 mooty
join:2001-01-28
Riverdale, GA
| No Difference between cable and DSL ? The only difference between the USAF and the USF is the letter 'A', but because cable and DSL are, ehhh.. (cough, cough), soooooooo similar, the USAF and the USF have much more in common than previously thought - they both ride on air.
--
Alright, BIG MAN! So You Want To Make the BIG BUCK$, Eh??!!. . . . . . Do You Know How To Handle a Machine-gun? | |
|
|
 | |
| | 
NEP1611
join:2002-03-27
Northford, CT
| Re: Weak article I agree, it sounds like the writer there doesn't have a clue as to how local phone service works. The next district I hear of that has SBC and Verizon to pick from will be the first.
To an extent, I think this goes to the entire article. In general, people will probably not have more than two or three of these providers available for their purchase, if that. So how much good is it, really, to know that Cox scored higher than Comcast, when all you can get is Comcast? Definitely not like when they compare pretty much anything else, where all of the products are available to be purchased (i.e., you don't have to live in the Maytag franchise area to buy a Maytag dishwasher.) | |
|
| | wtansill
Ncc1701
join:2000-10-10
Falls Church, VA
| said by djrobx  :It's hard to take any article seriously that has this: quote:
For the best values in broadband service:
11 SBC Yahoo
12 Verizon
There’s a good likelihood that one or both of these DSL services are available where you live.
One or BOTH? I don't think I've ever seen a location where BOTH were available! This is why I stopped reading Consumer Reports. Any time I've read one of their reviews on a suject I knew something about, it has been so riddled with inaccuracies that I've found the article useless. I gave up on them years ago.
--
That which does not kill me merely prolongs the agony. | |
|
| | | 
yuniverse
join:2000-07-14
Federal Way, WA
| Re: Weak article said by wtansill :said by djrobx :It's hard to take any article seriously that has this: quote:
For the best values in broadband service:
11 SBC Yahoo
12 Verizon
There’s a good likelihood that one or both of these DSL services are available where you live.
One or BOTH? I don't think I've ever seen a location where BOTH were available! This is why I stopped reading Consumer Reports. Any time I've read one of their reviews on a suject I knew something about, it has been so riddled with inaccuracies that I've found the article useless. I gave up on them years ago. My thoughts exactly. I also quit subscribing to CR a few years back. They were just terribly inaccurate especially in the area of technical items | |
|
| | psx_defector
join:2001-06-09
Allen, TX
| said by djrobx :One or BOTH? I don't think I've ever seen a location where BOTH were available! In Dallas/Ft. Worth area, you can get either SBC or Verizon in normally Verizon ILEC territory. There are a few markets in California that do the same thing.
And SBC is a CLEC in most of the country, able to provide DSL and local phone service in any area. Las Vegas is a good example. | |
|
| | 
dfhdfhfdhdh
@dynamic.cov
| quote:
For the best values in broadband service:
11 SBC Yahoo
12 Verizon
There’s a good likelihood that one or both of these DSL services are available where you live.
How about none? None of those are available where I live. It's all Cox, Qwest and Covad for broadband out here and all are overpriced, except maybe Qwest. | |
|
| 
Tsume
join:2004-02-23
Johnson City, TN | Re: Users unhappy with most providers The ratings for COX seem pretty much right on the mark. | |
|
baddata
| Consumer Reports needs to be investigated themselves. | |
|
| ProGamer1990
join:2005-07-27
Bedford, VA |  Re: Consumer Reports
 | |
|
| | AJ023
join:2001-12-25
Forest Hills, NY
| Re: Consumer Reports ProGramer1990: Actually, there are satellite providers (several) but with that being said, your 100% right, rural areas ARE limited to satellite so this was NOT a fair comparison. Companies arent last because they want to be, its because of the design and nature and limitation and costs involved, etc. etc... so rural areas get SATELLITE.
