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Comments on news posted 2006-04-03 11:56:56: Traditionally well reviewed Los Angeles based indie DSL ISP DSLExtreme has been acquired by IKANO Communications, according to the company. According to the press release, the company will retain the same brand-name, and DSLExtreme founders Ari R.. ..


en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

There goes the neighborhood

Lets see how long I can keep my good service... typically when a company is purchassd (or goes public), investors want $$$, and service goes down, prices go up.
indysz
Premium Member
join:2003-07-26
Valparaiso, IN

indysz

Premium Member

Why?

If the company was doing so well what was the need. They are probably just floating.
jantypas
Premium Member
join:2002-11-02
Pittsburg, CA

jantypas

Premium Member

Small ISPs....

This is why I went with a smaller "neighborhood" ISP. (Though I doubt Sonic.net could be called small anymore). DSLExtreme was my other choice, but I chose the little guy. Typically, the mega ISP goes downhill after a purcfhase -- the new owners want to maximize the cash, and you do that by cutting support staff, and doing little things like "We don't offer customer static IPs...."

My "little ISP", still allows me to do strange things like IPv6 tunnels, still has real people, who actually KNOW what IPv6 is, answering the phone, and still has (gasp) the ability to let me set up my own filter rules on the firewall.

Strange thing is, DSLExtreme and Sonic were the same price for the static package. I'll bet that will change...
kd6cae
P2p Shouldn't Be A Crime
join:2001-08-27
Bakersfield, CA

kd6cae

Member

What's the point of purchasing?

As a current quite satisfied user of DSL extreme,, I am wondering what advantage this purchase of a well respected ISP has for us, their customers?
As far as I've seen, DSL extreme has offered the lowest priced DSL around, especially if you want the higher tiers of service. Everywhere else I've looked, the 7.1MBPS/768KBPS top tier of DSL on Verizon lines is being offered for nearly $200 a month, yet DSL extreme, or whatever they'll be called now, is offering it for $150, and as an existing customer, I can possibly get it for less than that even. So with DSL extreme being one of the few ISP's around that actually gives customers what they want, at decent prices, why have someone else purchase you when you're doing so well?
I guess I'd better enjoy my rock solid service at a nice price while I can.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

1 edit

oliphant

Premium Member

Actually it's $99 for DSLx VZ 7100/768 month-month (at least when I switched back to DSLx from VZ a few days ago) with 8 static IPs.
said by PR :
IKANO will continue to provide the same competitively priced, high quality services that DSLExtreme's subscribers have enjoyed in the past.
I hope this is true.
garmst
join:2000-09-17
New York, NY

garmst to kd6cae

Member

to kd6cae
The point may be that the new owners may recapitalize the company so it can upgrade its infrastructure and services. Purchasing is not a bad thing. The current owners may be out of capital or unwilling to invest more capital. We all know the bar in BB services is rising, that means more capital spending is required to maintain or grow the business.

A failing or stagnant ISP provider is not your best friend in this market. DSLE has a lot of killer competitors out there who are upping the ante.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

2 edits

oliphant

Premium Member

said by garmst:

DSLE has a lot of killer competitors out there who are upping the ante.
Like?

The only competitors I see are those like Comcast and Time Warner who the only thing they're upping is the price while limitations on use increase...monthly use limitations, no static IPs, no serving, very low usenet limits (in Comcast's case anyway)...pretty much browsing and email and that about it. Verizon has stepped up with FIOS but only has limited deployments thus far and DSLx was already in negotiations to resell their service over fiber or so they claimed in the DSLx forum »Any update on reselling FIOS? . In the SBC areas, who is the killer competitor suddenly stepping up? Certainly not SBC.

DSLx satisfaction ratings here at DSLR are higher than ALL of the cable operators listed, and higher than all of the incumbent DSL providers listed. Only a few indy ISPs like them rank higher.

I'm just not seeing who the killer competitors are in DSLx's service areas.

The bar is rising...but DSLx is already at the top of the customer satisfaction food chain when compared to their local competitors. Few ISPs here as DSLR have satisfaction ratings like theirs...certainly none of their local competitors like Verizon, SBC, Comcast and Time Warner.
lemonade1
join:2003-12-13
Los Angeles, CA

lemonade1

Member

dslextreme vs sbc?

i used to recommend dslextreme to my friends if they ask for my advice, simply because dslextreme is cheaper than SBC, actually only a few bucks... but right now with SBC/ATT's aggressive pricing scheme, i am not sure any more... any comment?

