Hard Rock Tampa has a Job Fair coming up and they asked me to help spread the word. Head over to the Florida State Fairgrounds on Monday, April 16 between 9:00am – 5:00pm and show them why you’re the right one for a job. Here’s the official word on the job fair.

The Hard Rock will be hiring over 400 new jobs as well as over 500 construction jobs and investing over $75 million in a new expansion of the property. The job fair will be held on April 16th, 2012 and job seekers can apply online starting March 1st.

Seminole Gaming is proud to have the best team of employees in the gaming industry and we are always looking to grow our family with openings in a variety of positions. Our current team member benefits include medical, pharmacy, vision, dental, disability insurances, wellness program, 401(k) plan, generous paid time off plan, tuition reimbursement and much more.

Good luck!

That’s when I received a bit of an odd offer. The Bright House rep told me she could lower my bill by adding RoadRunner Lightning service to my account. To this day, I still don’t understand that logic.  I asked her if this was a promotion that would end and put me right back into the same problem, but she assured me that wasn’t the case.  I would get faster Internet speeds and pay less for it.  OK, I signed up for it.  Despite some initial problems with quality (due to the way it was installed), it ultimately worked out very nicely.

Now my bill is back up higher than it was before, despite the fact that I haven’t changed service at all.  Bright House wants over $181 per month.  Again, I just don’t see the value for that price.  There’s another wrinkle in this picture now.  I was laid-off by my employer last month (such a generous holiday gift, to be sure).  If $181 was too much while I was working, it’s exceptionally excessive right now.  It’s time to cut costs and Bright House is making my decision about where to start.

Since I’m starting my own business, I still need Internet service.  I also plan on keeping the Cable TV service.  At present, I’m told there is a 2-year rate of about $90/month for those two services.  By cutting out the landline phone and Lightning service, I can cut my bill in half.

To be honest, I’m a bit perplexed by the Lightning service.  It claims to have a max speed of 40 MBps using a special cable modem.  Even so, the Bright House technician who came out to resolve my problems told me he’s getting 100 MBps performance at his house on the old RoadRunner cable modem.  I’m not sure if that’s something Bright House does for its employees, or if he’s just aware of how to tweak the performance for himself.  In any event, it would seem that the additional price for Lightning is more of a marketing issue than a technical feat.

One problem with canceling my phone service is determining what happens to my phone number.  I’ve had it for a long time and it’s tied to many accounts, friends, etc.  Some people just go get a cheap cell phone and port the number to it, but then they’re stuck carrying two phones. I hoped that Google Voice would be an option, but it only supports cell phone porting – not landline phone numbers.  I’m not sure why there’s a difference, but it is what it is.

NumberGarage.com is a service that will let you Park and Forward your phone line. There are other services with similar offerings, but I decided to use this one after doing a little research. The initial fee to make the change is about $30.  After that, it’s $4.95/month to park your phone number or $9.95/month to forward it.  I opted for the latter service, forwarding my landline number to my iPhone.  There are no contracts or other fees.  You pay them to host your number until you move it to another service, or as I am, just to keep that number available with forwarding to another number.

Why didn’t I just port this number to my iPhone? First, I also want to keep my cell phone number.  Both have their uses.  Another issue is that it would cause AT&T to generate a new plan for me.  I have unlimited data with my current iPhone plan, but switching phone numbers would lose that benefit.  In the end, it’s worth $10/month for me to keep my old phone number and I’m glad I found a service to do it.

My brother and I discussed the Bright House bump last week.  He says the same thing happens to him and he needs to call about every two years threatening to cancel service in order to get them to “discover” a lower rate. Well, I wasn’t offered any better rates when I called, so I’m canceling services.

To be fair, my quality of service with Bright House has improved lately.  Internet speed is what it’s advertised to be, the wretched distortion on my cable TV service seems to have gone away, and the phone line has been very clear.  It just costs too damn much.

I’m very pleased to say that they not only were offended and apologetic over the comment, but also took the time to investigate their policy that started the whole thing for me. We’ve been talking for a few weeks now and (after a little phone tag), they shared some updates with me.

• The person who left the offensive comment was identified and they’ve dealt with it (this person was not from the Winter Park store).
• When I was told I couldn’t take my bag inside, that was store policy at the time.
• They’ve re-evaluated the store policy and trained staff with changes that are more respectful, while still protecting their interests.

