ISP? I hate MEDIACOM

[Jorddyn]

Does anyone have an ISP that they don't hate? I don't care if it is broadband or DSL (I can't have dial-up because of work), since I have no idea what the difference is.

For anyone who cares why (probably no one, but I'd like to vent):

I spent 4 hours last weekend waiting for Mediacom to come fix my connectivity issues (being disco'd every half hour or so), which they told me was because of my splitter. They replaced the splitter and left. 5 minutes later, I had no connectivity.

I called them, and they told me they would have to schedule another appointment. I scheduled a two hour window for this afternoon from 1 to 3. I sat at home and waited until 3:15, at which point the CFO of my company called me and told me he needed several things NOW, so I went back to work. The tech called me at 3:41 to say he was on his way, and let me know that he would give me one more "courtesy call" before the day was over, but that was it.

I called their customer service, and requested a first-of-the-day 8 AM appointment either tomorrow or Monday. They cannot give me anything less than a 4 hour window next time, in part because I left before the guy showed up today.

I told them I will wait tomorrow AM until 9, at which point if they have not arrived, I will be cancelling my service. So I need someone to switch to if/when they do not show up.

Help?

Jorddyn

[Bobmuhthol]

Have you considered cable..?

[Jorddyn]

Mediacom is cable.

[Bobmuhthol]

You got fucked, then. What a no-name company.

Get Verizon FiOS!

[Jorddyn]

We're sorry Verizon doesn't offer FiOS service in your area. However, please take a look at the Verizon services listed below that may be offered where you live.

Verizon VoiceWing - Broadband Phone Service
Verizon Long Distance
Verizon Wireless
SuperPages


I can buy their phone service so I can call people with good Internet access, I suppose. I miss living in something resembling a real city.

[Bobmuhthol]

I would think that DSL, since it's a phone-based connection, would be available if a phone service is.

Failing that, there are plenty of other :(tastic DSL providers to choose from.

[Tsa`ah]

Mediacom is rather large and far from a no-name company.

Their CS and tech support is pretty shitty however.

The best advice I can give is to call their central CS, calling the local office is a waste of time. Local dispatch still holds the monopoly on how "timely" a tech reach your home. I've never had a tech actually make it within 1 hour of the 3-7 hour windows ... and even then they have rarely ever properly diagnosed the issue, let alone fixed it. Dealing with their central CS can at least escalate your problem with the local side and may even give you some credits toward your account.

I don't know how many services you have from mediacom, but if you have digital cable and multiple splits, chances are you don't have enough signal to cover everything. Make sure the first split goes to your modem and that should solve the problem unless it's something like too many homes on one hub ... in which case they'll get around to adding amps to it when enough people threaten to drop the service.

Personally, I'd go for a broadcast isp like Volo if it's available. I used a broadcast service for a short time before we moved and never had a problem. Unfortunately for me there are high voltage power lines 10 miles away from my home and the closest broadcast point .. making it nearly impossible for the service to be stable.

[Stanley Burrell]

Does anyone have an ISP that they don't hate? I don't care if it is broadband or DSL (I can't have dial-up because of work), since I have no idea what the difference is.

For anyone who cares why (probably no one, but I'd like to vent):

I spent 4 hours last weekend waiting for Mediacom to come fix my connectivity issues (being disco'd every half hour or so), which they told me was because of my splitter. They replaced the splitter and left. 5 minutes later, I had no connectivity.

I called them, and they told me they would have to schedule another appointment. I scheduled a two hour window for this afternoon from 1 to 3. I sat at home and waited until 3:15, at which point the CFO of my company called me and told me he needed several things NOW, so I went back to work. The tech called me at 3:41 to say he was on his way, and let me know that he would give me one more "courtesy call" before the day was over, but that was it.

I called their customer service, and requested a first-of-the-day 8 AM appointment either tomorrow or Monday. They cannot give me anything less than a 4 hour window next time, in part because I left before the guy showed up today.

I told them I will wait tomorrow AM until 9, at which point if they have not arrived, I will be cancelling my service. So I need someone to switch to if/when they do not show up.

Help?

Jorddyn

Start talkin' bout your level 100 warrioress and how even with the armor hiding nerf, you'll still manage a repetitive 3 second RT ambushing strike with the nearest household toaster!

And in all seriousness, I don't think there's such a thing as a reliable ISP :-\

[Sean of the Thread]

Brighthouse Tampabay does me just fine.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Mediacom is rather large and far from a no-name company.>>

That's why they lost over $200 million, right?

They suck.

[Jorddyn]

I don't know how many services you have from mediacom, but if you have digital cable and multiple splits, chances are you don't have enough signal to cover everything. Make sure the first split goes to your modem and that should solve the problem unless it's something like too many homes on one hub ... in which case they'll get around to adding amps to it when enough people threaten to drop the service.


I have regular ole basic basic cable (only because antenna reception sucks in my condo) and high speed internet. My neighbors are having none of the connectivity issues that I am.

I have one splitter in my office so I can have both my computer and my TV, which they guaranteed me would not be a problem. And I had no problem for the first almost 4 years I lived here. It's just within the past month and a half. And it is getting progressively worse, which (perhaps wrongly) leads me to believe it is just the modem dying.

Jorddyn

[Jayvn]

ya my mother in law has serious issues with her mediacom... I went with bellsouth...because well I have no other option here.

[Jessaril]

I have regular ole basic basic cable (only because antenna reception sucks in my condo) and high speed internet. My neighbors are having none of the connectivity issues that I am.

I have one splitter in my office so I can have both my computer and my TV, which they guaranteed me would not be a problem. And I had no problem for the first almost 4 years I lived here. It's just within the past month and a half. And it is getting progressively worse, which (perhaps wrongly) leads me to believe it is just the modem dying.

