What is up with Earthlink?
I was an Earthlink customer for nearly 4 years with no problems. They had great customer service (for me anyways) and were very friendly. I recently moved and in doing so I had to try to move my Earthlink service (DSL Service) to my new residence.
To make a long story short they never came over to my house and started my DSL service and so I had to stop my Earthlink account and sign up with someone who would actually do something.
When I called the Earthlink customer service the woman asked me "What version of Windows are you using?". She didn't even ask me "What OS are you using" she just ASSUMED that I was using Windows. When I told her that I was using OS X she acted like I was crazy or something. This wouldn't normally surprise me but because I thought Earthlink was supposed to be partnered with Apple, I was a little surprised.
Is Earthlink still partnered with Apple or have they fallen out? Anyone else had this kind of experience with Earthlink?
To make a long story short they never came over to my house and started my DSL service and so I had to stop my Earthlink account and sign up with someone who would actually do something.
When I called the Earthlink customer service the woman asked me "What version of Windows are you using?". She didn't even ask me "What OS are you using" she just ASSUMED that I was using Windows. When I told her that I was using OS X she acted like I was crazy or something. This wouldn't normally surprise me but because I thought Earthlink was supposed to be partnered with Apple, I was a little surprised.
Is Earthlink still partnered with Apple or have they fallen out? Anyone else had this kind of experience with Earthlink?
Comments
I was having trouble with my cable modem and this was around the time of one or other of the big worms/viruses that hit around July/August of 2003 (I can't keep track of the names).
I called and told them I was having trouble and the CSR said "You've got the virus."
I said, "No I don't. I'm using a Mac."
She said "Yes you do. Everyone's getting it. You need to contact your manufacturer."
I said, "No. I don't have the virus. I CAN'T get the virus because I'm using a macintosh computer. I'm not using Windows so I can't get the virus."
She said, "Who makes that? Dell? Gateway?"
I said, "Let me talk to someone who can actually help me."
And this was tech support.
Originally posted by torifile
In my experience, it's never useful to call ISPs support lines. I can't speak for earthlink and their customer service but I've got a funny story to tell....
I was having trouble with my cable modem and this was around the time of one or other of the big worms/viruses that hit around July/August of 2003 (I can't keep track of the names).
I called and told them I was having trouble and the CSR said "You've got the virus."
I said, "No I don't. I'm using a Mac."
She said "Yes you do. Everyone's getting it. You need to contact your manufacturer."
I said, "No. I don't have the virus. I CAN'T get the virus because I'm using a macintosh computer. I'm not using Windows so I can't get the virus."
She said, "Who makes that? Dell? Gateway?"
I said, "Let me talk to someone who can actually help me."
And this was tech support.
I called my ISP a few weeks ago because my cable modem wasn't receiving a signal (I had checked and double checked everything on my end, it was the ISP's problem). I called and went through menu hell, and finally got to talk to a live person.
Me: My cable modem isn't getting a signal from you guys, is there any way you can check and make sure everything is okay.
(give her address and account #, crap like that)
Her: Okay, what version of Windows are you on?
Me: It's a Macintosh
Her: A what?
Me: Macintosh, made by Apple
Her: Ummm, what version of Windows does that run?
Me: It's a Mac, it runs Mac OS X, can I speak with someone else please?
Her: No, I can take care of you...Mac OS X, huh? Let me pull the manuals up and see if we support your computer.
Me: Obviously you do, because the modem was working just fine this morning.
Long story short...she was an idiot, and all it took was her resetting the connection from her end.
Originally posted by Dr VanNostran
Is Earthlink still partnered with Apple or have they fallen out? Anyone else had this kind of experience with Earthlink?
I think the partnership between the two has ended but Earthlink/Mindspring still supports the Mac.
I have had their DSL service for about 4 years also. My experience has been great. In this time I have needed to call them three times. Once for help in setting up my Airport Base Station (which really wasn't their responsibility) once when they were having network problems and once when my original DSL modem went out (They replaced it free of charge) Each time the phone rep was very curtious and knowlegable. They would even call back after a couple of days to check. I can't complain.
JeRK
Jeez. It's really sad, actually. All these companies - for "cost cutting measures" - dump their good people and replace them with know-nothing lugnuts, either domestically or abroad, and you're sitting there on the phone getting more torqued up as the minutes pass.