The store obviously wants to protect its interests against theft, and I get that. In fact, I was fine with someone looking at my bag as I departed to make sure I had a receipt for things I purchased there, but that wasn’t an option at the time.  The issue with leaving my bag with someone at the front counter is problematic for both of us. I have the bag so I can keep my valuables with me.  I could’ve taken then back to my car and left them, where someone could do a smash & grab to take my stuff. It’s happened to people I know with everything from camera bags to gym bags. That’s why my stuff stays by my side.

Likewise, some person at a store doesn’t want to be responsible for my possessions.  For example, what happens if my property is damaged or stolen while in their care?  It’s just fuel for a big fight. The new policy gives customers a choice.  They can leave bags if they want, or they can take them in with the foreknowledge that they’ll be inspected upon departure. For me, this works great.  I protect what’s mine and they see that I’m not taking what’s theirs.  More importantly, you have a choice.

Management at Guitar Center was upset that one of their own would leave an offensive comment here, but they were equally concerned about potential customers feeling unwelcome because of an old policy. All of my communication with Guitar Center was friendly and respectful.  They listened to what I had to say, considered their own interests that they need to protect, and came up with a good solution. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome and I’ll feel comfortable going back there to stop.

It’s pretty simple. If you use online bill paying with most banks, the funds are withdrawn from your account when the recipient receives the payment and makes the claim. Wells Fargo extracts the funds from your account on the date you make the payment, even though it may be up to five days until the recipient gets the money. If you want to pay your mortgage on the first of every month, you can expect Wells Fargo to take your money five days prior, even though it isn’t paying your mortgage company.

I can only think of one reason for doing so – they want to use your money to earn interest or for some other business to their advantage, and at your expense. Your money is not available to you or those you pay. It’s spends time in Wells Fargo’s account, working for them. In my opinion, this is a despicable and consumer-unfriendly practice.

However, it wasn’t a surprise. This practice was explained to me long before my account was converted from Wachovia to Wells Fargo. I thought it over and decided to make a switch to SunTrust.  Doing so takes a bit of time, though, and my first pay deposit required about ten days advance to switch.

After my switch to Wells Fargo, I went online and changed the payment date for my mortgage and other payments, and I confirmed the changes were accepted.  Instead of being due on the first, I changed them so I would submit the payment on the first of July – a Friday when my paycheck arrived. Imagine my surprise a few days before the first, when I was sending a large payment to a charge card company, to learn that Wells Fargo had changed my bills back to arrive on the first of the month and that the funds were already gone. That put me in a bind to make the charge card payment from existing funds when I planned my other bills for a check that had not yet arrived.

I called Wells Fargo to inquire about this, but it was no help.  The money was gone and they would do absolutely nothing to correct the problem, nor could they sufficiently explain why my changes for the bill dates were reverted.

Goodbye, Wells Fargo. I’m leaving you because of your shady business practices and lack of respect for my money.  There’s an old saying, “money goes where it’s treated well.” I know that Wells Fargo isn’t treating my money well, so anyplace else will be an improvement.

[quote]They FUCK YOU at the drive-thru, okay? They FUCK YOU at the drive-thru! They know you’re gonna be miles away before you find out you got fucked! They know you’re not gonna turn around and go back, they don’t care. So who gets fucked?[/quote]

International Drive is Orlando’s Drive-Through

If you want to get fucked, don’t waste your time on the South Orange Blossom Trail. Instead, it the southern end of International Drive. The people who run businesses there really know how to fuck you, but they still won’t kiss you first. The easiest way to get screwed is to have a car. $15 to park at your hotel.  $13 to park at the convention center. $8 & tip to park at Pointe Orlando Valet (four of the restaurants will validate the $8 fee).  By the end of the day, you could spend $40-$50 “enjoying” all there is to offer on International Drive.  They’re counting on the notion that you’re on a company expense account, or perhaps a trip you’ll bill to clients. If you’re there on your own dime, you don’t have much choice but to bend over and take it.

What’s that, you say?  Don’t take a car!  Sure, ride the Trolley.  It’s only a buck or two per trip.  It’s also not running early enough in the morning to get you from your hotel to the convention center for meetings, and it’s pathetically slow as it has to stop so many times.  Then there’s the weather. During my first conference a few weeks ago, we had some torrential rain.  Standing in that downpour waiting on a trolley isn’t going to help you make a good impression when you arrive at your business meeting. Cabs? Let’s just say that Orlando is not a great cab town.  You may find them at the hotels, but it’s a bitch getting one somewhere else to get back to your hotel. There’s a reason traffic is horrible on International Drive, because we just don’t have a decent commuter system to move people up and down the road.

