Comments on: A Reasonable Dial Tone

By: kate

kate — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:41:58 +0000

Check and see who regulates internet in your state.

In NY, for example, telephone is handled by the Public Service Commission, a state agency. That’s where NYers complain when a utility fails to address telephone problems. The PSC gets immediate response.

But, in NY, internet — ALL internet, even over the telephone line — is handled by the Attorney General. So far not as effective.

By: PC

PC — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:30:19 +0000

I went through this with Verizon a couple of years ago. It took several phone calls until they finally sent someone out and agreed with me that the line from the pole to the house was in sorry shape and strung a new line. Labor time was about 30 minutes. Repair guy estimated that the phone line was installed in the late 1960’s and blamed squirrels.

I was working from home and I got very heated with the repair line person the final phone call. I think telling them I had a business and that not having DSL and phone was losing me money and threatening to switch to the cable company is what really got me results.

End of story, I switched to the cable company too. Only downside to cable phone is if the electricity goes out, so does the modem that powers the phone system.

By: cricket

cricket — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:44:25 +0000

I had the static and hum on the lines also where i live at. I called the phone company that i was with the repair guy told me it was in my head. So i switched to the cable company and have been happy every since.

By: JOA

JOA — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:48:14 +0000

I fought the same sort of battle, and was told similar things to what you have heard. However, while there is no guarantee of a data connection speed, there was a fax requirement. Once I started complaining that faxes would not transmit/receive without errors, etc., they had to fix the line. Surprisingly, (not) once the line was properly repaired, the dial-up worked much better.