Jorddyn

You replaced your modem yet? Alot of cheaper cable modems are notorious for getting to hot and slowly but surely going to hell.

[Tsa`ah]

I have regular ole basic basic cable (only because antenna reception sucks in my condo) and high speed internet. My neighbors are having none of the connectivity issues that I am.

I have one splitter in my office so I can have both my computer and my TV, which they guaranteed me would not be a problem. And I had no problem for the first almost 4 years I lived here. It's just within the past month and a half. And it is getting progressively worse, which (perhaps wrongly) leads me to believe it is just the modem dying.

Jorddyn

You have one splitter in the unit total? Or is there a split to your office ... or from your office to another set?

But one word struck me ... condo.

Chances are that this is your problem. I'm willing to bet that more people in your area are upgrading to digital services and, as Mediacom known for, hasn't upgraded the box or boxes that feed the units and/or surrounding area.

It's very likely that there's nothing to be done until people in your area start dropping mediacom digital services because of poor service, or they upgrade the feeds.



That's why they lost over $200 million, right?

They suck.

Large businesses gain and lose profit all the time. 200 mill to an entity such as Mediacom, while nothing to sneeze at, is really just a drop in the bucket.

A guy worth 200 mill walks into a Vegas casino and loses 20grand in an evening, walks out still worth 199,980,000 ... he obviously sucks.

After all, how many businesses Bob operate in multiple states?

[Jorddyn]

You replaced your modem yet? Alot of cheaper cable modems are notorious for getting to hot and slowly but surely going to hell.

Ding ding ding.

The problem is I'm a lazy ass, and know nothing about modems, so I want to continue to "rent" theirs for $3 a month instead of buying one. But they won't replace it without a service call.



You have one splitter in the unit total? Or is there a split to your office ... or from your office to another set?

I split it in my office so it can hit the TV and the computer. There's also a plug in the living room for my other television, which would logically mean there's a split somewhere earlier, I suppose.

Jorddyn

[Tsa`ah]

I split it in my office so it can hit the TV and the computer. There's also a plug in the living room for my other television, which would logically mean there's a split somewhere earlier, I suppose.

Jorddyn

Before you make a service call or replace the modem, try hooking the modem up to that outlet ... or even asking property maintenance to track your cable paths and point out where the first split is.

[Jessaril]

Before you make a service call or replace the modem, try hooking the modem up to that outlet ... or even asking property maintenance to track your cable paths and point out where the first split is.

Yeah, it could be the splitter to, typically you lose a db or two no matter how good your splitter is. A db or two on an already weak signal can cause this problem. I actually had this problem in my house, they had one of the old 3/9 DB splitters, switching the two (TV doesn't require that much) fixed my connection dropping randomly. Until I had to replace my modem (twice now) of course.

[Jorddyn]

Well, they came in this morning to do some work.

Apparently, I had issues upon issues.

1. 5 way splitter coming in my condo. (WTF, I only have two hookups)
2. Bad something or other behind the plate where my modem hooked in.
3. Bad modem.
4. Low signal coming in to the building.

First three have been fixed, and my service has been steady since. Fourth, who knows? He said it would take a few days, and until then I may have issues if I try to use the splitter and use my TV.

I hate being a bitchy customer, but I guess it worked. Still can't say I'd recommend them, but I can't match the price with any other package from anyone else in the area ($59/month total bill including taxes/fees for internet and basic cable).

Jorddyn

[Sean]

I had to jump through hoops to get my Verizon FiOS hooked up and working.

[Jessaril]

Well, they came in this morning to do some work.

Apparently, I had issues upon issues.

1. 5 way splitter coming in my condo. (WTF, I only have two hookups)
2. Bad something or other behind the plate where my modem hooked in.
3. Bad modem.
4. Low signal coming in to the building.

First three have been fixed, and my service has been steady since. Fourth, who knows? He said it would take a few days, and until then I may have issues if I try to use the splitter and use my TV.

I hate being a bitchy customer, but I guess it worked. Still can't say I'd recommend them, but I can't match the price with any other package from anyone else in the area ($59/month total bill including taxes/fees for internet and basic cable).

Jorddyn

Glad they got all that fixed, the 4th one might never get fixed though since there are some regulations they have to deal with as far as signal strength goes. As long as it's stable, that is the important part.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Large businesses gain and lose profit all the time. 200 mill to an entity such as Mediacom, while nothing to sneeze at, is really just a drop in the bucket.>>

They pulled in $1 billion and lost $1.2 billion. I'd wager that losing $200 million wasn't too much of a write off for them.

<<A guy worth 200 mill walks into a Vegas casino and loses 20grand in an evening, walks out still worth 199,980,000 ... he obviously sucks.>>

Having $200 million and losing $20 thousand isn't really comparable to gaining $1 billion and losing $1.2 billion, IMHO.

<<After all, how many businesses Bob operate in multiple states?>>

A fucking ton. Every major ISP ever operates in multiple states, and Mediacom can't begin to seriously compete with the likes of Verizon, Comcast, and Charter. Conclusively, they blow.

[Celephais]

Bob you're an AMD fanboy aren't you? Lets take a look at AMD profits...

96 negative $69M
97 negative $21M
98 negative $103M
99 negative $89M
00 postive $983M
01 positive $29M
02 negative $1300M
03 negative $274M
04 positive $232M
05 positive $165M
06 negative $166M

Total negative $616M

[Bobmuhthol]

Not an AMD fanboy, sry, and comparing ISPs to computer manufacturers ain't even close to the same thing.