The Rosen Center

This place has a nice lobby, but you quickly see how outdated and overpriced it is when you get in the room.  They’re small, shabby and I don’t believe they’re worth the asking price.  However, it has a convenient location right across the street from the OCCC.  That commands a premium price. So much so that the people who run the Rosen don’t give a shit about ensuring you have a decent room.  Take a look at this picture of the bathroom in my friend’s room at the Rosen Center.  Yes, that’s the toilet in the bathtub! No discount for this little flaw, but they at least gave him a breakfast buffet pass.  Rosen quality!

The major restaurant in the Rosen is Everglades – designed by a teenager in the 1980′s with lots of frogs and bright neon colors. At least the prices are high, though.  I ordered a 10 oz filet mignon medium rare.  It came out butterflied and overcooked.  When you’re paying $60-$70 for your meal (without alcohol), then you may expect a better experience.  Our server was a surly man who muttered something about getting the orders confused, but didn’t offer to make any corrections. The meal tasted fine, but the experience wasn’t worth the price.  If you want a decent meal, go visit one of the nicer restaurants in the area and avoid Everglades in the Rosen.

The Customer Service Attitude

There are individuals who provide great customer service.  For the most part, I found an attitude of doing just enough to get by, knowing that they would never see that person again. It’s the drive-through mentality.  Fuck ‘em.  They’ll be gone before they know it.

In a sense, I can understand. While I think that most of the people who attended these conferences were nice, there were definitely some stand-out folks who just thought the world revolved around them. People like that can suck the life out of your soul. Imagine working in a service position around such people, constantly rotating in and out of your day. It can wear you down.

The problem is that the rest of us who show some courtesy and up getting dragged down to their level.  If I come in with a nice attitude and you’re pissed because of the previous guest (or just general bad attitude), it affects me and how I tip you. It’s not like you can fake it, either.  Some servers try, but people know when you’re disingenuous. I don’t expect you to do a happy dance, but some sincere courtesy and professionalism in your job is sufficient.  If you’re happy and it rubs off on me, even better. I may even forgive you some mistakes if I just think you’re a cool person who’s trying hard. That’s why your attitude is so important. I’ll pay you for being a cool person.

Orlando’s Image

A lot of visitors think Orlando is nothing more than a playground.  They never see how we really live. The simple truth is that the visitor experience is a major factor in our economy. If we’re pissing in the visitor pool a regularly as I witnessed over the past few weeks, I’m amazed that anyone comes back.  I’m sure a lot of folks will tell me how little they’re paid doing these jobs.  No doubt that’s true, but you know what?  You’re being paid.  Before we had this convention and tourism industry, your ass would be out there picking oranges that used to grow where International Drive is today. Be happy you get to work in an air-conditioned environment with the ability to earn more money than the average migrant worker. Maybe now you have a reason to smile a bit more.

Based upon the things I’ve written in this post, Guitar Center contacted me and dealt with the issues presented here.  Check it out on this post.

Why I visited Guitar Center

It was supposed to be a quick trip in and out of Guitar Center, but it was faster than I expected. I decided to kill too birds with one stone today at Winter Park Village – lunch at Cheesecake Factory and then walk around the corner to Guitar Center to pick up some home recording gear.  I’ve been getting back into playing guitar lately, and even pulled out my old keyboard to start playing a little bit at home. Apple’s GarageBand is the culprit. After downloading the new version on my iPad, it made me want to get back to recording some music in GarageBand on my Mac.

However, some of my old gear doesn’t work with current version of OS X, Snow Leopard.  The Presonus Firebox works, but you can barely hear anything. The M-Audio Duo is now considered “legacy”, which means the company won’t provide a driver to work with the current version of OS X.  In order to hook up my guitar, Shure SM-58 microphone and get output to my powered speakers, I needed a new box to translate the Audio/Digital waves.  These things are small, but they go for about $500 and up.

Why I Have a Messenger Bag

Messenger Bag - © Copyright 2011 by Orlando Local

I’d like to say that it’s not a “man purse”, but I don’t care if people call it that. Basically, it’s a place for my stuff. I carry an iPad, a bluetooth keyboard and a small digital camera with me anywhere I go. Part of it is so I can blog on the go, but there’s more to it.  I’ve really gotten to the point where I like having my books on the iPad to read during a meal in a restaurant. Since one of my hobbies is photography, I’m trying to keep a camera with me at all times because….well, because you never know. I don’t want to carry my big Nikon camera and lenses because that stuff is pretty heavy and bulky.

