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Review by makfu4 
Posted: 7 years ago
member for 7 years, 3 visits, last login: 291 days ago
 Pequannock,Morris,NJ
 $130 per month (month by month)
 about 35 days
 Verizon
CLEC party: Network Access Solutions
 "4 month period of relative reliability before getting dropped."
 "Slow, expensive setup, initial unreliability, terrible technical support, unprofessional customer service."
 "A rinky-dink operation."
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Brainlink is a disgrace. My initial impression was that they were a small struggling 'internet services company. Now I think they are an indifferent, poorly managed, 'fad player that, upon realizing that it takes effort to succeed in the telecom services sector, decided to simply drop the majority of their services with little more than the legally required e-mail. As NAS has decided to pull out of many CO's, so has Brainlink. No attempt at helping to migrate to another provider has been offered other than a recommendation to browse DSL reports and a warning that we had a month to switch. All this after HUNDREDS of dollars in setup fees and equipment! What really amazes me is that I am a business account subscriber (IDSL). This shouldn't happen to ADSL home user, but to handle business subscribers in such a manner is unbelievable. Of course, in an industry with companies like NorthPoint, I suppose Brainlink is simply doing what it thinks it can get away with.
Unprofessional practices runs deep at Brainlink. Everything from answering machine customer service, to (the often impossible to reach) snotty know-nothing techie who couldn't figure out that they had assigned my router the subnet boundary address to unannounced inline HTTP caching and misleading advertising claiming you receive a 'class C equivilant (nothing more than a private class C subnet, which they now make clear on their site), I don't think Brainlink would stop at anything to cut corners and make a low-effort buck. And to think that I put up with this ISP only to have them drop me!
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Review by crash77mike
Posted: 7.4 years ago
member for 7.9 years, 35 visits, last login: 5.4 years ago
Ashburn,Loudoun,VA
$120 per month (12 month contract)
about 60 days
Verizon
CLEC party: Network Access Solutions
"Reliable, fast connection"
"Very slow setup"
"No problems since connection"
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Update:
Well, finally after being connected, I've all but forgotten the painful process of getting up and running. My connection is fast and reliable. I haven't noticed any downtime yet. The only thing that could make me happier at this point is a lower price tag. But even at this cost, it's worth not having to dial up anymore.
Original review:
I sincerely hope that I am the "1-in-1000" type customer that just experiences the worst of the worst, because if BrainLINK works with all of their customers the way they have worked with me, they wouldn't be in business. I'm not upset enough to cancel my contract, but I have a few big gripes:
1. How long does it take to get turned on? My order was placed sometime around Jan 25, and here it is Mar 25 and I'm dialing up using a modem. Half of the problem was just getting Verizon to install the circuit, but the circuit has been installed and I have had the DSL router sitting on my desk for almost a week. Last Tuesday I identified a problem to BrainLINK--something that should probably take 15 minutes to fix--and they waited until Friday around 5PM to contact NAS about it. Just my luck, NAS doesn't seem to work over the weekend, so it will be at least Monday before anything works.
2. Responses - I called about once a day waiting for my router to be correctly configured (remotely), and each time I was promised quick action and a confirmation e-mail. It took all week until Friday when I talked to M.W. at BrainLINK before I got what I feel was an honest answer AND a reply in the form of a phone call.
3. Static IP - I was confused about this, but on dslreports.com--and on their web site (when I signed up, it looks like it was removed)--it says you get 1 static IP with your order. I assumed this meant a *PUBLIC* IP, so I didn't find out until afterwards that I needed to order a block of 8 IPs (1 network, 1 broadcast, and 6 useable) for an additional $20/mo. This may have been my own confusion, but I don't think $20/mo should be taken for granted.
But like I said above, BrainLINK doesn't seem to be all bad. They're seemingly a small company trying to make it in a rough market, and they have been friendly with me every time I have called. Most times I call, they know who I am without looking up any account information, which tells me that they are working to solve the problem. But for the cost of my contract, I think they could probably be a little more diligent about it.
In the end, the friendly service is often worth a little extra hassle. If I'm an example of the rare case that just didn't go well, then I would definitely recommend BrainLINK to others. This is hopefully just an example of how even a great provider messes up once in a while.
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Review by (hidden by request)
Posted: 7.5 years ago
(review was emailed from domain earthlink.net)
New York,New York,NY
 Business customer
$150 per month (12 month contract)
Verizon (ex GTE)
CLEC party: Covad
"Not Expensive"
"The Lights Aren't On and No One's Home"
"Reliability Issues and Having Answering Machine Pick Up Won't Cut it for Business"
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I'm about to cancel service. They are SDSL only now - strictly for
business - so reliability should be paramount. Nevertheless, they have
relatively frequent service interruptions, both as to internet access and
e-mail servers being down. Very difficult to get a person on the line -
almost always get their answering machine. They seem to keep office hours
of 11 am -4pm weekdays only. Any other time, you are out of luck.
