Anyone using Clearview BROADBAND?

[gizzer777]

Anyone using Clearview BROADBAND?

DSL is going downhill fast here (over subscribed probably and no bandwith) Cable Broadband is also too expensive here and they try to rip you off in this city! I have tried Clearview at their store and at Best buy...VERY QUICK! There tower for my area will be up in about 3 weeks.

Of course they want to lease their RF Modem, and next comes real mobile...they want to lease you their laptop with the modem built in...I would rather pack the desktop modem when I travel!!!!

I pick out my own computer equipment or build it myself (not a notebook of course) and I ONLY run Athlon 64 products.....Intel needs to get it together or they will be toast when Vista arrives and people find out the Intel 64 bit chip will not run 32 bit apps at the present time!

Been complaining since Oct and I am a founding member of SBC DSL(I beta tested it when SBC first started) with...They try to stonewall it, but I have been around too long ....They always blame my computer...

My answer is WHICH ONE?...the Desktop PC, Notebook, or Apple Imac...that shuts that discussion off!

I am leaving in the middle of my contract and they threatened to sue me...I responded with a lawyer's letter citing their failure to provide proper service! Now they are really pissed! (my cousin is an attorney)

I also told them if they tried anything, I would place an add in the local paper with the DSL results...pretty dismal...Yep the 60's in me! Basic premise of law...if you do not receive service...you do not pay! This has become a 6 month problem and I believe that constitutes sufficent proof of poor service. I also will show my service records should it become necessary! Geez...is everyone just plain NON CUSTOMER orientated?
Jeff

 

[TheForce]

I'm not going to defend DSL because I'm with you but just trying to play Devil's advocate so you don't ignore any gotchas-

I have never had any DSL service, my daughter has, a close friend has. Here was the basic argument DSL supplier had when it was discovered after signing the contract when the performance wasn't what was advertised- Hidden deep in the fine print, there are disclaimers of service, IT says in various forms of legal speak they do not guarantee any level of performance and that your particular level of service may vary from time to time. In their advertising they very cleverly state that you will get speeds "up to" and then throw out a number. So, in effect you have signed a contract that only offers you connection to their network. It says you have a chance to get these speeds but not that you will.

You may be fighting a losing battle on the contract side unless you can show your contract guarantees a level of speed performance and what it will sustain at. Also, if they can show burst speed performance but not sustained speed performance they also will win.


I wish you the best but, I wouldn't be placing any bets you'd win your case.

What it really boils down to and always has, is if you are a business customer and need mission critical performance, cable can in most cases deliver but, like you said it is expensive (compared to typical consumer rates). If you are consumer, cable can deliver but the down time and customer response is considered terrible. All the rest offer poor performance and high cost. Clearwire may be the exception. My daughter had it where she worked last year and their small office was LAN to clearwire internet off their router. Maybe you need to look into a Clearwire business account. Sge said it worked well where ever they worked downtown in the field.

I have a Comcast Business account and the main thing it offers in their contract is mission critical performance. If my internet or e-mail goes down for more than 30 minutes, I call my account rep, and they go to work on it immediately. If it is determined to be here, trucks and crew are dispatched that day and I'm back up and running before the day is out or if at night before noon the next day. In the 6 years I've had this business account, it has only been out longer than 15 minutes twice and that was about 3 years ago. In January, it went out for 15 minutes, I called and they reset my node server and back up.

The other choice for speed is a dedicated T-1 line which today can be had for $300 a month (last I checked) But my cable business account is faster and at 1/3 the price.

 

[jpn]

The non-guaranteed bandwidth only applies to your most basic DSL accounts.

I use SBC DSL Pro, they guarantee a minimum 1.5M Bps, up to 3 MBPs (typically tests around 2-2.4 MBps). They don't guarantee against total outages like your Business account.

