Poll: Should service providers refund customers for outages caused by Code Red & it's variants?

[Viper GTS]

As I wade through these wonderful calls, one question keeps popping up:

Will we be refunding customers for downtime?

Honestly, I don't know what the answer to that question is. People feel they are entitled to a refund since their service isn't working, but it's not something we can control. Especially the business customers: "I've been without service all day. This is a business, that is unacceptable." Etc, etc, etc.

What do you think? Should service providers be responsible for downtime caused by viruses/worms?

Viper GTS

 

[linuxboy]

well that depends on how lengthy their service agreement is

 

[konichiwa]

Explain to them that this incident is not related, or specific in any way at all to Qwest and that many ISPs and websites (business related and non-business related) have been experiencing similar downtime due to the worm.

 

[KingHam]

Depends on the policy but, IMO yes they should refund customers that complain.

KingHam

 

[BoberFett]

The problem is that the attacks can occur from anywhere, and there's usually nothing that the service provider can do to stop them, short of setting up huge numbers of blocked IPs. The internet is global, to expect your service provider to be able to fix a global problem is foolish.

 

[Double Trouble]

I think it falls under the category of things outside the control of the provider. For example, if the area is flooded, there's just not much you can do about the service being out.

As a goodwill gesture, the company can do something for it's customers or provide some sort of voucher or benefit, but I don't think they'd be required to provide a refund based on something that's outside their control.

 

[KingHam]

Just because the problem is global doesn't absolve the ISP from responsibility. They agreed to provide a service and if they cannot, as per the service agreement, then they should refund a customer that asks.

KingHam

 

[gopunk]

excuse my ignorance, is cpe short for "customer personal environment"?

 

[konichiwa]

Who said CPE? :Q

 

[KingHam]

It's in the poll.

KingHam

 

[Ameesh]

yes they should they payed you for a service not excuses.

 

[montanafan]

I think most companies should have a policy of refunds for outages that last over a certain amount of time. Some things just can't be helped, but if service isn't restored within a reasonable amount of time, it's costing businesses real money and they should be able to count on their ISP to either fix the problem or make some sort of remuneration.

 

[Double Trouble]

It depends on the service agreements. For example, the phone company has a service agreement with you to provide phone access.... but trust me, if a tornado rips through your neighborhood and phone service is out for 3 or 4 days, they would not refund your money. The only time they refund your money is if the outtage is either extended in time beyond what would be reasonable based on the event, or if the outtage is their fault.

 

[Viper GTS]

The internet is global, to expect your service provider to be able to fix a global problem is foolish.

My thoughts exactly, but the average user has no clue of that concept.

Everything is in terms of the service provider, & they can't see further than that.

Some things just can't be helped, but if service isn't restored within a reasonable amount of time, it's costing businesses real money and they should be able to count on their ISP to either fix the problem or make some sort of remuneration.

How would you suggest an ISP fix something like this? Sure, they can block port 80, but that would kill anybody with a web server.

Viper GTS

 

[PsychoAndy]

Well it is kinda like an act of god, yanno, nothing they can really control...

But for instance, hitting several fiber lines by mistake and causing widespread outage for several days should warrant a refund...

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

i don't follow... i thought there was a patch for this... and what do isp's have to do with it?

 

[Luden]

Yeah, want PsychoAndy said. Its more of a random act of god. They should be striving for a fix, but if its out of there control theres no point.

 

[Viper GTS]

CPE stands for Customer Premise Equipment, everything past the box on the outside of their house.

i don't follow... i thought there was a patch for this... and what do isp's have to do with it?

In this case, the CPE provided by Qwest (Cisco 675 and 678 routers) are locked by Code Red's attempts to infect. Power cycling clears the routers memory & restores service, at least until it is attacked again. If you've been following Killbat's Code Red thread, the attacks can be ridiculous - Addresses are being hit every few minutes, continuously. So people's routers are locking every 5 minutes to an hour, depending on how many infected machines are on their subnet.

Viper GTS

 

[ElFenix]

would they expect a refund if someone bombed the server farm? it think not.

 

[konichiwa]

<< i don't follow... i thought there was a patch for this... and what do isp's have to do with it? >>

That's the point, you follow it precisely.

 

[FrontlineWarrior]

oh so it's sort of like a denial of service thing going on with the isp's.
nah no refund for that.

 

[montanafan]

<< How would you suggest an ISP fix something like this? Sure, they can block port 80, but that would kill anybody with a web server. >>



That's why I said,...within a reasonable amount of time. This isn't something that can be fixed easily or within a predetermined amount of time. It's not like a snapped cable that should take X amount of time to fix.

That's why there should be something in the policy stating what is refundable and what isn't. And also an explanation for the customer of what is within your technical abilities and what isn't. They tend to think it's like in the movies. The tech geniuses find some fix within the hour. There should be something in writing for times like these to point to and say, this just can't be helped.

 

[Stark]

Yes.

the name of the service provider is @home.

 

[Viper GTS]

There is a God!

We FINALLY got approved to use the set web port command.

Now we can actually fix people's problem.



Viper GTS