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Question

Windstream Pro or Con?

Jan 18, 2012 10:57PM PST

I recently gathered quotes for MPLS through several major carriers. Windstream came back substantially lower but I have heard some negative things about service quality, reliability, and support. Any input would be appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Any Updates
Jun 11, 2012 10:26PM PDT

We are looking @ Windstream to provide MPLS service between 2 sites. This link is critical to our business. What did your research/experience tell you?

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network owner
Jun 12, 2012 10:24PM PDT

With 2 sites you may be better off with a point to point but you can never tell lately on price sometime its cheaper to buy fully managed MPLS that a real circuit.

The key issue with dealing with these smaller providers is they really don't own the vast majority of the network they run over.

For sure they don't control the local tail circuits coming into the building. Then they must run these tails back to a common location. They may or may but this service from a another provider. You may get ineffective network design if they do not have a lot of common points. For example say you wanted to go from chicago to dallas but the provider only had a pop in atlanta. All your traffic would go chicago-atlanta-dallas....even though the routers would insist they were directly connected.

You need to take this in consideration when looking at price. Still does not always justify the prices you get from ATT or Verizon. It all depends if the company you want to use has their own infrastructure where you need it most

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Answer
Just a comment.
Jun 12, 2012 7:03AM PDT

This is a spinoff from Alltel. What that means is they have some great people to start with.

HOWEVER, I am encountering folk that need more than 99% connectivity and so far not one client has put that on their RFQ. I can only guess what problems folk need help with but when your laptop doesn't connect you see these small companies flying along with no IT staff and leaning hard on the ISP or provider.

Bad feelings and reviews are often the result.

Just last month I visited a client (I don't support or sell broadband) and they were very distracted by a few laptops that would not connect. Mine was fine and a quick look saw them with an expired antivirus. Yet they were blaming the ISP and the ISP's router.

Very strange,
Bob