dfjkl
@cat.com
| [IL] Mediacom recent IL outages and Business Service - not happy
I got Mediacom Business Internet to replace my DSL.
My DSL had some awesome features for a good price, namely useable static IP's. Primarily due to the fact that the rev. DNS was modified on them also. But the actual connection kept getting worse over time (they just switched out all their equipment end to end before I dropped them and that improved service, but had already made plans to drop them).
Mediacom was great while I was dual-homed. I dropped my DSL service on Thurs. Since then:
1. All day Saturday outage.
2. Extended Tues. outage (wasn't able to use from time I got home from work until bed...who knows how long it was down).
While it was explained that #2 was a fiber cut, that's fine. But BUSINESS support told me when I asked about the 1st that "I don't know, I wasn't here." Well...I can't say that I care about that. I want to know why my "business-class" internet service was down all day Saturday (and I still don't know). I require a stable service for remote work. That's the whole reason I left my last provider and might be why I might have to re-evaluate Mediacom if I don't start getting satisfactory answers and service.
Also....I've always been able to have some internet service following power outages (generally brief ones or at least for an hour or so into an outage). I have my equipment on UPS, I would expect a business-class connection to also be available for a reasonable amount of time following a power outage. I'm beginning to wonder what $100/month is getting be besides unreliable service and the run-around and back-talk @ the support desk. I'm thoroughly annoyed and am seriously giving the upgraded service @ the provider I just left another look. |
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mertz67
join:2006-09-07
Davenport, IA
| Re: [IL] Mediacom recent IL outages and Business Service - not h
Not to be a smart (bleep) but everyones internet in West Central Iowa and Illinois was out for about 12 hours or so that day. There is a 2 or 3 page thread not too far down discussing it here. They had to deliver a part from DesMoines to Mediacoms main office in Moline and then it took time to synch everyone back up. (At least that is Mediacoms story as I understand it)
As for Tuesday I have no clue. I did not notice mine out yesterday but I barely hopped on at all. |
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drslash
Goya Asma
Premium
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA
| reply to dfjkl
If I required a reliable connection for business purposes I would have both DSL and cable. If I had to choose one over the other I would go with DSL first, then Mediacom cable. As far as I know, Mediacom does not have power back up on the equipment between your business and the CMTS. If your DSL terminates at the CO then you would have connectivity during a power outage. I don't know if you would have connectivity if your DSL goes through a remote terminal.
Where in Illinois are you? Last I knew, a T1 in the Quad Cities could be gotten for about $500 per month with a SLA.
--
Save water...drink beer! |
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dfjkl
@mchsi.com
| reply to mertz67
mertz67
You can be a smart whatever, matters not. What does bug me is that OK...if it was THAT wide-spread of an outage, then the darn uber-special business support line should've had an answer as to what was wrong. Still though, that story for the time of the outage leaves a little to be desired.
drslash
I had both, but really don't need both. Unfortunately, Central IL only has so many options.
..and truthfully, I don't accept excuses for the ISP's. There is no good reason for not having battery backups on their equipment. Plus, what does this say about their overpriced VOIP phone service? Why would I even think about spending money on that when they can't deal with power blips? I would expect to at least be able to terminate a call to tell the power company that I'm w/out power. But worse, paying a "business" rate, I would expect some better level of service. Expecting to have 30-60 minutes of connectivity during a power outage is not unreasonable and should be considered a minimum level of service. I've never had anything less from the area providers previously and I'm in the middle of fricken nowhere in the grand scheme of things. I don't have a need for a T1. Truthfully though, I'm already paying a higher rate for the service, I expect more than being able to get through to the call center to only get unhelpfulness. |
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wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
 ·Mediacom
| said by dfjkl :
mertz67
and truthfully, I don't accept excuses for the ISP's. There is no good reason for not having battery backups on their equipment.
Had nothing to do with battery backup, a unit failed and had to be replaced with a part from Des Moines. |
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dfjkl
@mchsi.com | I realize that....but I've had other outages related to that issue. |
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wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| said by dfjkl  :I realize that....but I've had other outages related to that issue. Yea, me too. Everyday, 6 hours a day for 2 weeks. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
 ·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to dfjkl
said by dfjkl :There is no good reason for not having battery backups on their equipment. Plus, what does this say about their overpriced VOIP phone service? Power outages are beyond mediacom's control and you cant hardly blame them for it.
On that note, I spent several nights sitting in my truck with an extension cord run from a power inverter mounted in my truck to a power supply during different power outages.
Also for long term power outages mediacom has in the past taken gas powered generators out and chained them to poles for power. |
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wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| said by burner50 :said by dfjkl :There is no good reason for not having battery backups on their equipment. Plus, what does this say about their overpriced VOIP phone service? Power outages are beyond mediacom's control and you cant hardly blame them for it. On that note, I spent several nights sitting in my truck with an extension cord run from a power inverter mounted in my truck to a power supply during different power outages. Also for long term power outages mediacom has in the past taken gas powered generators out and chained them to poles for power. So a 20 year old failing power supply isn't Mediacom's fault? That's the problem here. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm | Where did I say that? Did I quote you? Or even reply to your post? |
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dfjkl
join:2008-08-14
Green Valley, IL
| reply to burner50
Yes, I can. Not for the power outage itself, but for not being able to weather any portion of it. If Mediacom wants to be able to offer voice service too, there needs to be some battery backup on the equipment to allow some connectivity for a reasonable amount of time without power. Mediacom is one of the few companies I've ever encountered that does NOT do this...and it's poor service not to and most certainly not any service worthy of having any "business" classification. |
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wardfan
join:2007-08-14
Moline, IL
·Mediacom
| said by dfjkl :Yes, I can. Not for the power outage itself, but for not being able to weather any portion of it. If Mediacom wants to be able to offer voice service too, there needs to be some battery backup on the equipment to allow some connectivity for a reasonable amount of time without power. Mediacom is one of the few companies I've ever encountered that does NOT do this...and it's poor service not to and most certainly not any service worthy of having any "business" classification. They do have generators at the headend and OTNs, that work. And they do have battery backups for all the power supplies that feed the nodes and amplifiers, however the battery backups never work. |
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Turbocpe
Premium
join:2001-12-22
IA
| I'd have to wonder about that myself. Lately, when there is a storm (it doesn't have to be a severe storm) our area will frequently lose both TV and HSD services for a minute or two at a time, and then when it returns, the TV will be full of "noise". It takes a good 2-3 minutes before the noise slowly, and progressively, disappears. During this time, the HSD service isn't operational, which I imagine is due to the noise/SNR. It's as if something has to "warm-up" from a cold start. |
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dfjkl
join:2008-08-14
Green Valley, IL
| reply to dfjkl
I'm calling b.s. on the UPS's. I just had 3 power flickers and saw blinky internet light each time. I called their "business" support and they seemed quite happy to accept it as normal that a whole area was out due to a power flicker. They claimed that it happens to the "head end" during a power outage. A flicker?! Really?!
This is b.s. I asked her what they do if I ordered their VOIP service, to which her response was "commercial customers can't get phone service" but then just a minute later after I'd mention that I'd expect a commercial grade service to at least weather a 30 minute power outage she tells me that I'm on the same equipment as all the other customers (which CAN order VOIP). Idiots..... How about I don't know...building in some basic reliability?! |
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