rental modem for new accounts is a deal breaker

[kbcprw@sonic.net]

I am escalating this because the person I spoke with on the phone told me there was nothing that could be done to change the current policy...and the current policy is a dealbreaker at this moment.

Here is the situation: I am an existing Sonic Fusion customer who lives in Santa Rosa & I love love love my service. I love Sonic. I am pleased to not be with AT&T anymore. My elderly parents live on the San Francisco peninsula and I helped them set up their DSL through AT&T a couple years ago. I saw that they could now get DSL Elite through Sonic and I wanted to switch them, however the new policy with Sonic is a required modem rental. When I called Sonic I was told that we would have to accept the rental at least for the first month and then if everything worked out alright, we could cancel the rental. The rental price itself isn't a dealbreaker, but the implementation and cost to do it this way definitely is! It means I would have to drive down to install the new modem because my parents are not able to do this themselves (I am 100% sure the modem they have now - which they got through AT&T so it is on the same configuration - is completely compatible). This would cost me a full day and $100 in gas AND I also find it an exasperating nanny-rule that insults my intelligence.

I can appreciate that Sonic doesn't want to spend a lot of time troubleshooting random hardware, but to not even have the option to escalate my concern and waive support because I am not using the proscribed modem...I don't like that. All Sonic needs to do is say _ if you aren't on XYZ modem _ we will not help you troubleshoot your connections. That's what Linden Labs does, if you aren't on their viewer, they say, well we can't help you unless you are using our viewer; once you are on our viewer, we will give you all the help you need.

Thank you for your kind attention.

[toast0]

I'm not sure that you can cancel the rental after the first month, I've not heard that before (maybe it's available for new line shared DSL accounts only and not new fusion), but the configuration for Sonic service is most likely actually different than AT&T's. Sonic doesn't do PPPoE, but AT&T does.

[kbcprw@sonic.net]

I did the switch and set up of my own account from AT&T to Sonic, so I am certain I know what is required. PPPoE isn't the issue, as far as I can tell. The connection is land line, not wireless; so although the modem will support a password, it isn't required to do the hook up.

[Non Convert]

While Dane was humble enough to once, finally, stipulate that the modem rental is indeed, a price increase, he hides behind the excuse that it saves us on taxes, which puzzles me, since he forces us to pay $12+ in taxes for unwanted dialtone.

I am ok with a higher monthly price, I'd just like to be able to BUY the modem and retire the "rent", and I'd like the CEO to be consistently intellectually honest with his loyal customer base, not act like a four-year-old and point to the incumbents and explain "but they do it!". Maybe I'm being a bit crude, but that's how it feels.

[baggins]

I do not disagree with your argument, but, at least in my case, renting a (fusion) modem would not cost a great deal more than I spend to own one. They cost about $100 and seem to last aprox. two years, so the rental cost is less than $1 more each month.

[Non Convert]

ADSL2+ modems are in surplus.

I bought my first five years ago - for $3.
It still works, with Fusion.

I bought several spares over the past couple years, since I tend to agree with your MTBF estimate.
Haven't had to use them. The last one cost $3.50.

[Guest]

Where??

[Ben]

Where??

http://www.ebay.com/csc/i.html?LH_Sold= ... em&_sop=15

[Guest]

ebay, but of course. Thanks.

[Non Convert]

Where??

one was bought at a garage sale, another at goodwill, the third on ebay.

ADSL2+ is mature technology. We don't see it, because telco doesn't tend to sell it, and Sonic's product is innovative in that they dared to jump through the hurdles, not that it represents anything new.

I respect Sonic's claim that a standardized device with advanced diagnostics may make their job easier and provide for happier subscribers, but given the real performance limits of Fusion and the lack of a bonded-pair offering without the huge dialtone tax, cable modem and U-Verse look quite attractive, even for those of us who shudder at the thought of dealing with those firms.