Internet and Email Providers
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Internet and Email Providers
June 2006
When we signed up for internet service almost a year ago we got
a good price on service. Now that the year is almost up they
will increase the monthly fee to almost 50.00. Does anyone
know how I could continue to get a low monthly fee from SBC?
Thans!
anon
When my year-long contract with SBC was up, I called them and
told them that I didn't want to pay the $50/month rate when they
were offering new customers a rate of $14.99/month, and when I
could switch to a different service and get a much lower rate as
well. They ended up LOWERING my monthly fee to $16.99/month (I
had been paying $19.99/month). Hopefully they'll do the same for you!
Ask and you shall receive
Sign up for another yearly contract to get the lower price. It
may not be as low as the introductory price, but it should be in
the $25 range
Just did this myself
This is a relatively easy one-- just call them up and negotiate a new contract. I did it about
2 months ago with SBC and got another year at $19.95/mo. They will try to talk you into
bundling other services (like long distance calling), but just say you want to negotiate a lower
dsl bill and don't need their other services. For leverage, you can quote the lower fees of
dslextreme (or even move over to dslextreme, if you don't mind changing email addresses, etc.).
I got passed around on the phone to a couple different people (total time ~20 minutes), but they
ended up offering the price I wanted. Who knows what will happen in another year, but we're ok
for now
jim
Just need to call them and sign up for another year of contract.
We just did that and our bill is down from 50.99 to around $28
M
I believe SBC should be willing to give you a rate of $14.99. If you call them and ask for a
better rate, they will likely negotiate with you, and you might even threaten to switch to a
different carrier if they don't lower your rate. There are some internet chat boards that
detail how people have been successful in getting the $14.99 rate, which you can search for
online. Good luck!
Tracy
May 2006
I'm looking for a recommendation for an internet provider in
Berkeley. (The last posting on the BPN was July of 2003.) I'm
looking for a place that is local, ideally has an office I can
walk into, and where people actually answer the phone. I've
found Lanminds Inc. online, is anyone out there using it? Other
recommendations? Thanks.
Laura
Hi,
My family uses LMI, and we've been really happy with their
service. They are on MLK in Berkeley
Jamie
Lanminds (LMI) is the best, I love them! Although, I've only
used their web hosting services, not their DSL, but they really
are great. I think I'm on a first name basis with everybody who
works there; they're all really cool and knowledgeable and I love
that they're only two blocks away from my house. The ONLY
problem is that their tech support isn't really 24/7, I've had
troubles over the weekend that I had to wait until Monday to fix,
but maybe their DSL support is different from their hosting support?
Jill
I design websites and have had a great history of service with
dreamhost.com. The hosting fees start at 7.95 and that includes
unlimited domains. You can register your domain for 9.95 a year,
(this can cost up to $30-50 a year if you just go to a domain
registry).
1. Domain name - GoDaddy is taken. Unfortunately, most cool names
are taken, but you can get creative. You can do a search to find
an available name at register.com
2.Email: You can set your email as ''anything''@domainname.com. If
your domain is berkeleydad.com, you could be bob@berkeleydad.com
or coolguy@berkeleydad.com or boss@berkeleydad.com, etc..
You can set it so that your Outlook or whatever mail program you
use, collects the email. It is a little complicated, but
dreamhost has an info page on how to do it, and they have support
by email.
Let me know if you need more help.
Good luck!
AQUALUNA2
May 2005
Hi,
We finally got a computer and don't find really recent ISP
recommendations on the website.We are thinking of going with DSL
rather than cable. Two ISP's that I am particularly interested in
are LMI.net (if they service Alameda) and SBC, but any positive
OR negative recs would be useful. We live in Alameda, which could
affect what ISP actually delivers DSL. Cost, reliability,
customer service, and ease of use are the main issues.
Thanks very much!
-New to internet
Try http://www.dslreports.com/ to find a service provider.