This article treated Direcway unfairly and that was uncalled for. | |
|
| | | 
Heterman
Premium
join:2004-02-28
Fayetteville, AR
| Re: Consumer Reports said by AJ023 :ProGramer1990: Actually, there are satellite providers (several) but with that being said, your 100% right, rural areas ARE limited to satellite so this was NOT a fair comparison. Companies arent last because they want to be, its because of the design and nature and limitation and costs involved, etc. etc... so rural areas get SATELLITE. This article treated Direcway unfairly and that was uncalled for. And how is this DSLR's fault? | |
|
| | | | AJ023
join:2001-12-25
Forest Hills, NY
2 edits | Re: Consumer Reports "Users in our Direcway forum point out that the survey was none too kind to the satellite provider, which they called the "worst provider in our survey," offering "relatively low satisfaction at a very high price.""
This statement was uncalled for and is NOT CORRECT. They did NOT compare Direcway to any other satellite provider. They used the word none too kind as if there was an issue with Direcway specifically. There was NO COMPARISON OF ANY SATELLITE PROVIDERS to Direcway! Satellite is completely different than other broadband types and is notoriously weaker and the customer know this unfortunately and is due to design of satellite broadband. This article was 100% biased against Direcway for no reason. All because consumer reports only rated 1 Satellite provider?
Had consumer reports rated other satellite providers they would have been all rated in the bottom, however Direcway could have been the top of the class possibly. We just dont know. | |
|
| | | | |
Heterman
Premium
join:2004-02-28
Fayetteville, AR
1 edit | Re: Consumer Reports said by AJ023 :"Users in our Direcway forum point out that the survey was none too kind to the satellite provider, which they called the "worst provider in our survey," offering "relatively low satisfaction at a very high price."" Let me see if I can clear this up.
said by dslreports:
"Users in our Direcway forum point out that the survey was none too kind to the satellite provider, which they Consumer Reports called the "worst provider in our survey," offering "relatively low satisfaction at a very high price.""
| |
|
| | | | | 
G_Poobah
join:2004-01-17
Schenectady, NY
| Unfair? How?
This is a comparison of broadband providers. Directway IS available anyplace cable modems/dsl is available, so needs to be compared to them.
i.e. I can get cable/dsl or directway where I am. After reading this article, I would never even consider directway over the other options. It IS a bashing of directway, but it's correct for two reasons:
#1: If you have a choice between directway and cable or dsl, you would be a fool to choose directway
#2: Just because directway is your only choice, doesn't mean that it still doesn't suck.
bottom line: directway sucks. sure, sometimes it's the least suckiest option of sucky options, but it still sucks. The fact remains, it sucks, and the review is fair in saying that it sucks. Complaining that it's unfair doesn't change the fact that it sucks.
--
Grand Poobah | |
|
| | lawrence171
Evilly Yours - Evilness
join:2001-12-24
Canada | WiMax will save the day  | |
|
| AJ023
join:2001-12-25
Forest Hills, NY
| Actually Broadband Reports needs to be investigated for manipulating information on here and taking stories out of context and for intentionally manipulating news headlines. If there is payoffs involved (payola) such could warrant a lawsuit againt Broadband Reports. HAVE A NICE DAY BROADBAND REPORTS!
Satellite providers would have all fared last because of latency. This was not a fair comparison because satellite is for RURAL AREAS with no other access available. | |
|
| |
Heterman
Premium
join:2004-02-28
Fayetteville, AR
| Re: Consumer Reports said by AJ023 :Actually Broadband Reports needs to be investigated for manipulating information on here and taking stories out of context and for intentionally manipulating news headlines. If there is payoffs involved (payola) such could warrant a lawsuit againt Broadband Reports. HAVE A NICE DAY BROADBAND REPORTS! Please explain. | |
|
| | 
entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25 | Someone had too much to drink already today.  | |
|
| | | 
CPUYODA
join:2003-01-25
Johnson City, TN | Sprint had better be looking,,,, Seems like Sprint had better get on the ball about ping times....;)
--
"In God We Trust,All Others Pay Cash" | |
|
| | | 
Rfsjr2
Shop on Top
Premium
join:2001-08-11
Ferndale, WA
clubs:
| Re: Consumer Reports said by entropy1 :Someone had too much to drink already today. Rofl.
