Re: CAIS DSL failure: lessons in how not to inform

["Howard C. Berkowitz" <hcb () clark net>]

> mike () deneb cortland com  wrote,



> Afraid that you've missed an important point in your review of their service.
> When you signed up for dsl service, you had a choice of dsl service or "Cais
> dedicated" for mission critical applications.

As a matter of fact, I have their business service. There is a 
significant price difference between SDSL and ADSL, at least with 
this provider.  This is a SOHO router service, not single host.

But I'm really trying to make a general operational point.

>  The dedicated nature of dsl
> connections is an artefact of the technology and not something that 
> the isp can
> afford to provide at the prices charged.  You're paying the rough 
> equivalent of
> dialup service and can't expect to get the service provided to dedicated
> customers (T1, etc) who pay much more.  You made the choice when you signed
> up.  Providing you with the information you want will detract from resources
> available to solve the problem quickly.

I'm quite aware of labor rates, and I'm not expecting personal 
notification.  Changing a voice message every 4 hours or so, and/or 
sending email, is hardly what I call labor-intensive.

Try the customer service lines at dial providers such as 
Mindspring/Earthlink.  Status reports there on POP problems, as well 
as on support web pages.


> You're benefiting from the technology
> by getting more data for your buck.  You can't realistically expect anything
> which is remotely labor intensive to be provided.  Or have your labor rates
> declined dramatically recently?



> Mine haven't


The response I'm seeing is poor for a $19.95 per month dial provider, 
or a telco, or a discount airline.  24+ hour outages are hardly 
something I'd call minor.