I was lucky enough to have options after I moved a few years ago, and went with the smaller semi-local isp that offers better speeds for better prices, and no bullshit. The customer service is actually pretty good too. I hope more people get options like that, it felt so good to leave the big guys.
I’m contractually obligated to take it in the ass from the only ISP in town.
NO it’s because of the excellent customer service
“excellent customer service” is a really weird to state “monopolistic practices”
It’s a good way to say, “customer service that blocks the exit,” though!
USTelecom, which represents telcos such as AT&T and Verizon, said that “the competitive broadband marketplace leaves providers of broadband and other communications services no choice but to provide their customers with not only high-quality broadband, but also high-quality customer service.”
That’s so much bullshit in so little space that I’m surprised it didn’t become a black hole.
All infrastructure should be owned by the government
Or at least community cooperatives. Having no voice or say in how your fixed infrastructure is operated is asking to be exploited
My ISP’s customer service is spectacular. It’s literally THE reason I’ve stuck with my ISP the entire time I’ve lived here. Well, that and the fact that they’re the only option.
If they all suck, are they all not doing exceptionally well? I, too, can make statistics say whatever I want. If you manipulate the data, then a lie will sell itself.
I audibly laughed.
Are ISPs transitioning to comedy now?
They’ve always been a joke
The only reason I take their customer service up my ass is because it always sucks no matter what ISP I use.
The only reason I do it is because I have no other choice. For me it’s either suffering with Comcast or using extremely shitty DSL (which is too slow for me to do my job properly). I live in a suburban area, but for some reason, my neighborhood has only one high speed option. And I know there are plenty of other people all over the country in the same predicament.
Ya, and the reason I’ve never been in a car accident is cause I’m a fantastic driver, not because I’ve never owned a car…
if you want to listen to 35 minutes of annoying music, press 1. If you want to get insulted personally by an operator stay on the line
Every 5 minutes, at max volume:
YOUR CALL IS IMPORTANT TO US. ALL AVAILABLE OPERATORS ARE HELPING OTHER CUSTOMERS. PLEASE STAY ON THE LINE.
2 minutes later:
DID YOU KNOW <COMPANY> IS WORKING TO SAVE CUSTOMERS LIKE YOU MONEY? UPGRADE YOUR PLAN TO ULTIMATE TODAY AND SAVE! YOU CAN ADD BASIC CABLE TO YOUR INTERNET PLAN FOR FREE FOR 3 MONTHS. MAKE ANY SOUND AT ALL TO LEAVE THE SUPPORT QUEUE AND SPEAK WITH A NEW ACCOUNT SPECIALIST RIGHT AWAY.
returns to playing compressed elevator music through an old can
if you want to get insulted personally by an operator stay on the line
20 minutes later, a robot voice - Please wait, our attendants are busy. You are very valuable to us.
Bluntly: If you’re fortunate, you’ll have two options for internet. DSL and cable. Sometimes there’s other “options” like a WISP or starlink, or even a dual up provider, but the speed comparison is not even close, so I usually discard most of those as viable either on ping time or bandwidth.
It’s extremely likely that only one provider services your residence with DSL, and one provider does cable. Two providers. All other options are basically a wholesale or resale of these two providers, meaning you still get service from one of those two.
If you’re extremely lucky, you’ll also have the option of fiber. And IMO, that is the only time you really get three options.
If you go with a third party ISP, the last mile is still one of the two that actually come into your residence.
So the only real options you have are: do you want to buy internet direct from the ISP that owns the line to your house, or do you want to buy internet from someone who will contact that company to give you internet? If you don’t like the DSL provider, and you don’t like the cable provider, you’re completely fucked. Gg everyone.
Welp, the gig is up. After all of these years we’ve been publicly pretending otherwise… these companies have finally seen through our charade. We no longer need to excitedly whisper to eachother in basements and bars, and other locals in the shadows, tales of how our local Internet service providers always go above and beyond for each and every one of us. Now they know we think of them not only as a part of our family, but also as one of our children, as kin, and with more esteem than our elders. Truly we are a blessed people. The future is bright my brothers, we can now rejoice openly in the sun the ISPs shine down unto us.
