Rosco, please read

[jjordan]

I just got my cable modem hooked up to charter this morning. Now 12 hours later, it still hasn't synced up. How uncommon is this. How long should I wait before I call support. I did already speak with 3 com. They were on the phone with me for 1 and 1/2 hours. They pretty much ruled out any problems with the modem itself. And think it isn't getting a signal from the cable company.

I believe charter is using hsa here. When I do call support. Can I call HSA, or do I need to go through charter? If I can call HSA, do you have a number for them. The tech that signed me up just said to call charters main number. But i've called it about other things, and just got the run around. And no one at charter seems to know ANYTHING about what they are doing. For example,I've asked everyone I spoke to what my download/upload cap was. No one had any idea. So basicaly I just signed up blind, and hoping for the best. Since charter is the only game in town. But if I could get support somewhere else, that could help alot.

[Rosco]

Jordan,

I have seen this once before in WV. Essentially, what the problem was is that the techs had not swept the area for cable modem service. If you could, contact your local office and see of this is the case.
Make sure your node is primed for the signal.

I just looked over the upcoming markets page and checked the state of WV and they do not have anything listed. Of course, this does not mean that Charter is not selling areas way out in front of us or that they have plans for that area.

If you could get me a local number for the cable company. I will call and get the skinny about whom does support, and what is going on etc.

[jjordan]

I have 3 numbers for you.

(304)-485-7433
(800)972-5757

These two are the normal numbers for cable service.

(800)567-9994

I just found this one. It is printed on the mousepad that came with the starter pack. So it is more likely to be the one for modem support.

Thanks for helping.



[This message has been edited by jjordan (edited 11-17-2000).]

[scsi_guru]

Rosco..Hi!! I'm in Parkersburg, WV and just got hooked up to Charter on Monday...I was one of the first install. Anyway, I was connected and online within 10 minutes after the techs arrived. Can you check into what's going on with the speeds on this Charter system. I spoke with a beta tester this a.m. and he told me that when he first started testing about 2 months ago he was getting very fast downloads 150KBytes/sec. Now he is only getting in the 40's. My speeds are the same. However, when I first start a download I'm as high as the 180's to 200 range and then it drops precipitously. Any information you could find out would be appreciated!! BTW the local number for Charter is 304-485-7433. A toll-free number is 1-800-642-9163. Thanks!!..john

[Rosco]

I may have to wait until Monday to call anyone, because the local office is probably closed manana.

Also, I do not recognoze any of the 800 numbers as HSA.
Did they tell you that HSA was your provider? Make sure it is not @home or Roadrunner that does your tech support.

Beta sites can be very difficult to work with, especially with speed issues. One, becasue they are so new many of the kinks have to be worked out. Secondly, in alot of places they have there own Network Operations Center which limits what I can discover.

Keep the faith we will figure something out.

[scsi_guru]

Rosco...thanks for your help!! Will be looking forward to hearing what you find out.

[jjordan]

earlier today I found www.hsacorp.net mentioned somewhere either in the users guide or in a text file on the disks. But I can't seem to find it again now. I'll look again tomorrow when I have more time.

[jjordan]

22 hours still no sync ;(


I just searched through all the material that came with the starter pack. I found numerous mentions of HSA corp in the readme file, and the license agreement on the install disk. HSA was mostly mentioned when speaking of billing problems. And the person to contact in case of copy right infringement had a hsacorp.net e-mail address. So I don't know how detailed charters connection to HSA is here. But there is definitely some connection.


Also. It isn't in beta here. Its been out of beta for a couple weeks.


[This message has been edited by jjordan (edited 11-18-2000).]

[scsi_guru]

I was having problems getting my email to work. Called the local cable number in the book and within one hour a tech called me and told me that my email was activated. If I'm not mistaken, the tech was in Charleston, WV.

[Rosco]

Only responsible for e-mail hmmmmmmmm. Never seen that before. However, HSA has been pushing Charter to provide Tier 1 tech support,so perhaps,they have a call center in Charleston. Sort of a Beta Call Center, they do have something of that kind implemented in Wiscinson.

Anyway, even if we are responsible for e-mail, there are still issues. The fact that we have no access to the e-mail server or even know the address for that matter is a problem. Still will look into it.

What was the number in Charleston you called?

[scsi_guru]

Rosco...the tech called me. Here's the number that showed on my caller ID: 304-482-6643

[jjordan]

Hmm. your posts seemed to be directed both at me, and at scsi_guru. So I'll go ahead and give you more info. The number I finaly used to get tech support was 1-800-567-9994. I have no idea where this number goes to though.

Just because he said hsa was only e-mail doesn't mean its so. Every one I've spoke to, has seemed to be extremly uninformed, about how the system works. I've been flaming them a bit more, that I probably should. So I do want to mention something positive about the support. Everyone I have spoke with so far has been friendly, and are honestly trying to help. BUT they just don't seem to have the training they need, to do that.

[Rosco]

I just got off the phone with a tech from the 1-800-567-9994 number. And he stated that Charter was responsible for all of Tier 1,2, and 3 in West Virginia.
Although he was unsure, of Charter and HSA's relationship and did not seem 100% sure. Unfortunately, there was not a supervisor there to speak with, so I will have to call back on Monday.

BTW They were located in Greensburg, PA.

[scsi_guru]

jjordon...when the techs were there to connect could they not get it to work for you at all?? What kind of explanation did they have?? Can't imagine why they'd connect it and leave you hanging there when it wasn't working.

[jjordan]

The techs only explanation was that they were only alowed to wait on the modem to come up for 15 minutes. He just told me what I needed to do when it connected, and left.

I just called tech support. He took my info, and said he would put it in a report for the real techs to look at. He had no idea how long it would take to fix

Also I asked if charter here was using HSA. HSA is only responcible for the e-mail. So I guess you wont be able to help much, rosco

[Rosco]

Guys,
Just got off the phone with Rose a supervisor in PA. She told me that Charter in Greensburg was responsible for all tech support in that area, including e-mail. And she said shw would call Parkersburg and let them know. Hope this helps.

[jjordan]

Thanks for trying to help. You definitely go above and beyond the call of duty


I still haven't synced up I've been waiting on cable modems for so long. And now I have one, and can't use it. The last 3 days have seemed like 3 months. There is work "ticket" in now. No idea when they will get around to coming to fix it though. 4:45 pm my time now. So doubtful they will be here today. Maybe tomorrow.

[scsi_guru]

Rosco...thanks for your quick turnaround!!! Do you have any information about a "cap" in the Parkersburg area? I generally can't go any higher than 500kbs using toast.net. Any information would be appreciated.

jjordon...which part of Parkersburg do you live in? I've heard of others having problems with not connecting at all in the Vienna area as well as very slooooooow speeds in the PHS area.

[Rosco]

Sorry, I do not have any of that information, but if you called and asked I am sure someone could give it to you.

[jjordan]

Actualy I live in Belpre now. I've lived in. Parkersburg all my life. So I still tend to say I live there. Still using Parkersburg charter though.

I think to find your download cap. You can put the numbers for your default gateway, into your browser. Then look under configuration at Maximum Downstream Data Rate: . I think this will tell the cap. I'm not sure though. since I'm not synced yet.