Choice Internet outage

Has anyone considered or is anyone doing a Class Action Lawsuit against Choice Wireless for false advertising, breach of contract and deceptive trade practices? Considering filling a complaint with the FCC if they don't get their act together very soon!

There is no weekend number. I've been out since the itty bitty wee hours of December 4th. You can reach the local tech on Saturday, after 8am (but don't count on them answering) at 774-0024. They aren't open on Sunday. I also have a number to their people in Colorado, but they aren't open on weekends... 340-220-1009 but they do return calls, and actually admit that there is a problem, unlike the local tech help.

Not out on STX, but def not getting the 3mg download speeds purportedly advertised (the account is through my landlord). May have a bit of a wonky router, but even with a direct connection, I'm liable to get somewhere from 500k to 1mg.

IT

Ok, so it looks like they have figured out what my (and my neighbors) problem was. They had the modems set to the wrong frequencies. Local guy said that he was given the wrong frequencies. He fixed my neighbors on site, but had to take my modem with him because he wasn't sure how to do it for the model I have. Apparently I have one of the OLD, New modems. They sold the modem that I have in the beginning, but had so much trouble with them that they switched. They offered to Sell me one of the NEW, New modems. Think I will pass. I would gladly exchange though 🙂 So, back online, although it is with the old Choice Lite service and old, old modem.

Our Choice service was out yesterday. We figured it was probably island wide and did not call until the end of the day. Turns out they shut us off for non-payment. Then they checked and admitted we had paid BEFORE the due date! They turned the service back on right away. Just another day in paradise!

After many hours on the phone with various customer service reps for Choice, and getting the same old....same old garbage about how things are going to get better...I took my 3 year old modem which worked quite well for 2 1/2 years (and was still working well when there was a signal) to the office and QUIT!!! I now have VI Broadband....have faster service for the same price and have not had any interruptions in service! I am the third person in this area to do so, and maybe when they lose another 10 or so customers they will pay attention.....or maybe they just don't care! They have NO customer service....just lip service.

Ok, so it looks like they have figured out what my (and my neighbors) problem was. They had the modems set to the wrong frequencies. Local guy said that he was given the wrong frequencies. He fixed my neighbors on site, but had to take my modem with him because he wasn't sure how to do it for the model I have. Apparently I have one of the OLD, New modems. They sold the modem that I have in the beginning, but had so much trouble with them that they switched. They offered to Sell me one of the NEW, New modems. Think I will pass. I would gladly exchange though 🙂 So, back online, although it is with the old Choice Lite service and old, old modem.

Could you provide details on the modems that you switched from/to? I was wondering if I have the older model or the newer one. Mine kind of looks like a black cube type thing and says "ZTE" on it (like this one: http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8972/1111a.gi f" target="_blank">http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8972/1111a.gi f"/> &imgrefurl= http://www.alhandasa.net/forum/showthread.php%3Ft%3D187486&usg=__2Tec02WV9rhDdd4dNu2yYLU7DDM=&h=324&w=243&sz=63&hl=en&start=223&zoom=1&tbnid=zTr8zIQhelnOjM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=105&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dzte%2Bwimax%2Bmodem%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26biw%3D985%26bih%3D564%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=78&ei=SOIITeLPEsH78AatxolE&oei=AeIITbrhDpC8sAOhrpSbDg&esq=17&page=16&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:223&tx=66&ty=70).

It is absolutely insane that they won't exchange them out if they can't make things work right on the one they sold you just a few months ago.

Sean

stiphy, you have the "OLD" new modem 🙂 When they asked me if I had an old modem or a new modem I said "I have the new modem". Well, apparently not! The ZTE is the old one that I was told they had so much trouble with that they switched to a different kind. I don't know what the model or make of the new one is, but it's slim and white. Since I had already told Choice many times that my modem was working from a different location they said they couldn't exchange it for the 'new' new modem because there was nothing wrong with the one I bought. I will fight that battle another day I guess.

Why anyone would use Choice is beyond me. They just plain suck, and there is a much, much better option available in Broadband VI.

Nug, when they first came out with their "4G" service it was actually working ok on the download side. I was getting 5mbps downloads regularly which was awesome.

Now though you are correct, they do not have anywhere near the infrastructure they need to actually support the speeds they were advertising. Once people started to actually use the service things went south. I haven't been able to utilize my modem for several weeks although I am supposedly not being charged for the next month so I haven't shut it off and turned it in yet.

You are also correct, IMO BBVI is going to be the best long term option for internet service IMO. But I also know the folks running it pretty well so maybe I'm biased 🙂

Sean

Just moved St. Thomas and all I'm hearing is complaints about the Choice service. I went by their store but left. I couldn't chance it since most of my work is over the Internet. The bandwidth they advertise sounds good but I would rather have a reliable lower connection than a sometimes on/ sometimes fast connection...
BBVI didnt have coverage in my area so I went with another local wireless provider and service has been great so far.

Which provider? I am currently still using the older modem, Choice Lite service. The connection is reliable, but slower. I'm with you, would rather have a reliable connection, even if it is slower.

I actually went with a company named Smartnet. They were very friendly and I got setup like the next day. They dont seem to be as large/ corporate as say a Choice but very professional. A real person answered the phone when I called instead of a machine. I havent heard that in years lol.. Funny how you notice these things in a smaller place.

Surfer1. Could you give the skinny on Smartnet? Available on STX? Is this wired or wireless?
What bandwidth for residential at what cost?

Thanks,
Dan

etownster,

Yeas I checked and they are available on STX but a site survey has to be done to verify coverage. So far no issues.

Strange that their web site does not provide any details of their service offerings, technology or pricing.

Jim