Before I start, let me say NEVER GET CLEARWIRE BROADBAND.

Now, that I have said that, lets see what else I want to say.

Yesterday, the newspapers carried the story that in future, Internet Service Providers will no longer get away with saying their equipment will provide “up to” a certain broadband speed. They will have to publish the average speed during peak hours. In the case of Clearwire Broadband, the speed I was getting during peak hours was “Oh, to hell with it, its so slow I’m not going to bother”. Otherwise, my estimate was 3K. I was paying for a 2 Mb line (up to 2Mb, the small print says) and it was running at a fraction of the 1Mb connection that I am now getting from ChorusNTL for half the price.

I had a Skype conversation with a colleague in Hawaii yesterday over ChorusNTL, where I could never have a Skype conversation using the Clearwire connection costing twice as much.

Never get Clearwire.

I never asked them for the 2Mb connection. When I realised a year ago that they were charging me for the 2Mb connection, I phoned them and asked them to stop. They continued to charge me. I then phoned them and asked them to cancel the order completely. They haven’t done so. I travel a lot, so I find it difficult to deal with companies that keep me waiting for interminable lengths of time on a phone, so I have been paying them, simply because I cannot get them to stop providing me with a service I have told them several times I do not want. I asked for a refund of the money I never authorised them to take and they have refused to do so until I return their modem. However, I no longer trust them, so I want to see my money first. So, they keep charging me.

Do not get Clearwire broadband.

Right now, I have a letter from Clearwire asking me to write in a letter all the details I have told them on the phone - yet another example of how Clearwire is making it difficult for people to get rid of them.

Dear Mr McInerney,
Further to our earlier conversation, we need written confirmation of the
cancellation sent in by post, which must also include some extra details. The
address that you need to send it to is - Clearwire Broadband Ireland,
Blackthorn House, Bracken Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18 and the
following information needs to be included - full name, telephone number,
customer ID(1009556), and also the reason for cancellation. After this has
been sent in, the cancellations department will then get in touch to arrange
for the modem to be sent back.

With Kind Regards,

Martin Tierney
Clearwire Customer Care

——————————
Registered Business Address:

Clearwire Ireland Limited
A&L Goodbody Solicitors
IFSC, North Wall Quay
Dublin 1, Ireland
Registered Business Number: 372823

I repeat. Never get Clearwire Broadband. Get them out of the country. They are hindering the progress of companies that might provide a good service.

One of the things I am wondering is that if I don’t give them a reason for cancellation, does this mean that they will continue charging me?

I also find it somewhat intimidating that their registered address is with a company of powerful solicitors. This seems to me to be sending the message that they are a powerful company with powerful solicitors, so just be a good boy and comply with their requests.

That said, Martin was very polite over the phone, so I’m guessing this is not his fault. However, I do hope that soon he doesn’t have a job with Clearwire, because they won’t exist.

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