Finally, we're about to get high-speed internet...! Any tips...

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Margo_C-T

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...on how to deal with changing ISP? I have only ever had dial-up service for the past 14 years; FINALLY, a higher speed service is available where I live, via the landline phone service. After considering it from all angles, I decided to try a minimal 'bundle'(only two services in the 'bundle'), because there is no contract required.

Because the equipment I was sent was not adequate for me to 'hook it up' myself, mainly due to the layout of our house, I contacted the landline co., and after some frustration w/ the difference between their 'rosy' picture and the reality of dealing with people who didn't seem to know much about their subject...I was offered a 'no charge' visit from a certified internet set-up tech, who will come tomorrow(Hurray!)

As I understand it, I WILL be changing my ISP; from MSN, whom I'd had since day one of computer ownership, to the landline company. What tips would you have so that I will not lose my complete email contacts list, and my 'favorites' list during this process? Anything else I should know 'ahead of time'?

About 2 yrs. ago, I was having all sorts of trouble w/ MSN. Finally reached a tech who seemed to know how to 'fix'this; what he did was to connect me to an MSN 'network' so that how I accessed the internet was a different procedure. I had had Outlook Express for my email; suddenly I had 'hotmail', but still had, and have kept, the '@msn' designation on my email. Will I be able to stay w' 'hotmail', which I understand is free, and not 'tied to' MSN? My son who knows a good bit @ computers, will help us to set up a 'gmail' or the like account when he is here if I want it(I haven't been real happy w/ hotmail, but maybe that is because of the dial-up, which has seemed to get 'ever-SLOWER'? But, I will need SOMETHING until he can come down here, and could certainly continue to 'live with' hotmail until then!

Finally...what are the pros and cons of going wireless? I am ALL about 'safety'; from what I've been told/read, wireless is more vulnerable to 'intrusions' by whoever...from those who might 'only' steal bandwidth to those who might place nasty viruses/malware, etc., to those who'd like to steal your personal information. Apparently, this could be 'installed' either way...'wired'? or wireless...which would YOU recommend, and why, please?!

Thanks a bunch for all input!

Margo...who is SO looking forward to not spending 90% of my computer time WAITING!!
 
There shouldn;t be ANY difficulties to you at all, since you are using msn.com as your email, so don't have to worry about changing that. It should be quite seamless for you. So glad you are finally able to get something a little faster. You'll be amazed, and wonder how you ever lived without it!! CONGRATS....I know how long you've been waiting for this moment!!
 
Thanks, Mona! ;-) I am waiting (not patiently, I'll admit!) for the tech; he has 30 min. left of the 4 hour window they gave me for his arrival....

Margo
 
Did the tech show up?

I honestly don't know what I did before getting high speed, and we just chose the "low end" high speed option as it was the cheapest and its great for us (there are days hubby might disagree, but I think its his computer, aka my old computer, that is the problem rather than the internet).
 
Oh, boy! No, the tech did NOT show up. I sat here for 1 1/2 hrs. past the 4 hour 'window' when he was supposed to come, gave up and called Century Link, where I was told by yet another person who did not seem to know much that the order for him to come out had been CANCELLED! This process has been a 'comedy of errors' from the get-go...to tell it all would take an hour. Suffice to say, I got lots of apologizing, and a (second)assurance that the tech would come out at no charge to me(the first guy I'd spoken to offered me a $50 bill credit because we've been customers of the landline company(who has gone through several names over time), in our present location, for 32 1/3 years!

I am taking this because is it is offered in a 'bundle', w/ a guaranteed price for the high-speed service, for 5 years, and no contract...so I accepted the 'fastest' available speed for where I am, after determining that at any time, I could 'step down' to the middle speed, which I am assured by my friend who has it, would be perfectly satisfactory. Of course, FIRST, I have to actually manage to get it installed. Stay tuned!
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Margo
 
Tomorrow(Tues.), 9 AM-1 PM. Will see if it happens THIS time!

Margo
 
WEEELLLL-another appointment missed; cancelled, I was told when I called. I can't imagine how these people keep their customers; I have never encountered such ineptitude!!! The person I spoke to THIS time put me on hold for 12 min(seemed much longer
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---when he returned, he said that the 'problem' was that the visit from a tech had been 'entered' as 'service', but should have been 'repair'...HUH?? Honestly, he didn't sound like he had much on the ball...but at least he didn't a)continuously interrupt me, b) talk so fast he could barely be understood,c)have a 'connection' so fuzzy that I couldn't understand him(that one was a 'her', actually...and then get 'short' with me when I told her I couldn't understand most of what she was saying due to the 'fuzzy' connection...only some of the issues in the now 6 or 7 pnone contacts I've had w/ Century Link about this. How is it, after asking for my name, complete address and a contact phone number AND email address everytime I spoke to them, they couldn't be bothered to let ME know that they'd cancelled the appointments...what the HECK kind of way is THAT to do business?

Now I have yet another 'appointment' for the tech to come tomorrow(Thurs. the 13th)between 1-5 PM. I told him that this would be the LAST time; if this app't isn't fulfilled. I may well cancel the whole thing, and call every media outlet I can think of to see if they'd give this mess some publicity! My electric Co-op has sent out material on a 'wi-fi' internet service they are promoting; I called them yesterday to send me the info on it again(I've not paid much attention, but now....). I also see an ad in the local town paper for a local hi-speed internet service....figure it won't hurt to find out more about what else might be available.

Margo
 
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