March 04, 2006

Cable Countdown

You've not heard much from me over the past week. Part of the reason was that work has been very busy, but another factor has been that Verizon DSL has been exceptionally slow. I've not wanted to spend as much time on the computer.

Help is on the way, and I am set to have cable Internet ( plus phone and tv service ) installed this coming Friday. My only regret is that I will be giving up the excellent Directv satellite tv service. I wrote them a letter today, which follows:

Unfortunately, I plan on cancelling my Directv account this Friday. I will call you when this needs to be done.

I am NOT dissatisfied with Directv, who has provided good service for over three years to me. And I am not moving either.

My reason for cancelling has to do with my internet service.

Currently, I have " high speed " internet service via Verizon DSL. It is advertised at 3000 kbits / sec, but is usually below that speed, very often dramatically so. This morning, it must be at 300 kbits / sec if that.

Verizon apparently cannot fix the problem, and their customer service people try to tell me that it is my computer's fault, which I know not to be so.

I know several other people who have had similar Verizon DSL problems, and their woes ended when they switched to Time Warner Cable Internet via Roadrunner.

So, this coming Friday, I plan to switch to Roadrunner.

But I will also give Time Warner my phone service and my tv service. They will give me a very nice package discount for including these services.

It will be a pleasure to take the phone service away from Verizon, as I am furious with their incompetent service.

But I am conflicted about taking the tv package from Directv, as you have been good over three years. This is strictly an economic decision. In this area of Brooklyn NY there is no alternative for internet service --there is ( horrible and incompetent ) Verizon DSL or there is ( 5000k, good ) Roadrunner service.

If you wish to discuss, call me on my cell phone ( 917-xxx-xxxx ) .

Otherwise, I expect to call you this Friday.

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