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linearz
join:2010-08-13
San Francisco, CA

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linearz

Member

Sonic Fusion Install Nightmare in SF

Been dealing with a nightmare install of Sonic Fusion, bonded pair, dry copper, 3.0/2.0 service. The data rate has been downgraded since day one, and right now, every few minutes, my internet connection just stops. Install was six weeks ago, and the problems have been getting progressively worse.

Sonic's support on this issue has been horrible and disorganized. Here's what I've gone through:
1. On multiple occasions, Sonic closed a trouble ticket without resolving this issue or contacting me. That just brings all troubleshooting back to square one.
2. When I call Sonic support, I often speak with a different support tech, which has required me to re-explain the technical history from square one whenever a trouble ticket closes.
3. I often get conflicting information from each of the new support techs I speak with, which makes me a very poor keeper of technical history.
4. Sonic fails to fallow through on simple action items. In one instance Sonic "forgot" to send a loaner modem when they told me they could do nothing until I tried a new modem. Then, weeks later they sent me the wrong modem.
5. Sonic has failed to respond to emails or return calls on multiple occasion. Its not like I'm harassing them; I've sent 2 emails and call them at most a couple times per week on this same issue.

My Saga so Far -

Why Sonic? I had Speakeasy 1.5M/756+ for over 5 years now. It has been relatively solid, but arcane email quota and deteriorating customer service made me look elsewhere. I saw Sonic fusion had double the bandwidth at a lower price and went with it. Sounds good, huh?

Sales, provision and install were quick. A Sonic tech did the install on site, even ran a Cat5 wire directly from the AT&T box to my house. Plugged in the modem, and the primary DSL line sync'd up perfect. The secondary had OK noise margins, but low upload rates. The installer told me he thought the issue it was either the copper or the DSLAM. He then left me with 2.0/1.0 service, and no explanation on why the slower download rates. About a week later, an AT&T tech tested the AT&T copper and said it was OK.

Then the trouble started...

A "Fusion Specialist" soon called and told me that before Sonic looks at the DSLAM he wanted me to try a loaner modem. I waited a week and nothing, so I sent an email to check where the modem was. That email went unanswered. A couple days later, I called and found my trouble ticket had been closed. Sonic then opened a ticket sent me a new modem one a week later. When the Modem arrived, it was the wrong modem! I got the correct modem in another week (5 weeks after install if you've lost count), plugged it in, and upload rates on the secondary line was still poor. By this time my internet service also started to periodically fail.

I called Sonic, and spoke with a new support tech that had no idea of the history, and he needed me to explain the history. After giving the history, he automatically told me the problem was distance to the CO. He was rather obstinate about this. As for periodic failure, I was instructed to try turning it off and turn it on again.

Huh? What happened to looking at the DSLAM?

Here's the kicker - Sonic keeps telling me that one of the lines syncs perfectly. I had 1.5/756 with Speakeasy that was rock solid for years. I have two neighbors that get similar speeds from other AT&T providers. No one at Sonic even mention distance to be an issue until now?!?!

This was beginning to sound like an ISP who may be too busy to handle a problem. Perhaps Sonic is selling more Fusion than they can support? Even after I explained all the examples of DSL at this speed working in my neighborhood (including the primary line in my Sonic supplied bonded pair), the support tech still said it was a distance issue and I'd have to live with the problem.

So let me get this straight - To use Sonic Fusion, I have to accept downgraded service that requires me to periodically reboot my DSL modem? I'm surprised that wasn't in the brochure...

Anyway, I asked the support tech if a "Fusion specialist" could call me to discuss this. The tech said he would have the specialist call me. I never got a return call.. I finally called back, only to find that once again my trouble ticket had been closed. This time, a different support tech explains to me that - SURPRISE! - the problem is a bad upload line, and is probably at the DSLAM or copper.

It has been a frustrating 6+ week circle.

Through all this, my DSL problem is getting progressively worse. Upload on the bad line is now syncing at 32-64K. The bonded pair keeps going down ever few minutes because the secondary line keeps trying to resync. I tried to get Sonic to unbond the connection so I can just run on the primary line until the issue gets resolved, but apparently Sonic's modem does not support this without a rewired patch cable, and Sonic tech support claims it doesn't know how to do this wiring.

Sonic is still stalling looking at the DSLAM. They now want to send a truck roll out to take another look at my install. That should burn another week....

I see a lot of good reviews for Sonic support. What is the deal? Did AT&T just buy these guys? Is the support team paid per ticket it closes? Does Sonic understand the concept of tier two support?

Anyone have similar problems with Fusion bonded? Is Sonic really this bad? Is it time to cut bait? Does anyone have any other ISP suggestions for San Francisco?
sutrotower
join:2010-08-15
San Francisco, CA

sutrotower

Member

I switched from Sonic DSL over AT&T phone service to Sonic's Fusion DSL Tuesday (8/10) and have beed without internet service since. The install worked for a few hours, then started to fail intermittently and stopped working completely within 24 hours.

Sonic support determined that the likely cause was a bad modem, since the Motorola modems they use have a very high failure rate. They offered to send a replacement modem free - with a $30 shipping charge. After escalation, I got the shipping fee ($30 to ship a modem?) waived, but still have to wait till the modem arrives.