We use dslextreme and like it (in Berkeley).
nonet
DSL Reports is a highly regarded web site that includes a
function that will give you a complete list of DSL providers that
can give you service (based upon your area code and telephone
prefix). See
http://www.dslreports.com/psearch?b=Search+for+DSL+ISPs+by+Phone+number
I've had Covad DSL at my house in Berkeley for many years and
highly recommend them.
In Alameda I believe you have a pretty good cable option from
Alameda Power & Telecom. See
http://www.alamedapt.com/internet/packages.html
DSL guy
We signed up for SBC DSL last July.
Here are the high/low lights:
1/ BILLING - they double billed at the start. We called to fix;
the phone bill was very confusing, but luckily we originally
wrote down every cost involved, so we eventually figured it out
and got an appropriate credit. No billing problems from then on.
2/ STABILITY - Internet was down a few crucial times for us, but
by and large, the connection was stable and fast. I think
internet occasionally down is common to most providers.
3/ CENSORSHIP - They ban some sexual content. This isn't a
practical problem for most people, but is a philosophical concern
if you think censorship is wrong.
4/ EARLY TERMINATION - We wanted to end our 1yr contract early,
and SBC was going to charge a cancellation fee that exceeded what
the remaining monthly fees would have cost. They would not waive
it, nor would they move the contract to a new address to let us
continue service with them. One of us is waiting to move because
of this!
Would I go through them again? Maybe, if the deal was right. We
plan to ditch them after the 1 year lowered-cost-contract is up.
anon
We've used DSL from SBC for a few years now. It's been fine.
No complaints. They usually have some sort of deal/sale where
you can get your first year for around $25/month.
July 2003
I am having problems with my email and internet server,
Earthlink. What companies are other people using and what are
their pros and cons.
Thanks
dy
I started using LanMindsInc. (LMI) five years ago because I saw their
office on MLK north of University ave. I started with a dialup for about
$10/month and moved up to DSL at, I think, $60/month. Every once in a
while I get tempted by SBC DSL ads or whatever the local cable company is -
both are cheaper. But the thing is that LMI is small and responsive, so a/
it works almost always, and b/ when it doesn't work they answer the phone
and respond to emails. I figure that getting a personal response quickly
counts for a lot when it comes to the internet which is usually such an
impersonal thing.
You can check out their site at www.lmi.net
Dominic
http://www.lmi.net/ is the only way to go; I've been using them loyally for
years now. They're great, they're smart, they actually answer the phone
when you call and best of all: They're Local! They're right on the corner
of MLK & Virginia in Berkeley. I'd highly recommend them to anybody
Jill
I spent most of the dot com boom avoiding the big ISPs (like
Earthlink and AOL and Mindspring, etc). All I wanted was a way
to link to the net that was simple and had few adds. And was
free. I found several but they all died back in 2001. I did
get a hotmail address which allows me to move between ISPs w/o
having to be tied to their e-mail service. Hotmail was bought
by MS so you know it is never going away. Also, it is very easy
to synch a Hotmail acct to Outlook Express since they are both
MS products. I've now had my hotmail address for several years
and I don't need to worry about it changing.
In April 2002, I started using Access4Less (www.access4less.net)
for my ISP. It is bare bones and has no AOL type features but
who cares as you can get something similar for free from MSN or
Yahoo or Google or countless other sites. There is a one time
$8.00 setup fee and then you pay $5.95 a month but it is only
dial-up (no DSL connection). Works fine and has lots of local
phone numbers and no pop-up adds or banners. I've never had
problems w/ busy signals or broken connections. Also, A4L give
you UNLIMITED HOURS and e-mail. For only $5.95/mon, that's a
great deal! They have a secure website where you can log in and
see all your hour usage, billing, etc. I never use phone
support ($5/call) as I've had no problems. I also don't need
large amounts of webspace for personal web pages (which
Access4Less does not offer). But, hey, if you want a webpage,
go to Geocity or MSN or Yahoo and get one for free!
