Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Qwest Internet

We have had Qwest Internet Service for almost a year. Our internet service has been dropping on us almost everyday for varying periods of time. It usually happens for short periods of time, but it generally resets any streaming video we may be watching. Last night it dropped us and I was sick and tired of it. I am also sick of that I am getting no more than 2.5M down when I am paying for 3M and 450k up when I am paying for 800k.

I called and the guy gave me excuses about the way I have things wired in my house. I went and rumpled around and got it set up on a nice short phone cord and it still would not connect. By the way the setup I have had worked all day before that. After going and setting things back up the way they were, eventually it found a DSL connection again. It had been down for 45 minutes or more.

I went off on the guy, which I always feel bad about because he just answers the phone an does not control Qwests garbage network. I asked him what I needed to do to get a stable connection. I then asked for his supervisor. I asked the same thing of him and asked why I am not gettting the level of service that I am paying for. He ran some tests and tol me I was getting 2.5M down ad 500k up. He said getting 80% of my service plan is great. He also told me that my plan is a 640k up plan.

I should not expect to get any more than 80% of the service level that I am paying for?

The other thing that has been irritating me these many months is that I pay the same for 3mbps down service that people in other areas pay for 7mbps service.

We need more competition. We need more incentives for better communication lines.

My only other choice around here is Comcast and I can't stand the policies they are putting in place to make it harder for people to use the internet for competing services to their own. Services like VOIP and streaming video. I feel like switching to them I almost have to sell my soul. Unfortunately, with Qwest I feel like I am in much the same boat most times.

The solution for the dropping of connectivity the Qwest supervisior gave me was that he was going to request to move me to another port. It is possible that could help, but isn't there anything in place to see when a port dies, especially frequently?