Anon | Concentric install hell -- Covad sucks!
Concentric Good - Covad Bad
Installation: 1 of 5
Customer Service: 5 of 5
I have had a nightmare trying to get DSL installed. I am trying for the 1.5Mbps/384Kbps option for $89/month. This is using Covad and they are the real problem. I wish I could review them instead.
I placed my order with Concentric on 6/13. I was contacted by Covad on 6/30 for the local loop install date of 7/12. They have to get USWest to install the line, because the are the local carrier. USWest will only give a commitment of 8AM to 5PM. I had to take the entire day off of work to be there, because the DMARC is in the basement. You guessed it they never showed up. Typical USWest (or Quest now). They claimed they had "No Access" when the logs were updated. Tough to have access if you don't even show up. Covad rescheduled the local loop delivery for 7/24. The USWest technician showed up this time at approximately 11AM. The line was installed, but he was not able to get through to Covad on the phone to get the line tested. I called Concentric to report this and they said that they can have Covad to the test and they would get back to me. I didn't hear anything. By 7/26, I called Covad and Concentric. Over the next three days (until today), I have been given reasons of "some of the test have been done", "we are waiting for one more test", "we will complete the test with in 24 hours" and "we are waiting for USWest to update us with DMARC information". My answer is just get it done instead of waiting for somebody else to do something! It has now been over 1-1/2 months since I placed my order and I am out 12 hours of work and I am no better off than I was.
I have promised them that if they don't have an install date for me by the end of the day 7/31, I will cancel my order without hesitation. I will not pay a company to screw up this badly. If the communication channels between provisioning and the phone company are that bad they have work to do or law suites to file. Concentric does offer the same product with Northpoint instead of Covad. My line qualifies for them also. They have agreed to work with me as a Northpoint customer if I have to cancel on 8/1.
Final Analysis stay away from Covad if you have other choices (I can only assume Northpoint would be better). On the bright side Covad customer services was excellent as was Concentric's. Concentric's hold times were a little lengthy in the afternoon but they were quite fast in the A.M. |
