Downgrading my DSL service

[Mr Pepper]

In a recent effort to save some cash, I downgraded my Qwest DSL service from 7 megabit to 1.5. Strangely, my throughput is still running @ 7 megabits. The change has been activated in my billing, so I should currently be on the lower speed.

Here's my problem. I don't care that I'm getting the "free" extra bandwidth. I don't even think anyone in my house would notice the difference anyway. But when I spoke with the billing person, they told me that my service would "continue on at 7 megabits for awhile" after the switch. I asked why and was told it was just "one of those things", a "company secret" of some such. What?

She said I would get a cd in the mail that would change the settings on my Actiontec GT701-wg to the proper speed, but that I did not have to run it right away. I have gotten no such cd and am a little afriad to call in again, because I can't seem to get a straight answer out of these clowns. I would rather not get one of their personnel in trouble either.

Does anyone know what's going on here? Or does anyone here know how to manually change or reset the GT701-wg to match the service you are supposed to be getting? Maybe if I flash new firmware or something? Or better yet is there an ISO around for this CD that I was supposed to get in the mail.

I just want what I am paying for, none of this "trade secret" crap.

 

[kevnich2]

I don't know about qwest, but most DSL services I know of, the speed is set in the DSLAM to avoid abuse.

 

[nweaver]

It's their responsibility to throttle you down after you requested it. It's not like a car, where if they don't come pick it up, you just don't drive it. You cannot (reasonably) limit your speeds to 1.5 that you pay for, it's their job. Just enjoy the speeds till they finally get around to fixing this.

 

[bruceb]

As said, it is their job to ensure that a change was really done. It is like if you cancel HBO
from the cable co and they never turn it off or filter it ... not your problem, you ordered the
change and the paperwork was done (but not the physical work) ... a lot of catv and telcos
have one thing on their minds .. Connecting new service ... Disconnects are way down on
the priority list .. they may not get done unitil 30 or 60 days after the disconnect date especially
if it just a change in the level of service .. a total disconnect gets done much faster

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: bruceb
As said, it is their job to ensure that a change was really done. It is like if you cancel HBO
from the cable co and they never turn it off or filter it ... not your problem, you ordered the
change and the paperwork was done (but not the physical work) ... a lot of catv and telcos
have one thing on their minds .. Connecting new service ... Disconnects are way down on
the priority list .. they may not get done unitil 30 or 60 days after the disconnect date especially
if it just a change in the level of service .. a total disconnect gets done much faster

the difference is you can watch your TV without watching HBO (if you are a "moral" person). You cannot use your internet without using that 7Mb/s (without going to more extreme measures, like shaping traffic down to 1.5)

 

[bruceb]

Yes ... but my point was that once you tell the company to do something for
you as a Service Downgrade and they do not follow up on it, it is no longer
your problem .. they took the request, stopped billing for the extra service.
If they do not care enough to actually do the work to change it, that's their problem.