Earthlink customer service SUCKS and BLOWS

[ikojo]

Yesterday morning (Friday 430AM ) before I left for work I unplugged the DSL modem from the wall. There was a possibility of storms and I don't take any chances here in the midwest. I returned home around around 930PM and plugged everything back in as usual. I was unable to get online!!!!

Now this is SERIOUS because I am an Internet JUNKIE.

I didn't call customer service last night because I was too tired and knew that as tired as I was I would go totally off on the poor Indian customer service rep. I did try to troubleshoot the problem (turned modem and computer off and turn both on..modem first then computer yadda yadda yadda) to no avail.

I called Earthlink customer service this morning and got someone from India. He tells me to do exactly as I have already done with no success. I do it anyway because that is what his script calls for. He creates a trouble ticket for me which will not be seen until at least Monday. I let him know that I pay almost $51 per month for Earthlink DSL and am not happy that I will be without Internet access until at least Monday. I then request a credit for the days I will be without Internet access. He transfers me to account services.

WOW! I could barely understand the guy in account services! He did tell me that I would receive a credit for the days I was not able to use my DSL service.

I don't care. I am switching to sbc/yahoo. I work in the same building as their NATIVE ENGLISH speaking UNIONIZED customer service reps. I have been toying with leaving Earthlink for awhile now.

I am online now because I am at St Louis Bread Company which offers free Wi-Fi, which isn't so free when you consider I got a bagel, milk and soda for $5.00!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. My DSL ISP is Earthlink.

Their news server went down the other day. I called them to tell them. I got Mansoor. He called himself "Michael". Mansoor had not a clue, till I walked him through the deal, then he tells me that the server is down.

I had already told him that.

They sent me a survey. At the bottom was a note section. I told them that Americans need jobs.

[ikojo]

2. Yeah I am sure they will send me a survey as they have in

the past. I will tell them the same thing I have in the past...if they go to India for cheap labor then WHY AM I PAYING $51 A MONTH for DSL?



:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

[Radical Activist]

11. That's the only thing that will make them change

if they know they will lose customers because they went overseas. Thanks for sending that note.

[mcscajun]

3. If you have Earthlink DSL, then you also have 20 hours a month of Dial-up

For Free.

So long as you still have an analog modem around and connected to your PC, you can dial-up when the DSL goes out.

I've had Earthlink for years now (since Mindspring, actually) and I rarely have any DSL outage that lasts more than a few minutes. The one time I did have a problem I just switched to the Dial-up until the DSL modem resolved itself.

[ikojo]

7. I tried to connect via dial up and it shows connected

but web pages don't come up.

I'm tired of paying $51 a month for DSL when I can get it much cheaper. I am switching to SBC/Yahoo because it is cheaper. I can go downstairs at lunch and get my questions answered by people who understand me and I understand what they are saying for the most part.

[Tess49]

21. Buyer beware!

My SBC DSL never worked. It booted me off line about five times a day. They sent a technician out who claimed to fix it. Wrong. This after Sapna or whoever in India was no help. Finally ditched them for cable service. Have had no problems. Also, you need to know that if you leave Yahoo/DSL, you lose your E-mail account even if it was established before you enrolled in DSL. Someone suggested this may not happen if you don't merge your yahoo with SBC Global net. I'm not sure. Good luck.

[KoKo]

10. I was thinking of going with Earthlink DSL, I've used them since the

Mindspring days and before. The reason I want to stay with them is because of my e-mail and just because I can't stand change. I've had some minor problems where I noticed how bad their customer service has gotten, but their Online Customer Help has been okay. If you can't get online then you've got a problem because their "phone" Customer Help is useless.

Didn't know that you could still use "Dial Up" if your DSL server goes down. That's a big plus...

My other alternative is Bell South but I just don't want to have to deal with getting used to something else. Anyone have any good experinces switching from Earthlink to Bell So. to get DSL.

[leftofthedial]

4. just ike a harmonica player

buh dum psshht

[Deja Q]

5. Whatever blows can be sucked. Use Qwest DSL instead.

Nobody from India yet and the service is more reliable.

[ikojo]

8. I just signed up with sbc/yahoo

and it will be activated on Dec 20. I hope I have my kit by then.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

13. SBC/Yahoo in S.F. Bay Area uses India for "Level One" tech support

...in your area it might be different. You may have smooth sailing.

Here, it's the "banging your head against the wall, yanking your hair out by the roots" type of support. Language problems are only the beginning. I had a problem several months ago (drop-offs, slow-downs) that ended up being an actual, outside-of-my-house, nothing-to-do-with-me SBC external equipment problem.

Took a MONTH to get it fixed. I'm talking about several calls a DAY, EVERY DAY, for a MONTH. At the halfway point I got through to a supervisor who let me use him as my primary contact throughout the case. But all told, I had between 15 and 20 SBC techs at my place over the course of the month and they were all coming up with a different "diagnosis"...NOTHING was getting fixed. It took a lot of yelling and persistence. Squeaky wheel gets the grease with SBC (and supervisors have TOLD me that).

I have also found that when I have problems with Tech Support in India (SBC or Dell), I am told about the survey they will be sending me. I've made comments in the past like "GREAT. I look forward to filling it out and letting management know about the non-existent level of customer service I got." And guess what? I have NEVER RECEIVED A SURVEY. NEVER.

