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Since it was first offered we have had internet service with HawaiianTel and our bundle includes “high speed internet “. As the years went by and they continued to sell internet services to lower Puna, beyond what their equipment can handle, the speed through our modem has been reduced to as low as 0.3mbps (i.e. very low speed) and customer service is telling us essentially that they have no intention of improving services to Puna. They are not even offering internet service to new customers down here any more. So, we are filing a complaint.The Public Utilities Commission has told us that they do not currently regulate HawaiianTel’s internet services and so only the Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) can deal with them. I thought you might be interested in the form we have been told to use in case you are having problems getting the service you need or, like us, paying for high speed internet service you are not getting. OCP will only file complaints if they are individual but will act on them if they hear the same complaint from multiple consumers. Here is the link to the complaint form:
http://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/files/2013/04/WEB-CF-2015.pdf
Tricia
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Thank you for posting this! I'm filing my complaint about their refusal to service Orchidland as well.
ETA: Does anybody know of any law, rule, etc, they may be violating by cherry picking who gets broadband service?
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any law, rule, etc, they may be violating by cherry picking who gets broadband
I believe this would be by authority of PUC, which apparently does not regulate this.
The result does fit the apparent "strategy" of keeping Hawaii in the dark ages.
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As part of the overall process of geting better internet access is to consider the new defintion of "broadband," which is at least 25mps down and 1mps. Anyone advertizing or providing anything less is not providing broadband service. Check out reports on FCC rules. Here is one link
http:// http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/2...nd-25mbps
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consider the new defintion of "broadband," which is at least 25mps down and 1mps.
Consider also that asymmetric bandwidth is useless for anything other than passive content consumption, and that this is exactly the point, all those promises about a brave new world of telework and remote doctor visits were just fairy tales that the telecoms used to receive massive subsidies and tax breaks. (Something like $2B since the 1980s.)
Fortunately, we live in an anti-development/anti-technology "keepin' it country" rural area with "agricultural" subdivisions, so we'll all do just fine without that newfangled Internet thing.
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Yes, the upstream has not and is not keeping pace with the downstream demand but hopefully the changed definition will mean greater access to less served (or still not served) rural areas.
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The PUC told us that they can only regulate Hawaiian Telcom's landline service under present laws and so they referred us to the OCP. After another talk with Hawaiian Telcom it seems clear that they are content to make their profits from serving only dense population areas with high speed internet. I think they will only start serving rural areas if they are required to serve everyone equally with internet service through new legislation.
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they are content to make their profits from serving only dense population areas
The two main problems (again IMHO) are
- Telcom is owned by vulture capitalists who are only interested in a "cash cow"
- $59.99/month doesn't cover the real costs of providing rural service
Simplest answer appears to be: work with Telcom to set a more reasonable price for rural DSL. I suspect that many people would gladly pay $79.99/month for decent service that was actually available.
Telcom reps recently contacted my business, wanting to "just drop off" some glossy brochures explaining their wonderful new offerings. When I told them I would happily make time if they had new services available at my location, they begged off, apologizing "didn't realize you weren't on Oahu".
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The only way they are going to voluntarily change their policy is through viral public shaming.
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What about the better business bureau? I'm thinking if we are going to start complaining, wouldn't we want to explore every avenue? Letters to representatives, etc. If they are spending all their time replying to inquiries, maybe they will reconsider their decision.
