Within this last year I ordered my daughter a decent computer package and got her on line. To let her get comfortable with some basic procedures, I let her shop for an ISP on my computer. She can shop the hell out of anything and squeeze a nickel until the buffalo shits in her pocket.
She did end up with PeoplePC and has been well pleased. It’s proved to be very stable and never has any problem getting online. With Cleveland being served in a major market area, I don’t know if the reliability would be any different in other locations. What I know of it, go for it TT, if the price is right to you.
As for dial-up in general, I can tell you they will ALL get whatever they can from you. When I went on-line over nine years ago, stratos.net was a small local provider as most were at the time. I would buy my service, six months at a time, to get the best price available. Within a few years, they were gobbled up by Earth Link and in turn, by CoreComm. The price continued to creep up until I was paying just over $20 per month paying up front for the year. After seeing the competitive prices available from my own provider, to new members, I called and pitched a bitch.
Polite inquiry and conversation got nothing but a script read. After demanding to talk to the head of the “Screw Your Loyal Customer” department, I was able to negotiate to HALF the price I had been paying.
The primary reason for wanting to stay with them is my early, and desired mailbox. I have an e-mail address that is irreplaceable and broadly published where it should be. They have been telling me that DSL is in the works and will be available soon, for two years now. The lesson to me is that they will discount and promote to get MORE right now, and will wring everything they can from who they have. That’s the facts of life today!!
