OT: ISP's - need comments

Forgot to add - I've seen no new postings from anyone since
one or two on June 19.

Quoted message said:

Dora
--
[email hidden]

limey at toad dot net

limey <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Dirtstink SUCKS road kill through a straw! Their news
service farm is one of the worst I've ever used. And the
larger they get, the less resources they are devoting to it.

If you're looking for a FREE, RELIABLE news server, sign on
for news.individual.net through individual.netindividual.netOpen ↗ .

The Ranger

PS: I also experienced MAJOR problems with dirtstinks
payment system so caveat emptor.

limey said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

Dora

I've had good results using the regional phone company's
providers, first USWest/Qwest when I lived in Utah, and now
Verizon in Maryland. In each case I used a small, local
provider before switching to the baby bell, and in each case
the Bell service was superior in terms of account features
(number of mailboxes, web storage space, ease of online
access to change account options) and reliability of the
connection.

Quoted message said:

"limey" writes:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Mostly reliability depends on connectivity.

It would help to know whether you connect with dial-up (DSL
is dial-up too) or cable... and now there's 'dish' too. If
you live in an area with antiquated infrastructure (old
style wiring) you will experience the same poor reliability
regardless which ISP you choose. Generally cable consists
entirely of the newer fiber optic wiring and therefore will
be more reliable then phone wire (phone wire, often at least
in part, consists of the old copper wire - a chain is no
stronger than it's weakest link).

Changing ISPs may not (probably will not) solve your
reliability dilemma.

---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =--- ---= Move
UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without
tribulation." Sheldon ````````````

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My

posts,

Quoted message said:

have been missing for several days and are not even
appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

Dora
--
[email hidden]

limey at toad dot net

Had AOHell to begin with when we first went online.
Cancelled service as the price was too high for what we
could get locally for a third of the price. (same services).
AOHell continued to tap our account for payment. When I
complained, they said they were holding it in escrow until
we realized we made a mistake and came back!!!!! Took the
better business bureau to get 'some' of the money
back....claimed handling fees, cancellation fees, etc to eat
up the rest.

Earthlink bought up the local provider and dropped certain
services, such as newsgroup access for our area, then upped
the price for the 'privilege'of doing business with them.

We currently use a local service, and the individual.net
service for newsgroups. Best bet, check out ALL the
locals and check with the BBB before signing up for
anything. -Ginny

In article <[email hidden]>, "limey"

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

Quoted message said:

Dora

I've used earthlink for more than three years and have
been very pleased with it and with their support. FWIW. I
pay $19.95/month for a dial-up account. (The AARP discount
in effect.)
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Sam I Am updated 6/19/04.
Only 6 days until my birthday. "Shop early, shop often, shop
big." Good gin and cheap chocolate preferred. Or is it cheap
gin and good chocolate? I can never remember. . . .A diamond
bracelet would be nice. . .

Hark! I heard "limey" <[email hidden]> say:

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

What did your ISPs support people say about this?

Quoted message said:

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I loved Mindspring until Earthlink bought them out -- got to
be less personal and too "big businessy" for me (good luck
getting any support beyond canned e-mail replies). I
switched to Worldnet, and like them very much, but I never
needed any support either; that might make a difference. Now
that I have DSL, I use a small local ISP. So far, so good...

--
J.J. in WA (Change COLD to HOT for e-mail) ~ mom, vid
gamer, novice cook ~ ..fish heads, fish heads, eat
them up, yum!

limey said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

Quoted message said:

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Quoted message said:

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

You would be better off posting your question in a newsgroup
that's local to the area where you live. Even with nation-
wide or global ISPs, the service can vary widely from one
area to the next. For example, I have Comcast cable modem
service and I love it, but a colleague of mine tried it in
her house and it was so unreliable that she had to switch to
a different ISP.

Earthlink has a good reputation, but as I said, only those
who have tried Earthlink in your area know if its local
service is acceptable.

limey said:

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

It has been very reliable for me. They have had some news
feed problems in the past and change servers when it gets
bad. The best part for me is that we have an east and a
west server, so if one slows down... I switch to the other
for a while.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

raw meat said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Reliability isn't the only consideration in choosing an ISP:

slatkinfraud.comelnk.shtmlOpen ↗

"limey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My

posts,

Quoted message said:

have been missing for several days and are not even
appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

Dora
--
[email hidden]

limey at toad dot net

Earthlink is a pretty good ISP. Their tech support was
fabulous a few years ago. I switched away from them only
because, at the time, dial-up was being discontinued and DSL
was coming in at $50/mo. I got a cable line for $30 (now
$45). I believe DSL is a bit lower now.

i, too, used to be with a (VERY SMALL) local isp and the
biggest problem i had with them besides the constant
outtages (trees falling on wires, etc) is that promptly on
the dot of having been online for 3 hours, i got
dumped...and i could not get back on for at least 1/2 hour!!

i've been on earthlink.net for the last 6 months and I LOVE
IT!! they're one of the very few national/international isps
that offer services for mac-users, including and very
special to me, spamblocking for email. they also check for
viruses before letting mail into your inbox (although, using
a mac means i don't have to worry about viruses ;o). the
only necessity that comes with using a spamblocker is
cautioning people you write mail to that upon writing you
back, they'll encounter the spamblocker and all they have to
do is to request entry into your addressbook; or, as in my
case, the ability to "run over" to the webmail center and
picking up the mail several times a day.

