Re: [cobalt-users] Communitech.net Nightmare

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

WebSite Creations wrote:

> Anyway, today, I awoke to a server down notice from an automated system we
> have.  I couldn't ping the server so I called tech support.  They told me
> that billing had turned off the server.  It turns out that Communitech.net's
> billing system had failed to bill me for last month without my knowledge.

I'm almost at the end of a similar problem with Zyan.  They sold me DSL
almost two years ago, in January, 1999.  This is not consumer-DSL, this
is business-grade sDSL, supposed to be very reliable, etc., etc.  

For a year the account was billed to Jatek, the company where I was a
small part-owner.  It was paid for on time.

I'd left Jatek in November of 1999, and had an agreement with them that
when the line was up for renewal in January 2000, I'd start paying for
it.  So I called Zyan and asked them to change the line over to bill me.

Therein started the comedy of errors.  I was told I had to fill out a
new order.  I did.  I was told the order was done wrong, to fill it out
again.  I did.  I was told the order was lost, to fill it out again.  I
did.

I was sent a new dsl-"modem" (actually they're bridges), and it came
with a notice that if I installed it myself I'd void the warranty.  I
called Zyan and explained, since they told me I didn't need a modem; I
already had one from the Jatek days.  Zyan told me to pull the first
modem (different brand) out and install the new one, since the old one
had to go back through Jatek.  I didn't do it pointing out to Zyan the
not included in the box.  I got an email from Northpoint, authorizing me
to do the installation of the new modem.  I did the installation.

Zyan NEVER billed me.  I called over and over again and asked them to
bill me; they didn't.

In the meantime, I was down 22 hours in one day.  When I called support
they assured me I was a liar, that I wasn't a customer since my name
wasn't in their database (I guess that's why I wasn't being billed). 
When the day was over, to get me back up they had to issue new IP#s
<frown>; I had a backup DNS server on the line.  The next day or week
(my memory is hazy, but I have full documentation I'm just too lazy to
look for right now) it happend again; around 17 hours.

Since then it was down for up to four hours twice.  And for three entire
days the beginning of last month it was close to useless; it would work
less than five minutes out of each hour.

Though they advertise a 99.9% uptime guarantee, they've never offered me
any credit.  They've told me that I have a year contract.  I explained I
already had a year contract and it was filled at the end of the first
year.  They've told me that if I cancel I'll owe them a $200
cancellation fee, a $100 equipment fee, and 50% of the remaining
payments due.  In spite of the fact that it's THEM who can't deliver.

Anyway, they've fixed their billing problem.  Now they want the $695 my
bill is behind by tomorrow or they're shutting me down.

And to top it all off... remember those errors in setting up the
switchover to my name: I've just gotten a letter from Northpoint; since
I never installed the service (yeah, right) they want me to send the
"modem" back.  (The same modem that Zyan says they sent me for free, and
that's why I'm under a year-long contract.)

I've already moved all important services out of my home; if they shut
me down I'll just order from another vendor before the day is over, and
let them take me to court where I can tell my side of the story.  If
they never do, I'll take them to court for failure to deliver.  I've
already decided on this course of action; I'm tired of their
incompetence.

I really don't care about them anymore.  I intentionally haven't spoken
to them for the last few days.  I'll call them tomorrow and let them
know it's put up or shutup time.  If they give me a $200 credit (I had
to colocate a mail-server because of their inability to keep the line
up) and allow me to pay an extra $100/month until the extra $495 is paid
off, I'll go for it and live with their service a while longer. 
Otherwise I'm outta there <smile>.  At least I'm on the winning end
money-wise.

Thanks for the opportunity to vent <smile>.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672
Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 787-8589  *  fax: (909) 782-0205