[ale] DirecTV & BellSouth

[Matt Kern]

Chuck Huber wrote:

>On Fri, Jan 03, 2003 at 01:53:03PM -0500, Matt Kern wrote:
>  
>
>>I've used Starband...service is slow (ISDN speeds at best) and spotty. 
>>    
>>
>
>Okay... end of discussion on that point.  For some reason I was under
>the impression that it was on the order of T1 down and 256k up.
>
>  
>
>>As far as DTV....after getting the shaft, why would anyone support such 
>>an ethically bankrupt company.
>>    
>>
>
>I don't know anything they did that was ethically wrong.  They gave us 30
>days notice which is required by the service agreement.
>
Maybe they gave you 30 days, but I've been down since the 16th.  And, 
there was no reason, other than hiding the bleeding division during the 
merger talks with Dish Network, to make it such a sudden shutdown. 
 There should have been a much longer transition for both customers and 
employees.  They should have waited to lay off half the workforce in 
order to keep the phone lines up, rather than leaving a message on the 
support lines with the last sentence, "Do not try to call DirectTV 
support as they will not be able to help you. <click>".

>If a project's not making money, then you either have to increase
>revenue by raising prices, reduce expenses, or close it down.  It's
>called capitalism.  I think it was a wise move on their part.  
>
You also need to keep in mind that unless you are shutting your doors 
forever, you have remaining customers to keep happy.  Take a look at how 
many people are without service already by browsing the forums in 
broadbandreports.com.  Again, ethics dictate that you do what you say. 
 If the network is to be up for thirty days (though the original 
communication said 60), then keep service up for the time you committed to.

>
>I don't have any such hostile feelings like that.  I think they provided
>me with a useful service at a good price.  I'm satisfied.
>
Telocity provided excellent service.  DTV did too, and I recommeded them 
to all my friends and family, which may be why I feel slighted. I stuck 
my neck out in the form of a recommendation.  Then they embarrass me by 
doing the things I've already mentioned.

>
>The only thing I can think of that might piss you off is that they're
>the ones terminating the agreement, not you.  As long as they abide by
>the agreement, then they're not doing anything unanticipated.
>
As I said.  They didn't abide by their agreement.

>
>Yes, it's a hassel looking around for another DSL service.  In this entire
>discussion I have yet to hear of one that's as good or better deal than
>what we had with DTV.  Not to mention all the admin troubles of changing
>ip addresses.
>
Quite possibly the very reason they are out of business now; you can't 
provide that class of service at that price point.  Unless you're an 
ILEC.  And then you're just writing off the loss.

And the need to find another ISP could have been any other time than the 
holidays when I'm actually trying to keep in touch with people, and 
track purchases I made for the holidays.  (not to mention all that 
vacation time I could have been playing half-life!).

>
>Granted, there are better outcomes to the scenario.  For instance, they
>could have sold the project to someone else.  That being the case, then
>you'd be obliged to fulfill your end of the agreement regardless of who
>it was with (think BellSouth or Earthlink).  There's expenses to selling
>it, too.  After all, who would want to buy a project that's not making
>money?
>
>Regardless of all that, we're all in the same boat... looking for another
>DSL service.  I suppose I'm not as pressed for it since my DSL line was
>redundant for another ISP.  But I'd still like to get that redundancy back.
>It was really nice being up when either of the two ISP's were down.
>
Lucky bastard ;)

>
>Enjoy,
>    - Chuck
>
>  
>




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