None of these items are terribly big on their own, but combined, they’re more than a handful. I ordered a custom messenger bag from Timbuk2 and I’m pretty happy with it. I can load my stuff and it’s not too obtrusive. Given the expense of the items inside, I keep it with me.  A friend recently had her car window smashed and the thief ran off with her gym bag, so I don’t want to leave it in the car. Besides, what’s the point of keeping a camera with you if it’s not actually with you.

It’s Guitar Center Policy

After lunch, I stop inside the store as I have many times before and say “hi” to the guy behind the counter.  He immediately calls after me and I turn around. The dude wants me to leave my bag. I told him “the bag stays with me, I’ve got expensive stuff inside.” He’s adamant; it’s store policy. Once again, I decline.  I told him if I can’t carry my bag, I’ll be happy to leave. He reaches to call for his manager, but that’s just going to waste more of my time in a meaningless discussion of “store policy.”

Here’s the thing – they think anyone with a bag is going to steal things and put them in the bag. Except, of course, if you’re a woman with a purse. They would never tell a woman that she couldn’t carry her purse.  Why? Because it’s got her valuable stuff inside.  Well, actually it’s mostly useless shit, but chances are she also has a wallet with cash and/or credit cards with a value less than the contents of my bag.  Still, she’s a woman and they won’t bother her.

I’m a guy, though, so clearly, the expectation is that I’m a thief because I have a place to put things. Never mind the security camera, the guy at the door who could easily ask to look (as they do at Disney World or Kennedy Space Center) and then let me go about my business. Never mind that I’ve been a paying customer who bought two of my guitars, a nice amp, keyboard and lots of other silly shit there.  Never mind that I planned to drop half a grand on something new today. I’m a thief in their eyes.

Why didn’t I leave my bag with them? For the same reason I carry it with me; I don’t trust thieves! That’s not to say that I expect the poorly paid Guitar Center doorman is a thief, but I also don’t expect him to really provide decent security for my property. To him, it’s just a bag. His job isn’t to watch out for my stuff.  He’s watching out for Guitar Center’s stuff. With that in mind, it’s not that hard for someone else to steal my stuff from him.

It’s Not Worth It

In the end, I didn’t argue with the guy. The store is private property and they have a right to refuse service. When you tell me that I can’t hold onto my own property, I can either submit and turn it over or I can leave. I chose to leave. Of course, I left without buying the doodad that I wanted. By viewing me as a potential thief, instead of a potential customer, Guitar Center lost my business that day. Since I pretty much carry this bag all the time when I’m out these days, it looks like they’ve lost my business for good. That’s what happens when you treat customers as threats instead of the lifeblood of your business.

On the bright side, I found what I wanted on Amazon for less money. It’s not in my hands today, but that’s Guitar Center’s fault. I walked in their door ready to buy, but all they saw was a potential thief.  Idiots. I don’t give my business to people who think I’m there to steal.

UPDATE!

Hey, I just got a comment on this post and thought I’d share it with you.  The reason it interests me is because it comes from an IP address that’s associated with Guitar Center.  Here’s what they have to say.

If you’d like to see who made this comment, visit this URL with the IP address mentioned in the comment: http://whois.arin.net/rest/ip/216.52.243.10

Click on the link and look at the Customer field.  Once you click on that, you discover who just sent this offensive comment. I guess Guitar Center hates Gays and Women equally.

I went to Hamburger Mary’s with great expectations, but what I found was bland and disappointing. Every paper, city guide and blog in town is in an annual search for the area’s best burger. Hamburger Mary’s is a frequent front-runner and it won the reader poll on Scott Joseph’s Food Blog last year. I should have known better than to trust a reader poll.  These are the same folks who routinely pick Five Guys as the best burger. When you’re dining experience revolves around McDonald’s & Burger King, I’m sure Five Guys seems quite exotic to you. However, all you’ve done is prove that you shouldn’t have a right to vote.

The Atmosphere

Hamburger Mary's Interior - © Copyright 2011 by Orlando Local

Hamburger Mary’s is also a chain restaurant, but it definitely has more character than the usual fast food alternatives. It’s bright and colorful, filled with kitsch from the 60′s style lanterns to the statue of Hamburger Mary, herself. There are flat-screen TVs playing pop video music, including Justin Beiber. Not what I wanted, but I suppose it fit with the theme. In fact, I’d say that this establishment is more deserving of the Hooter’s phrase, “Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.” There’s patio seating out front, a large open area filled with tables, separated by a short-wall from the bar area. Then, as you can see in the image above, there’s a back area where customers go to be ignored. That’s where I was seated after waiting for a few minutes at the podium for someone to find time to show me to a table.

