Post by "Pop" Stran on Jan 6, 2005 11:25:20 GMT -5
First, let me say that the Earthlink internet access service is a very reliable and honest program.
The issue being addressed here is the Earthlink policy regarding no refunds of auto-payments...Allow me to elaborate:
After using the Earthlink service for a year or so, I attempted to upgrade to a newer version.
The disk had come in the mail months before, but I liked the 5.0 version...and after putting it off long enough, I installed the TotalAccess '03 program.
The first install went smoothly until reboot; When attempting to run TotalAccess, I got an error message stating that a system file was missing.
After pulling the WinDisk and finding that a copy of the missing file was not there, I tried going online with the old version of Earthlink to search for the file at Microsoft.com, or one of the other sys-file sites.
However, the old prog (Earthlink 5.0) also gave the same message, and I was essentially blocked out of the Web.
Now, we all agree that AOL sucks...that's no secret...but their software is top-notch. They spare no expense making it "Newbie-friendly", essentially self-installing, self-configuring, and fully independent.
I always keep a few older copies of the AOL software on the shelf for just this reason.
*(The versions after 7.0 include a lot of "extras" that you don't really want in your system.)
You simply install AOL, and it will not only re-configure and optimize your system files, but it will also install any needed files for online access.
Once installed, just remove AOL (and sweep the Windows folders & your registry.) and go back online with your program of choice.
This time however, the missing system file was not replaced, and both Earthlink versions would still not work.
Using AOL, I hopped onto the Web and got a copy of the missing sys file and tried again...to no avail.
Now both versions stated that the new copy of this file was corrupt...and I tried once more from another source.
The end result was that I had removed both copies of Earthlink, and a re-install was not working...and during the first attempt a TV commercial was on for NetZero...so I called and ordered a disk.
AOL got me to my email and site maint while waiting, and once the Netzero disk arrived I swapped to Netzero for good.
My Earthlink acct was set to pull auto-payments from my CC each month, and this happened on the last day of each month as a pre-payment for the following month.
Once Netzero was setup as my new service, and I realized that I liked them (Netzero was actually around many years ago as a "Free ISP" service, a fad that wore off quick). I called Earthlink to cancel my account.
This was the 4th of the month, and I asked them to refund the payment they had just taken from my CC since I had not used their service in weeks, and not one day this month.
Earthlink refused to even consider a refund, despite the fact that they were billing me for a service I did not want.
* This is another big difference between Earthlink and AOL; America Online never argues with a customer, and refunds are never a problem if you are telling the truth...Whatever the reason, AOL will refund your payment with a smile. Gotta love that.
Personally; If it weren't for the facts that every kid with a coder prog and an attitude targets AOL users, and the spammers hopping thru the chatrooms, and the choked Web access...I would have stayed with AOL all along...but they're selling their own intranet, and not featuring the internet which doesn't suit my needs.
Final Note:
Should you be using Earthlink, or considering it, bear in mind that you must call to cancel the service...it can't be done online.
Also remember to make this call near the end of the month...if you call on the first day of a new month, you will have already paid for the current month, and they Will NOT return the payment.
Earthlink's "Screw YOU, the money is ours" policy is a severely disappointing scam. Refunds and unhappy customers are part of a basic rule of business,
ie: You Can't Please Everyone...
but as stated earlier this was the first real problem with Earthlink.*
* Software problems aren't automatically the fault of the provider, and in my case, I was interested in trying Netzero anyway since they offered the same services for half the price.
One other note: Earthlink's offered $19.95 monthly became $21.95 at the bank and that's only a savings of $2 from AOL...While Netzero gave me their high-speed access for $14.95 (and it stayed $14.95 on payment day).
The issue being addressed here is the Earthlink policy regarding no refunds of auto-payments...Allow me to elaborate:
After using the Earthlink service for a year or so, I attempted to upgrade to a newer version.
The disk had come in the mail months before, but I liked the 5.0 version...and after putting it off long enough, I installed the TotalAccess '03 program.
The first install went smoothly until reboot; When attempting to run TotalAccess, I got an error message stating that a system file was missing.
After pulling the WinDisk and finding that a copy of the missing file was not there, I tried going online with the old version of Earthlink to search for the file at Microsoft.com, or one of the other sys-file sites.
However, the old prog (Earthlink 5.0) also gave the same message, and I was essentially blocked out of the Web.
Now, we all agree that AOL sucks...that's no secret...but their software is top-notch. They spare no expense making it "Newbie-friendly", essentially self-installing, self-configuring, and fully independent.
I always keep a few older copies of the AOL software on the shelf for just this reason.
*(The versions after 7.0 include a lot of "extras" that you don't really want in your system.)
You simply install AOL, and it will not only re-configure and optimize your system files, but it will also install any needed files for online access.
Once installed, just remove AOL (and sweep the Windows folders & your registry.) and go back online with your program of choice.
This time however, the missing system file was not replaced, and both Earthlink versions would still not work.
Using AOL, I hopped onto the Web and got a copy of the missing sys file and tried again...to no avail.
Now both versions stated that the new copy of this file was corrupt...and I tried once more from another source.
The end result was that I had removed both copies of Earthlink, and a re-install was not working...and during the first attempt a TV commercial was on for NetZero...so I called and ordered a disk.
AOL got me to my email and site maint while waiting, and once the Netzero disk arrived I swapped to Netzero for good.
My Earthlink acct was set to pull auto-payments from my CC each month, and this happened on the last day of each month as a pre-payment for the following month.
Once Netzero was setup as my new service, and I realized that I liked them (Netzero was actually around many years ago as a "Free ISP" service, a fad that wore off quick). I called Earthlink to cancel my account.
This was the 4th of the month, and I asked them to refund the payment they had just taken from my CC since I had not used their service in weeks, and not one day this month.
Earthlink refused to even consider a refund, despite the fact that they were billing me for a service I did not want.
* This is another big difference between Earthlink and AOL; America Online never argues with a customer, and refunds are never a problem if you are telling the truth...Whatever the reason, AOL will refund your payment with a smile. Gotta love that.
Personally; If it weren't for the facts that every kid with a coder prog and an attitude targets AOL users, and the spammers hopping thru the chatrooms, and the choked Web access...I would have stayed with AOL all along...but they're selling their own intranet, and not featuring the internet which doesn't suit my needs.
Final Note:
Should you be using Earthlink, or considering it, bear in mind that you must call to cancel the service...it can't be done online.
Also remember to make this call near the end of the month...if you call on the first day of a new month, you will have already paid for the current month, and they Will NOT return the payment.
Earthlink's "Screw YOU, the money is ours" policy is a severely disappointing scam. Refunds and unhappy customers are part of a basic rule of business,
ie: You Can't Please Everyone...
but as stated earlier this was the first real problem with Earthlink.*
* Software problems aren't automatically the fault of the provider, and in my case, I was interested in trying Netzero anyway since they offered the same services for half the price.
One other note: Earthlink's offered $19.95 monthly became $21.95 at the bank and that's only a savings of $2 from AOL...While Netzero gave me their high-speed access for $14.95 (and it stayed $14.95 on payment day).