mdurkin
join:1999-08-11
San Bruno, CA
| reply to TransitMan
Re: OH CRAP
I beg to differ that the bankruptcy has any real effect on whether or not an ISP could switch
customers away to another carrier. Note I said customers, not lines... at least here in Pacbell
land, there is no such thing as switching a line to another DLEC, you have to order a new one
through the other carrier and they order a new pair from Pacbell. I switched a bunch of customers from
Covad to NorthPoint a year ago and it was a royal pain. If it was possible to switch working pairs to other
DLECs, I'm sure NorthPoint could interfere and the bankruptcy court might mandate that that physical pair switches to other DLECs not happen, but otherwise...
Whether an ISP could switch customers depends on their contract with NorthPoint. Whether
an end user could ask to be switched depends on the EU's contract with their ISP, or what
their ISP wants to do so if they can do so without breaking their contract with NorthPoint.
The bankruptcy may give NP protection against the ILECs shutting down lines... note in that case
NP is the customer, not the vendor as it is with ISPs buying lines from NP. Same relationship
as Flashcom getting protection for their lines from their bankruptcy... Flashcom is the customer.
No bankruptcy court can make a customer continue to buy from a vendor in bankruptcy beyond
enforcing existing contracts.
Our end users are not NorthPoint's customers, they have no obligation at all to NorthPoint, their
obligation is to us as the ISP, and we know the details of our obligation to NP. But all that said,
unless the absolute end is clearly near, I don't think an ISP is going to want to go through the
major hassle and expense of switching all their existing lines, perhaps even having to swap out
some EU's equipment, especially if service continues to be pretty good, which is generally the case w/ NP.
Where to take them anyway?
Where you choose to put new line orders might be another story... Megapath can tell it.
I don't think NorthPoint lines are ever going to suddenly disappear. If they do, there'll be more
DSL ISP deaths from ISPs that were perfectly healthy other than to get caught up in the feared,
but hopefully unlikely, disaster. |
