Complaint Review: Time Warner - Road Runner Western Ohio - Verizon - Direcway - Starband - Internet

Approx 3 yrs ago we moved 3 miles from a sub-division to a small farm (2 acres), prior to moving I called Time Warner/Road Runner and asked if cable/internet service was available for that address. I was told yes!!!

After purchasing the property and calling to setup an installation appointment, I was then told it was not available even though there is another property that is only .6 (tenths) of a mile down the road from us. I was TICKED!!!! I stated so you are telling me that I cannot get cable/internet service at all and the customer service rep stated well of course you can get it, but you would have to pay to have the lines ran down to your house. I said "GREAT let's do that." The rep then informs me that it would cost me $22,000.00 per mile to have the service lines ran, plus I would still have to pay the monthly fee. BULL!!!

Every year since I have requested a survey to be ran and every year I am told NO!! it is not available. It is my understanding that years ago there were multiple cable providers and time warner/road runner put in a bid to service this area, but yet they won't service me. I then called our phone provider Verizon to see about DSL, we are 3,000 ft too far and can't get DSL.

Now Verizon is selling FIOS, it is a new fiber optics service and of course the first place in Ohio that they are installing it, is Columbus. Well Columbus already has DSL availability. If Verizon would upgrade the phone lines in my area, I could get DSL. I also called them about ISDN 128K, but the minute I picked up my telephone it will drop down to 64K (pretty much the same as 56K dialup) and for only $120.00 a month.

I pay 9.95 for my current dialup, why in the world would anyone pay $120.00 and then the minute you pick up the phone the speed will drop down to 64K. CRAZY!!! I then had two different satelite companies installed both outrageously priced $600.00 for the modem and installation, please keep in mind I paid this twice!! The first was Direcway and it was horrible, horrible, horrible, our dialup was faster. Not to mention their tech support people are a joke, I spent (not kidding) 5 hours on the phone with them and I mean 5 hours on multiple occasions and they still could not fix the problems. So $70.00 a month for two years with Direcway was a JOKE!

After their contract was up, I reluctantly tried a second satelite company Starband, same thing horrible, horrible, horrible again dialup was faster. I've check to see about T-1 lines and we are talking $600.00 per month for T-1 service.

There has got to be something I can do to get internet service without having to keep our stinking SLOW dialup service or paying an arm and a leg for high speed internet. We do not live in the boonies and there is friggin cable less than ONE MILE from our house and they will not install.

If anyone can help, please let me know what I can do to force Time Warner/Road Runner or Verizon to install/upgrade their lines and provide the service that they requested to provide, by bidding or purchasing the rights in my area. Thanks.

Virginia

Troy, Ohio
U.S.A.