dslreports logo
SBC Won't Repeat DSL Mistakes With New Network
Aims to improve relations with 'Lightspeed' deployment

SBC "will not repeat the mistakes it made in deploying DSL as it rolls out Project LightSpeed and IPTV", says executive vice president of operations Zeke Robertson. For this next network upgrade, Robertson says SBC is "going out in advance and conditioning the plant to make sure we can offer the service", before selling it, adding that they aim to do a much better job keeping customers informed about who can and cannot get the new VDSL2 speeds and IPTV services.

"We have been very vulnerable to patting ourselves on the back, saying we are doing a good job on one part or another, when the only real metric that matters is how the customer sees it," says Robertson.
view:
topics flat nest 
page: 1 · 2 · next
chesney09
Premium Member
join:2004-07-26
Howell, MI

chesney09

Premium Member

November of 2005

The lightbulb FINALLY flickered!

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: November of 2005

said by chesney09:

The lightbulb FINALLY flickered!
But will it filter down to the people who actually implement the changes?
chesney09
Premium Member
join:2004-07-26
Howell, MI

chesney09

Premium Member

Re: November of 2005

Hey.. This is the first time I have ever seen a higher upper say something about whatthe cusomer thinks!
Whether or not they actually do anything is another story, but they gotta start somewhere! Gotta give them that!

hamburglar
join:2002-04-29
united state

hamburglar

Member

Re: November of 2005

And I got scolded yesterday for calling them crap » ··· ays=2000

I guess even they agree now.
Ender_W
Does Microsoft Mean Small And Squishy?
join:2002-09-14
Saint Louis, MO

Ender_W

Member

Re: November of 2005

No, you were right. SBC is crap.

Fatal Vector
@dsl.sfldmi.ameritech

Fatal Vector

Anon

Re: November of 2005


You couldn't prove that by me. The Telephone service here has improved tremendously since they took over Ameritech, and I have NEVER had one whit of trouble with my DSL.
kdandaoc
join:2003-10-13
608052427

kdandaoc

Member

Re: November of 2005

You better knock on wood...if you need to call support, brush up on your hindu and take a day of of work!

2wire is THE worst wireless product on the market!

a
@qwest.net

1 recommendation

a to chesney09

Anon

to chesney09
& the general public will all of a sudden become computer -Internet literate...

zcd
Condom Sense
join:2001-10-03
Plano, TX

zcd to chesney09

Member

to chesney09
As long as they don't plan on blocking out VOIP (which we are seriously contemplating), I see no reason to get excited yet.

drkkgt
Boo
Premium Member
join:2003-08-26
Whittier, CA

drkkgt

Premium Member

nope

it flickered just long enough for marketing to write it down but now it's out.

pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
Premium Member
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA

pokesph

Premium Member

sbc make a mistake?

SBC can say that all they want.. but accually DOING it is a completely 'nother story..
I won't believe it until I have that service in my hand (and it works 99.8%)

I truely hope they do do this as my dsl experience from SBC wasn't fun.

Logan 5
What a long strange trip its been
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
San Francisco, CA

1 recommendation

Logan 5

Premium Member

I'll beleive tha SBC really cares about customers

The day I can get something faster then 1.5/384 because I'm considered on the 'fringes' for DSL at the CO I'm hooked in to.

Project Lightspeed?!? Hell, what ever happened to 'Project Pronto' and all the new RT's that were supposed to make life better??

Been a customer since 1999 and have the money for faster service burning a hole in my pocket, but I do NOT want to give up my @pacbell.net email address (and refuse to go to dialup to keep it) by changing to another provider.

So for me and many like me who will not benefit from VDSL, Project Lightspeed, IPTV and all the rest, who cares???

Fix what's not working for the paying consumer before offering new services and trying to gain new market share and you'll find that taking care of a growing subset of your installed userbase will not be the "evil bane" that you've thought it is for the last 6 years......
raIDERspeed
join:2002-07-26
Soledad, CA

raIDERspeed

Member

Re: I'll beleive tha SBC really cares about custo

hmm So they are not going to say you be getting DSL in 6 months then 8 years later I have it? They better not make that mistake again.
editfilm
join:2001-12-20
Studio City, CA

editfilm to Logan 5

Member

to Logan 5
"going out in advance and conditioning the plant to make sure we can offer the service"

Conditioning the plant is meaningless when you live in a borderline area. I'm physically 14784 feet away from my central office. But line tests from demark point, where wiring enters the building place me at 27000 feet. Where's the extra 2 miles of cable? SBC doesn't know and doesn't care. But that won't stop them from trying selling it to me and then offer excuses when your DSL line tests at 256/128. Mind you this is in Studio City Los Angeles where new condos are selling down the street for $795,000. How will people react when they are sold Lightspeed and then told "there's a problem with your line, we don't know what it is and we won't fix it."