Years ago I was an Earthlink customer. Had them as a dial-up provider from about 1997 until about 2000. That was in several parts of California AND in Nashville, never with a single problem. In those four years I might've called tech support TWICE.
Anyway, ordered Earthlink DSL in 2000 or so, when I was living in Carlsbad, CA. Long story short, a 2-month cluster**** of DeMille proportions ensued, involving Earthlink, Pacific Bell and some third-party "line provisioner" outfit who came out to look at a pole and smoke a cigarette on my balcony, from what I can tell.
DSL NEVER worked like it should. When I'd call Earthlink, they'd blame it on PacBell or the Marlboro Man wannabe. When I'd call PacBell, they blamed it on Earthlink and the alignment of the planets. I called Cigarette Smoking Man, but he was more useless than the others. It was totally ridiculous, on nearly every level.
I'd call Earthlink, go through the whole "push 1 for this, push 2 for that" maze (pushing "2" for MACINTOSH SUPPORT, right?) and STILL get paired with some chuzzlewit who was apparently completely unaware that a company named Apple exists and makes computers.
I, too, would get the whole "now what version of Windows are you using?".
"I DON'T USE WINDOWS!!! I'M ON A MAC."
"Yeahhhh. Okay, just a second..." [paper flipping sound, as if someone is furiously thumbing through a How to Be an Unhelpful Dumbass manual...which, come to find out, they were!]
"Okay, I think I got it...I need you to go to the "Start" menu, and..."
"MOTHER****ER...ARRGHHHH!!!"
Oh man, it was something else. I soon moved a few miles away and got Cox cable modem and haven't looked back. Now, back in Tennessee, I've had Comcast cable modem for 18 months and all is well.
So, to answer your question "what is up with Earthlink?"...not much, my man. Not much.
So maybe the solution is to use EarthLink, but at the same time, to not use them...
Hey, I didn't know Mr. Kerry frequented AppleInsider!
Although, with all the goo-goo-eyed groupies he has over in AO, I guess I shouldn't be surprised...
aol: "aol on windows 95?"
My mom: "yes on a 1 year old compaq"
aol: "AH HA....try rebooting and useing different #s"
My mom: "my son (me) tried that before i called"
aol: "that isnt our problem, your system has a ghost"
(mom asks me about "ghosts")
mom: "no we dont use that program"
aol: "NO a literal ghost is in your system, we cant deal with that"
mom: --CLICK-- in anger followed by joint laughter of the whole family who by this point were all standing arround the computer
soon thereafter we dropped AOhelL
Originally posted by pscates
Hey, I didn't know Mr. Kerry frequented AppleInsider!
Although, with all the goo-goo-eyed groupies he has over in AO, I guess I shouldn't be surprised...
naw: it is obviously al gore useing kerrys rederic: after all, Gore invented the internet...and now he works for.....apple
Originally posted by VanDeWaals
I recently jumped ship from EarthLink to Verizon DSL. I never really had problems with EarthLink, but for the same price I was paying for EarthLink DSL + my phone line I was able to get Verizon's Freedom Package (unlimited local, reginal, and long distance, including Canada) and twice the download speed on my DSL. The problem is, EarthLink has to rent lines from whoever the local phone company is, and oftentimes you get less download for the same or more money. It kinda sucks. ANYway, I've been on Verizon for almost a month now with no complaints, and I'm getting more bang for my buck to boot. YMMV.
What kind of speed does verizon give you? our freedom pack only has 768 down, same as earthlink.
are we due a speed bump?
have we been underserved for the past 1.5 years?
When I moved I had the option of getting Earthlinks Cable service provided by Time Warner Cable. Earthlink was charging $40 a month (or something really close) and I also called Time Warner and ask them how much a month they charge for the same service. Time Warner was $4 a month more even though they actually are the provider in both situations. That was weird, at least to me.
In the end I ended up going with Everest which provides Cable (both TV and High Speed Internet) and phone (local and long distance if you want it) all in one bill. Some of Everest's products are good, like the Cable but the local phone is just okay. Luckily I have not had to call the Customer Support yet and hopefully I won't have to.
Originally posted by Dr VanNostran
...Time Warner was $4 a month more even though they actually are the provider in both situations. That was weird, at least to me...
That was the same situation I was in. I guess Earthlink is just sacrificing some profit in order to get customers.