Earthlink is the Pits.
Written: Jan 11 '03
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Pros: None.
Cons: Constant disconnects, very poor tech and customer support.
The Bottom Line: If you're not a serious internet user and don't have to use a computer for business, it might be okay.
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| csott's Full Review: Earthlink |
I signed on with Earthlink in December of 2000 after I left AT&T as my long-distance provider. Sprint was running a special on a long-distance/internet bundle: unlimited internet access with Earthlink and 1000 "free" long-distance minutes for $30 a month. The price was right, and I signed on.
For the first year, things were tolerable. Disconnects weren't a daily or even weekly problem, and being a pretty computer-savvy person, I'm able to diagnose and fix most problems on my own without the "help" of tech support. I liked the fact that you could use the LiveChat feature if you did need tech support -- but of course you can only use that if you're actually able to connect to the internet, which in my second year with them -- I wasn't.
It seemed that after my first "honeymoon" year with Earthlink, things quickly went downhill. My service was disconnected for nonpayment three times, even though their fee was included in my Sprint payment -- they fixed their error, but constantly blamed the problem on Sprint. (Hey -- I don't care whose issue it is...just fix it!) Then there were the constant disconnects while I was online, the slow connection speeds, and there was always a problem with their news server -- messages in newsgroups would be dropped or "unavailable" for weeks at a time. On their website, however, they never bothered to post a message about their news server experiencing any problems.
The final straw came when I actually needed tech support, and I was disconnected twice while using LiveChat, and after waiting for 46 minutes on hold, the tech support guy started the help session by asking me, "Ma'am is your computer turned on?"
Just as a side note, I also got really tired of getting spam e-mails from Earthlink with regard to their other products and services, and the spam from their "partners" -- even though I specifically requested to NOT receive such e-mails. In fact, I still get spam from them, and I haven't been a customer for a month now.
Don't waste your money on a service that's not going to be there for you. That's what you're paying for!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 30 w/Sprint
Version Number or Year: 2000
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Epinions.com ID:
csott
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Location: Maryland, USA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Shopping, cooking, reading, and art. What else is there to do?
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