how-to block ads
|
Robmetal
join:2003-12-29
Chicago, IL
| Speakeasy Concerns and Questions
I have been looking for a new DSL provider to upgrade to from Ameritech/SBC 768/128 here in Chicago. Not that Ameritech was not reliable in 3 years I’ve had their service. I only had one service outage that I know of. Ameritech had me set up 4 days later after placing my order.
So I ordered DSL from Speakeasy on Dec 15th. I read a ton of reviews for a week, and it seemed like it would be Speakeasy or Cyberonic.
I decided to go with Speakeasy. I placed my order on Dec. 15. I went through all the options with my sales rep Ray (very nice), and decided I wanted to go with 1.5/768 package, which would be a nice upgrade for me since I am a gamer, and wanted to start hosting on x-box live. I asked all my questions about certain services and policies that I wanted to make sure I knew about, and they were all answered to my satisfaction.
I informed my sales rep what line I wanted my service on, and told him my old DSL provider is still operational at the moment (Ameritech DSL). I knew both DSL services couldn't be on at the same time. So I asked the question, because I wanted to make sure if it was my responsibility to cancel the old DSL or Speakeasy's. I was not under contract any longer with Ameritech so it wouldn't have been a problem for me to call and cancel. Sales rep informed me that I didn't need to call Ameritech and cancel. That Speakeasy will take care of that for me.
I received my new DSL equipment 3 days later. My loop install date was the Dec. 19th (Friday), and was notified it was up and just to follow the self-install instructions and I should be on my way. I noticed my old DSL service was still working, but I configured my router with my IP address, and other stuff just to check anyway. Well I ended up calling them back on the 19th and told them my old DSL service was still active, and not Speakeasy's. And again I asked the question should I cancel my old DSL service since that seemed to be the problem, and customer rep told me that it would help the process to switch over. I told him when I placed the order that the sales rep told me not to cancel it, that Speakeasy would handle it. He said, I shouldn't have been told that. Anyway I thanked him for his time, and information.
I thought maybe just some bad information, and I planned to call Ameritech Monday Dec 22. I called Speakeasy Monday first since I had a question about their cat5 cable they sent me with the modem. I was using a basic Belkin 25ft cat5e patch cable that wouldn't work with Zyxel modem. I called and told me I needed to get a 25foot cat5 crossover patch cable. So before I was done with customer service rep. I told her that I was about to call my old DSL provider to cancel, and just wanted to make sure that was the right thing to do. She told me absolutely not to call them Speakeasy will take care of it. That there is a good chance a problem might occur if I called to shut my old DSL off. At this point I was a bit frustrated with the communication I was receiving. I said fine I would leave it in speakeasy's hands. I asked if my service would be up before Christmas she said yeah most likely.
I called speakeasy the 24th early to see what was going on with my order. Talking to the customer rep. he informed that they just put in a service ticket for old DSL to be shut off. At this point I was little upset that they waited 9 days to put to have the old DSL shutoff. I also told him of the 3 previous answers I was given, and was confused. He actually told me "Speakeasy dropped the ball on that one". That I shouldn't have been told 2 different answers, and he wasn't sure of the agreement that was in place in Chicago with Other DSL providers. That it actually would have helped to cancel it in the first place.
Well it wasn't up by Christmas, that’s not what irritated me, it was the fact that myspeakeasy order status page said that my order complete, and payment was required for a service I was not receiving . So I called again on the Dec 26th to let them know I still had NO service from Speakeasy, that Ameritech DSL still was operational. SO the customer rep suspended by billing till installation was fully complete. And told me that my order should have never been closed in the first place.
Well its the 29th of December now, and called for a update. The customer rep actually told me, "I don't know what’s going on with your order". I was a little angry at her reply. I asked how long does something like this usually take to have the old DSL, and new DSL activated. Again another reply I was not pleased with, "I don't know".
So now with New Years Eve around the corner, it looks like I will have to wait to see if anything is done, which most likely my guess is that it will not be completed till weekend January 10th.
Which in my eyes is unacceptable because now I have to keep paying my old DSL provider for next months usage that I cant cancel because speakeasy says not to because now it might even increase the wait time from what it all ready is, and didn't plan on spending another $50 for since I'm a college student, and my budget is tight. And I know Ameritech will not refund any part of the money I pay even I had them active for one day of the month.
I let the customer rep know I was very dissatisfied with the service I was receiving. Since they couldn't provide me with any information on my order. I informed the customer rep that I will give them till the Dec 30th 5pm Central time before I call to cancel my order and send their equipment back, and try Cyberonic.
I know it might seem hasty to cancel this quick, but if this is an indication of the service I will be receiving during my contract, I don't want to be any part of it. Going from rep to rep that doesn't know to almost knows what to do isn't a very pleasant feeling. I want to give them a chance but so far they are letting me down.
Thank you for bearing with me on the long-winded story. I actually have more to say but will save it for another day. Which is about them sending out Covad technicians to check cross connects 3 or 4 times, when its just a matter of shutting off the old DSL.
What is the right thing to do when ordering DSL on a line, when you still have your old DSL still operational?
From other speakeasy customers here is this how your experience has been as well with installation and customer service?
How long should I give them?
Thanks for your time.
Robmetal | |
borborpa
Slipping Slowly Into Oblivion
Premium
join:2002-02-20
New Cumberland, PA
clubs:
 ·Speakeasy
| I think you're giving them a resonable amount of time, considering the amount of misinformation you've gotten.
The reason some reps may have been confused is because SE has agreements in place with some DSL providers to do a DSL Switch, which makes the transition from one ISP to another pretty seamless, and a lot quicker than the traditional way. The reps should, of course, be better versed on how this works, the timeframes, and who they can and cannot do this with. In some cases, you do have to cancel your account manually, in other cases they can do it for you.
My install was perfect, but then again when I switched I also moved, so it was just a new install...so I'm not much help in that one. Adama from SE will post here today most likely, and will try to get this sorted out for you. You can also E-Mail him your account name, and problem at adama(at)speakeasy(dot)net.
--
There are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.[AIM - BoyBandsMakeUGay] | |
bhan261
join:2001-02-12
New York, NY
| reply to Robmetal
This is very familiar! When I had SE installed last year at this time (I was a refugee from Directv DSL), SE kept insisting that my circuit was active. I repeatedly told them that Directv was still active on the line. After two trouble tickets and a call where I had to argue with the Level 2 tech that my line was NOT a dry pair (I was talking to him on the same line the DSL was on) SE finally got someone at Covad to get someone at Verizon to make the proper cross-connects at the CO. It took almost a month for all this to happen. As you would expect, all three parties were blaming the others. But in my mind, it was solely SE's fault since they are the ones getting my money. | |
adamA6
Adam Alexander
join:2003-09-23
Seattle, WA
| reply to Robmetal
Robmetal- Could I have you send me an e-mail to adama@speakeasy.net with either your username or account number? I would be more than happy to assist in any way possible, and it seems as though the clock is ticking! 
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Adam Alexander
Speakeasy, Inc. | |
Robmetal
join:2003-12-29
Chicago, IL
|  reply to Robmetal
Adam,
I appreciate the personal attention I received the last few days to get my order finally completed. You have restored some of my faith that I lost in Speakeasy's ability to get problems resolved.
I do however have one slight problem with new connection with my download speeds. 1.5/768 packages I am only receiving in the beginning 400k download and 492 upload. I helped the download speed by running some tweak test here and using the suggested configurations, and now at a steady 725k to 746k. But that is still less than 50% of my max speed.
Once again thanks for getting my order completed. I'm just happy the order is finally completed! 
Robmetal | |
|
