Comments on: IBEC Apologizes for BPL Delay, Offers Customers Free Dial-Up

By: Vicki Serrano

Vicki Serrano — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:33 +0000

So it’s now almost November, 2009, and i found out a few weeks ago that a few of our neighbors have the service we signed up for a few years ago. We got the modem, my husband was there the day they came and hooked up equipment on the pole out front. We’ve been waiting. After talking to the neighbors I finally called and now we’re getting our hookup we should have had, what a year ago ?

By: IBEC Apologizes for BPL Delay Offers Customers Free Dial Up | internet marketing tools

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:52:43 +0000

[...] IBEC Apologizes for BPL Delay Offers Customers Free Dial Up Posted by root 3 days ago (http://www.nelsoncountylife.com) Satellite internet we have it though better than dialup it not true broadband as you see advertised all of the time on leave a comment name required powered by wordpress viva theme by mediatricks Discuss | Bury | News | IBEC Apologizes for BPL Delay Offers Customers Free Dial Up [...]

By: NCL Mag

NCL Mag — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:06:42 +0000

Yea, Courtney we agree. These guys really are nice folks that try very hard. My conversations with Asa Gage (IBEC) in Alabama have been great. But IBEC lacks the media savvy and PR needed when something like this happens, regardless of who is to blame. The have failed the public relations test so badly that it will take months before public confidence is restored. And as you say, if there is one hiccup when this puppy is launched, they will never recover.

I was hopeful that with IBM now in the wings they could lean on them for some PR guidance and crisis management skills to help them better address customer concerns.

Their own website (screen capture above on 12.11.08) was last updated on November 5th. That is no way to operate.

All of us have been cheering and offering to help in this endeavor, but folks like Greg Heuer, who has a boat load of computer / internet knowledge, has been ignored in his own offers to help keep the public informed with some pretty neat ways to keep information out there.

He is right, this should be on an RSS feed via IBEC where people can subscribe and see what is happening at least weekly, if not daily at this point.
-T-

By: Courtney

Courtney — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:52:30 +0000

Forget free dial-up, this has taken a ridiculously long time. I think IBEC needs to offer us a some free months of service! All I can say is, this BPL better be the best thing since sliced bread- after all this waiting, I better not be disappointed in my service!! I really hope this lack of communication for the past SIX months doesn’t spell bad customer service for us here on out.

By: Greg & Linda Heuer

Greg & Linda Heuer — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:59:04 +0000

Yep, this old woodworker doesn’t want or need much for a happy Christmas, but BPL is one thing he’d like to see under the tree. (Of course, I can wrap up the useless $99 modem still in its box, couldn’t I?) As you said, Christmas Wisher, it’s not so much the not ‘having’ as the not ‘knowing’ when kept in the dark by IBEC. I’ve set up Google Alerts on the strings “IBEC” and “BPL” and “International Broadband Electric Communications”. Most days they return notices from India or Ireland, and have nothing to do with our situation. The seeming inability of IBEC to keep the lines of communication open sows seeds of doubt about their ability to service the public once (if ever) up and running. If it’s a staffing issue, perhaps outsourcing the information feed would be cost effective. I’ve offered to set up a live Wiki or run a graphic map update for them via these forums and have heard nothing in response. Perhaps I don’t know who to contact. Open to suggestions from any and all out there. [gh]

By: Christmas Wish

Christmas Wish — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:33:20 +0000

Dear Santa,

I would like BPL by Christmas Day. This is a long overdue gift that my parents paid for last July. Verizon has been bad this year, so feel free to give them coal. IBEC needs a Public Relations Representative to keep us better informed. I hope that isn’t to much to ask.

Thanks,

Nelson County Christmas Wisher

By: NCL Mag

NCL Mag — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:29:34 +0000

Yea, Greg, We have asked specifically for a date of service and have not gotten an answer. This week alone we have had three different inquiries outside of yours, wanting to know the same thing. I had a woman from Afton email this afternoon, said she spoke to an IBEC /Elliot crew today and they told her Verizon was still the hold up. Regardless of the problems this has been a total failure in execution, total.
NCL

By: Greg Heuer

Greg Heuer — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:49:24 +0000

Well, another MONTH has gone by. There’s an awful lot of silence out there about BPL for Nelson County. Does ANYONE have an update on progress from Martin’s Store station?

By: Erik

Erik — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:49:16 +0000

Right. I mean I said forget setting up an FTP to let folks grab their audio files.
Soon….. soon.

By: NCL Mag

NCL Mag — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 06:23:52 +0000

Erik, agreed. Satellite internet…we have it, though better than dialup, it’s not true broadband as you see advertised all of the time on television. We’ve had both, Wildblue and Hughes, both are problematic, and the latency because of satellites (22,500 miles up – then back) can make it quite slow at times, especially on secure servers. Our experience has been somewhat better with Hughesnet, less down time, better speeds, better technical support, but again as an only option out here…. And yep Erik the expense gets ya. We’ve had to pay as much as $90.00 per month (earlier plans and equipment) down now $70.00 per month through optimizations such as newer sat modem, etc. But when you handle as many graphic files and picture images as we do, that’s about the only choice. That’s why BPL has such promise for businesses like our and yours that handle large files, in your case audio. If it works as advertised, it will be wonderful for so many people, fingers crossed!

By: Erik

Erik — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:12:02 +0000

Henri….
You’re spot on here. This is the paradox of the situation. Lots of folks here have Macs or high end PC’s to do heavy lifting computer work, yet unless we cough up for $atellite, we’re stuck with dialup.

Looking forward to any speed increase.

By: Henri

Henri — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:34:42 +0000

Old G-3!!! Oh my gosh, I started out with an Apple E2 or something like that before the SE (the one with the mouse). Now to see you guys trying to run 2GHz and 3GHz G4s or better on 35k dialup must be a killer. Macs just simply will not run that slow…you will burn out the breaks!

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:46:00 +0000

I hope they will offer 3mbit for $89.95 that is what they quote on their website. I think it will be great for hosting websites. I still have my fingers crossed. I am getting very tired of wireless ntelos which is maxed out to the point that i get dial up rates.

By: Courtney

Courtney — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:45:17 +0000

Hey! No fair, if you’re going to leave comments on here, at least speak English. :<} Airport Extreme, TIme Machine, Pismo…..

By: NCL Mag

NCL Mag — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:07:25 +0000

Oh me! We are all MAC here as well, and Nelly, we have two of those IMAC bubbles in storage, one is being turned into an aquarium! Sill have an old G-3 laptop pismo as well! Ahhh, memory lane of by gone MACS…But love the new ones too!