Subject: (usr-tc) 3Com support plans

From: Mark Thornton <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 21:13:22 +0000

I just heard from my equipment rep that the transfer of the Tech support
function from 3Com to the reps is complete. He indicated that there is no
change in price or types of service available. The only difference is that
the service is one level removed from 3Com, which I guess is supposed to
mean it will be improved.

I'm not sure how this is supposed to be a good thing. If I want to pay high
prices for service, I want to be able to work with the folks responsible for
creating the problem. In a similar situation with Microsoft and the
supposedly authorized tech groups,  I have never gotten good information or
support from anyone other than Microsoft. The savings was not worth the
hassle, and you wound up paying to talk to MS anyway. I have had similar
experiences with 'Linux' support companies. The 3Com situation is too
similar for me to be comfartable with it. As it stands now we will likely
outsource the modem business and put most of ours out to pasture. I will
likely keep 24 to 48 lines in order to deal with specific cases that cannot
be handled by the outsource provider. With that number I can afford to get
them up to V.90 and have them in the same class as the outsourced modems
from another vendor.

Mark Thornton
San Marcos Internet, Inc
512-393-5300

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From: Mark Thornton <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 21:28:41 +0000

I meant to say V.92...

Mark Thornton
San Marcos Internet, Inc
512-393-5300

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Thornton" <[email-masked]>
To: "USR-TC" <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 2:06 PM
Subject: (usr-tc) 3Com support plans

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From: Jeff Mcadams <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 22:32:37 +0000

Also sprach Mark Thornton
>I just heard from my equipment rep that the transfer of the Tech
>support function from 3Com to the reps is complete. He indicated that
>there is no change in price or types of service available. The only
>difference is that the service is one level removed from 3Com, which I
>guess is supposed to mean it will be improved.

Dang it Mark!  You beat me to it.

I did some checking myself (with CommNet Plus), and got the same
information.

The VARs that are on the support program will be under the same
restrictions for selling support contracts that 3Com/CommWorks imposed
earlier...ie, equal level of coverage on all of your equipment, have to
cover all of your equipment, not just a subset.

So, once *AGAIN* 3Com/CommWorks solves a problem that doesn't exist.
Way to go Al Huefner, you've once again cost 3Com/CommWorks positive
real revenue without any gain.  How *do* you keep your job?

>I'm not sure how this is supposed to be a good thing. If I want to pay
>high prices for service, I want to be able to work with the folks
>responsible for creating the problem. In a similar situation with
>Microsoft and the supposedly authorized tech groups,  I have never
>gotten good information or support from anyone other than Microsoft.
>The savings was not worth the hassle, and you wound up paying to talk
>to MS anyway. I have had similar experiences with 'Linux' support
>companies. The 3Com situation is too similar for me to be comfartable
>with it. As it stands now we will likely outsource the modem business
>and put most of ours out to pasture. I will likely keep 24 to 48 lines
>in order to deal with specific cases that cannot be handled by the
>outsource provider. With that number I can afford to get them up to
>V.90 and have them in the same class as the outsourced modems from
>another vendor.
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: [email-masked]
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456

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