 

[gizzer777]

I did not give you all the info

I'm not going to defend DSL because I'm with you but just trying to play Devil's advocate so you don't ignore any gotchas-

I have never had any DSL service, my daughter has, a close friend has. Here was the basic argument DSL supplier had when it was discovered after signing the contract when the performance wasn't what was advertised- Hidden deep in the fine print, there are disclaimers of service, IT says in various forms of legal speak they do not guarantee any level of performance and that your particular level of service may vary from time to time. In their advertising they very cleverly state that you will get speeds "up to" and then throw out a number. So, in effect you have signed a contract that only offers you connection to their network. It says you have a chance to get these speeds but not that you will.

You may be fighting a losing battle on the contract side unless you can show your contract guarantees a level of speed performance and what it will sustain at. Also, if they can show burst speed performance but not sustained speed performance they also will win.


I wish you the best but, I wouldn't be placing any bets you'd win your case.

What it really boils down to and always has, is if you are a business customer and need mission critical performance, cable can in most cases deliver but, like you said it is expensive (compared to typical consumer rates). If you are consumer, cable can deliver but the down time and customer response is considered terrible. All the rest offer poor performance and high cost. Clearwire may be the exception. My daughter had it where she worked last year and their small office was LAN to clearwire internet off their router. Maybe you need to look into a Clearwire business account. Sge said it worked well where ever they worked downtown in the field.

I have a Comcast Business account and the main thing it offers in their contract is mission critical performance. If my internet or e-mail goes down for more than 30 minutes, I call my account rep, and they go to work on it immediately. If it is determined to be here, trucks and crew are dispatched that day and I'm back up and running before the day is out or if at night before noon the next day. In the 6 years I've had this business account, it has only been out longer than 15 minutes twice and that was about 3 years ago. In January, it went out for 15 minutes, I called and they reset my node server and back up.

The other choice for speed is a dedicated T-1 line which today can be had for $300 a month (last I checked) But my cable business account is faster and at 1/3 the price.

Thanks for the reply Don. I am not complaining about the speed...What happens is that at times, I simply lose sync! (Yes, i have tried different modems as well, and put a line monitor with a chart recorder on the line)Sometimes it happens a few times a day, but now it is constant. I do my business on the net, and the loss of communications has resulted in lost revenue (no illusions and will never try to recover that). I have been into computers since 1976 and was never looking for "guaranted" service". I do also understand when it goes down from time to time...not an issue. I also have a legacy contract that was drawn BEFORE they added all that stuff....their disclaimer is not that broad in my contract!

HOWEVER WHEN THE SERVICE IS CONSISTANTLY interrupted, that means no service for an unreasonably long period of time...that is what my cousin the attorney is going after to get me away from them

The level 2 support has admitted they cannot fix the problem and they also said they probably have a bad port on their router which they are not allowed to replace!!! SBC has admitted the problem by issuing a requested credit due to the continuing interruption of service as well.

I have lots of time to play if they want to, as well as the resources necessary (nice to have an attorney as a relative). We are a small community and I simply drive over to the office where I know a few of the senior reps...they also side with me (one did in writing!!) Do not have to speak with India that way

Again, I am not trying to win anything....I am a corporate refugee and know the game well...Do not think they will want to spend their $$ to collect 3-4 months that are left in the contract! On top of that they tried to put a self renewing ammendment into my existing contract, which I declined! (Thjat is illegal in this state anyway!)

Thanks again
jeff

 

[gizzer777]

Thanks....

The non-guaranteed bandwidth only applies to your most basic DSL accounts.

I use SBC DSL Pro, they guarantee a minimum 1.5M Bps, up to 3 MBPs (typically tests around 2-2.4 MBps). They don't guarantee against total outages like your Business account.

As I just posted, the bandwith or Their router issue, is not a speed issue...it simply quits Sync and is a now constant issuesome form of hardware issue according to level 2 tech. I have been a computer consultant since 1976 (no internet, just BBS's).

Again I am not concerned with dimished speed (it would not cause me to opt out) but the problem is 6 months of continuing service inturrptions!

The only issue I can see with Clearview...their contract is very tight (mine is a legacy contract and is not terribly tight)...With our winds here, they could also lose a tower! BTW: They will guarantee 1.5 mps but there is really no recourse...so the guarantee is useless. I have also heard they block VOIP since they will have there own! (Bleh)
Jeff