix speeds locally since I'm paying for 7MBs service and I get less than 1. | |
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Donkaroo
join:2000-07-02
Hawley, PA
| Re: Horrible I may very well do that. My biggest gripe is they keep referring to a contract that has nothing listed about caps! Even in their 2 warning letters it only states that I'm using too much bandwidth but still doesn't tell me what these caps are. The first letter said to cut back my usage. I told my kids about this and said to cut back a bit. The following month I received a second letter. I had cut the total bandwidth used almost in half and still got a letter. Again, no mention of what cap to stay under.
The thing is, there are alot of options for them to enforce a cap. Even if it changed often they could give a generalization in the contract. Something along the lines of-"stay within 100GB/month. These numbers may change at any time". Otherwise the warning letters are pointless. I received two letters and yet I still had no idea how much bandwidth I'm allowed to use. After the second letter I called them to see what was going on. The woman I spoke with was very nice. Aside from the fact of trying to upsell me to a commercial account within 2 minutes of the call, she was very helpful. She even gave me the numbers I need to stay below, which were 80GB/s down 45GB/s up per month. Why they cant just include these numbers either in the contract or in the warning letters is beyond me.
My other gripe are caps in general. I completely understand the need to have them on a network that functions on a shared usage policy. The thing is times change. A full movie is over 4GB. Just by downloading 10 movies a month is well over 40GB. With all these companies offering full movie/game downloads, streaming music, VOIP, etc. the need for broadband increases every day. Since I'm not running any sort of network I don't see how I should have to pay for a commercial account. Not only does it cost 3 times as much for half the bandwidth, but you have to sign a 3 year contract!
The only thing I can hope for is for more competition to be allowed in my area. My only choice is what I have now or dialup. For whatever reason DSL isnt offered here. It is available on the other side of my development, but not here.
And I experience the same network degregation as you. I haven't hit 15 Mbs since I moved here. Most times during the day I get such slowdowns that even loading web pages take forever, or timeout all together. I also get at least one power outage a month causing loss of service. And to top it off, I have horrible packet loss throughout the day. It reeks havoc on my VOIP line and my son was just complaining it makes online game playing unbearable.
Good luck getting your service fixed AndrettiFan, and thank you for the suggestion. | |
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