I mean it. XO Communications is a wonderful example of an organization so f*ed up that they cannot fix a simple static routing problem in a week. Anyway, it is very enlightening to be a real paying customer of an ISP, to see how much incredibly bad things are. Well, i guess i should start from the beginning - i've got my SDSL (finally) reconnected (another Northpoint casualty). Now, the lights are green, the signal is there, packets do not get in. Time to call Tech Support, The folks there are very polite and after the mandatory router config checkup i'm promised everything is going to be fixed the first thing tomorrow when the repair team shows up for work (hmmm... 9-to-5 repair? I've got a "business" service package, i expected somewhat better service). Tomorrow comes and goes, nothing happens. Calling XO Tech Support produces only yet another CPE config examination, and another promise. Next day -- nothing happens. Calling again, hearing apologies for the repair team inaction, more promises. Ok, next few days are spent explaining it excuriating details that yes, DSL side works, packets get out but incoming traffic goes to someplace nobody can positively identify. I'm asking to take a look at routing tables at the boxes A and B. Surprise! "Can't do it - we do not have access to these boxes". Closer examination shows that XO Tech Support cannot even tell if the customer link has a signal on it. Not because they don't know how to do it, but because "it is a highly expensive equipment and we are not given passwords so we won't break it". Yes, "highly paid certified engieers only" can look at the things. Tech support is administratively prohibited from LOOKING at the operational status and configs. I'm starting to wonder if they have an issue with trade unions but get no confirmation to that. Now, i ask to escalate. They oblidge. No useful result. I'm asking to put me in toch with someone who can actually do meaningful diagnostic, and told that no, sir, our policy is never let engineers to talk to customers. Well... Another escalation, supervisor promises to personally oversee the repair. Day later, packets are still routed to Elbonia. Talking to tech support completely lost any meaning - they're out of question, I exhausted all "options" to get hold of someone who can do things in that wretched organization. Along the way i'm lectured on how wonderful division of labour is, and how well it serves customers. So... Is there anyone in XO with a clue? Help? I do not need apologies, i need a working network. TT# 83008. Now, i'm still amazed by the humongous idiocy of an organization which prevents their front-line people from doing their job by taking away their tools; and lets their customers to be at a mercy of some shadowy group which never calls back and so has no chance to get any feedback. If i cannot even reach anyone in the _repair_ organization, i suspect that any really complex problem which needs a real engineer (not a certified monkey) won't be solved at all. --vadim PS. CEO of my employer also has a DSL line from XO. Also not working. Guess what chances XO has of getting our business (we're an ASP).
Btw, everything is simple - if company can not set up the service, it set up low prices and attract the customers - (until it'll blow up). No doubt, they have good organized, perfectly built service department, sales department, professional service, etc etc - everything except the brains...
This sounds like my NorthPoint nightmare with MegaPath. They have given me two install dates which have both passed. Phone calls are useless, because after an hour on hold you are forced to leave a message (Why am I on hold?). The knee-jerk response for most problems is to blame the local loop. I imagine that if I ever get things hooked up again, I will be in a similar situation. Is it that difficult to allow the first level of support to actually be helpful? At least being able to check to see what the routing table looks like. Jason Lewis http://www.rivalpath.com "All you can do is manage the risks. There is no security." -----Original Message----- From: owner-nanog@merit.edu [mailto:owner-nanog@merit.edu]On Behalf Of Vadim Antonov Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 2:58 AM To: nanog@merit.edu Subject: XO is broken I mean it. XO Communications is a wonderful example of an organization so f*ed up that they cannot fix a simple static routing problem in a week. Anyway, it is very enlightening to be a real paying customer of an ISP, to see how much incredibly bad things are. Well, i guess i should start from the beginning - i've got my SDSL (finally) reconnected (another Northpoint casualty). Now, the lights are green, the signal is there, packets do not get in. Time to call Tech Support, The folks there are very polite and after the mandatory router config checkup i'm promised everything is going to be fixed the first thing tomorrow when the repair team shows up for work (hmmm... 9-to-5 repair? I've got a "business" service package, i expected somewhat better service). Tomorrow comes and goes, nothing happens. Calling XO Tech Support produces only yet another CPE config examination, and another promise. Next day -- nothing happens. Calling again, hearing apologies for the repair team inaction, more promises. Ok, next few days are spent explaining it excuriating details that yes, DSL side works, packets get out but incoming traffic goes to someplace nobody can positively identify. I'm asking to take a look at routing tables at the boxes A and B. Surprise! "Can't do it - we do not have access to these boxes". Closer examination shows that XO Tech Support cannot even tell if the customer link has a signal on it. Not because they don't know how to do it, but because "it is a highly expensive equipment and we are not given passwords so we won't break it". Yes, "highly paid certified engieers only" can look at the things. Tech support is administratively prohibited from LOOKING at the operational status and configs. I'm starting to wonder if they have an issue with trade unions but get no confirmation to that. Now, i ask to escalate. They oblidge. No useful result. I'm asking to put me in toch with someone who can actually do meaningful diagnostic, and told that no, sir, our policy is never let engineers to talk to customers. Well... Another escalation, supervisor promises to personally oversee the repair. Day later, packets are still routed to Elbonia. Talking to tech support completely lost any meaning - they're out of question, I exhausted all "options" to get hold of someone who can do things in that wretched organization. Along the way i'm lectured on how wonderful division of labour is, and how well it serves customers. So... Is there anyone in XO with a clue? Help? I do not need apologies, i need a working network. TT# 83008. Now, i'm still amazed by the humongous idiocy of an organization which prevents their front-line people from doing their job by taking away their tools; and lets their customers to be at a mercy of some shadowy group which never calls back and so has no chance to get any feedback. If i cannot even reach anyone in the _repair_ organization, i suspect that any really complex problem which needs a real engineer (not a certified monkey) won't be solved at all. --vadim PS. CEO of my employer also has a DSL line from XO. Also not working. Guess what chances XO has of getting our business (we're an ASP).
participants (3)
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Alexei Roudnev -
Jason Lewis -
Vadim Antonov