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quote:
Originally posted by terracore
They tried to upsell a "wifi plus" option for an additional $5/month. It sounded like some snake oil I could do myself (I already fixed their crappy wifi modem problem by adding my own router) so I declined. Anybody else have input on "wifi plus" ?
From Hawaiian Telcom's website:
"With WiFi Plus, you'll receive a professional assessment during installation to ensure maximum WiFi coverage throughout your home for multiple, simultaneously operating devices. This Hawaiian Telcom exclusive includes in-home premium technical support service at NO CHARGE if we need to send a Technician to resolve your WiFi issues."
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I am calling them on Monday. We saw them working at the poles on Aulii. Had no idea it was available. Sweet!
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quote:
Originally posted by Susan
I am calling them on Monday. We saw them working at the poles on Aulii. Had no idea it was available. Sweet!
You can also pre-order online and they'll call you back on next business day to confirm the order (in theory...)
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There is is a caveat with doing it online though. Their public facing online qualification tool is not totally accurate. The CSR's have access to the internal, and more accurate, qualification tool. For example, my brother lives in HOVE, and the online qualification tool says only landline service is available at his address. I had to e-mail a HawTel sales rep with access to the internal system to find out DSL was also available.
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"You can also pre-order online and they'll call you back on next business day to confirm the order (in theory...)"
I tried that. They didn't call.
"I had to e-mail a HawTel sales rep with access to the internal system to find out DSL was also available."
I tried that too. I wound up having to contact one of their executives. That was a few years ago for regular DSL. Their lookup tool has been improved since then.
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quote:
Originally posted by terracore
I tried that too. I wound up having to contact one of their executives. That was a few years ago for regular DSL. Their lookup tool has been improved since then.
I disagree, as I strongly believe their public facing online qualification tool remains crap. I'll give two examples of why I feel this way.
1. I know someone who lives in Kahuku Country Estates qualifies for FTTP service, and is slated to get it installed in the next two weeks.However, the online qualification tool says its not available. He did receive a phone call from Hawaiian Telcom sales saying it was available though.
2. I had to e-mail a Hawaiian Telcom sales rep to access their internal qualification tool to see if Hawaiian Telcom offered DSL at my brother's address in HOVE. Their public facing system said only landline service was available. As it turned out, DSL was available.
I e-mailed the same sales rep to check on FTTP service in HOVE. He said the system was updated to reflect the changes. If the system recognizes your address in Naalehu instead of Captain Cook, then you should have FTTP service. However, that doesn't seem to be case (Please refer to example #1).
These examples that I cited occurred recently and within the last year.
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The online qualification tool works best if you already have service; I do, so DSL was "available". The neighbors (closer to the DSLAM) did not, so DSL was "not available".
a little box which must make the copper phone lines compatible with the Fiber-connected router
It's called "Voice Over IP". Telcom is actually building a native IP network, then running voice and TV as IP services on top. The older system in Honolulu uses a chunk of GPON bandwidth as a "dumb RF pipe" to carry traditional CATV in what might be called a strange variation on the traditional HFC.
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I'm glad to hear about this in Orchidland. They spent 6 months installing fiber here in Seaview, only to not extend it to homes. So we get about 1.4% of the speeds available in Orchidland. I'd gladly pay $100 a month for 1 gigabit internet!
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
The online qualification tool works best if you already have service; I do, so DSL was "available". The neighbors (closer to the DSLAM) did not, so DSL was "not available".
My brother had landline service through Hawaiian Telcom already and still had issues with the public facing online qualification tool.
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I called them for my install, and the whole operation went smoothly here in Fern Forest. They called to arrange for a crew to come out a few days before the system install scheduled date and run the fiber to the house, then one tech came on the day as schedule to run the line down the exterior wall from the wall-mount box and into the house to the router. He told me he was a new hire from another company on Oahu (spectrum?), and that I was the first Fiber customer in FF.