--
*Frank* Startouch Wireless Internet. Waverider EUM3003, TRENDnet TEW-411BRP+, 900MHz NLOS. | |
|
| | TTLoonie
join:2005-03-16
Coquitlam, BC | Bwahahaha - Thanks for making me laugh with your ridiculous post, AJ023. | |
|
| | PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR
| said by AJ023 :Actually Broadband Reports needs to be investigated for manipulating information on here and taking stories out of context and for intentionally manipulating news headlines. Well, duh! That happens all the time here. Accurate, unbiased reporting? That is not a priority. Manipulative, inaccurate slants in order to "sex up" the story is the norm (ex: the endless "UN and the internet" nonsense).
'fine with me; I just don't look at the stories here as "reporting" or "journalism". They're "news analysis" (a.k.a. "entertainment"), a la Fox News. | |
|
|
bcgore
join:2004-02-18
Acton, ME
| Direcway My question is (haven't read the article) was Consumer Reports complaining about the technical aspects of the Direcway service or the customer service? I know someone who used them a while ago for a business account and had significant problems with hardware limitations, rampant virus infections in their network, and poor customer service. I hear they have made technical improvements since then, but I don't know since he dropped them after about about a year. | |
|
| dibbb
join:2003-09-19
 ·Time Warner VOIP
| Re: Direcway At the company I work for, we had a small remote location that needed high-speed Internet. There was no DSL and RR wanted $12,000 to run their precious cable a few hundred feet. Yes - you heard that correct. 12 THOUSAND.
Anyway, we went with DirecWay, paid several hundred for the stuff and installation (on top of a very high warehouse roof). After two weeks of it's suckiness we cancelled service and went back to dial-up.
Dial-up is slow, but still more reliable and better than DirecWay was.
Anyone have a funny name for DirecWay? Like M$ for Microsoft, Comcrap, etc...
 | |
|
| | 
DSLucky
Premium
join:2002-04-23
Maud, OK
clubs:
| Re: Direcway Directway needs to look long and hard at start up costs for their service...Lord, over 500.00 for the low end equipment, plus low speeds. They need to look at the DirecTV model, where you get the hardware free if you do an annual contract....From what I hear, their equipment is shoddy, and prone to failure. | |
|
| | | 
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| Re: Direcway said by DSLucky :Directway needs to look long and hard at start up costs for their service...Lord, over 500.00 for the low end equipment, plus low speeds. If they are making money selling the stuff at $500 a pop then why should they lower their price? Any seller by definition wants to sell at the highest price that the market will bear and no less. Its the same reason why oil companies sell gas at $3.00 a gallon and not $1.00 a gallon.
--
Rove / Rumsfeld 2008! | |
|
| | |
| | | dibbb
join:2003-09-19
·Time Warner VOIP
| Re: Direcway said by JohnnyFlipFlop: said by dibbkd:
Anyone have a funny name for DirecWay? Like M$ for Microsoft, Comcrap, etc...
Check out » liarway.tripod.com That was funny, thanks.
| |
|
Elcabong
Cuba SI, Castro NO
join:2000-03-09
Philadelphia, PA
·Comcast
| CR Studies Aren't Real I used to subscribe to consumer reports but I found out their studies on products are too scientific and don't reflect the real world usage of such products. Many of the consumer goods i was very satisfied with were deemed unsuitable by CR because of some flawed study. I no longer subscribe to them or consider their opinion when buying anything and listen more to what people i know say about products. You can't test a mattress by bouncing a big wooden roller on it anymore than you can test an isp by what people's opinions are on them. | |
|
|
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Re: CR Studies Aren't Real said by Elcabong :You can't test a mattress by bouncing a big wooden roller on it anymore than you can test an isp by what people's opinions are on them. BBR Reviews are no different. If I had based my choice of broadband ISP by what I read in BBR Reviews, I would have skipped broadband entirely because all of the ISPs available to me "suck."