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Well, both SBC (AT&T) and DSL Extreme have agressive pricing - both are sub $15/month for 1.5/384.

For DSLX: Customer service, local tech support, not bundled with AT&T/SBC crud, DHCP vs. PPPoE, and you don't have to bundle long distance to do it.

For AT&T/SBC: They own the lines, and local line support (doesn't mean much). Yahoo multimedia bundles. AT&T/SBC has deep pockets and millions of subs (= $$$)

Bill
Premium Member
join:2001-12-09

Bill to lemonade1

Premium Member

to lemonade1
From what I've seen in the forum, DSLX pricing is no longer cheaper. It's a few bucks more. There's been some people bitching about it recently.

Which do you want: better support or a cheaper price? It's up to you.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

oliphant

Premium Member

Plus it depends on the plan. In my case (Verizon) when looking at static IP or higher speed plans, DSLx continues to be cheaper or offers what VZ won't. My plan is less than 1/2 the price of VZ, plus I get more static IPs.

Tech Guy
@linkline.com

Tech Guy

Anon

Grow or DIE!

As someone who works in the ISP industry I think this is very interesting. I really don’t know how to feel about this whole thing I really hope that little ISP's can stay around but I fear that it will not last with SBC/Verizon undercutting the prices its very hard for a Local ISP to stay above water just because the cost is almost the same if not more then what we (local ISP) needs to sale for to make money so that they can continue to sell DSL services. I have worked for 2 ISP's one in an area with No competition but the BIG Telco and this one who has competition such as DSLX and it’s an interesting dynamic because you have to balance price with service and some times you have to pay little more for personal service. most people tell me its nice to be able to talk to someone within the first 2 mins of calling and have someone know what they are talking about and not just reading a paper that says reboot. That don’t work open a ticket. I some times find myself hating to have to open a ticket with the Telco because I want to fix the problem so they don’t have to wait I try and treat everyone who calls just like I want to be treated I don’t want to wait for my service to come back up I want it up now. So I can feel for people who do not like the Telco for reboot ok open ticket someone else will work on it. It’s stupid they should try and fix the issue now. but they don’t care they can undercut everyone and there is nothing we can do the only way to stay alive is to grow bigger and merge with someone else which then makes them just like the big Telco.
just my 2 cents

POB
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium Member
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA

1 recommendation

POB

Premium Member

Suckers

Dslextreme began to suck 3 yrs ago when I still had it and now existing customers can expect it to get that much worse. The owners made their money and then got out while the gettin' was good. Pretty soon there will be 1 broadband cable ISP and 1 DSL ISP to choose from and that's the way these fucking corps want it. Once choice is reduced then it will be a game of content where you pay for everything, just like a virtual toll road on the Net...some schnook in a hat asking for a toll every 25FT. Think it can't happen then read more here:
»mediacitizen.blogspot.com/
Deathsadvoca
join:2003-08-20
South Lyon, MI

Deathsadvoca to indysz

Member

to indysz

Re: Why?

the owners could have wanted out/wanted to retire or simply they were tired of running a DSL business.

Matt3
All noise, no signal.
Premium Member
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC

Matt3 to Bill

Premium Member

to Bill

Re: dslextreme vs sbc?

said by Bill:

From what I've seen in the forum, DSLX pricing is no longer cheaper. It's a few bucks more. There's been some people bitching about it recently.

Which do you want: better support or a cheaper price? It's up to you.
Perhaps it's because I'm in Bellsouth territory, but their 768Kbps/128Kbps package is $39.99 a month for me. They must be going through Covad to re-sell service to me or something. I can get Earthlink over RoadRunner at 5Mbps/384Kbps for $41.95.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to oliphant

Member

to oliphant
I agree - if you want static IP's - DSLX is cheaper than SBC/AT&T, however, Sonic is priced comparibly for static.