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Review by (hidden by request)
Posted: 7.8 years ago
(review was emailed from domain lrsla.com)
Philadelphia,Philadelphia,PA
Business customer
$80 per month (24 month contract)
Verizon
CLEC party: Network Access Solutions
"Excellent company to work with!"
"Simplicity at its finest!"
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Amar and the staff at Brainlink were simply great! They cut through all of
the confusion of obtaining DSL and provided excellent service.
My experience with DSL was nil. Knowing another company that went with
Brainlink, I called Amar. He was extremely helpful and patient. He gave us
a lead time of six weeks for the system to be installed. We were hooked up
in 2 1/2 weeks! After Bell and NAS did their minimal installation, we were
on Brainlink's server within 24 hours. Not being a computer geek, I
coordinated the offices computers to Brainlink and created email boxes for
the staff.
We now have superior access to the web, efficient email distribution and a
24 hour connection that we never have to think about. This is what the
computer age is about!
Brainlink is the tops compared to the other companies that are out there.
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Review by Diva Design
Posted: 8 years ago
member for 8 years, 1 visits, last login: 8 years ago
New York,New York,NY
$59 per month
about 21 days
"The kind of service you dream of"
"Can't think of any"
"They are the jack-pot of ISPs"
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Despite many of the horror stories out there about DSL installation, here is a very positive experience.
I found out about BrainLINK while shopping around for a new ISP. Someone I knew had dial-up through them, and liked it, so I decided to sign up. Not only were their offers MUCH better than my ISP at the time, but they also offered DSL for a reasonable price!
Around the same time my boyfriend had problems with his ISP and was shopping around as well. I told him about BrainLINK and he looked into it and discovered that they even offered dial-up in Cambridge, where he lived at the time. So he signed up as well.
It didn't take long for me to realize that BrainLINK is the jack-pot of ISPs. In February I opened my account with them. Most of the dealings were with Morella, Amar and Sharon, who are some of most knowledgeable and pleasant sales reps I have ever experienced. Particularly Morella, who I thought was giving me exceptional service because I was special, but then discovered that she gives equally great service to all the people I have recommended. In May I signed up for DSL with them, and 3 weeks later I was connected! The most attractive part about their offer was the fact that I didn't have to commit to a 2-year contract. While I waited for my line to be installed, they kept me updated about every step in the process.
Since then I have enjoyed a fast and reliable connection which up to this point was down once for a few hours due some repair work on Covad's end. BrainLINK returned my support call within 30 minutes and updated me on the situation. They also offer back-up dial-up for these situations.
Both my boyfriend and I have been recommending BrainLINK to our friends and clients and will continue to do so. 
Susanne Schropp
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Review by mrdata
Posted: 8.2 years ago
(review was emailed from domain erols.com)
Rockville,Montgomery,MD
Business customer
$59 per month (12 month contract)
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I've only had Brainlink as my ISP for a bit over a month. My contract is
for 12 months of 144 SDSL which I can upgrade as I find it necessary.
Their salesman gave me the information I requested, plus a bit more, and
assisted when I had questions. They seemed very professional. Yes,
dealing with Bell Atlantic is a pain in the ***, but we really don't
have a choice there.
The connection has been great for both me an my customers. Brainlink's
tech support extremely helpful. There isn't much more you could expect
from an ISP than I have received. As a consultant, I will recommend them
to my customers.
Norman Nead
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Review by (hidden by request)
Posted: 8.2 years ago
(review was emailed from domain tekwizards.net)
Forest Hills,Queens,NY
$90 per month (12 month contract)
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I'm a very happy customer, the installation process was extremelly easy and
everyone was very professional. It did take a little while for Bell Atlantic
to actually come and install the additional line, but once I got the Email
confirming the installation appointment everyone was on time. The BA
installation took only a few minutes and Covad came a few hours later and
had me up and running in no time. The DSL line is great, its fast and it
hasnt been down yet (had it for a month), I only wish they offered Static
IPs to their ADSL Customers, but hey, you cant have it all.
Brainlink is affordable and their service is AWESOME. I recomend them
without any reservations.
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Review by rhalliday
Posted: 8.4 years ago
member for 9 years, 337 visits, last login: 14 days ago
Norfolk,Norfolk City,VA
Business customer
$275 per month
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Speed: 512K SDSL
IP Addressing: Subnet of 16 static IP's
Equipment: Lucent DSL router with 4 port 10BaseT hub
Support from both Brainlink and NAS from pre sales to installation was excellent. Thanks to Bell Atlantic, it took over 2 months from sign-up to up and running. The Bell Atlantic tech finaly came out to connect the line at my house about a week after they told Brainlink that the work was done. Then there were other hold ups from Bell Atlantic at the CO. To top it off, when the NAS techs came to do their install they couldn't get a signal on the line (turns out that the BA tech didn't hook up all the wires properly). Once I fixed the BA tech's mistake, I was up and running in about 3 days (Brainlink test the circuit and equipment to ensure everything will run properly before activation).
Tech support is quite good, with a real person answering the phone and transfering you to the appropriate person. Unlike some tech support people I have spoken with from other companies, I have always reached someone who has a clue when calling Brainlink.
