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List:       inet-access
Subject:    RE: Backbone providers
From:       "Troy Settle" <troy () psknet ! com>
Date:       2003-03-21 13:12:54
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I currently maintain connections to Sprint, AT&T, and Worldcom.  Sprint
is hands-down the best of the 3 in terms of support.  I really enjoy
being able to get an IP engineer on the phone very quickly.  Sprint and
AT&T are both great in terms of billing.

Where support is concerned, AT&T and Worldcom are both difficult to
reach when there's an issue with the connection.  AT&T's billing is
straight.  Worldcom's billing has also been straight forward, though I
don't like that they moved me to "email billing" without my consent.

Email billing isn't an issue, but they actually only email you saying
that "your bill is ready."  You actually have to get logged into an
inaccessable website.  So I find myself about 3 months behind.

In terms of performance, all 3 work well, with Sprint carrying slightly
more traffic than either of the others (probably due to the fact that
I'm using Sprint IP space at the moment).

For policy, I don't like that neither Worldcom or AT&T will put me on an
AS-ORINGINATE filter.  As a result, it takes a few days before I can use
new IP space while I wait for them get them to update the ACLs on my
peering session.

I've dealt with Quest before (some 3-4 years ago), and their support
suffers from the minimum-wage script-readers they have in their call
centers.  During one outage, my ticket somehow got routed to their frame
group for their ILEC operation on the west coast (I had a private line
on the east coast).   After about 6 hours, the ticket finally got to the
right person who fiddled around for about 2 minutes, got the circuit
back up, but said he found nothing wrong.  When the Quest line was
working, the bandwidth was awesome.  I can't speak for their billing
practices.


--
  Troy Settle
  Pulaski Networks
  http://www.psknet.com
  540.994.4254 ~ 866.477.5638
  Pulaski Chamber 2002 Small Business Of The Year


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-list@inet-access.net 
> [mailto:owner-list@inet-access.net] On Behalf Of Josh Higham
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 12:01 PM
> To: list@inet-access.net
> Subject: Backbone providers
> 
> 
> I'm looking for input regarding company performance; we are looking to
> replace a burstable DS3, and I don't want to accept the 
> cheapest offer and
> live to regret it :-)
> 
> Because we are in the boonies, there aren't many providers available;
> currently I have quotes from Qwest, AT&T, Sprint, and Worldcom.
> 
> I would prefer Sprint or Worldcom, since they have a bigger 
> IP focus, but is
> that still a significant factor?
> Also, does anyone have any input on the state of Worldcom 
> currently?  I'd
> hate to switch and end up with a mismanaged circuit (or no 
> circuit) due to
> financial troubles.
> 
> Any sales people that can provide DS3 service in Missoula MT 
> feel free to
> give me a holler.
> 
> ciao
> Josh
> 
> -
> Send 'unsubscribe' in the body to 
> 'list-request@inet-access.net' to leave.
> Eat sushi frequently.   inet@inet-access.net is the human 
> contact address.
> 
> 

-
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