i have spent, at times, more than 11 hours online without
getting disconnected!!! and finally, the BESTEST part of
earthlink is that you can call into your email and use the
web from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! if you know you're going
somewhere, you can d/load their list of local numbers (they
have over 50,000 worldwide).

i chose them over a(w)ol cuz they don't try and censor you
and you're allowed to experience the WHOLE internet, not
just what they'd like you to
do/go. also, a(w)ol.com has much too many graphics and @ 56k
(hey! i live in the woods...no dsl or cablemodem yet), it
takes FOREVER to get the page loaded. ARGHHHHHHH!!! ;o(
and...in case you don't already know this, ANYONE can use
aim...you don't hafta be an aol member to use instant
messaging.

ok. that's MY 2¢

Quoted message said:

From: "limey" <[email hidden]> Newsgroups:
rec.food.cooking Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2004 11:42:08 -0400
Subject: OT: ISP's - need comments

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days and
are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

I don't know if this will reach you (I'm using a different
news server at the moment) but would appreciate any
comments.

Dora
--
[email hidden]

limey at toad dot net

"The Ranger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

limey <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My posts, have been missing for several days
and are not even appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Dirtstink SUCKS road kill through a straw! Their news
service farm is one of the worst I've ever used. And
the larger they get, the less resources they are
devoting to it.

If you're looking for a FREE, RELIABLE news server, sign
on for news.individual.net through
individual.netindividual.netOpen ↗ .

The Ranger

PS: I also experienced MAJOR problems with dirtstinks
payment system so caveat emptor.

Oh yes, Earthlink's payment system.......

Earthlink charged me $389 the first month I signed up for my
dial-up service. I called them to complain and get a refund
because it was my understanding that I would be charged
around $21 per month; ah, rather *large* difference! Took
them 6 months to stop charging me that crazy price and
finally refund me. Talk about messing up a checking account!
Whoosh! (Course they didn't refund bounced check fees either
- the [censored].....)

As a side note, AOHell did the *exact* same thing to a
friend of mine. She finally just had to close her account.
Larger corporations aren't always better.

kili
--
"Beer, the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems." - - Homer
Simpson

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

raw meat said:

I am having a lot of trouble with my ISP, a small local
company. My

posts,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have been missing for several days and are not even
appearing on Google.

I am leaning towards earthlink.net - how reliable is it?

Reliability isn't the only consideration in choosing an
ISP:

slatkinfraud.comelnk.shtmlOpen ↗

Weighing all the comments, I'll wait and see what my ISP
comes up with tomorrow. I have e-mailed them but it's a
different staff on duty at the weekends and they're not too
sharp. Otherwise, it's good to have a local voice at the
other end of the line. However, the problem is occurring
frequently enough to be annoying.

Thank you, everyone, for the input.

Dora

Melba's Jammin said:

I've used earthlink for more than three years and have
been very pleased with it and with their support. FWIW. I
pay $19.95/month for a dial-up account. (The AARP
discount in effect.)

REALLY? I should look into that!

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

limey said:

Forgot to add - I've seen no new postings from anyone
since one or two on June 19.

Try a different news server... free ones are out there.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Kswck said:

Earthlink is a pretty good ISP. Their tech support was
fabulous a few

years

Quoted message said:

ago. I switched away from them only because, at the time,
dial-up was

being

Quoted message said:

discontinued and DSL was coming in at $50/mo. I got a
cable line for $30 (now $45). I believe DSL is a bit
lower now.

Their DSL runs $49.95 per month and they usually have an
introductory deal of $29.95 per month for the first three
months or so. The thing is that they charge you $20.00+
shipping for the installation CD...sneeky!

For dial - up they did have a deal with the first six months
being only $9.95...then after six months it's $21.95 (will
have to look into that AARP that Barb mentioned ;-). Every
three or so months I call up and complain *nicely* about
trouble connecting (which really doesn't happen that often)
and they give me the next month for $9.95 as a goodwill
gesture. You have to be *nice*, e.g. tell them that you
really, really like EL and you want to keep them, but isn't
there something you can do to keep me as a loyal customer?
Etcetera, ask for a supervisor, etcetera. They always
oblige...chat them up about Indian food or cheap airline
tickets from Chicago to New Delhi or some such thang ;----)

These days there is simply no reason to pay $20.00+ month
after month for a dial - up connection unless you have
absolutely no alternative....

I have a free Juno/Netzero account as a back - up
connection. You get ten hours per month free and have to put
up with a big toolbar, but for what it is it's not too bad -
it connects first time, every time. They have an unlimited
deal for $9.95/month and you don't get the big 'ole Juno
toolbar. Since they don't have a newsfeed you'll have to go
to news.individual.net or Google or wherever for Usenet....

You might also post or search on the newsgroup misc.consumers.frugal-
living - you'll get *lots* of opinions there as this is an
evergreen topic for that group...try googling "cheap ISP".

--
Best Greg

PENMART01 said:

It would help to know whether you connect with dial-up
(DSL is dial-up too) or

DSL is not dial-up. Yes, it uses the same pair of wires that
your phone line uses, but it is a more-or-less permanent
connection. In theory you can even have DSL without phone
service, though the phone company doesn't like to advertise
that fact or offer that service.

Bill Ranck Blacksburg, Va.

PENMART01 said:

It would help to know whether you connect with dial-up
(DSL is dial-up too) or

Eh?

DSL is dial-up the way apples are lawn furniture. I don't
know where you came up with that.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot)
com