A May 1, 2001 Update on Winfire.
Written: Aug 16 '00 (Updated May 01 '01)
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The Bottom Line
Winfire is bankrupt and the company is out of business.
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| Full Review |
Dateline: To my knowledge, Winfire has finally released every subscriber's telephone line. This lets the subscriber shop and choose another deal from another supplier. Meanwhile, all of Winfire's websites have been taken down.
Dateline: March 10, 2001: All the hours I put into trying to keep people updated on Winfire is all for nothing now. On March 9, 2001, Steel Holdings, the parent corporation of Winfire, pulled the plug on Winfire's DSL network leaving thousands of subscribers without a clue as to when the lines will be released for another company to provide DSL service. Myself, after considerable research, I have opted for Southwestern Bell's DSL service. To any others wishing to research possible alternatives, I suggest checking into DSLreports.com. Good luck all!
Dateline: February 10, 2001. Well, my Efficient SpeedStream 3060 Internal modem arrived via Fed-Ex overnight from Newport Beach, California. I suppose I yelled long and loud enough that they grew tired of hearing from me. Now, after installing the modem and trying to connect, it will not connect. After running through the checks with Winfire technical support, it now appears that Southwestern Bell has dropped the ball. Another waiting game. More later as it becomes available.
Dateline: January 23, 2001. Wow, I am shocked...NOT. You guessed it, no e-mail and in a discussion with the Customer Satisfaction Manager, he cannot say whether the DSL modem has shipped but that I should not panic until Wednesday. If this was a publicly traded company and I owned stock in it, I would certainly be in a panic!
Dateline: January 19, 2001. Once again, I am writing to update my Epinion on Winfire. I WISH I could tell you how this DSL service performs. I WISH I could relate to you the true speed of my DSL line from Winfire for the $19.95/Month plan. And, I WISH I could give testimony as to the ease or hard work I had in connecting to the service. I really WISH I could, but sadly, I CANNOT! The reason is, Winfire has yet to deliver my DSL activation kit. The last E-mail update I received from Winfire was on December 1, 2000, which is detailed in the December 9, 2000 update. I have made numerous calls to Winfire's customer service department. On three separate occasions I was told that my activation kit (DSL Modem) had shipped. Customer service has a favorite buzzword phrase they like to use with frustrated customers. "Your case has been escalated!" I've been told that on two different occasions! On three different occasions, I have been promised a "manager callback". To date, I have yet to receive the first callback. Finally, out of total frustration and desperation, I sent an E-mail to Mr. David Steinberg, Vice-President of Marketing at Winfire, detailing the lack of trust and response I have experienced. To his credit, he wrote me back within 45 minutes the evening of Monday, January 15, 2001. He advised me that he would have Winfire's Customer Satisfaction Manager call me the next day.
Sure enough, he did call me the next day. He told me flat out that Winfire has had terrible difficulty in getting the DSL modems from their vendor. He then asked me if I could utilize a USB DSL modem in lieu of the internal DSL modem. I informed him that I could. He then told me that he would take care of the situation and that it should ship the following day or Thursday, January 18th at the latest. He told me that if I had not received an E-mail with the tracking number by Thursday night, to call him on his direct line on Friday, January 19, 2001.
Of course, no E-mail was received, so I put in another call to him Friday. He called me back Friday afternoon and informed me that in the previous three days Winfire had experienced some problems with their computer systems and that it had not shipped on Wednesday night as he had hoped. He further informed me that he was able to find an internal DSL modem to send me and that I should receive an E-mail on Saturday, January 20 or on Monday, January 22 containing my UPS tracking number and shipping information and that I should receive the package on Friday, January 27.
So far, no E-mail, much less a DSL modem activation kit. I will keep this Epinion updated as events warrant. For now, based on the disinformation and outright deceit of Winfire's customer service department, I am lowering my rating of Winfire.
Dateline: December 9, 2000. I am, once again, updating my review of Winfire for those of you considering the use of this DSL service. Since the October 3 review and 10 e-mail updates from Winfire, I have yet to receive the DSL Modem kit with the Winfire software. Apparently, Winfire was slow to anticipate the demand for free or low cost DSL service. The demand for the DSL Modems put a crimp in the supply as the original vendor could not keep up. New vendors have been established and now they have informed me that they have "ample" inventory to fill my order. The last e-mail also informed me "...We have already started shipping these modems to users who, like you, have been waiting. We would like you to know that your DSL Modem Activation Kit order has received priority status and we will be shipping your kit soon. Once we have sent your kit we will send you another e-mail containing your shipping information."