The Service

I haven’t experienced service this slow since I visited Amsterdam. The restaurant was moderately busy and appeared half-full to me. The gentleman who eventually seated me took my drink order (Un-sweet tea) and returned it with as few ice cubes as you’re likely to get in an Amsterdam restaurant, and told me that my server would be with me soon. After “soon” passed, and then some, a friendly woman appeared and took my order. I knew I wanted a burger, but didn’t really want to go for some of the creations they provided (e.g., Sloppy Mary, Spicy Mary, Proud Mary, etc.). The menu indicated that burgers would be cooked to Medium temperature, unless otherwise indicated. That sounded good to me, so I reinforced it in my order. All I wanted was cheese, ketchup, raw onion and some dijon mustard. She asked me what kind and rattled off the available choices, so I selected Pepperjack cheese to go with it. Then I asked her which was better – the onion rings or the fries. No doubt in her mind, get the onion rings.

I also noticed that they have a dessert of the week, so I inquired about that. This time, it was a Dreamsicle cake – orange caked with cream cheese icing.  Damn, I have to admit that sounded good. With that in mind, I eagerly anticipated my meal.

The Food

Hamburger Mary's burger & onion rings - © Copyright 2011 by Orlando Local

The wait for my meal was a bit longer than I anticipated, but not inordinately late. A food runner delivered my meal and immediately left. The first thing I noticed was that I didn’t get my dijon mustard. The next thing I noticed was Swiss cheese, rather than the Pepperjack cheese that I ordered. I turned to look over my shoulder for my server to at least get the mustard, but she was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she was in the back, I don’t know. She wasn’t on the floor taking care of other customers.  I know, because I had PLENTY of time to spend looking for her.

While I was waiting, I decided to at least try the onion rings before they got cold. Too late, though. While not cold, they were’t hot. In fact, they tasted stale. I’m guessing these onion rings had been sitting around somewhere before they were delivered to me. They definitely didn’t live up to the expectation my server created.

Still more waiting, but no server.  I tried to wave at other servers, but they apparently don’t cast a gaze in the back where guests go to starve. Finally, I got up and walked toward the kitchen door. Another server came out and I said, “Hi…I….” as he walked right past me. Somehow, he realized that I was trying to get his attention and he came back. I asked him if he could find my server, as I just needed some mustard for my burger. He was nice enough and went and got some mustard for me. Not the dijon that I’d ordered, but that nasty yellow mustard that most of you people who voted for Five Guys usually eat.

Screw it. By this time, about ten minutes had passed since my meal was first brought out and I still hadn’t seen my server. I accepted my fate and adorned my burger with ketchup & mustard, then took my first bite. My mind could not understand the sheer bland taste that came to it. I couldn’t detect any hint of seasoning or flavor on the meat itself. Even a fast-food joint uses a bit of salt on the burger. This is the burger that people swear is one of Orlando’s best burgers?

I’m sorry, but you people are idiots. This isn’t a top burger. This isn’t a top Five burger, or even a top Ten burger. It’s a cut above most fast food joints because of the bun, but I’d rather have a Wendy’s beef patty than the boring burger that I was served at Hamburger Mary’s. My meal was a total flop.

The Server

Although boring, it was still a meal. I suffered for you folks. When the burger was all but 1/3rd gone, my server finally appeared to ask how it was. That’s the kind of question you ask after a patron has his first bite, not his last. She noticed that I had the wrong mustard and told me how she’d specially noted it on the order. Sadly, I informed her that the mustard didn’t even appear with the order. She worked to correct the problem and brought my dijon mustard. Although too late to really matter, I appreciate her effort. Like I said, she’s a nice lady.

After the meal was done, she asked if I was ready for the Creamsicle cake. There was no way I wanted any more food from this place. I’ve already been disappointed with the burger and onion rings, so I didn’t want to add to that by having a disappointing cake. I told her the meal was quite filling and asked for the check.

