Anon | New-style Flashcom release form sent - BY COVAD! Yesterday I got an overnight FedEx from Covad - unsolicited. To my surprise, in the package were three items:
1) An envelope labeled "Release Form" - inside was a NEW-style Covad ISP release. This was what I think is called a "self-release" - it was an official Covad form, pre-printed with "Flashcom" and my order# and line# on it. The text said:
"My current ISP is Flashcom, order# blahblah, circuit# blahblahblah. I have concluded that my current ISP is not properly supporting my needs and I need to switch to a new ISP. I have independently made this conclusion without any solicitation and have initiated this switch request. I understand that whether or not I have any contractual obligation with my current ISP is a matter between them and myself, and that if such an obligation exists, Covad cannot relieve me of it."
2) Despite the "no solicitation" above, envelope #2 was lableled "info on Covad.net" - this contained a sign-up CD-Rom with switchover software and Covad's PPOE client (no I wasn't dumb enough to install it, and yes, covad.net is PPOE). Along with that was a letter explaining how wonderful covad.net is and why I should immediately switch to them.
3) A separate sheet "Welcome to Covad.net" that was a classic "assumption close" in the sales world - it gave the impression I had already switched to covad.net.
Well I immediately signed the release form, and faxed all these documents including the "welcome to covad.net" letter off to Speakeasy's ISP Switch department. As some of you may know from my posts here or at comp.dcom.xdsl, I was released from my Flashcom contract back on 11/21/2000 and given my covad order# & line# info, and then started the ISP switch to speakeasy. But Speakeasy's hands have been tied because Flashcom wasn't issuing ISP release forms even before the bankruptcy (unless you sacrificed a chicken and danced on the entrails during a thunderstorm.)
Speakeasy accepted this new type of Covad "self-release"!! Woo-hoo!!! I faxed it about midnight last night 1/30/2001. My DSL connectivity dropped about 6:45 pm tonight 1/31, 10 minutes later the phone rang with a message from Speakeasy's ISP switch dept. that they had already done the switch. They told me to use the free speakeasy dial-up I'd had ever since being a customer (unlimited while pending-DSL, 30 hours/month free once on DSL) to pick up the e-mail with my new IP addresses (TWO STATIC IPs!), DNS and gateway info.
5 minutes later I'm up and running on Speakeasy. Two IP's, no need to try to hide my Linux server from "no-server" TOS on other ISPs, and the day after they did a massive upgrade to their e-mail servers.
Moral of the story: Covad is now "poaching" Flashcom customers to their own, inferior (PPOE) ISP. But that means that the release form that is good enough for COVAD the CLEC to switch you to COVAD the ISP is also good enough for COVAD the CLEC to switch you to the better ISP of your choice. That may be Speakeasy (yes!) or XO (former Concentric - good guys for hosting, don't know about their DSL firsthand) or Earthlink - but it doesn't have to be the "no-name" guys. And it looks like the Flashcom non-service but no-release Catch-22 has finally been broken!
Good luck switching!
Mark Mercer
posting from one of my brandy-new Speakeasy IP addresses! |
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 n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| Great to hear there are options. I have been trying to find an ISP to replace Flashcom when the time comes. I will not accept PPOE, dynamic IP service, change in speed (downward) or massive price increase over my $39.95/mo now. Telocity seems to fit the bill BUT there have been alot of horror stories about them so I am a bit nervous to try them. Hopefully I will find the right ISP soon. I will have to keep my eye open for the the Fedex truck.
Robert |
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Jacob
join:2000-11-28
San Jose, CA
| Anybody know a contact where I can request one? Or do we all get one? hmmmph. I'll try covad safety net.
--
"The one who dies with the most ram wins."
[text was edited by author 2001-02-01 13:52:53] |
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 snw
@flashcom.net | reply to Anon
They (speakeasy) don't have a phone number on their site. How did you contact them? |
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 jamesd3Premium,MVM
join:1999-12-25
Parlin, NJ | reply to Jacob
.»www.speakeasy.net/dsl/index.cgi?r=ellis |
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Jacob
join:2000-11-28
San Jose, CA
| It's right at the bottom of their main page 
"Phone 206.728.9770 | Fax 206.728.1500 | Toll-free 1.800.556.5829"
--
"The one who dies with the most ram wins."
