MEEP MEEP! -- No more..
Oct 15 '00
Just a little over a year ago, I signed up for Cable Modem access in my area. It had been available where I'd lived for a few years, but I ended up having to move. The new place I moved to, got it right as I was getting ready to move back -- it was a game of cat and mouse when it came down to it. Finally, I was back where I could get the speed, and type of access that I had so anxiously awaited, or so I thought.
I called them up, found out how much it was going to cost me [at that time they had free installation] so of course, I jumped on the deal. At this time, I wanted however, to run two systems [one being a Windows 98, and the other Linux] -- at the mention of Linux, the technician who came to perform the installation, went crazy -- "We do not support that" [more like we don't understand it -- _their_ servers in themselves are obviously run off some variant *NIX format, and they "don't know it"].
This was okay however. I told him that I'd just figure it out myself. He set my Windows system up, and left. A few hours later, I got my other system working. Fast forward about two weeks later [I had been going on a download spree, because having been stuck at 28.8 and below for many years, this was a true improvement]; however, I began experiencing problems with my service. It would DIE, for no reason -- I'd call the provider, and they'd always have an excuse, or forward me off to some "Help Desk" where the people who answered the phones were in more need of help than myself.
This became an everyday thing for about a month, on and off, on and off. I'd call, I'd get another story. I knew I wasn't the only one with the problem, but they always told me it was something to do with MY system(s).
So finally, I got mad, and told them to come and replace my cable modem [I had been told that the troubles I was encountering could very likely be caused by a faulty modem] -- to get this done was another task in itself, at first they refused -- excuse me, who's paying for this access? Finally they broke down, and sent someone out to replace it. Since then, I've had no major problems [considering they claimed there was actually a line outside that was damaged, and still tried to get out of replacing the modem].
Overall, the technology is decent. Myself, I'd like to get DSL, but I happen to be a victim of location [quite a bit too far away from their "switch"]. The downside however, to the cable modem is this -- you are using a "shared pool" -- meaning, the more people who are on in your "shared" area, the slower your downstream/upstream will become. We do know however, that cable has the potential to be far more faster than DSL, but the cable companies won't open the pipe, so to speak, to let us access that [I believe they really couldn't handle it when it comes down to it].
So, if you're considering cable modem access, my suggestion is, first, find out who your provider is; if you have more than one choice [you're lucky] then shop around -- see who has a better track record, who has better customer support, and who has technicians who, at least as I've seen myself, couldn't even tie their own shoe -- and determine from there who to go with.
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Epinions.com ID:
enigami
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Member: Trevor Horkheimer
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 4 members
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