Shortly after that, another gentleman arrived at my table and said he’d heard there was a mixup with the mustard. I paused a moment, because that kind of complaint really sounds silly and not worthy of mention. After all, I didn’t ask for a manger or anything like that. I just accepted my fate. Beside, getting the wrong mustard was the least of my problems, just as getting the wrong cheese wasn’t that big of a deal. It was the slow service and bland food that really bothered me. I couldn’t see any point in bringing all of that up now, though. I’d finished my meal and just wanted to pay my check, so I mumbled something and figured that was the end of it.

I was told that things were a little crazy for them for a while, but I never want to hear that excuse. Restaurants all over America get busy and they still manage to deliver food and follow-up on it. Blaming things on “being crazy” just tells me that you’re not good at your job. Restaurant people, please don’t ever use that excuse. It’s not valid, particularly when the restaurant isn’t full.

The Check

Hamburger Mary's guest check - © Copyright 2011 by Orlando Local

In another fit of kitsch, Hamburger Mary’s delivers your check in a red high heel shoe. What I didn’t notice right away was that the check came with a 50% discount. Up until that point, I was under the impression that the staff was blissfully unaware of the miserable experience I’d just had in their establishment. Everyone was nice, but just inattentive. I mentioned to my server that the discount was a surprise to me, but I was thankful for it and tipped her accordingly for the full price, not the discount.

The Bottom Line

Would I go back? Honestly, no. There are plenty of other places in town where you can get a better burger and, just as important, much better service. I can see visiting if you’re on Church Street and all the restaurants across the street are busy, but I would not advise anyone to make a trip there just to eat this bland burger. Go to Graffiti Junktion. It’s better and also a bit less expensive.

As for those of you who voted for Hamburger Mary’s as one of Orlando’s Best Burgers, you have my everlasting contempt.

Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille

My RoadRunner Lightning is now running at top speed. I’m now getting very consistent upload and download speeds near the specs mentioned by Bright House Networks.

A few days after I posted my benchmark results, I received a call from Bright House Networks offering to help resolve the issues I had with the service. I hadn’t even considered calling about it. Let’s be honest, I’ve had harsh words for Bright House Networks in the past based upon issues with the quality of TV service and some cabling issues.

Impressive Customer Service

This time, I wanted to post a follow-up because I’m very pleased and impressed with the customer service from Bright House. After the call, a couple of technicians came by and checked out the line. They found a couple of problems which may have contributed to my speed variation. There was some noise on the line inside my house, so they replaced a few connections to clear up the problem. There was also a problem with a connection point in the neighborhood that they addressed. By the end of their visit, I was getting 38.5 Mbps download and 4.5 Mbps download. Outstanding!

Sadly, it didn’t last. The download speed remained excellent, but my upload speed had returned to the .5 MBps range. I thought, “well, they tried.” That wasn’t the end of it, though. I received another call from Bright House the next day to follow-up. I told him I was really pleased with the guys who came out and what they did for me. Then I let him know the numbers were right for a while, but had since fallen again. They scheduled a return visit for Monday to ensure that the service was performing as expected.

The guys came out again and we started with the benchmark test. It was perfect. Upload and Download speeds were running great, so I was slightly embarrassed for wasting their time. Still, they wanted to check things out with some more diagnostics. Things looked good inside my house, but they detected some problems again in the neighborhood. Once again, they ventured out and did whatever technicians do with those nodes outside.

Benchmark Results

It’s been working perfectly all week since that visit on Monday. Here’s an example of a test I just ran:

My tests using SpeedTest.Net are showing similar results consistently this week.

The service performs well. There had been times when I’ve also faced some lag time loading pages, which had less to do with the size of the pipe and more to do with latency. That issue also seems to have disappeared, so I’m getting very good performance on my internet connection right now.

I’ll continue to monitor the performance, but I’m seeing more consistent results in this week than I have in past weeks. That, all by itself, is good news. However, it’s not the part that pleases me the most.

How to Deliver Great Customer Service

What I really like is the customer service I just received from Bright House Networks. It’s a complete turn-around from my perception in the past. Even after this second visit, I received another call to verify that my issues were resolved and that I was pleased with the service.  Now that’s what I want. Not just from Bright House, but from everyone who offers a service. Follow-up to make sure your customers got the service you intended and keep at it until it’s right. Bright House did it right and I’m happy to share that story.

