Document text
Pipeline is back up after shaky start By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Michael Hersh is frustrated with his Internet service provider. The Ashland resident who conducts much of his work online said Charter Pipeline was down for a week. "I do marketing for a company in California," he said. "I couldn't contact my work." He also said he was unable to send and receive Christmas e-mails from loved ones. "Not being able to use the Internet at this time of year is a very serious problem," he said. After several days with no e-mail or Internet access, Charter Pipeline customers were back in touch Wednesday morning. "We just had a couple of issues with the equipment," said Randy Horn, network engineer of Charter's Northwest region. "We had some bugs, we got them out." About 500 of the Rogue Valley's 4,000 Charter Pipeline customers were affected, according to Administrative Assistant Laura Severson. Because of equipment problems, some White City residents had been without access since Monday, she said. Problems with lines in Ashland had affected access since Friday. But that's all fixed, she said. Cable customers pay $35.95 for Charter Pipeline per month, and non-cable customers pay $45.95 for the Internet access. At the beginning of December, Excite@Home, which provided high-speed Internet access, went bankrupt and shut down services. Charter Communications took over its local contracts and switched customers to Charter's high-speed service, called Pipeline. Horn said the recent hang-ups had nothing to do with the changeover. "It had to do with the building of the main network," he said. Severson said that she knows customers have been frustrated with interrupted service, as well as with some long waits on the phone lines for technical support. But she believes the company has been handling problems in a timely manner. For customers who have had interrupted access, they will receive two days' credit for every day down, said Severson. "Overall, it's been a smooth transition given all the behind-the-scenes things going on," she said. "It's going to get nothing but better from here on out." Hersh, who said he doesn't know if he can trust Charter anymore, said his needs are simple. "If you buy the service," he said, "you want the service to be available." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.