Anyone know anything about Net Zero and/or Peoples PC as internet providers?

[shance]

Am curious in how they have worked for other DUers?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. they're cheap because you have to put up with LOTS of ads

at least, that's what they were like when I looked into them a few years ago.

[greyl]

4. If you don't install the PeoplePC software/browser, there aren't any ads.

I've used them for a couple years now, and they're fine if all you want is a dial-up connection.
I've had to call tech support to reset my info when I couldn't connect once, but otherwise there hasn't been any downtime.
Plus, Dennis Miller doesn't do ads for them. ;)

[NMDemDist2]

2. i used them a couple years ago

cheap dialup, you get what you pay for

[RebelOne]

3. I have PeoplePC and it is not half bad and it is only $10.95 a month.

I got it as a backup to AOL, but I will probably be discontinuing AOL soon.

[Cerridwen]

5. I remembered that Earthlink aquired People PC a while back.

Here's a link to their press release.

I've had 99.9% good luck with Earthlink since I joined as a dial-up user back in '96, I think it was. Now I have them for DSL. I've recommended them to friends, family and coworkers. Their customer service has been above average though I won't say great. I've experienced 2 network outages in my part of the country, one recently. I've used them for web hosting a couple of times over the years, also. Good tech support there as well.

I'm just one person so others may have different Earthlink stories. :D

If People PC provides the same service and reliability I've had with Earthlink, I'd say they're pretty good. Having said that, they have become a huge company compared to what they were back then, so that may impact their service reliability and customer service.

[shance]

7. Is there any Internet provider who has not been bought by the big companies?

It seems there are no smaller internet providers anymore.

[Cerridwen]

10. I think there are still some small local ISPs around different

parts of the country. In other places, there're monopolies-in-all-but-name businesses, who've shut out any competition. We currently have that situation with our local phone service. Earthlink offers local calling but qwest has shut them out of our neighborhood. We're still looking for local service from a local business but qwest seems to have a lock on it. The telecommunications industry is horrifically like the old robber barons.

But, I've not searched for a new ISP for years since I'm happy enough with mine.

[shance]

13. May I ask what ISP are you using Cerri?

It doesn't seem like there are many options available.

[Cerridwen]

14. Earthlink....see up thread for my "report" on my experience

with them over the years. I've also had to use Cox once or twice and I retained my Earthlink account even then. Highspeed Earthlink wasn't available in that neighborhood, either. Cox was too irregular. I'd lose connection a few mornings a month for a couple of hours. I could almost set my calendar and watch by it. We had a local provider while I lived in the southwest. It was a small two person outfit I think. They had a hard time keeping up. But it was my s.o.'s house so I stayed out of it. Now we're in the northwest and I've finally managed to convince my s.o. that we should use Earthlink, at least for now. We'll see what we can find as far as local providers after we've settled in and gotten our bearings and into our long-term home rather than where we're at now.

[EST]

6. I can tell you a little about net zero, or, at least the local ISP

provider thereof.
As I am disabled, my effectiveness has to be more mental than physical. As a result, I spend a lot of time hooked up to the internet. Net zero's time policy is rigid and their local delivery noisy.

Although they offer unlimited time online, their daily policy is sixteen hours out of twenty four and no "camping." Without a rigorous personal policy of disconnecting every time I go potty, eat or whatever, I would get shut off. Some of the medicines I take can keep me awake for days at a time or only sleeping in short, like thirty minute intervals. They will not compromise, even with an additional charge. No good.

I currently use SBC/yahoo and, although they have a time policy, they have never enforced it. Good thing.

I have tried several others and they also will not cooperate so, at $9.95 per month, I keep what I have. The small disadvantages I accept, though, if I had a cable/dsl provider, I would definitely pursue it.

[Rosemary2205]

8. They are both reliable in Atlanta but the email was terrible with spam

I had people pc service and took a yahoo mailbox instead of using the people pc one. To damn much spam and the dialup was so slow it wasn't worth waiting for all the spam to download. Their spamblocker doesn't work.

Netzero, a neighbor had it and felt the same way. The dialup service was reliable but the email was terrible with spam.

[uberblonde]

9. It's almost impossible to cancel.

You THINK you've canceled, but they keep charging you and it's impossible to speak to a live person. I finally threatened to file a fraud charge with the state district attorney and suddenly they got very cooperative.

Google "NetZero" with "cancel" and read all the horror stories...

[China_cat]

11. My husband used NetZero for years before he finally

broke down and let me get a router. Never had a bit of problems with it.

[Old and In the Way]

12. I use Netzero as a back-up.

I think it's $9.95/mo. If I lose my wireless service (which happens occasionally), I can still access the 'net through my phone modem. I also use my Netzero e-mail address as my throwaway address, so I don't get lots of spam type mail on my primary address.

[The Cleaner]

15. I don't know where you're located, but you can try

http://www.OnlineToday.Com/ont/