As it happens, Visi is going to be the guest speaker at a TCPC users group meeting tonight. See information below General Meeting Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM VISI: The Area's Largest Locally-Owned ISP Location: Summit Place 8505 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 The February meeting will feature VISI, Minnesota's largest locally-owned Internet hosting and connectivity provider. Founded in 1994 VISI offers ISP services (Internet Services Provider), colocation, managed hosting and other Internet connectivity services. VISI serves more than 10,000 business and residential customers throughout Minnesota. Recently VISI moved their operations from the Plymouth building in downtown Minneapolis to a newly remodeled updated location in Eden Prairie, only a few miles from Summit Place where our group holds its monthly meetings. Our presenters will include Chris Miller a VISI account executive and Johnny Hatch, a VISI product manager. Learn about SPAM, botnets and Security problems including best practices and products from the ISP side of the business. What are ISPs doing to combat the growing volume of SPAM? What are the best security practices used by ISPs these days? Is your computer a Zombie and you are clueless? What are the best practices members should use to minimize spam? What is managed hosting and what are the benefits to you as a possible user? An overview will be presented of their new Eden Prairie Tier 3 Data Center, including data back up and data security. VISI will provide all attending a souvenir. Bring your friends and questions and plan to attend Larry -----Original Message----- From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Dan Smith Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 3:05 PM To: tclug-list at mn-linux.org Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another I am looking at moving my service to Visi and bundle it with Qwest. The main reason is, though I have yet to be effected by this, I am dabbling more with linux and unix in my spare time and will eventually be finishing a server that I would like to actually use on the internet with out having my service locked down, because of port restrictions. My question to TCLUG, is... Has anyone heard or experanced isseus with Visi & or Qwest? I do live in Downtown St.Paul (Actually 4 blocks from the visi data center), so I am figuring that I'm kinda trapped for ISP's on the cable side of things. Thanks!! - Dan On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 2:51 PM, <tclug-list-request at mn-linux.org> wrote: Send tclug-list mailing list submissions to tclug-list at mn-linux.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to tclug-list-request at mn-linux.org You can reach the person managing the list at tclug-list-owner at mn-linux.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of tclug-list digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: comcast strikes another (Curtis Griesel) 2. Re: comcast strikes another (Larry R. Pint) 3. Re: comcast strikes another (Scott Dier) 4. Re: comcast strikes another (Curtis Griesel) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:59:43 -0600 From: Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com> Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another To: Scott Dier <scott at dier.name>, TCLUG List <tclug-list at mn-linux.org> Message-ID: <7f246bf00902101059t27dbb986h1574fc685d6be71c at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Do you know about some secret plan that is not advertised somewhere? Go to www.comcast.com, click on Shop / High-speed internet, type in 8601 Thomas Ave S, 55431, which is my block in Bloomington, and you will see that the cheapest package is $45 per month, but that requires a $15 per month cable TV subscription. If you try to order it without cable service they charge you $60 per month. I know, because that is what I pay. I don't watch TV so the cable TV is irrelevant for me -- I have to pay $60 per month for marginal broadband service. And I have to struggle to keep it at $60 per month because everytime I call Comcast, even for a minor question, they try to upsell me to a more expensive package. If there is some secret promotional code get broadband for $25 per month on my block, please let me know. For now, I'm under the thumb of the Comcast/Bloomington City broadband monopoly. Curits On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM, Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> wrote: > Residential service is available for less than $60 a month without video, > there is a 1mbps/384k tier available. I believe its ~$25/mo. > > > On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:10 AM, Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>wrote: > >> We can't get DSL in my area of Bloomington because the phone >> infrastructure is too old. Comcast has a monopoly on broadband service, and >> residential service starts at $60 per month. Of course this is not all >> Comcast's fault, the city council could take a little leadership on >> broadband access for Bloomington. But I suspect the city is in cahoots with >> Comcast because they get their community-access cable services and >> infrastructure from Comcast. I wonder what other benefits the council gets >> from Comcast that they make us continue to pay Comcast $60 per month for >> their marginal internet services, but that's the state of affairs right now. >> >> > > -- > Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20090210/2f cbfa27/attachment-0001.htm ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:23:18 -0600 From: "Larry R. Pint" <Larry.Pint at ntuminc.com> Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another To: "TCLUG List" <tclug-list at mn-linux.org> Message-ID: <AD1913F70C219A458F44131CC9E91BA601BCAB2A at exch01.internal.ntuminc.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I was involved in bring cable to New Prague many years ago. In addition to granting the city one or more channels for their own use (it costs the cable company little or nothing to do this), the cable service provider normally pays the city a franchise fee. It's probably listed seperatly on your monthly bill. It may also pay a fee for use of any utility poles that it uses for it's cabling throughout the city. Larry -----Original Message----- From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Curtis Griesel Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:10 AM To: TCLUG List Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another We can't get DSL in my area of Bloomington because the phone infrastructure is too old. Comcast has a monopoly on broadband service, and residential service starts at $60 per month. Of course this is not all Comcast's fault, the city council could take a little leadership on broadband access for Bloomington. But I suspect the city is in cahoots with Comcast because they get their community-access cable services and infrastructure from Comcast. I wonder what other benefits the council gets from Comcast that they make us continue to pay Comcast $60 per month for their marginal internet services, but that's the state of affairs right now. Curtis On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 10:52 AM, Justin Krejci <jus at