]]> http://orlandolocal.com/roadrunner-lightning-running-at-top-speed/feed/ 3 http://orlandolocal.com/roadrunner-lightning-speed-test/ http://orlandolocal.com/roadrunner-lightning-speed-test/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:37:16 +0000 Bill http://orlandolocal.com/?p=1051 The Bright House Networks Promise

Over a year ago, Bright House Networks started telling people in Orlando that RoadRunner Lightning was coming. The promise with this Internet provider service was faster speed – up to 40 Mb downloads and up to 5 Mb uploads. I’ve used RoadRunner as my cable service for years and had already upgraded to RoadRunner Turbo – up to 20 Mb downloads and up to 2 Mb uploads. Quite honestly, I never expected to upgrade to Lightning.

My reasoning was pretty simple. Why pay more for a network upgrade when your overall speed is dependent upon other network providers to transmit content? Yes, RoadRunner may have a fast pipe for its customers, but that doesn’t help a bit if you’re trying to stream online from a constrained server elsewhere on the Internet.

Why I Got RoadRunner Lightning

As with most of my life, things didn’t turn out quite the way I anticipated. With three services (Phone, Cable TV & Internet), my Bright House bill was killing me. I figured it was time to call and cancel the landline phone service. It’s not that I wanted to give it up. Plenty of folks live just fine with their cell phone, but I still prefer having a landline and the number that goes with it. However, I didn’t prefer it enough to keep paying the total of my bill.

After some games and number crunching that I still don’t understand, the customer service rep found a way to meet the monthly bill that I was willing to pay without canceling my VOIP phone service. I had to upgrade to RoadRunner Lightning to save money.

Had I called and requested this on my own, I’d be paying even more. With the prospect of losing business, they found a way to give me more for less. I asked if this was a promotional price that would expire and was told that wasn’t the case. The price I received would be my regular bill. Seemed good enough to me.

The Internet Speed Test

After having this for a month, my gut feeling is hit & miss. Sometimes it truly does feel like I’m downloading faster than using RoadRunner Turbo, but other times I can’t see any difference. Gut feelings don’t cut it, though. I put the network to the test using two different services – Bright House Network’s internal speedtest and also SpeedTest.Net’s service. Both were captured on video, so you can see what I saw. Take a look at the results:

Bright House Network Speed Test Results

SpeedTest.Net Results

Evaluating the Results

When running the test, I ensured that there was no other network traffic coming from my home. I didn’t have any other computers on or additional web browsers or services generating traffic. This was as clean as I can get in a home environment.

The good news is that the download speeds are real. I expected good results on the Bright House Networks speedtest, as they control the bandwidth and it should be evenly distributed. By that, I mean they packets should reflect only the speed of the internal RoadRunner network and not be affected by a slower external network. What I didn’t expect was to find the external speed tests to be just about as good as the internal network. It’s still possible that some external force won’t be able to keep up with the Lightning speed, but this was a pretty good result. As you can see in the chart below, it hasn’t always been that good. In fact, it’s been less than half the speed being marketed on a couple of occasions, and I fully expect to see the speed drop down on some occasions again.

Unfortunately, the upload speeds weren’t even close to the expectations set for RoadRunner Lightning. I understand that there are a lot of factors that can interfere with network transmissions, but I had higher expectations for the internal network upload tests. As it stands, it didn’t even crack the 1 Mb market. External testing was about half that speed. It may prove faster when testing at different times or conditions, but I don’t expect significant changes. That’s why the marketing is very careful to include “speeds up to” in the text. They can’t promise to deliver 40 Mb down or 5 Mb up. The uploads started off very strong when I got the service, but it’s just gotten worse over time.

The download speed delivers as close to the promise as one can realistically expect. That part of the service is great. Uploads, however, have steadily declined since I got the service. Here are the results from my previous tests with SpeedTest.net – click to expand:

speedtest results

If you want occasionally faster downloads, RoadRunner Lightning can occasionally deliver. Don’t expect any shocking upload times, though. If Bright House Networks hadn’t offered it to me as a way to save money, I wouldn’t have ordered the service.

UPDATE:

I received a comment from Chris at Bright House Networks offering to help with the performance issues cited in the speed tests here. Bright House performed some tests from their end, and then sent a couple of techs out to do more trouble-shooting. They found some noise on a coupler that was installed when I received my Lightning upgrade. The new Lightning cable modem doesn’t support my VOIP phone service from Bright House, so the technician who installed it had to create a coupler for both of them to connect.

The gentlemen who came out today discovered some noise on the line that seems to emanate from that coupler.  They replaced it and I’ll continue to measure my bandwidth on the various speed test services.

Whichever way it works out, I have to say that I’m impressed with the service I received from Bright House Networks today. They reached out to help and everyone I spoke with was great. I’m really impressed by that effort.