Dateline: October 3, 2000. I am updating my review of Winfire for those of you considering the use of this DSL service. When I originally offered my epinion of Winfire, the service provided free dial-up ISP service. In the last week of September 2000, the dial-up service was suspended. Winfire is in the process of rolling out their DSL service and needs to concentrate on the DSL and not the Dial-up service.
When I first signed on to receive their DSL service, I did so somewhat hesitantly since, in all the epinions written to date, there is no reference to anyone actually using the service with DSL. I guess there will always be a first one and I will gladly report the facts as they occur. I can report that the flow of information from Winfire has been very good. In the past 30 days, I have received 11 e-mails from Winfire keeping me posted on my line order status. The most recent e-mail gave me the date that my local phone company provided to them concerning installation of my DSL line. Winfire also informed me of the date my DSL modem will be shipped. I will post further updates as information becomes available in order to aid you in your decision making process.
Now, here is the original Epinion...
It is such a dis-service that Epinions has Mis-Catagorized Winfire...IT SHOULD BE UNDER FREE ISP! Then again, even awaiting the arrival of FREE DSL, it is very much a true Web Service!
Yes friends, I have been through some of the other disappointing "Free Dial-Up ISPs" such as WorldSpy and Freewwweb and have been bitterly disappointed by the carniverous nature of JUNO's monsterous appetite. As a matter of fact, I currently have two, free bannerless, dial-up ISP's at my disposal that I can use at my whim. Even with this at hand whenever I need them, here I am using WINFIRE! Read on and I will explain why.
I first learned of Winfire through another Epinion user in my "Circle of Trust". He had written an epinion on how to use Winfire through a dial-up connection and avoiding Winfire's advertising banner. Even though I tried what he suggested, I could not get his approach to work. Still, since I had already downloaded Winfire onto my system, I decided to take a look at what they had to offer. Needless to say, I have been using WINFIRE for well over a month and I am extremely satisfied with this service. First, let me address the most repulsive thing we have all come to hate about Free ISP's...the Ad Banners. Folks, try the software...you will not be disappointed! Is there an ad banner? NO! There is a TOOLBAR that you can dock at the top or the bottom of your screen. This toolbar is all of 1/4" in height and contains NO ADVERTISING! The toolbar is similar to AOL's, only better and not as intrusive; plus you can control the content of this toolbar. (Remember, it contains NO ADVERTISING). It does not overlap any browser or programs that you have running. On the far left, you have a "GO" button that brings up a menu window for options, A history menu that allows you to choose from different sites you frequent, an Icon bar, similar to AOL's that allows you to instantly access websites like Finance, Shopping, News, E-Mail, Videos or Search Engines. On the right side of the Banner, is a scrolling news line that you can choose the content on. If you have Stocks that you want to follow, just fill in which stocks you wish to follow and it will continue to give you the latest stock prices. If you want news or sports headlines, it will give them to you as well. And on the far right of the banner, if you choose, it will give you your points balance you have earned simply by using Winfire. (More on that later).
The greatest potential that Winfire promotes is the "Coming Soon" promise of FREE DSL Service. Until DSL service is available in my neighborhood, I get to use this for internet access for free. Once DSL service is available in my area I will be simply estatic. Once FreeDSL service is available to you in your area, Winfire will alert you to this fact. When DSL service does become available in your area, you will, of course, need a DSL modem to receive your free DSL. Even then, if you don't have a DSL modem, you can buy theirs at $9.95 a month until the cost of the modem is paid off ($199). Until then, I'll have fun waiting and using the service through a free dial-up.
Everytime I have dialed into Winfire, I have connected at the best baud rate I have received with any other ISP. It is Extremely reliable! The one time I needed assistance on something I was confused about, I called up the Winfire toll-free customer and got immediate and courteous help.
More on the Winfire Points. Winfire gives you points for just being online. You are rewarded 1 point per minute you are on-line. You also receive 10 points when you click on any of the icons and links that you choose for yourself from their list of sites and services on the toolbar.
The points you earn will eventually be a form of currency on the Winfire website, but at the present time you can enter a weekly contest for a Palm V that is given away every Tuesday. One entry = one point. You can enter as many points as you have or you can save your points up for a later time, to be used as a form of currency at the Winfire website later.
One thing my son really enjoys is the games area of Winfire. They have a myriad of games to choose from and you can only be bored if you choose to be. Give this ISP a chance, you will love it!
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
teddford
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Location: Austin, Texas
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 7 members
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