If they can't get DSL right after 8 years of empty promises why should I trust them with television? Not just any television, but a double re-compressed signal that will max out your line with just 2 streams of HDTV? No thanks, save the empty rhetoric for Wall Street.
jeffs471
join:2005-09-16
Camarillo, CA

1 recommendation

jeffs471

Member

VDSL2 is not going to work

its seems to me vdsl2 is the first mistake, but that has been discussed to death already.
twmonaco
join:2002-12-07
Aurora, IL

twmonaco

Member

Pronto

What the heck happened to "Project Pronto" ? SBC hasn't even come close to deploying DSL in Aurora, IL pop.165,000 other than a few square miles close enough to their central offices. It was more than obvious that they didn't want to compete with Comcast.

powerhog
Stinkin' up the joint
Premium Member
join:2000-12-14
Owasso, OK

powerhog

Premium Member

Less junk-mail for me?

LOL- at least once a month I get a flyer from SBC telling me about all the money I can save by signing up for their latest stuff. Every time I get such an offer, I call to sign up. Man, you should hear the excitement in the voices of those poor schmucks answering the phones when I tell them I want "everything". But, even better is the disappointment in their voices when they find out that SBC doesn't even serve (provide any services whatsoever) to my location.

Maybe this new practice of provision before sales will reduce the amount of junk-mail I receive? I'll miss the dashing of hopes for the phone jockies though.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

1 recommendation

pnh102

Premium Member

So they won't repeat earlier mistakes

quote:
SBC "will not repeat the mistakes it made in deploying DSL as it rolls out Project LightSpeed and IPTV", says executive vice president of operations Zeke Robertson.

They will just make all new mistakes this go-around.
Ender_W
Does Microsoft Mean Small And Squishy?
join:2002-09-14
Saint Louis, MO

Ender_W

Member

Re: So they won't repeat earlier mistakes

And toss in some old ones just for fun

wilbilt
Pronto Resurrected
Premium Member
join:2004-01-11
Oroville, CA

wilbilt

Premium Member

SBC Won't Repeat DSL Mistakes With New Network

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!:D
:D:D:D

Give me a break....
krobar
Is this thing on?
join:2002-09-15
Columbus, OH

krobar

Member

re: Pronto

I dunno, my pronto RT is about 3k feet from me and hasn't given me a problem since it was turned up a year and a half ago (well, for me, it may have been there longer but I was on Cox cable). Far cry from when I first moved into this place and was told I'd get DSL, got the equipment, and the day before it was turned on they send me something saying I won't get it they made a mistake would I mind sending them back the modem. heh

I think that project lightspeed is going to be achieving the same thing though, fiber to the node (your neighborhood) and then vdsl2 to the home, so you guys who are getting questionable service now etc will be handled eventually just like everyone else. Maybe. lol

BigCreek
God Is Good.
Premium Member
join:2002-06-25
Heber Springs, AR

BigCreek

Premium Member

Project Pronto / LightSpeed

The mistake they made with DSL (aka Project Pronto) was that they didn't deploy it and then laid everyone off. Glad to hear they won't make that mistake again. Sheesh.

First they need to look in the dictionary to find the word 'deploy'.
jchambers106
join:2004-12-10
Kansas City, MO

jchambers106

Member

Re: Project Pronto / LightSpeed

what are they going to do with the old copper phone lines that won't even support a dial up connection i live in kansas city i have cut the cord with sbc a long time ago i did the smart thing and went to a cable service and a voip service best moove I ever made. The point is that sbc is not there for the customer sbc has crappy phone lines here is kansas city mo that need replaced i have been wondering what they are going to do to fix them
HeadlessHMan
join:2005-11-15
New Milford, CT

HeadlessHMan

Member

Now there's a Plan...

Sooooo... SBC is going to make sure they have something to sell before they actually sell it. Well, there's progress.
Mr Dresden
join:2005-06-25
Ingleside, IL

Mr Dresden

Member

SBC can eat it...

VDSL2 won't be in my area because SBC doesn't want to invest in upgrading an older infrastructure. Zeke Robertson can eat it for all i care... I'll be moving to cable soon.
Mr Dip
join:2005-02-28
Lisle, IL

Mr Dip

Member

Re: SBC can eat it...

said by Mr Dresden:

VDSL2 won't be in my area because SBC doesn't want to invest in upgrading an older infrastructure. Zeke Robertson can eat it for all i care... I'll be moving to cable soon.
Join the club. I truly believe that out of the 18 million homes that are targeted for this, nearly half are new developments that are yet to be built - specifically because they can't/won't upgrade existing crappy copper lines to peoples homes. Shit, I ordered a T-1 and SBC won't drop off a new line for that! You think they'll drop off new copper for a residential VDSL? Think again.

Mega DETH
It's All About The Ping
join:2003-08-20
Watertown, WI

Mega DETH

Member

woot

I'll sure be glad when 2008 is here and we have lightspeed
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: woot

according to a tech that was at my neighbors house yesturday fixing her DSL line said that more than 90% of the customers in all 13 states will be available to order Lightspeed by the middle of 2008.

