So I called my ISP last night. My broadband connection is running at 1.2MBps down 66kbps up – This is, quite frankly, appalling – When I moved into this house in July, we were receiving 8MBps but now we’re on such a measly connection (6 people live here, and use the internet, 4 Machines accessing the net at any given time).
I called up – after holding for 15 minutes (no joke) I finally got to talk to somebody, who was more than likely reading straight from his script. Here’s a little example of what the conversation went like:
Tech Support Guy: Ok, so what operating system are you using on your computer? Windows or Mac OS?
Me: Errm…Linux actually
TSG:…………………
Me: Ok I’ve moved to a Windows Vista PC
That – in all seriousness – is just not acceptable! They provide an Internet connection, not a software package. Since when did I need Windows or Mac OS* to be able to browse the internet!???!?! I really think that ISP’s need to realise that the service they provide is platform independent, and stop asking customers to “Please click on the start menu, then the big ‘E’ for Internet Explorer”. It’s just frustrating and patronising, it’s no wonder people still think that IE is THE Internet!
I totally agree with you on that one, its a bad move by the ISPs. But i guess the techy guess like ourselves just have to live with it
It should have been this:
Tech Support Guy: Ok, so what operating system are you using on your computer? Windows or Mac OS?
Me: Errm…Linux actually
TSG:…………………
Me: Is there a problem?
Your fault really
My ISP requires a Mac or Windows enviroment for certain parts of the setup for the connection. I had to call them when I got my connection hardware in order to have them walk me through hacking the device to stop redirecting me to their ‘helpful’ setup page.
To make matters worse, that ‘helpful’ setup page is where I would have set up my e-mail account, which is required to use their outgoing mail server (a reasonable step which I support, particularly in this day of insecure WAPs). It looks like I’m going to need to make another phone call to tech support because it appears that someone has opted to use my shared hosting provider’s SMTP server for sending SPAM
Every single time I am asked to reboot the computer, or do Microsoft Windows stuff, I just lay down on the sofa and pretend I’m doing it.
The guys behind the phone line usually follow a script, and only after its steps do they scale up the issue to someone who knows better.
@Rui Miguel: Yeah I did too – it’s still frustrating
@Jeff: My old ISP claimed they did too, I just went to the IP address and set it up that way instead!
@Vadim – I know
I just couldn’t be bothered with the whole “I’m sorry what’s that?” or “I’m sorry sir, we don’t support that Operating System” debacle
The internet does not require a specific OS. Tech support, however, does…
My girlfriends ISP actually sets out the following terms of use:
1. Having a fully licensed copy of either the Microsoft XP, Microsoft Vista (or later Microsoft operating system) or Apple Mac OSX Tiger Operating System (or later Apple Mac operating system)
2. Having such hardware as required to meet the manufacturer’s minimum specification for the installed Operating System
3. Having a fully working Ethernet network adapter
4. Having a fully licensed virus scanner and firewall configured to update virus definitions at least as regularly as recommended by the manufacturer
5. Having access to a fully functional email service
The fact ISPs can set out these terms that dictate what operating system you can use is ridiculous and should not be allowed, if they expect users to have a up to date anti virus for security reasons surely they should embrace *nix users for the same reason.
[...] Barker: ISP’s Require MS/Apple…Apparently. Why the frak are ISPs insisting on customers using either Windows or Mac OS to be able to give [...]
I use zen http://www.zen.co.uk/ for my ISP and when I first moved to them I couldn’t connect for some reason. The guy asked me what I was using to connect with. My answer Smoothwall Express. This wasn’t a problem, then when he inadvertently killed the phone conversation whilst running some tests he called me back! Which was unexpected.
I agree, in fact I submitted this idea to the Ubuntu Brainstorm, back in March; http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/2638/.
But nobody else seemed to like it. What’s with that?
I use VIF: http://www.vif.net and they have been great, the first time I called for tech support, when I told them I was using Linux, he asked, “Oh yeah, what flavour?” He was very helpful, and every call I’ve made since has echoed that experience.
Needless to say, if you are in Canada, I recommend them highly.
I don’t work for them, I’m just a happy customer that uses Kubuntu
I had a similar thing happen to me when had to replace my DSL modem. I called the support line – I just needed one piece of information to finish setup. The conversation went something like this:
Tech: What operating system are you using?
Me: Linux
[pause]
Tech: [laughing] No, no, not what program you have up, what operating system are you using?
Me: Linux
Tech: Please hold
[Five minutes of crappy hold music]
Tech: I’m sorry, but it is impossible to use Leinusss with the internet.
Me: Oh, I’ve been using it with internet for the last six years, but since I can’t use it – please connect me to the person I would talk to about canceling my service … or you could just give me the IP address to finish setting up the modem, and you can go learn something.
Tech: Let me connect you to the billing department.
I just went through this getting Comcast (only real option around here). Their install requires you run this setup application which pretty much collects your account number, provisions your modem, and sets up an email account.
I no longer have any windows machines, and I asked a few people in support if there was any way to setup without the CD. They said no. I drove 30 minutes to pick up a friend and his laptop with Vista.
Get back, insert the CD, it gives a stupid error.
Call in, get a good guy. He asks me to read off my modems MAC. Turn the modem off, turn it on. Internet works. Without their damn software.
The install application for your ISP *MAY* be optional. Not to be evil (hey, most of those people are decent working people), but just telling them the application crashes might get you out of their setup.
As a bonus, I told him I was borrowing a computer since all mine have Linux. He said he’s interested in Linux, but didn’t know where to start. I pointed him to Ubuntu and Wubi.
I had a similar experience a couple of years ago that I blogged about:
http://www.peppertop.com/blog/?p=26
It’s a shame to see that things aren’t really improving much.
I want names, if possible of any troublesome ISP I can find. If their ‘business’ is skimping by on out of country tech support and issuing stupid demands of its customers, I would like to point out to the world ‘x’ company is stupid… Like ‘Microsoft’ or ‘Sun’ or any other stupidness, needs to be known to the general public. (So other people don’t go and hop on with the nearest ISP) Anyone with a stupid ISP can e-mail me names and numbers, and I will call bit* them out for hours over it. Thank you.
I bought a laptop a few months ago when my PC died and at the time I had Three mobile broadband. I could not get the internet to work on my new laptop as it’s running in Linux. I have since transferred the account to my Mum and I am now with a laptop that I don’t use as I can’t find any ISP to run from it. I don’t have a phone line so would need mobile broadband or Virgin – any recommendations?