ISPs tell FCC that mistreated users would switch to one of their many other opti

[neurosis]

This is probably the most ridiculous bag of bullshit I've heard in a long time.  :Lol: 

Lobby groups for Internet service providers claim that ISPs' customer service is so good already that the government shouldn't consider any new regulations to mandate improvements. They also claim ISPs face so much competition that market forces require providers to treat their customers well or lose them to competitors.

What other competitors?   

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/11/isps-say-their-excellent-customer-service-is-why-users-dont-switch-providers/

[CNCAppsJames]

I DO NOT have many options. xFinity is the big dog here in the neighborhood. They are cable... and COMPLETE trash. It nearly took an act of congress to cancel it. After the 3rd time over the phone promising "speedy disconnection"I went into an xFinity store and canceled there, face to face. The look on the guy's face when he asked me if there anything they coudl do to keep me as a customer and I told him "I'd prefer dial-up to their service" was priceless. THe store was full of people too.


I changed to Wasatch Broadband. 500 up and 500 down. xFininity... I was paying for 1GB down and 25 up. I was lucky to see 250/3. and it cut out all the time. Pretty annoying when you're doing remote tech support.

"AI Chatbots" are complete and total shit. They are WORSE than India Tech support.

[neurosis]

I DO NOT have many options. xFinity is the big dog here in the neighborhood. They are cable... and COMPLETE trash.

They are one of two in my area and both are trash. I don't have any other good options for internet.


https://funnyordie.com/2014/2/28/17737136/comcast-doesnt-give-a-fck/

[RobertELee]

They are one of two in my area and both are trash. I don't have any other good options for internet.


https://funnyordie.com/2014/2/28/17737136/comcast-doesnt-give-a-fck/

Starlink 

[neurosis]

Starlink 

I've read that their latency is getting better and I might use them if I had no other choice.

What Makes Starlink Unsatisfactory


Poor customer service: Many customers have reported difficulty in getting in touch with Starlink's customer service, with some even claiming that the company has gone incommunicado after securing deposits. This lack of responsiveness has led to frustration and disappointment among customers.

Long wait times: Starlink has struggled with demand since exiting its public beta test, leading to long wait times for customers to receive their starter kits. Some customers have waited over a year to receive their equipment, despite paying deposits.

Unreliable service: The service has been criticized for its inconsistent performance, with some customers experiencing frequent disconnections and slow speeds.

Limited capacity: Starlink's current capacity is limited, with only around 800,000 subscribers globally. This means that many areas still lack access to the service, and those who do have it may experience congestion and slow speeds.

Expensive and inflexible pricing: Starlink has raised prices multiple times, and customers have reported difficulty in canceling their subscriptions or adjusting their plans.

Inadequate equipment: The Starlink router only provides WiFi connectivity, requiring customers to purchase a separate LAN adapter (dongle) for wired connections. This has been criticized as unnecessary and inconvenient.

No clear communication: Starlink has been accused of poor communication with customers, including failing to provide updates on order status or explaining delays.

High expectations vs. reality: Starlink was initially marketed as a revolutionary solution for rural broadband, but its actual impact has been limited. Many customers may have had high expectations that were not met.

[gcode]

My two options are Spectrum cable internet and various brands of cellular service.
I use Spectrum cable and pay for 1 gig down 40 meg up.
It normally runs about 800meg down 30 up and is more than adequate for my remote programming work
and daily internet use.
Service has always been pretty good though it's been a worse than usual lately.
I think this is due to all the construction in the area.

Funny enough, it was down when we got up this morning and is still down.
It looks like Spectrum is having a bad day as there are outages all over the country.
I'm currently hooked up on my desktop  via a wifi hot spot though my Verizon tablet.
It works but just barely.

I would guess things are hot at Spectrum HQ with nationwide outgages at the start of the Black Friday
shopping madenss.

[CNCAppsJames]

Cable's limitation is in how their infrastructure "works", at least BITD this was how it "worked".

Each "area" however they define it is allotted a certain amount of bandwidth which is based upon subscribers and "anticipated demand". So let's say they have an OC-768 Connection (look up optical carrier transmission rates) fkr an area. If actual demand is higher than anticipated everyone's speed lowers and some will even drop out. 

Fiber Optic carriers don't do it that way, they will bump the OC connection to service subscribers... as long as there is available bandwidth.

[mowens]

I've been trying to work from my daughter's house in Ohio over the holiday. There is a certain time of day when I might as well pack it in; the response time almost freezes. If I try it a little later in the evening it gets better. I believe they have spectrum.

[Jeff]

Given the fact that cable companies have a bro-code not to be in the same area, many people don't have another option to switch to.

[neurosis]

Given the fact that cable companies have a bro-code not to be in the same area, many people don't have another option to switch to.

It's not just a bro-code. They lobby to get exclusive rights to easements and rights-of-way making it impossible for competition to run their lines. There are other things that contribute to the problem as well.

Years ago I posted a link to a book that was written on the subject. Back when we had the "net neutrality" thread going on the other forum. "The Book of Broken Promises: $400 Billion Broadband Scandal & Free the Net"

[Jim at Gentex]

I have had cable internet for years, as it was the only viable option in my area that offered anything even resembling a good connection.

Empire Access was running fiber-optic lines all over our town last summer, but afaik it is still not available yet.

The second I can switch, I will. 
I have seen the pricing plans and DL/UL speeds, and there is no comparison.

[CNCAppsJames]

Given the fact that cable companies have a bro-code not to be in the same area, many people don't have another option to switch to.

It's definitely not bro-code. The cities/municipalities sign exclusivity agreements with Cable Providers.

I live in a new development. All the infrastructure is there for fiber, all we need is for a provider to come in and put the fiber in. I have a feeling once the last develoipment in our end of the city is built somebody will bring it in. Right now, I've got Wasatch Broadband. I've got about a softball sized antenna on my roof and it comes into the house that way. So far the service has been very good. I pay $70/mo for up to 1GB UL/DL.

[Jon@NOWHERE]

Windstream and Hughes Net was our only option for years.  I got Starlink as soon as I could and ran it for 6 months alongside Windstream to make sure it was stable enough for what we would use it for.  With Windstream I was paying around 130 a month for a landline and supposedly 25 Mb download speeds that never reached that for as long as I had been paying for that speed.  With Starlink I haven't had many issues aside from it going out during the occasional severe rainstorm.  I can't speak much on their customer service as I haven't had to use it any.  I can't remember if the price was $100 a month when I first started or $110 but I know for me it was raised to $120 a couple of months ago.  I haven't had any complaints so far.

[Smit]

This is probably the most ridiculous bag of bullshit I've heard in a long time.  :Lol: 

What other competitors? 

That is ridiculous bullshit. I remember very well the not good days in the past were customer service was shit and there were no other options.

Having said that, I'm surprised there aren't more options for people around the country. Here in the suburbs of KC I have around 10 internet providers competing for the market.

I currently have Spectrum, and I'm satisfied with them. The customer service is good and the service itself is good.

So yeah, having competition does make a big difference in customer satisfaction.

[gcode]

Wasatch Broadband.

what is the technology called?
is it a tight beam cellular connection?