So, between hotmail and A4L, I am web enabled. Now I just need
to find DSL for $9.95/mon and I will be in web heaven.
Nick
Nov 2002
My current internet provider, formerly dnai, now rcn, has
proven to be a technical mess, forwarding e-mail into
cyberspace. So I'm looking for a straightforward provider
that can take e-mails from my domain and (ideally) can be
picked up from computers other than my own. I'd welcome
suggestions. I really don't want aol--I like to be able to use
my browser without ads and frames.
Thanks,
meg
I have been extremely pleased with LanMinds, Inc.
(http://www.lmi.net) for the past 3+ years. Knowledgeable,
personable, dependable. I think I remember 2 downtimes, each for
less than 24 hours.
They offer all kinds of connectivity. Please tell them I sent
you.
Jennie
Try LMI.net. They are a relatively small, local Berkeley
business that offers a range of ISP services. They're also good
people. Check out their web site, LMI.net
Toby
I've used Earthlink as my ISP for many years. Their customer
support is excellent. I have Earthlink DSL which I have
networked at home, and I access my email from my office by using
Earthlink Webmail.
You can have more than one email address on your account (I have
one email address I use only for junk mail/signing in to sites
like amazon).
You can use Netscape or Internet Explorer as your browser (I
think both come with Earthlink - I use Netscape because it is
less often the target of viruses).
If you are away from your computer, you can check your mail with
their WebMail page. (You can also use YahooMail to do this, but
there are annoying flashing banner ads.) Also, if you use a PC,
you can use their GoToMyPC service which allows you to access
your home/business computer remotely. Other free services PopUp
blocker which helps block those annoying popup ads, and a decent
spam filter.
Check it out at http://www.earthlink.net/
Natasha
I'm a loyal LMI customer (http://lmi.net/) and have been for years, they
host several of the sites I manage and I'd recommend them to anybody and
everybody. They're affordable, they have all kinds of packages that will
work for your needs, they actually answer the phone when you call them! and
best of all, they're LOCAL; they're right on MLK & Virginia in North
Berkeley. They don't sell out, they support good causes, etc. etc. etc. :)
Jill
Sept 2001
I've been using Juno's "free" internet service about 5 hours a week, but
they now block my access in the evening and send lots of vaguely
harassing messages about paying for service. Net Zero supposedly does
free internet for up to 40 hours a month, which sounds fine to me. Does
anyone have experience with either Net Zero or any other free internet
service they might recommend?
Thanks for the advice. Melanie
I have had netzero for several years. Until recently,
I would have recommended them highly. But...they have
now started pushing their $9.95/mo "platinum" service,
and have loaded all sorts of stuff onto the page,
making it slower to open documents. Perhaps they are
trying to make it more annoying on purpose so I will
give in and pay the $9.95 instead of using the free
service. On the other hand, it is FREE, so I can put
up with a little annoyance. Give it a try! Janet
NetZero is okay as long as you don't mind the banner
ads which will take up 20% of your browser window. You
get 40 hours per month. I tried them but switched back
to AOL because other family members found their
interface easier to use.
Mar 2000
My free e-mail provider, Juno, has been trying to entangle me in the Web;
their latest offer is $2.95 a month for "premium" service. (I would have
to sign up for a year, of course.) Does anyone out there get internet
service through Juno? Any opinion of them? Melanie
For anyone who uses the internet, seriously
consider signing up for one of many free internet
providers. They truly are FREE (given a few
conditions, like local number or system
requirements). You can either do a search to find
one (free internet access) or just check out the
one I signed up with...
http://www.talkingdirectory.com/freewebcanada.com
I chose it because I have an iMac, it has
relatively easy setup instructions and it was one
of the first ones I found through a search for
free access for Mac (it also has it for Windows
and Linux). I know there is a local number for
Berkeley (sometimes finding a company with a local
number for you is a problem with free access).
Anyway, GET ACCESS! We ALL have a right to FREE
ACCESS!!