In over 3 months I've had less than 2 hours downtime (mostly at around 1AM). Throughput is always at the rated connection speed if not a bit higher. Latency is quite good, especially considering that my connection goes to NY and then out to the backbone up there (from Norfolk, VA).
I would highly recommend Brainlink to anyone looking for a dependable connection who would rather talk to a person than a machine when calling their ISP.
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Review by brainlink.com
Posted: 8.4 years ago
member for 8.9 years, 3 visits, last login: 7.8 years ago
Forest Hills,Queens,NY
$89 per month (12 month contract)
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Dennis@tekwizards.net
768 ADSL customer
I'm a very happy customer, the installation process was extremelly easy and
everyone was very professional. It did take a little while for Bell Atlantic
to actually come and install the additional line, but once I got the Email
confirming the installation appointment everyone was on time. The BA
installation took only a few minutes and Covad came a few hours later and
had me up and running in no time. The DSL line is great, its fast and it
hasnt been down yet (had it for a month), I only wish they offered Static
IPs to their ADSL Customers, but hey, you cant have it all.
Brainlink is affordable and their service is AWESOME. I recomend them
without any reservations.
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Review by edentz
Posted: 8.5 years ago
member for 8.6 years, 6 visits, last login: 7.5 years ago
New York,New York,NY
$89 per month (12 month contract)
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I want to preface this review by saying that the people at Brainlink are
wonderful. From my first inquiry, through the recent interruption in my
service, they have been nothing but professional and responsive. If you are
thinking about getting DSL installed in the New York metro area, look no
further.
That said I do want to recount all of the gory details of my install
process, because I think that if you know what to expect, you won't get
angry at Brainlink for Bell Atlantic and Covad's mistakes.
I began shopping for DSL at the end of October. I tried to order it from
Bell Atlantic, but was told that because Bell Atlantic wasn't my local phone
service provider, (I switched to MCI back in May of 1999) I couldn't get DSL
service from them. I looked at the Covad and Northpoint web sites and went
through the lists of their partner ISPs. One told me that I had to have
Bell Atlantic as my local provider, another told me that it wasn't actually
available in my area. I decided to wait a little bit. One day I looked up
DSL on deja.com I found a link to dslreports.com. Based upon what I read
here I decided to go with inyc. I got all the information from their rep
and was prepared to sign the contract, but I was a little put off by the
inyc rep. It felt too much like he was trying to "sell" me. I felt like I
was just another commission. In order to get a discounted or free
installation you had to sign up for one or two years, and the penalty for
early termination was the remainder of the contract. I decided to look
around on DSL reports again and I noticed Brainlink. Their rate for the
768/384 service was about $10/month higher, but their rep, Morella,
explained that I could cancel my service without penalty as long as I gave
30 days written notice. And the installation fees were competitive with
inyc's two year contract! Throughout my decision process, Morella was
available to answer my questions and certainly didn't try to "sell" me.
After dealing with a few other sales reps, Morella a real surprise.
I signed the contract around November 8th and I got my confirmation from
Covad about 10 days later. Bell Atlantic was scheduled for the day after
Thanksgiving and Covad for a week later.
Needless to say Bell Atlantic didn't show up for their appointment. Covad
did show up for theirs a week later, but they couldn't do anything. I
waited for my next confirmation, but I heard nothing, finally on the Monday
before Christmas I came home to find a message on my answering machine from
a Bell technician, saying that they had stopped by, but I wasn't home so...
I called Brainlink immediately. Apparently they had e-mailed me my next
confirmation, but for some reason I hadn't received it. (My old ISP was
having some e-mail delivery problems) That confirmation said that Bell was
supposed to show up the week before! They had missed their scheduled
appointment and showed up that evening without any prior notice to my ISP or
myself. I was totally frustrated, though not surprised given the things
that I'd read about Bell Atlantic on DSL reports.
A few days later I got my next confirmation. Bell was scheduled to show up
on Dec. 30th and Covad for January 14th. This time Bell showed up. At
first they didn't think they were going to be able to do the install,
because they didn't bring any cable with them(?), but then they found a
cable that they were able to splice into. Now I only had to wait 2 weeks for
Covad! The Covad tech showed up on Jan. 14th as scheduled. He hooked up
the jack and plugged in the modem and ... The modem was n.g. He went
downstairs to get another and plugged that one in, also n.g. He only had 4
with him and he said he thought the whole batch might be bad. When the 3rd
one was n.g. I had to leave the room in despair, but then the 4th one
connected.
Ever since then I've been joyously surfing at the speed of light or what
seems close to it. Downloads that would've taken 2 hours on my 33.6 come
down in 5 minutes. According to the speed test at DSL reports my average
download speed is 620 Kbps. There were a few days when my service was
knocked out by the snow storm, but apparently it was a Bell Atlantic problem
that affected all DSL customers in the NY area. Sharon and Morella were
incredibly helpful and responsive throughout though, and my service was back
up and running a few days later. It's been running smoothly ever since.
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brainlink international inc