krytosvirus.com> wrote: > I believe that they lie to customers about their policies. They offer a > service that they do not provide. They also increased my monthly fees > quite massively in the past few years. Maybe the service got faster, but > I didn't care. I'd rather have it slower and pay less, but they didnt' > ask. So of course I am seeking other providers. DSL - slower but cheaper plus you have a wider choice of ISP in most areas. _______________________________________________ TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota tclug-list at mn-linux.org http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20090210/2f c1cb6f/attachment-0001.htm ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:56:57 -0600 From: Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another To: Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>, TCLUG List <tclug-list at mn-linux.org> Message-ID: <51d20ae60902101156k2f819db6g36841289eff349f7 at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" You call them and ask for the economy tier, it should be on the rate card you get every year (usually alongside the 'weve increased your prices mail') The website is worthless, they don't advertise half the options there. On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 12:59 PM, Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>wrote: > Do you know about some secret plan that is not advertised somewhere? > > Go to www.comcast.com, click on Shop / High-speed internet, type in 8601 > Thomas Ave S, 55431, which is my block in Bloomington, and you will see that > the cheapest package is $45 per month, but that requires a $15 per month > cable TV subscription. If you try to order it without cable service they > charge you $60 per month. I know, because that is what I pay. I don't > watch TV so the cable TV is irrelevant for me -- I have to pay $60 per month > for marginal broadband service. And I have to struggle to keep it at $60 > per month because everytime I call Comcast, even for a minor question, they > try to upsell me to a more expensive package. > > If there is some secret promotional code get broadband for $25 per month on > my block, please let me know. For now, I'm under the thumb of the > Comcast/Bloomington City broadband monopoly. > > Curits > > > On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM, Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> wrote: > >> Residential service is available for less than $60 a month without video, >> there is a 1mbps/384k tier available. I believe its ~$25/mo. >> >> >> On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:10 AM, Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> We can't get DSL in my area of Bloomington because the phone >>> infrastructure is too old. Comcast has a monopoly on broadband service, and >>> residential service starts at $60 per month. Of course this is not all >>> Comcast's fault, the city council could take a little leadership on >>> broadband access for Bloomington. But I suspect the city is in cahoots with >>> Comcast because they get their community-access cable services and >>> infrastructure from Comcast. I wonder what other benefits the council gets >>> from Comcast that they make us continue to pay Comcast $60 per month for >>> their marginal internet services, but that's the state of affairs right now. >>> >>> >> >> -- >> Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> >> > > -- Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20090210/cf 34c6ce/attachment-0001.htm ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:50:45 -0600 From: Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com> Subject: Re: [tclug-list] comcast strikes another To: Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> Cc: TCLUG List <tclug-list at mn-linux.org> Message-ID: <7f246bf00902101250i7f05088fg33e19a6654bf148c at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Thanks for the tip, I'll look into it. Ya know, they don't even offer and "economy tier" when you call to ask for service -- maybe you have to ask for it explicitly. And if they only put in on the rate card, how is a new subscriber supposed to know it exists? You don't get a rate card until after you subscribe. Obviously they are trying to hide it. I'll look into it and let you know what I find out. On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 1:56 PM, Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> wrote: > You call them and ask for the economy tier, it should be on the rate card > you get every year (usually alongside the 'weve increased your prices mail') > > The website is worthless, they don't advertise half the options there. > > > On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 12:59 PM, Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>wrote: > >> Do you know about some secret plan that is not advertised somewhere? >> >> Go to www.comcast.com, click on Shop / High-speed internet, type in 8601 >> Thomas Ave S, 55431, which is my block in Bloomington, and you will see that >> the cheapest package is $45 per month, but that requires a $15 per month >> cable TV subscription. If you try to order it without cable service they >> charge you $60 per month. I know, because that is what I pay. I don't >> watch TV so the cable TV is irrelevant for me -- I have to pay $60 per month >> for marginal broadband service. And I have to struggle to keep it at $60 >> per month because everytime I call Comcast, even for a minor question, they >> try to upsell me to a more expensive package. >> >> If there is some secret promotional code get broadband for $25 per month >> on my block, please let me know. For now, I'm under the thumb of the >> Comcast/Bloomington City broadband monopoly. >> >> Curits >> >> >> On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM, Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> wrote: >> >>> Residential service is available for less than $60 a month without video, >>> there is a 1mbps/384k tier available. I believe its ~$25/mo. >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 11:10 AM, Curtis Griesel <cwgriesel at gmail.com>wrote: >>> >>>> We can't get DSL in my area of Bloomington because the phone >>>> infrastructure is too old. Comcast has a monopoly on broadband service, and >>>> residential service starts at $60 per month. Of course this is not all >>>> Comcast's fault, the city council could take a little leadership on >>>> broadband access for Bloomington. But I suspect the city is in cahoots with >>>> Comcast because they get their community-access cable services and >>>> infrastructure from Comcast. I wonder what other benefits the council gets >>>> from Comcast that they make us continue to pay Comcast $60 per month for >>>> their marginal internet services, but that's the state of affairs right now. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> >>> >> >> > > > -- > Scott Dier <scott at dier.name> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20090210/17 2b3466/attachment.htm ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota tclug-list at mn-linux.org http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list End of tclug-list Digest, Vol 50, Issue 9 ***************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20090210/e3cc57f3/attachment-0001.htm