Frustrated with WB Customer Support~Excede

[MTRick]

To: Wildblue /ViaSat Communications 4/17/2012

We are appalled! As a Wildblue (WB) dedicated internet satellite subscriber since 2006, we have recently endured lies and misinformation by WB representatives as concerns our efforts to change our local dealer and upgrade to WB “Excede” service.

On 4/3/2012 at 0955hr I spoke with WB representative Michael, I asked to change our local dealer to Cybernet 1 in Hamilton, MT. No problem, ticket #9584489 was issued and the change would take effect in 72 hours. Great, as we want to upgrade our service to the new 5MB “Excede” band.

On 4/8/2012 at 1340hr I spoke with WB representative Brenda, I asked why ticket #9584489 had not been completed. Cybernet 1 was still not recognized as my preferred dealer and I was getting calls from other WB dealers in the area. She explained that she did not know why the record still reflected another dealer in the area. She indicated that she would re-issue the order to Cybernet 1 but must wait for another 72 hours to take effect. Secondly, she offered me a discount on the installation of “Excede” since we were an old customer and apologized for the internal error in handling our request. However, she stated that WB could not release the install order until the dealer re-direct was completed, but it was on file….pending release.

On 4/15/2012 at 0935hr I spoke with WB senior representative Betty, I requested to speak to a supervisor as we were quite frustrated by their lack of service. Betty reviewed the account notes and stated that the account had been switched to Cybernet 1 on 4/9/2012 (even though on 4/13, Cybernet 1 called WB to inquire on the account switch and was told it had not been completed). Betty then advised me that it really didn’t matter now as the “Excede” beam was suspended in our area on 4/09 and they had no idea when the beam would re-open, further they no longer had capacity for any “new” orders!! I once again asked her to review the account notes and the “pending’ order for “Excede” service placed on 4/08 – was there a “waiting list” – no…

I must say that I was now in an agitated state and expressed my extreme displeasure. Betty offered a 30-day upgrade to our standard account (.5MB) and apologized for the circumstances.

If anyone has experienced similar incompetence and questionable violations of promised service, I would be happy to join with them in lodging a complaint with the F.C.C. and the Better Business Bureau.

Thank you, Rick

Cc: CYBERNET 1/RAO/WB~COMPLAINT120417

[wm4bama]

WOW! Didn't realize that any of the augmented Exede5 beams were full and now have customers on a waiting list..

I think this means not enough existing customers in the ViaSat-1 Exede12 coverage areas have left their old Legacy plans on Anik-F2 or WB-1 and switched to Exede12...

Getting enough existing customers switched from Anik-F2 and WB-1 to ViaSat-1 should free up extra bandwidth that can be used by the augmented beams and Exede5 customers.

I hope you're getting accurate information from the CSR...so many other customers have reported here on the forum of being given information from some CSR's that is totally wrong..

[James E Vanderberg]

WOW! Didn't realize that any of the augmented Exede5 beams were full and now have customers on a waiting list..

I think this means not enough existing customers in the ViaSat-1 Exede12 coverage areas have left their old Legacy plans on Anik-F2 or WB-1 and switched to Exede12...

Getting enough existing customers switched from Anik-F2 and WB-1 to ViaSat-1 should free up extra bandwidth that can be used by the augmented beams and Exede5 customers.

I hope you're getting accurate information from the CSR...so many other customers have reported here on the forum of being given information from some CSR's that is totally wrong..

Can't speak for anyone else, but this legacy customer isn't going anywhere near Exede until the problems are ironed out, if then. Personally, I'm hoping that everyone on my beam jumps to Exede and frees up some bandwidth so that I can stay right where I am.

[calvinlives]

Can't speak for anyone else, but this legacy customer isn't going anywhere near Exede until the problems are ironed out, if then. Personally, I'm hoping that everyone on my beam jumps to Exede and frees up some bandwidth so that I can stay right where I am.

That's two of us, James! Because Exede screwed up my attempt at upgrading not once, but twice, I've been spared this horror show! I have a feeling ViaSat doesn't have a clue what they are doing. One thing is for sure, by the passing of each day the seem to be alienating more on more old WB customers or at least making sure that they shun Exede until and unless they start showing they know what they are doing.

[jimcoe]

Rick,

As a dealer/installer, I share your frustrations. I have had this exact scenario happen to me TWICE. I want to attribute it to "growing pains" and am hopeful that WB/Exede is able to clean up their act soon. Once installed my customers have been extremely happy with the service. (All of mine are "12"s) One customer told me that the service has "EXCEEDED" his expectations. It is obvious that not enough installers were trained prior to the roll-out and I am assuming the same is true for CSRs and tech support personnel. I have been put on hold and calls dropped, promised call-backs never come and the 72 hour promise has not materialized. It's often obvious that the CSR hasn't a clue about what is going on and appears to reading from a script. (It's even worse with Dish Network.) I hope you can be patient and hang in there. Exede will have to get better in order to survive especially after HughesNet comes out with a competitive product later this year. Good luck!

Jim

[jamizer]

Me three. I am fine on Anik-2 and have no plans to change at this time. Heck my local dealer (nor Wildblue) hasn't even informed me that Exede even exists and is available. No letter, no call, no email. no notification at all. I am sure this is the case for many users that don't go on forums such as this or keep up with the latest satellite internet news.

[calvinlives]

Exede CSR botched my attempts to sign-up twice within 4 days of each other! At this point I'm more than thankful. My old WB system is working fine and I'll take a wait and see attitude before I try anything further.

[Will109]

Yeah, I wonder why no one is upgrading... The caps are terrible and the prices are AWFUL!

[calvinlives]

Yeah, I wonder why no one is upgrading... The caps are terrible and the prices are AWFUL!

No question. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. You wonder what theses guys were thinking? On top of that, their roll-out seems to be completely inept and is alienating a good number of old WB customers. As I've said numerous times already, I've had few problems with my WB system over the six-years that I've had it. So I obviously assumed that would continue with Exede. It seems like that was being completely naive!

[texexec]

No question. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. You wonder what theses guys were thinking? On top of that, their roll-out seems to be completely inept and is alienating a good number of old WB customers. As I've said numerous times already, I've had few problems with my WB system over the six-years that I've had it. So I obviously assumed that would continue with Exede. It seems like that was being completely naive!

I agree. Basically, the new Exede plans' only plus is faster speed which allows a user to do some things he or she couldn't do before (watch movies, kinda do VOIP, etc.). But with such limited bandwidth caps, you still can't do them because you don't have enough bytes to use the speed. I suppose one could go to the high end plan but that's just too expensive.

I wanted the new faster service primarily to watch NetFlix movies. To achieve the same thing, I simply increased the number of mailed DVD movies I can have out at a time on NetFlix and upgraded to a DVR HD service on my Dish TV account. Now I have movies coming out of my ears for a LOT less cost than going to the high end Exede service.

Another factor for me is that I'm out of contract on my Legacy WB account. That allows me to suspend my WB service when I go to my summer home (where I get great DSL Internet, BTW). If I were to upgrade, I'd be in a new contract even though I have been a loyal WB customer for 6 years. That would cause me to spend about $500 per year for something I don't use. WB's rules and lack of rewarding a customer's loyalty has me locked into my Legacy WB account.

On top of all that and the things mentioned above, there's Hughes service coming down the pike.

I'm stickin' with my Legacy account, for now. Viastat's marketing strategy hasn't attracted me to an upgrade.