I laughed at him and asked him what planet he was living on. We only got DSL when we did thanks to TWC.
Folic
join:2004-10-03
Milwaukee, WI

Folic

Member

No problem with SBC

I have no problem with SBC at all, they are actually really nice around here. (Watertown Wisconsin) I called in a few days ago asking to upgrade, and they told me i couldn't un till may or June, and they said if the service isn't ready by then, i can get my next 6 months free, and no cancellation fee. And there tech support has been nothing but helpful, and my DSL has never dropped or anything, and i get the speeds i was quoted.

As for lightspeed, I'm hoping that it'll actually happen out here, but I'm not sure, and if it is offered out here ever, I'm sure it'll be top notch.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: No problem with SBC

I have little problem here in So. Cal with SBC - I use DSL Extreme over their lines as I don't have to use their long distance service. I currently don't mind the speed (or lack there of), as they have low prices. I'm still waiting for a true dry DSL or Dry cable Internet. I use satellite, so why would I care about phone lines or TV cable

PigsWillFlyToo
@47.xx.66.rev.nextweb

PigsWillFlyToo to Folic

Anon

to Folic
"I called in a few days ago asking to upgrade, and they told me i couldn't un till may or June, and they said if the service isn't ready by then, i can get my next 6 months free, and no cancellation fee."

Do you have this in writing?? Come back here in 6 months and let us know if you get that deal. I think if they will haven't upgraded you, they will have forgotten all about your little agreement.
jimbo21503
join:2004-05-10
Euclid, OH

jimbo21503

Member

New Ones

quote:
SBC Won't Repeat DSL Mistakes With New Network

Of course they wont, they will make all new ones!
quote:
"...when the only real metric that matters is how the customer sees it."

And who has seen it yet?

Jigsaw
Stardust We Are
Premium Member
join:2000-10-21
Cleveland, OH

Jigsaw

Premium Member

Re: New Ones

said by jimbo21503:
quote:
SBC Won't Repeat DSL Mistakes With New Network

Of course they wont, they will make all new ones!
quote:
"...when the only real metric that matters is how the customer sees it."

And who has seen it yet?
They want to do it right Go to fiber.IMHO they are just wasting there time doing anything else.You have to spend some of that blood money to make it SBC.

owenhome
keeper of the magic blue smoke
Premium Member
join:2002-07-13
Bentonville, AR

1 edit

owenhome

Premium Member

Yeah right.....

As if!

SBC couldn't possibly care less about the customer, what they think, whether or not they're happy, etc. They don't give 2 s#*t's about us.

Seriously, call 'em up with a problem and see what happens. After weeks of having of dealing with it, call 'em up and say "I am going somewhere else." See what happens. This is what you'll hear "Sir, you're under contract.". There won't be any of this "we'll do better", or "sorry" or anything, just "you're under contract." If you push any harder you'll either get hung up on, put back into the holding que so somebody else can deal with you, or told "see ya!".

SBC can kiss it. These vaporware crap fests they keep putting out don't fool me. They put out this junk every so often to give people a good rubbing and make them feel good when in reality, the only thing they care about is how best to get to your wallet.

The only reason I even still use them is they are the lesser evil in my area and I can get a full 3 meg connection through them. I have migrated all of my clients away from them. I'll tell you this though, if Verizon came through here with FIOS or even DSL, I would dump SBC like they had the plague.
xsiddalx
join:2005-03-11
Chicago, IL

xsiddalx

Member

The Telephone service here has improved tremendous

Telephone service was improved because it was purposely degraded...no merit badges for SBC, it was all part of the
pre-acquisition deal

Follow Dick Notebart...

Ran Ameritech into ground before selling to SBC
Cashes check

Moves to Tellabs
Runs into ground

Moves to Qwest
Qwest (USWest really) employees begin buying their own
pencils....

Qwest sorta sucks I hear...what comes next?

At least He put his wife's name on a chicago institution

*acck*

Ameritech was, at one time, one of the most forward
looking companies alongside Ray Smith's Bell Atlantic
(pre Verizon).

Then again...SBC doesn't do much more than issue press releases and collect revenues.

And for the Verizon fanboys, Ivan has been known to indicate
that customers want too much for no cost.....
BobbyNsatx
join:2001-02-10
San Antonio, TX

BobbyNsatx

Member

SBC DSL

I have had DSL (via Project Pronto) for over 2 years and I have been absolutely delighted with the service that I've received. I think what most people don't understand is that the newer technologies require adequate lines in the area. If, unfortunately, these areas are not fairly new, more than likely there are going through old copper. SBC has put out billions of dollars on system upgrades and the like. SBC, because it is a telecommunication company is not governed by the same rules as the cable companies are. I think people like to bitch about a lot of things without doing research into why things happen the way they do. With that being said, if you don't like the way things are going, write letters to your representatives, since SBC and other true telecommunication companies are governed.
grantje
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Kokomo, IN

grantje

Premium Member

SBC may have other incentives...

I've been getting some notes about Insight Broadband rolling out POTS in my area (Indiana).

If SBC doesn't want people to switch to that "triple play", they had better be getting their own service ready.
page: 1 · 2 · next