--
Rove / Rumsfeld 2008! | |
|
| |
Elcabong
Cuba SI, Castro NO
join:2000-03-09
Philadelphia, PA
·Comcast
| Re: CR Studies Aren't Real said by pnh102 :said by Elcabong :You can't test a mattress by bouncing a big wooden roller on it anymore than you can test an isp by what people's opinions are on them. BBR Reviews are no different. If I had based my choice of broadband ISP by what I read in BBR Reviews, I would have skipped broadband entirely because all of the ISPs available to me "suck." You are correct, sir! (said like Ed McMahon) | |
|
| howrman
join:2000-07-08
Philadelphia, PA
| said by Elcabong :I . . . listen more to what people i know say about products. ... You can't test . . . an isp by what people's opinions are on them. Isn't listening to what people you know say about an ISP essentially the same thing as Consumer Reports' survey? Except, of course, that Consumer Reports has a larger and more representative sample of opinion. | |
|
| |
Elcabong
Cuba SI, Castro NO
join:2000-03-09
Philadelphia, PA | Re: CR Studies Aren't Real Please dont take my post and split it up to suit you post, you make no sense if you read my post correctly. | |
|
| | | netman881
join:2005-08-04
Fremont, CA | Re: CR Studies Aren't Real I won't take the CR with any weight.
For one, not all areas in CA have both.
DSL speed is a joke for the same price compared to cable in my area. | |
|
TheSaint
join:2002-01-25
Hanover Park, IL
clubs: | Charter Price Off The Mark? They listed Charter as $39 per month. They are only that price if you have their tv service. They should have listed the stand-alone price of $49, not $39. | |
|
Doubledee32
join:2002-06-20
Charlotte, NC
| Hmmmm! I think DJRobx hit the nail on the head, I read Consumer Reports and when its an air-conditioner or car there great but this article is waaay off base-I have RR in NC and we've been down "alot" more so than dsl, I live in an apartment complex where I can't get bellsouth dsl so I switched to cable and in the last two years its been nothing but trouble, when I had dsl I was down only once in two years due to fauly wiring where I was living. I'm planning on moving once my lease is up and its goodbye RR and hello dsl and alot of people I know in charlotte feel the same way about RR, everytime you call thier number it's always this "area is down and we apologize" | |
|
| 
Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL | Re: Hmmmm! A single experience does not a survey make. | |
|
| | Doubledee32
join:2002-06-20
Charlotte, NC | Re: Hmmmm! Agreed but its not just a single experience-how can that be with cable? My entire area goes down and the funny thing is I live around the corner from them, so I get up this morning and guess what? Yep were down again! | |
|
| | |
Goober
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
1 edit | Re: Hmmmm! I think areas as large as neighborhoods are just noise when talking about large providers. As such, it probably wouldn't show in these surveys. | |
|
russotto
join:2000-10-05
Collegeville, PA
| CR has gone downhill I remember when they would rate products, they'd have detailed discussion of the various features and foibles of the products, and in the ratings they'd have detailed lists of "advantages", "disadvantages", and "comments". Now they just give you a fair to excellent rating in a few selected categories, have a very superficial article, and little else. | |
|
reub2000
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Evanston, IL | No mention of latency There's not mention of latency. How can you compare broadband without comparing latency. I'm thoroughly convinced that nobody at consumer reports really knows a thing about technology. | |
|
sinus007
join:2005-06-02
Cleveland, OH
| Academic I think that this survey is purely academic and practically useless in the part comparing cable providers. If you live in town X and have Cox you can't have RR even if it's 100% better than Cox. If you want RR you have to move to town Z. I doubt that many people select where to live by the quality of cable service.
AK | |
|
|
|
|
·
Users unhappy with most providers
·
·