M&D
We have used Juno exclusively and have been quite happy with them. We
only had one problem and that was with access numbers that change on and
off. Once the computer prompted us to change numbers and gave us choices
to use. We chose one that we thought was not long distance and due to the
timing wound up with 2 months phone bills for over $200. Juno said the
phone company said it wasn't long distance and the phone company said we
had to pay! I guess it was during the time when they were changing the
phone lines. So now before we change our access number we call the phone
company to double check
Cindy
toby
I use a local ISP named LMI.net. They provide internet service and do a
good job of it too. Visit their site @:
LMI.net
Someone posted a message about their DSL, and in their message they noted that
they also purchased a firewall because of hackers. I want to emphasize that
there are hackers out there. I have a cable modem and because we
did not have a firewall/security set up, they were able to get in.
Susan
This is in response to the long post on DSL service. I did not see the
original post for recommendations, but I gather someone is looking into DSL
service or other alternatives. I work as a technical writer out of my home
office. As such, I am not a web master or otherwise using more than two
machines at any given time, so my requirements may be different than others.
I generally download software builds and things of that nature and then get
off the network and work on my local system. Anyway, when we moved into our
new house, I checked out both DSL (through Pac Bell) and the cable modem
service which we now have and love. The reason I went with the cable modem
is simple: we are at the outer reaches for the area currently served by DSL
and the connection speeds are not that great.
I was fortunate to have a next door neighbor who also works out of his home
as a programmer and he has DSL and told me that he has experienced a lot of
problems with connection speed. The cable modem install was fairly painless
(for a dual-boot Windows 98/ NT 4.0 system) and I haven't experienced any
problems so far. However, someone told me that there are security issues
with cable modems, i.e. other people on your local network can easily hack
into your system. Is this true? Does anyone know what I can do to prevent
this from happening? I must admit, I didn't even think about that when I
signed up the service, so if anyone who is particularly savvy about this
stuff has recommendations I would really appreciate it.
Tim
First, I recently got cable modem service from ATT/@Home and was delighted
both with the installation (prompt, friendly, helpful) and the service
(download speeds up to >125K/sec.) is phenomenal.
Second, the @Home website states that there *are* security issues re hacking
as discussed in previous posts here. At a minimum you need to disable file
sharing on your modem-attached computer, or set up a firewall if you have a
network running behind it. Here's what their help page says:
"When you use the @Home network, your
computer becomes part of our network of
computers. Our installers configure your system
so you have access to @Home's computer
network, but no one else on the @Home network
can look at your computer. (This is
accomplished by disabling File and Print
Sharing.)
However, if you change your file sharing
settings, you can make the data on your computer
available to others on the network, enabling them
to read, modify, or even delete your data. To
prevent this, ensure that file sharing is disabled.
If you need to use file sharing, ensure that it is
protected by a password."
There are also many other useful web resources on this issue, starting with
the major sites like Yahoo, Excite, etc. Try, e.g.,
http://www.excite.com/computers_and_internet/software/network_software/secur
ity and check out the subtopics listed there ("firewalls", "hacking" etc.)
If you run a network behind a cable modem with a proxy server like Wingate,
there are special security issues that are addressed by the proxy software.
June 1999
I have a private internet account, but I get cut off all
the time (on average every 5 minutes) and the situation seems to be
getting worse. Can anyone recommend a reliable commerical internet service
provider? Thanks.
July 1999
We are finally purchasing a decent computer for home, & I hope to do a bit
of my work at home fairly regularly after I return from maternity leave.
I've been told that trying to get through to campus via modem is well nigh
impossible, & that I really should get an outside internet service
provider. I know that the question of good service providers was asked
recently, but one person liked the SHIPS service, & I've been told
elsewhere to forget it. Who's more right? Also, are there any major
internet service providers we should steer clear of? Thanks!
