ISP down

[icarus]

Hi guys. My ISP (Earthlink) is down and has only been working sporadically over the weekend. Now I've had no internet access since Sunday am.

Any advice on a new ISP?

I've been annoyed with Earthlink ever since they outsourced their customer service to India. Other than my personal feelings about the loss of American jobs and corporate greed, the Indian customer service reps just aren't as good. I miss the days when I'd contact Earthlink and the guy on the other line actually cared and was knowledgeable, excitedly informing me that the problem I have is the nasty new McEvil virus -- then send me a link on just how I can fix it.

Now, I call Earthlink, and some confused fellow with a thick accent answers the phone. He flips through screens that are supposed to tell him what to do and comes up empty. He attempts some inept small talk that he obviously has been told to parrot. When he can't help me because he's either a) not that educated in technology or b) doesn't give a damn, he hands me a bottled, "I am so sorry for the inconvenience." Then sits silently on the phone waiting for me to accept my fate. When I try to ask him to get off his duff and perhaps try some original thought, creativity maybe? -- I get the same "I am so sorry for the inconvenience." And silence.

What idiot decided India was a great place for call centers? I lived there. They have some of the worst service in the world.

Anyway, back the subject at hand: currently I'm paying $21.95/mo. for unlimited dial-up.

I moved my website from the free Earthlink account to Slashcity a year ago. I've left my old website up so some people's story links will die (specifically dkwilliams's links at Inkstained Fingers and switchknife's links), but most people have already made the transition.

The move will take down the original Percy Fic-A-Thon site. But the Percyfest stories have all been moved to Percyness: The Percy Weasley Archive.

I've also migrated my email from Earthlink to Yahoo and Gmail over the last year-to-two years. So I'm packed up and ready to move.

Any recommendations?

Comments

[swtalmnd]

I have to say, after years of trying out different things, I ♥ my cable modem. I don't use their email at all, but it gives a screamingly fast connection most of the time, and 99% of problems with it can be fixed by resetting your modem. Still, if price is an issue, DSL is a decent enough alternative, though I've found it slower and less reliable over the years.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Price is everything here and if I can get free dial-up instead of paying $250 a year for internet service, I'll do it. I also won't get cable TV (I can't see paying $600 a year for television). There are so many other things I can do with the money. In fact, I've figured out how to buy staple groceries for 3 months for two people for only $400, I kid you not.

Icarus