Fair Point at the melting point (new house, transfer, live) - Maine (ME) - City-Data Forum

maine4.us · 03-13-2009, 08:39 AM

This link just out today, gives Fair Point no kudos, especially for their internet. PS I didn't get a February bill either.

Excite News - Fleeing customers haunt phone co. in New England

retiredtinbender · 03-13-2009, 09:39 AM

I had troubles with the land line last week. DW called Fairpoint on the cell and we must have gotten hold of the exception to the rule. The woman was very helpful and patient. We got the problem fixed in about 20 minutes. Maybe they are fixing their PR problems or maybe we got lucky. Good link though. Thanks.

Casper1212 · 03-14-2009, 08:40 PM

Unbelievable. There's an ad for AT&T on the page with the article. Verizon just bought out our cell provider down here, must have used the money from seeling to Fairpoint. When we were researching service bundles for internet/phone/tv, we talked to Fairpoint. They had a good offer on it, but their DSL wouldn't reach our new house. So we went with Time Warner. Later, we were told that Fairpoint's service isn't reliable. TWC's download speed is better, too.

Northern Maine Land Man · 03-15-2009, 05:03 PM

I'm about four miles from the Fairpoint switch in our town. We have DSL. People further out than we are have DSL with Fairpoint. We are not urban. The switch is a green box beside the road.

mollysmiles · 03-15-2009, 05:25 PM

Elcarim was told she couldn't get DSL from Fairpoint where she is.... and she's had a nightmare experience with them. I'll let her share the details and the run around, but in a nutshell the service she ordered in early Feb is still not connected and they've gotten nothing but the run around from Fairpoint ever since they arrived on March 1 and called on March 2.

Our experience with Fairpoint has been a nightmare as well. We lost our TIVO and had to go wireless because Fairpoint disconnected the local dial-up number for TIVO--with NO notification to us or TIVO. We've had wireless trouble here at the house, and Fairpoint couldn't handle it. We called back and forth from Fairpoint to Verizon for 6, yes SIX, HOURS before it was straightened out. That was the SECOND time that had happened. However, after being promised monthly since October we can finally pay our bill online THIS month, MARCH.

I hope that every single person who is experiencing the joy of Fairpoint is sharing that same joy by contacting the PUC. It's ridiculous. They insisted they were capable of the demands of the state before they came in here. I wonder what would happen if we were to have an ice storm or other disaster blow through. If they're incapable of handling normal conditions heaven help us if we have a state wide emergency.

deerislesmile · 03-15-2009, 06:05 PM

I switched to TWC soon after Fairpoint took over my Verizon account. I thought their customer service reps were rude and incapable of answering any questions or even trying to problem solve. Twice my phone service went out and I had to call FP from someone else's phone. Both times, the cs was completely stumped as to how to help me if I couldn't be on the phone with them while they were trouble-shooting my land-line and (I don't get cell service at my house. Not even 1 bar...).

Maine Writer · 03-15-2009, 06:23 PM

Unfairpoint offers us DSL from time to time. It's not a service they have here but they call to offer it anyway.

Casper1212 · 03-15-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I'm about four miles from the Fairpoint switch in our town. We have DSL. People further out than we are have DSL with Fairpoint. We are not urban. The switch is a green box beside the road.

The switch is located in junction boxes that are often on the side of the road, true, NMLM. But the DSL signal only goes out so far from those boxes. They can run a test to see if you're close enough. Our house isn't. Just as well. The download speed with Fairpoint isn't nearly as good as Time Warner's.

Casper1212 · 03-15-2009, 09:23 PM

Elcarim was told she couldn't get DSL from Fairpoint where she is.... and she's had a nightmare experience with them. I'll let her share the details and the run around, but in a nutshell the service she ordered in early Feb is still not connected and they've gotten nothing but the run around from Fairpoint ever since they arrived on March 1 and called on March 2.

El's house is only a mile closer to town than mine. I'm not surprised she can't get it. At least the lady I talked to at Fairpoint was honest enough to tell me that DSL might not be available at our house instead of promising on something they couldn't deliver.

maine4.us · 03-16-2009, 05:53 AM

My last experience with them was a blast. I got a customer service rep who gave me their direct number. They admitted the bills were wrong, and told me, when you get the bill, call me and I will straighten it out. I think the originally handled the voice lines fine (my phone was up and running days before I needed it - at no charge to me), and the DSL was fast, but then I am right in town. The DSL was up and running 10 minutes after I opened the wireless router - but that was when Verizon still handled the internet.

I suspect that Verizon offered their technicians (the good ones) jobs in other areas, and what was left (technicians) were just not as savvy. Plus the computer glitch on the transfer had to be monumental. Whoever thought they could just download data from one system to another was an idiot. Oh well. I haven't received my bill as yet. Strange how every month it is for a different amount while on "vacation service." I still call my rep they take care of it.