The numbers came out today for the largest decline in the housing market in at least four decades. Sales of single family homes dropped by 32.7%, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Part of the blame was cast upon the expiration of a tax credit for home buyers.  Demand for home loans, as one would expect, has dramatically declined. People with existing homes that are under water are abandoning their houses and leaving them to be reclaimed by nature as weeds and other growth takes over.  Municipal governments and homeowner’s associations are strained in their resources to clean up these eye-sores.  To be honest, this is nothing new.

Can’t Sell Old Houses – Let’s Build New Ones!

What is new is that the Mormons and Walt Disney both think this is an excellent time to start new housing development projects.  I’d like to call them morons, but as we shall see, greater minds than mine have insight to the housing market and local economy.

The Mormons want to build Innovation Way East, which will include homes and shops near the planned medical and research centers that moved closer to Lake Nona, rather than be a part of Innovation Way.  If you recall, Innovation Way was supposed to be Orlando’s “high tech corridor.”  That fell apart when the afore-mentioned medical and research buildings moved away and the developers who wanted to bring high tech jobs to Orlando decided it would be more profitable to build warehouses. We all know how much more warehouse workers make than high tech employees, so this was considered “progress.”

Innovation Way for Jobs

Part of the argument for housing development in Innovation Way is that it will create jobs. Sure.  You’ll need a plethora of engineers and construction workers to plan and develop the place.  Just like any other project, it’s short-term.  Development projects don’t last forever, so these are not sustainable jobs.  Assuming that all goes as planned and the 6,343 new houses are built, then what?  I’m sure some of them will get sold to new residents moving here to work in the International Corporate Park (whatever the hell that is) or the Medical City.  Some local folks may also want to move there to be closer to their jobs.  Of course, those locals will leave an empty apartment or existing home, so that’s not really growth.  What happens to the rest of the thousands of available homes in the Central Florida area, some of which are in Avalon Park and other communities very close to the “high tech corridor?”  Hint:  see photo above.  That’s what we’ll get out of the new development project – abandoned homes with an abundance of overgrowth.

Selling Us a Story

Commissioner Bill Segal invoked high tech jobs as reason to approve the development project, stating how it would fuel economic growth in the region.  Tell me, Bill.  How many high tech employees are working in those warehouses right now?  Hindsight is a convenience that does not burden our elected officials. Well, that’s not totally true.  The plan faced a vote today and it didn’t get approved.  The vote was 3-3.  All of the county commissioners who are running for Mayor voted for the project and those who aren’t voted against the project.  Since Mildred Fernandez hasn’t been replaced (she would’ve voted to approve), the deal is a stalemate.  Once she’s replaced, we’ll find out if that commissioner can be bought as easily as Fernandez (or so the charges against her would indicate).  The politicians who voted for the project need to make claims about supporting growth, creating jobs, and all the other bullshit we’ve come to expect from people on the campaign trail.  The other commissioners likely saw that this new development would continue the blight in their own districts, and therefore had no incentive to vote for it.

The other brain trust that sees our current market as an excellent time to plan a new housing development is Walt Disney. The entertainment giant announced this morning it had plans to create Golden Oak (presumably, they could only afford one tree), a collection of vacation homes ranging in price from $1.5 to $8 Million. Disney claimed Golden Oak is not another housing development like Celebration, but is intended to be vacation housing for families visiting Disney.

Of course.  I know that I always stay in multi-million dollar homes when I travel, particularly to theme parks full of screaming kids.  After you get that sunburn while roaming around and sweating in the theme parks, you really need a place with its own home theater room and a gold-plated bidet.  Orlando has really been waiting for such a concept.  I’m surprised it doesn’t already exist. Vice President of Disney Real Estate Development, Matt Kelly, said, “The affluent market is an area where we haven’t offered a lot of product.”

Fleece the Rich

Translation: since the average Joe can’t afford to visit in this economy, we see an opportunity to fleece the extra-wealthy.  I admit, there is a certain charm to that logic.  It’s hard for me to get upset by this development project.  The risk belongs to Disney.  The homes won’t steal from the existing market, where the average price is roughly $250K, well under the $1.5 million price for the Golden Oak slums.  It’ll create some local jobs, even if only temporarily, and our criminals will have a new place to prey upon unsuspecting tourists, as these people won’t be wandering around International Drive.

For the rest of us, get used to seeing weeds in your neighborhood. Neither our elected or business leaders seem to have a plan to help the whole community.  We’re on our own.