How painful would it be for you to change ISPs?

[kranky]

Was talking with another member yesterday and I wondered out loud why AOL doesn't raise their rates. Many (not all, OK?) of their customers are not experienced users and I think it would be very difficult for most of their customers to change ISPs, and few of them would cancel if AOL raised their rates. I've heard that in AOL 6, the contact lists, etc. are stored on AOL servers, not on the user PC, so that stuff would have to be saved before canceling - probably not a simple task.

Now that many people have been on the net for a long time, I'm wondering what would it take for you to switch ISPs. While some people use free or forwarding email services, most don't. There may be a lot of people to contact to update with a new address, and some may fall through the cracks. If you have a web site, you have to deal with updating DNS records and a period of time when some people won't be able to reach your site.

So, what would it take for you to change ISPs?

 

[konichiwa]

Not a lot of trouble, but I don't think I'll be doing that for awhile. I've had AT&T for about 2 and a half years now. However, if this was the email I used at work...it'd be a different story. :Q

 

[Raspewtin]

"So, what would it take for you to change ISPs? "



It would be difficult for me. I have cable modem, so I'd have to return equipment, get new equipment (say switching to DSL), and I'm sure @home would make it difficult every step of the way.

 

[airfoil]

No big deal for me. I'd switch right over!

 

[Fingers]

no trouble at all really.

 

[Emulex]

pretty hard. i have everything tied to my mail address. It would be an uber pain to switch, and for what benefit?

i wouldn't object to a 10% increase in isp price, as long as i got more features

 

[tim0thy]

switching ISPs is very easy for me. everything if tied in with my yahoo account.

Do YOU Yahoo?

 

[Azraele]

I switched from dialup to satellite just this past week. No regrets, and not much hassle either.

 

[woodie1]

No problem at all. I do it all the time.

 

[erub]

it has been a major hassle for me to switch DSL ISPs. My 3rd-partyISP went bankrupt, and so we had to switch over. Swbell/ASI made it a very long wait before they could cancel my existing account (which stayed up for the time i had the circuit available, which was good) - and then the setup was suppoed to be done yesterday. ASI set up everything on their end, but they configured it wrong, so this mornign the guy reconfigured it. My new ISP has to change my settings on their end with their Cisco/Redback servers. Unfortunately the guys who can change it don't work on weekends. Argghhh!!! My other ISP was so great too - never had any problems, static IP for $10 a month..because i didn't want to go with SBIS/Prodigy, i am now paying $30 to get a static IP. But the new ISP has very fast connections and 24/7 tech support, so I think it will be okay.

 

[Rich]

Too easy! The only thing I'm going to miss is when I move back to Oregon and lose cable. I'm going to be in the boonies for a while.

Rich

 

[Missus]

It wouldn't be hard at all...

I would have Neo do it...

 

[Noriaki]

No sweat.

Last night I checked my @home.com email address, and I got 11.
Of those 11, 10 were junk mail that got deleted.

There are maybe 5 people who email me that I actually give a damn about
Most of them use ICQ, and ICQ does NOT store it's contact list on the server.

I have a different email account at work, it would be nigh impossible for me to change that email address. Of course I won't have to, it's maintained on internal company servers, and if I leave the company it won't matter anymore.

 

[Harrald]

Not a big deal at all. Years ago I got a @bigfoot.com address for my name. Then got a @email.com address with my name for spam mail.


Now all I have to do is re-route the bigfoot address to where ever I'm hanging my hat.



Life is good

 

[convex]

ahh the joys of owning your own domain... owned systemcrisis.com for almost two years now, $12 a year for me to never worry about changing my mail, worth it for me

 

[Emulex]

lifes good until your favourite free isp bellies up


Your own free domain is a good idea. I think everyone should get free domain name use with every isp account..


(still would have to pay $$/year for registration).

Then you could just move your domain with your email every time you move!

 

[Mountain]

switching as we speak. juno trippled (X3) my rate so i am switching. a little overlap. if this is all the hassle you ever have in life, youre in for one boring time.

 

[Tiger]

It wouldn't be that big a deal.
I've done it in the past, switched from ATTglobal to Willinet.
There are 4 or 5 local dial ISP's in the neighborhood, each with different prices and reputation for service. Seems like the lowball ISP's also have the crappiest service.

I don't buy the "AOL is for inexperienced users" thing. I've got too many family members who have setup accounts on regular ISP's and had no trouble what so ever. Of the 15 or so members of my family on-line only one uses AOL and I suspect that's due to not caring one way or the other. None of these people are "GURU's".

My only hope for broadband of any sort seems like it's going to be bi-directional satellite. I'd be interested to hear from anybody who's got it up and running.

 

[Soybomb]

Its a breese, I own cyber-byte.com and have it hosted with pair.com. I can switch home isp's all I want and still get everything at cyber-byte.com

 

[Fearlss1]

I would love to find a good isp. I am currently on COX CABLE>> damn look at the name you no they suck "No pun intended" hehehe... I am an online FPS player and my ping and packet loss is so bad its unbelievable.. and I have the one meg cable,, and there is no way I would ever have VERIZON DSL..
COX IS SUCK