But this is what I learned: once you call "Level One" support and open your case, you can DEMAND to speak with "Second Tier" support. This is SBC policy, "written into law" about a year ago. These are the techs who KNOW THEIR STUFF. And it's not just the India thing that is a problem with Level One...I am a long-time customer and SBC (Formerly Pac Bell) Level One support has ALWAYS been a problem. They love to tell you things like "you need to reinstall Windows"...So you can give your name, account info, description of the problem, and after this is all documented and they ask the standard questions about the lights on your modem, you can DEMAND to speak with Tier Two. Tier Two is U.S.A.-based, NOT in India.

:grr:

The other thing is that SBC has a contract with India through the end of 2007. They know that their customers are PISSED, but apparently don't plan to buy their way out of the contract. However, on this last service call, several techs and supervisors confirmed that at the end of 2007, tech support is coming HOME.

So yeah, Earthlink may suck, but please don't assume that you're heading for greener pastures by signing up with SBC.

[ikojo]

19. No, I don't expect greener pastures...I have been thinking about this

for awhile now and my encounter w/Earthlink customer "support" today confirmed what I have long intended to do. In 2003 when I called EL to leave they offered me six months of DSL for the same price as SBC/yahoo DSL and I stayed. Not now. I need to pay a lot less for DSL not $51. The decision is primarily economic.

I have a friend who works for SBC and I work in the same building as some DSL support staff. I am friendly with a couple of the women who work there. At least I have a PHYSICAL location I can go to if I have problems, or at least people I can ask questions of.

$27 or $51 a month....I know what I prefer to pay.

[kodi]

6. get used to it from EL.

it used to be when you got on the line with someone there, you got a good old american pc geek on the other end, who knew the systems so well he/she could get you around almost any problem. they had an almost organic relationship with the mindspring/earth link systems i first used and they shared how to utilize the software to the max. it was like they were sharing something really cool and useful. so on the way to solving your problem the dude would show you how to avoid it again and how to over-ride the glitch.

now its "hi i'm bill" (from bangalore) and you have to spend 15 minutes explaining that you just did the 10 things the techie asked you to do even before you picked up the phone to call them.

always, i ask them how the weather is in bangalore or delhi or somwhere in india, and most immediately start to tell me then realize i know where they are and get a little unsettled.

you have a better chance of getting an american on the tech service line between 8 am and 5 pm, but still it might take a while.

i miss my mindspring ip. when EL bought it, my service turned to shit

[Merlot]

9. I used to LOVE Earthlink

Back in the day (the begining of internet time) their Customer Service was the best. I was a budding web designer, and those guys and the occasional gal were so helpful. They went above and beyond. Believe it or not, on a couple of occasions they would research the problem and call me back with answers.

Fortunatly I no longer need tech support, it's more effort than its worth. Nothing against the fine folks in India, but all they're doing is reading a script and for the most part I'm three steps ahead of them. And it usually takes three tries just for them to spell back my email address.

The service itself has gotten wors. I never used to get spam, their spaminator was the best. Now I get it, and I get more mailbox full messages than I used to. Email constantly having hicups.

It's sad becasue Earthlink was a local start-up in Pasadena. Now they're just another big, outsourcing company.

I've been looking for a new provider, but want cable, not DSL. Any suggestions appreciated.

[miss_kitty]

12. I hate Earthlink and Sprint

I quit them both because they're connected. Rececently, they pissed me off so badly, I'd wished I still had them so I could quit them all over again. :grr: :nuke: :grr:

[pintobean]

14. I switched from Earthlink to SBC about three years ago.

The speed is the same and SBC is a lot cheaper with great customer service. Earthlink called me shortly after I canceled their service to ask me why. I said "because you suck."
SBC is now advertising dsl for 19.95 per month.

[ikojo]

20. Pintobean...are you in St Louis? I am

in University City. I've had DSL since 2000 when AOL entered into a deal w/what was then Southwestern Bell. I switched from AOL to Earthlink because I wanted the real Internet not the Internet with training wheels.

Now I am going to sbc/yahoo.

The $19.95 per month deal is for people who bundle other services with SBC. Since I don't use my landline for anything other than DSL I don't need any other phone services.

[pintobean]

23. Yes, in the city.

I think we discussed the diversity of U. City about 6-8 months ago.

Edit: BTW. It doesn't matter who the dsl service provider is, they will be using SBC's lines and equipment. The service will be the same. The only differences are price and costomer service. Good luck. I've been happy with SBC.

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. But does it swallow?

[Skittles]

16. I've called their customer service a couple of times

and they were very good and polite. Possibly you just got a lemon? Yes, they were in India but I am not angry at Indian folk, I know they're just trying to make a living like we are. I just resent the fact that I am not able to compete with the overseas folk for jobs because I cannot possibly live on the wages they are readily able to accept.

[Willy Wonka]

17. I would dump all teleco DSL's

and go directly with Speakeasy. They are TOPS in their services, care, and pricing.

http://www.speakeasy.net

[linazelle]

18. Earthlink does suck...I'm looking for an alternative--tried peoplepc but

could not load their software to set up service. But I've had some really bad experiences with their CS "reps."

[Robeson]

22. Go with Red Jellyfish DSL...

...they are also an eco friendly site, who use funds from each new subscriber, to purchase land in the rainforrest. You're getting internet, and helping the world at the same time. Can't beat that! They're at: http://www.redjellyfish.com/