Basics:
DSLX: $12.95 for 1.5/384 - promo rate no long distance required
AT&T: $12.99 for 1.5/384 - promo rate
AT&T: $14.99 for 1.5/384 local+ld bundle

DaveSh
@worxanywhere.com

DaveSh

Anon

sorry dude

just because some guy in a blog says something's going to happen doesn't mean it's going to. besides there are things called laws that prevent it.

Bill
Premium Member
join:2001-12-09

Bill to Matt3

Premium Member

to Matt3

Re: dslextreme vs sbc?

Must be the location.

On their pricing page for "Network 1", which I believe is LA/SF/SD SBC areas, I'm seeing this for the dynamic, 1 yr contract plans:
Lowest DSL Price in the USA! 384-1500 / 128-384 kbps Starting At: $12.95

High Speed, Super Low Price! 1500-3000 / 384-512 kbps Starting At: $17.95

Limited Time Offer! 1500-6000 / 384-608 kbps Starting At: $49.95

ylen131
join:2000-02-09
Canoga Park, CA

ylen131

Member

it's a good company

i have 2 account with dslextreme and is totally satisfied with them. Same people are still in charge of running the company including the ceo, according to post in dslextreme forum ikano made no changes to structure of dslextreme
blacksurfer
join:2002-07-14
Sherman Oaks, CA

blacksurfer to POB

Member

to POB

Re: Suckers

Re: "Dslextreme began to suck 3 yrs ago..."

Care to explain how they began to suck? I've had them for my business and home along with many family members and friends and they've been great. They upgraded from PPPoE to Dynamic loggin in and they give referral credit for each person you referred, and they have personalize help on this forum if you have any problems. The one time I've been down for more than 8 hours was due to a problem at the RT terminal. I'm glad they're not going out of business which would leave us with SBC because that would suck!

BS
OHN
join:2003-02-05
Appleton, WI

OHN to POB

Member

to POB
I would like to know as well. I have them for about a year and love them. I also referred two friends to them and they are also very pleased. The only time I had issues with my connection it was due to an SBC outage.
jlsjrf29
join:2002-05-12
San Jose, CA

jlsjrf29

Member

I'm so glad i left while i could

We all know what this means.


Maxeh
Woot?
Premium Member
join:2002-12-23
Chicago, IL

Maxeh to blacksurfer

Premium Member

to blacksurfer

Re: Suckers

I agree, DSLX kicks ass, in fact, you were the one who recommended me

I've been using them ever since and don't plan on switching anytime soon, why? Support is great, george is always here to help, pricing is great, i don't get bundled ads shoved down my throats, the news servers work (with decent retention for being "free"), and overall service is where i want it to be.

Hopefully the new owners don't muck things up

Bloominite
Premium Member
join:2004-04-17

Bloominite to POB

Premium Member

to POB
I've been with DSLX for 2 years now couldn't be happier. Their level of service has been topnotch every step of the way.

dogma
XYZ
Premium Member
join:2002-08-15
Boulder City, NV

dogma to POB

Premium Member

to POB
Add another "extremely" satisfied DSLX customer here. The mere fact that dslx CS speaks clear english when you call (24/7) is remarkable in this cut-throat business climate.
said by POB:

Dslextreme began to suck 3 yrs ago when I still had it...
???

Why are you still advertising them under your avatar?
AirGig
join:1999-11-21
New York, NY

AirGig

Member

DSLExtreme = Great!

Over 400 office users on a 6 MB down / 600 KB up DSLExtreme connection and it works fantastically. Solid connection. Understandable and experienced staff. No hassle service!
blacksurfer
join:2002-07-14
Sherman Oaks, CA

blacksurfer

Member

Wow! 400 people. Hope they weren't all watching March Madness online at once! LOL.

FormerIKANOEMP
@64.101.x.x

FormerIKANOEMP to ylen131

Anon

to ylen131

Re: it's a good company

IKANO hasn't made any changes yet, but they layed off about 25-30 people at their corporate office right after they bought this company. I promise that it's only a matter of time (I believe California law requires 60 days notice of "reductions in force") before they shut down the DSLX offices. I've seen it before with IKANO's other purchases. As far as the the DSLX customers go, support will likely suffer imediately. IKANO's call center is already completely overwhelmed. Over time I expect that service levels will drop too as IKANO does not spend money to improve infrastructure until things get so bad that things break. But then again, IKANO is simply positioning itself so that it's investors can sell off the company.