[text was edited by author 2001-02-01 20:43:03] |
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| reply to Anon
I, too, have DSL from Flashcom via Covad. Seeing as Flashcom has just cut off my e-mail, I'll be watching for that FedEx truck, too.
jj |
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| reply to Anon
Oops - my Flashcom email is working again. But I'd still like to get out of my contract.
jj |
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 DudeWhat Happens When I Do ThisPremium
join:2000-11-20
Chicago, IL | reply to Anon
Thanks for the info, I am calling Covad this moment. |
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Jacob
join:2000-11-28
San Jose, CA | Covad safety net lady and her supervisor (hello, I know you are reading this!  ) is looking into this. I guess those weren't supposed to happen or somethin'. O well, I just want out of this flashcom hell hole. (I also want my existing dedicated pair back from the turtle corpse.
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"The one who dies with the most ram wins." |
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Anon | reply to Anon
Re: New-style Flashcom release form sent - BY COVA speakeasy.net seems like they will indeed axe flashcom as long as your service was installed through covad. i'll have to check it out for sure. strangely, i e-mailed covad support to see if they could switch me to earthlink, but they say it isn't possible because of the bankruptcy being in-process...e-mailed them 2.5.2001/monday. so this speakeasy axing form seems like an immediate answer.
i have two questions for mcmercer and anyone else in the situation to switch:
1) were/are you still under contract with flashcom? (i had/have a two year contract, one more year to go)
2) was yours a dedicated line...did covad install a separate line (i.e. you don't connect via your regular phone line).
thanks for any help and/or suggestions.
so far, in nyc/brooklyn, if i need to go with a new isp, AceDsl seems to be very good...they even recommended staying with flashcom for the time being, since it is an inevitability that the contracts will be sold (in another related post, it was stated that flashcom has 120 days to reconfigure...so that was as of december 12? so wait until march 12?)
the slowdowns and outages have been a pain though...with no tech support to let you know what is happening...
happy days are ahead...hopefully... |
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Anon | reply to Anon
»www.speakeasy.net/main.php?page=flashcom
they won't change you over unless you can get flashcom to issue you a release (which they aren't doing).
i wonder where/how the Covad "self-release" can be found...any ideas? |
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Jacob
join:2000-11-28
San Jose, CA | reply to Anon
I have a 1 year contract, which is up at the beginning of June. No line-share, it's dedicated. Get same responses with covad and flashcom about the chp. 11 BS. Have not done anything yet as service is free. VERY SLOW... my 608 is 200, my 128 is 80. |
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Anon | reply to Anon
said by kipkipling:
i have two questions for mcmercer and anyone else in the situation to switch:
1) were/are you still under contract with flashcom? (i had/have a two year contract, one more year to go)
2) was yours a dedicated line...did covad install a separate line (i.e. you don't connect via your regular phone line).
1) I had Flashcom for over a year when I requested on 11/21/2000 to be released. In one of Flashcom's typical screwups they had been charging me 59.95/mo plus install, instead of 49.95/mo with free install, and it took me about 9 months for Flashcom to fix that - when they did, they allegedly switched me to a 2-year contract. But my 1-year minimum with Covad was already over, and I complained to Flashcom about the ongoing billing errors (no bills, duplicate credit card charges, etc.) as the basis for being released from my contract. The rep checked with his supervisor, and came back with an ok to be released, and the Covad line# and order# (key info required for an ISP Release.) So even though I didn't have an official Flashcom-signed ISP Release, I had pretty good evidence of Flashcom's intent to release me. I think that helped.
So yes, I was out of contract as of 11/21/2000, but only by virtue of a documented series of service/billing complaints.
2) Yes, I have a dedicated line, on what's known as a "dry pair" (no dialtone, no voice service). In April 1999, that's all that Covad could install since line-sharing with CLECs wasn't mandated to the ILECs by the FCC yet. I don't know if that made a difference; if anything I think that it could have worked against me since Covad has a financial incentive not to have to keep renting the dry pair. But it didn't seem to be an issue. |
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