Allison 7/99
I used slip.net for my internet access (www.slip.net) for 3 years and had
few
problems. They are located in San Francisco and have been around for a
while now so
they are pretty dependable. I had luck with their tech support (both Mac
and PC) and
had few problems getting into their servers. They have quite a few phone
numbers
around the bay to dial in which is convienient when something does go
wrong with one
of their servers. Just make sure you use one that isn't isn't a toll call
from your
house.
However we recently decided to go with a cable modem (TCI's @home) which
is
wonderful!!! They are a bit more expensive but way, way faster. They
claim to be 100
times faster than a 56K modem with a traditional phone line. The cost is
about $40 a
month which also includes 3 email accounts. It doesn't work out to be too
much more
if you figure $15/month for an extra phone line (of course some people
just use one
phone line and let it be busy while they surf) and $20/month for your ISP.
The
installation can be expensive ($150) but I have seen coupons in the
Chronicle and
other places around town for up to $100 off. Right now they are having a
special for
AOL users. Another bonus is that they send someone out to your house to
install the
modem line and the software so it is up and running to go with little or
no effort on
your part. But beware of this also. Make sure you save a copy of your
address book
and bookmarks if you currently use Netscape to a floppy or as a last
resort to your
hard-drive before the installation. Somehow they managed to delete mine.
I don't
have a phone number for them but here is an email address that might be
able to help:
customer.care@tci.net.
Note: @home is not available in all areas (Oakland has to upgrade it's
cable
plant before it's available)
Myriam 7/99
I'm the one who recommended the SHIPS service. For campus employees, it
can
be a great deal, and save you some hassle trying to access things that
require
an on-campus address to obtain (things licensed for here, like
Lexis/Nexis,
Encyclopedia Brittanica, Medline etc). I've recommended that the folks I
work
with use it ( rather than the general dial in modems) since it is faster
(all 56k
modems now) and rarely has busy signals. I have not heard of reliabilty
problems
but YMMV)
posted anonymously
When we lived in Oakland, we used to use Best for internet access, but it
would always disconnect on us. Then we switched to DNAI and liked it.
Now that we live in Castro Valley, we just got a cable modem installed and
really like it. It's much faster and it's great not having to always
dial-up; the cable modem is always "on". By the way, one person who
posted
said cable modems aren't too much more expensive than having a 2nd phone
line and an ISP-- true. Also, TCI was (is?) having a special on cable
modem installation. Our installation was free. It's a new recent
promotion, at least in Castro Valley.
Jeanette 9/99
does anyone out there in
parentland have digital internet access? If so, what do you think of it?
Is it really faster? Is it worth the monthly price? Was it expensive to
install? Thanks for your advice.
Joyce 9/99
There are actually two different technologies. Asynchronous digital
subscriber lines (ADSL) and synchronous digital subscriber lines (SDSL).
The phone company (PacBell) offers ADSL, which gives you 128k upstream
and 384k downstream (asynchronous speeds). I find that's perfect for me
because mostly I browse the Internet (that's downloading) and exchange
e-mail. PacBell's rate is $39 a month ($49 if you want them as your ISP).
The difference in speed from a 28.8 modem is amazing.
SDSL is better if you're moving very large files (like graphics)
around--especially if you send them to people (uploading). You can get
VERY fast speeds; the same both up and down (synchronous), which you may
or may not need. That's what is offered by all the other companies. The
difference is the price is a lot more.
The other option is cable; another technology. I personally prefer DSL.
Ginger 12/99
We got DSL a few months ago, changing from ISDN through the INDEX project
at UC Berkeley. DSL is great. For us, cable modem was not an option
because we wanted to run our own web server. We also needed 4 internet
addresses. We have had a very good experience with DSL so far, and I was
pleasantly surprised when I needed to get an answer to a technical
question and was on the phone with a knowledgeable human at PacBell
within 5 minutes. I compare this to my friend's experience with
TCI Cable modem - it only took them a day to come install it, but it turned
out to be incompatible with her too-recent copy of Netscape, so it
crashed her Windows and her computer was rendered unusable.
