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Date:	Thu, 9 May 2002 12:26:50 PST7
From:	Wayne Cypress <waynecypress@compuserve.com >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	< "INTERNET:scoug-help@scoug.com" > scoug-help@scoug.com >
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: Re: EarthLink

Content Type: text/plain

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Dave Watson wrote:

> Anybody have opinions on Earthlink?

I do... a year ago I tried to switch to them from a DSL provider that was=

closing. =

My DSL problem was probably caused by the phone company or a subcontracto=
r,
but Earthlink apparently was overextended at the time(?) and their respon=
se
was horrendously poor.

In short,

1. Sales made typo mistakes in my user profile, as evidenced by their
signup confirmation letter (no big thing, a rep corrected that over the
phone, ...except see 7, below)

2. They were several weeks late getting a DSL installation kit to me (not=
a
big issue, I didn't really need the kit since I already had a DSL modem,
Earthlink made me buy it as part of the "deal")

3. Despite the fact that Earthlink had told me I was already physically
connected to them, my DSL service abruptly stopped, apparently when my ol=
d
ISP pulled their plug. Modem indicated that there was no physical
connection; phone company said I needed to resolve my problem through my
DSL provider.

4. In trying to get Earthlink/Mindspring to correct the DSL problem, I
encountered what had to be the world's worst customer support. I spent mo=
re
than 6 hours on hold with a receiver to my ear, over a 2-day period. Afte=
r
4 hours holding the first day, I was told by the second-level rep that it=

was too late in the day to get the phone company to help me... no, he
couldn't follow through and then call me back when the problem was
corrected, I'd have to call back to first-level at 8am ... 5am my time...=

and start again, company policy, no exceptions, and no direct calls into
second-level, either. My second-day attempts started at 5am and also ende=
d
in hours of waiting and a "dial-tone" disconnection .....and that
disconnection was the last straw for me. =

During those attempts over 2 days to get help, I had the line go to a dia=
l
tone 3 times whereupon I had to call back and start all over each time,
only had about 15 minutes actually talking to tech reps, had a very sore
ear, nothing was resolved, and the problem was still all mine.
=

5. I was so angry after that "tech support" that I called sales (no
holding there) and told them I hadn't yet used their service, related my
experience, and said I wouldn't put up with that treatment so I wanted to=

cancel, which their rep did politely. When I asked, he said someone would=

contact me about where to return the DSL installation kit. No one did.

6. I signed up with another DSL provider (LinkLine, who let me use my old=

modem, BTW), but they encountered problems hooking me up.... it seems
Earthlink claimed they owned my line for a year. More hassles, phone call=
s,
holding, and emails and I finally got the phone company to agree my phone=

line should belong to me, not Earthlink. At this point I'd been without D=
SL
service for about 4 or 5 weeks. The new ISP service started without furth=
er
problems.

7. I got an Earthlink credit card charge for for my first month's
"service", despite the fact that I never got/used their service....
apparently the rep (item 1 above) had signed in to my account to correct
the profile and that triggered the start of billing. I disputed the charg=
e
with my credit card company and wrote emails to all concerned stating my
reasons and asking where to send their installation kit. Earthlink's
initial position was that I had originally ageed to one year of service a=
nd
they would hold me to it, whether or not I used their service. Credit car=
d
company agreed with me that I never got service and the billing stopped,
but no answer on the kit.

8. Several months later a charge appeared for the DSL installation kit ,
which I also put into dispute. More calls and emails. On my last contact
with Earthlink, after getting the party line from the rep, I spent 30
minutes on hold waiting to speak to a manager, then was told no managers
were available to talk to me; when I asked again where to send the kit, t=
he
rep said he's put me on hold for another department that might be able to=

tell me... I said "wait... find out the shipping address and send it to m=
e
in an email, because I'M NEVER EVER GOING ON HOLD WITH THIS COMPANY AGAIN=
!"
I never did hear anything about the kit, which is still collecting dust,
but the billing stopped.

Wayne

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