Compass Designs

If you need top-rate intenet connectivity, probably the most robust solution you can get is a T1. There is only one small catch though, if you go through a company like Verison, you can get hit with a bill of up to $122,674!

Back on January the 10th, I ordered a T1 from Verizon. At the time I was told that there might be a "small installation" charge. With obvious caution, I wanted to know what that would be.

Yesterday, an eye-popping 12 weeks later, I finally got an email with the installation charge.

The special construction costs associated with the above end user are $122,674.  TPlease, keep in mind that the customer is responsible for providing a path from the property line into the building.  This price quote is valid until June 14, 2007.

I quickly replied with my response.

One hundred and twenty two thousand dollars? I'll assume that you missed a decimal point, or perhaps an april fool?

Now this really annoys me. Quite apart from the fact that it took them an astonishing 12 weeks to get back with a number (god only knows what their service would be like as an actual paying customer), you can't possibly tell me that they would not have had some idea as to the scale earlier in the process. I could have happily said "ok, maybe not" and moved onto another solution. As it is I have wasted 12 weeks in a dead end solution.

This seems like another example of really bad customer service from big companies. Maybe I should start a blog series where we can all share our expeiences.

Perhaps small really is beautiful, finding personal professional companies is the best way in today's web connected world.