Bad, because she uses her computer to work from home a lot. The
installation technician had no idea how to fix the problem. After
four days of phoning, waiting on hold for 45 minutes each time to be
referred to yet another clueless person, finally she was able to
reinstall her operating system and get someone out to get her cable modem service working.
Once it was fixed, it was great. However, I think you have to
be willing to deal with the cable company if you go with cable modem
and personally I'd rather deal with the phone company when things
go wrong.
UC Berkeley has
a web page with info about various ISPs and more general info about
choosing a provider:
www-resources.berkeley.edu/docs/pages/isp.html
Anyone looking for a realiable internet service provider, I highly recommend
Mindspring. They are reliable (I have never been dropped) and nearly always
connect at the maximum speed allowed by the modem. They are very easy to
set up and have great customer service.
B (6/99)
We used Idiom for several years with no hassles. We ended up switching a few
months ago so that we could get DSL service. They are located in Berkeley
(on College Ave); they're small but very reliable. I think it's $20/mo. You
can reach them through the web at www.idiom.com or by phone at (510)
595-4321 or (888) 663-8878.
Laurel (6/99)
If you are faculty, staff or student at UC/Berkeley, you should look at the
SHIPS service. It's $10 a month and has 56K modems on the other end. It's a
good deal and quite reliable. You can find information about it at:
http://www.net.berkeley.edu/dcns/modems/ship.html
Myriam (6/99)
I use jps.net. It's incredibly inexpensive. Their real
business is providing web sites and other services to businesses, but
individuals can get an account there for what works out to about $10 a month
for unlimited use. The only catch is that you have to pay a small one-time
fee and pay for the year in advance. I've had good luck with them, and
they're tech support has been very helpful. THey're at www.jps.net; phone
800-711-5353 - Linda (6/99)
Free Email Account
2/00
Dylyn
This question has probably been addressed before but I can't seem to find
anything. I understand there are free email service providers such as
Hotmail and Yahoo. Are there other providers where there is no charge?
Any recommendations as to which one works best? Email usage would be
infrequent.
Dianne
A great service is www.onebox.com For free, you get a web-based email address
and your very own *local* phone number (if you live in one of their
designated cities,
and I know Oakland is one) which gives you a *free* fax receipt service and
voice mail.
Because it's web-based, you can read your messages on any internet-capable
computer.
Also, anyone can send you a fax which shows up as an email message which
you can
view, and if you want, print out. You also can listen to your voice mail
messages over the
phone or on your computer (if you have speakers).The number they give you
for free has
a personal extension number, but you have the option of paying $2.95/mo to
get your own
personal phone number with no extension (which I have done).
Your significant other and kids can have their own email address, fax and
voice mail, all for free.
I used to have hotmail, but found it down or often inaccessible. Onebox.com
is much, much better
with more services.
Melanie
I have been using Juno (support at juno4sure.com), which is free in exchange
for putting up with ads in the upper right-hand portion of the screen.
Works pretty well and you may ask for more than one free account per
telephone line.
TABNAND
Regarding "free e-mail service" I know of www.chickmail.com which provides
free e-mail. However, if you are using this for professional e-mails, it may
sound a little strange sending it to "chickmail". On the other hand, once
you have an e-mail address, General Magic provides a great service. The site
is www.mytalk.com This site provides free voice mail services (for
e-mail). If someone leaves you an e-mail, you can dial a toll free number to
retrieve the e-mail. The system will read your e-mail allow and you to
respond to the e-mail, via the telephone. It is a great tool for those on the
go who need to keep in touch with their e-mail and it is free.
Kevin
From my experience, Hotmail is the best of the free e-mail accounts--very
little advertising,
and a well designed interface within the e-mail browser. If you have a
problem with Microsoft,
Hotbot is another free account with little advertising. Juno offers a free
e-mail account that includes
free dial-up (you don't need an ISP) but had tons of advertising.
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