I went to Best Buy this weekend and spent $130 on a Netgear N300 (DGN 2200) which supports ADSL2+. It doesn't work either. So not I'm stuck waiting for a modem to arrive and do not really expect this modem to work either. I can not afford to go weeks without internet service.

I'm in San Francisco and am wondering whether I should abandon and find another internet service. Any recommendations?
linearz
join:2010-08-13
San Francisco, CA

linearz

Member

From what I've read on this site, Sonic can be responsive if they want to. For whatever reason, my experience has been different. Personally, I'm OK with a standard troubleshooting process that includes replacing the modem. If I were in your shoes, I would at least see if they offer a sensible course of action after your new modem arrives. If they start stalling, or fail to escalate, or close trouble tickets before fixing the problem, I would consider those red flags that you may be headed to your own nightmare.

I'm generally a patient person. But with the 6+ weeks of ridiculously poor support my patience is gone, and now I'm left to internet rants in the hope that this installation fiasco gets escalated.

P.S. As things stand right now, my DSL is utterly unusable. Thank goodness for teather.

DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium Member
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA

DaneJasper to linearz

Premium Member

to linearz
I'm sorry about the situations you are both in! Last week I escalated this to the department head in charge of support, installation and repair and he is working with his group to resolve.

For 'sutrotower', I'll ask him to review your issue as well. He'll likely need your username, so expect to hear from someone via this forum asking for that!

-Dane
linearz
join:2010-08-13
San Francisco, CA

linearz

Member

I appreciate the escalation, thank you. The truck roll today was successful in determining a line problem with one of the pair's channels. The install tech set up a meet with AT&T at my location in a couple days. Now this is the response I'm looking for

The tech was also able to set up a reliable DSL connection with the one good channel in the bonded pair. So far, this unbonded single link seems to be running without issue on my Comptrend. Though it is still half of the BW I'm paying for, it's better than nothing.

Hopefully we can finalize this later in the week with the AT&T visit.

DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium Member
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA

DaneJasper

Premium Member

Sounds great, glad to hear we're making progress!

-Dane
linearz
join:2010-08-13
San Francisco, CA

linearz

Member

Back to thumbs down. This is still not fixed, with no end in sight.

Sonic sent a tech out here early in the week to determine an issue was bad copper and even set up a "meet" with AT&T on Wednesday to make sure the line got switched.

On Wednesday, I was told the line would be up by COB Wednesday. I was told that once I got sync, I'd need to call support to set up the bonded pair.

On Thursday, I called. The support tech not had no clue about the bonded pair, but didn't understand that the line was down. After sorting through that mess. I was told the line would be up by COB Friday.

Its COB Friday and still no sync!

The issue here seems like follow through. I get the feeling from Sonic that once the pair was switched, they figured the issue was closed. It is not closed! AT&T was supposed to have this working Wednesday. No matter how much I call Sonic doesn't seem aware of the issue.

cduran
join:2010-08-21
Santa Rosa, CA

cduran

Member

Hello,
I'm sorry to hear that the problem on your bonded Fusion circuit persists. I am currently following up with AT&T regarding the results of yesterday's dispatch to the central office. I will provide you with a status update via your trouble ticket shortly. If you have any questions in the interim please feel free to contact me directly. I will PM you my contact information.

DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium Member
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA

DaneJasper to linearz

Premium Member

to linearz
Have we got this all taken care of for you?

-Dane
jcarter1
join:2010-09-03
Rohnert Park, CA

jcarter1 to linearz

Member

to linearz
My only issues with Sonic's recent install of Fusion at my office was the fact that the techs who installed the wifi modem didn't scan the area for other wifi signals to find an potential problems with other networks broadcasting on the same default Channel 6 as the motorola wifi modem they installed. It took four days of me rebooting the modem before I called tech support.

And when I did, the tech had me doing all kinds of crazy things when it boiled down to a simple channel change. That that's not all! I couldn't get into the modems software to change it because the login and password, whether default or not, was never given to me and it didn't work.

So after having to completely reset it, nothing worked.

1.5hr later, I called tech support again, and the gal knew what the problem was and help me correct it right away.

1 - Dane, get your install techs to scan the area for potential conflicts with broadcast channels

2 - Your 1st leve tech support should really have more training for something this simple.
linearz
join:2010-08-13
San Francisco, CA

linearz to DaneJasper

Member

to DaneJasper
Yes, all taken care of. Everything has been working perfectly - full bandwidth - for a couple weeks now!

Have to say, with Fusion Bonded Sonic provides the best performance out of any provider in my neighborhood, and I am now a very happy customer.

A few points I need to make clear -
1. Sonic front line tech support is very good, but their process was a bit rough.
2. Once I got my "case" assigned to someone, a resolution came very quickly and competently.
3. The only "problem" I had with Sonic is that I had to make a lot of noise on this forum to get my "case" assigned to a single person.

Sonic is a growing company, and they are doing a lot of interesting cutting edge stuff. I think they are still learning, but - unlike their competition - they definitely have the customers interest at heart.

Even with the trouble I had, I would still recommend them to others.

DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium Member
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA

DaneJasper

Premium Member

Thanks for the followup, and appreciate the feedback! We're growing - good problems to have come from that, and I'm sure we'll get better and better.

-Dane