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Post by Admin on Sept 15, 2019 14:10:52 GMT -5
Despite promises of internet service by September 2019 by Spectrum, it has --without explanation--been delayed until October. Miraculously, TRS plans to begin service Sept 30, 2019. Perhaps others here have more information about Spectrum's delay--or maybe the delay is due to the Board negotiations with Spectrum to present a Bulk Communication plan to the members! Wouldn't that be fine?
This info was on a new Announcement banner on slresort.net. It is a "splash banner" that is described as a newly-activated feature. It is certainly far better than the tiny "What's new since your last visit" link at the bottom right of the Home page but needs some work.
For instance, there are no links to anything in the Banner. There is a document referenced, 2 internet one-liner update statements, and a teaser about updated pool photos. I had to go find the Agenda, as usual, and a link embedded in the Banner would be nice. As it is now, one must return to the Home page for the Banner to "resplash" the screen so that one can see the additional announcements, rather than a simple arrow back.
The curious secrecy of the internet service in the community was confirmed by these one-liner "updates" which gave no reason for the delays by Spectrum or TRS timeline nor any more information.
I never found a link to the upgraded pool photos, despite entering the search term "pool" in the Search Box.
Hopefully, the incoming new manager can do better than this. Supposedly, Toneesha is running the show from home. However, we have gone 5 months without Financial Reports. Getting information is like pulling hen's teeth. Despite repeated requests and excuses from the President, there is STILL no executed Lease Agreement between SLohA and TRS. And, the Announcement Banner, while an improvement over its publicity-shy sister link, is underprepared for activation to members.
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Post by Admin on Sept 30, 2019 10:50:24 GMT -5
According to slresort.net update on internet:
This raises a lot more questions for seasonals than it answers and it is basically the same as the street rate on the original flyer, except it has a ?seasonal? offer. Doesn't look like any bargain and it is not represented as a Community Bulk Rate which was previously discussed by an owner with a Spectrum representative as a possibility offered to S-bag (but no response back). I'd probably take the seasonal Internet Only rate ($74) as I have my own cell phone and get perfect Ntwerk programming and about 30 cable channels on my FREE antenna.
TRS is expected to go live today.
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Post by jimherbst on Oct 1, 2019 0:27:42 GMT -5
One very important point about Spectrum is that they do not require a contract. Also, while there is a $50 charge to run the cable to one's house, there is no "activation charge", per se. So, once you are "cabled up", you could cancel service, then renew service at a later time without being charged an activation fee. In theory, therefore, one could avoid the $5 per month seasonal service charge. I would not advise that, however, because there may be a delay before Spectrum puts you back online.
Also, it is my understanding that the $5 "season" charge only apples when you put your Spectrum service on seasonal hold (or what I like to call "vacation mode"). This is similar to the AT&T U-Verse policy. Up until last year, I was an AT&T U-Verse customer for my internet service at my home in Wisconsin (now I am with Spectrum). When I would leave for Florida each December, I would place my AT&T service on vacation mode for the next 5 months. During that time AT&T would charge me an $8/month service charge to maintain my account on an inactive status. This is also the practice with my public utilities. Before heading off to Florida, I shut off the water as a precaution against freezing pipes. But, even though I am not using any water, the City still charges me a minimum account maintenance fee each month.
Incidentally, the reason I switched from AT&T U-Verse to Spectrum was because of speed. Even though the monthly charge for internet service was virtually identical, Spectrum is at 100 Mbps vs AT&T's 10 to 20 Mbps. When it came to TV, however, I decided to stay with my satellite dish service. Even though I would save money with Spectrum, I wasn't impressed with their channel selection.
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Post by Admin on Oct 1, 2019 11:05:03 GMT -5
Thanks for that very informative post which informs readers of customary practices in the telecom bizz and also gives some key questions to ask of both Spectrum and TRS before one makes a decision.
I would have to take a very hard look at TRS before I would enter into ANY contract, especially since TRS has no executed contract with SLohA. In that case, TRS would be acting as a rogue entity ON SLohA common property and all bets are off in getting any relief from poor/absent service, options to terminate the contract or account adjustments. I hope that all is on the up and up with TRS but from what I have learned so far, am not optimistic.
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Post by Admin on Oct 1, 2019 11:09:37 GMT -5
@jm Herbst: Since TRS has reportedly gone "live" as of yesterday, perhaps I could beg you to do a comparative analysis of the technical service as well as costs and business terms. I guess that would include MoreNet, TRS and I would assume that you could get most information from Spectrum since they are only a few weeks out and the board has already published a number of conditions and costs. I think that there is another satellite provider that provides TV and internet, too.
Pretty Please?
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Post by jimherbst on Oct 2, 2019 5:55:11 GMT -5
After some searching on Google, I finally found TRS' website. The company's internet service provider division is called TRSMiCloud. Here is its homepage: The pricing plans for internet service are on a chart in this website (use the drop down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage)
One thing that makes me somewhat nervous is the statement, under Terms and Conditions, "When you are using TRSMiCloud, the company is allowed to access the contact list, photos and documents that are stored on your mobile device when you exchange this form of data with other contacts. " Even though this information is stored on an encripted server, I am uneasy about a third party having access to my online banking, credit cards, etc.
Another thing that confuses me is the headline on TRSMiCloud's website: "TRSMiCloud has planned 1 Gbps UP & DOWN Fiber Ethernet to the router! " Does this mean that TRS ultimately plans to install its own fiberoptic cable in S-bag? Does it mean that TRS has reached some form of agreement with Spectrum to use Spectrum's newly installed cable in S-bag (as opposed to what we have assumed would be a WiFi service, like that of now defunct KCNET)? Or does it possibly even mean that TRS has become Spectrum's local ISP in S-bag under some type of subsidiary agreement? Stay tuned...
During my Google search, I also stumbled upon The Right Solution homepage: On the website's "About Us" section ( www.the-right-solution.ca/about/), it describes itself as a Toronto-based business solutions service founded in 2011 by Dale Scheerer |
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Post by Admin on Oct 2, 2019 10:46:02 GMT -5
I went to the website for TRS and just decided to copy/paste the ISP info here. It appears that there is month-to-month with 2 month minimum but NO Seasonal Rate or vacation pause per se. Monthly rate is the same for both.
ISP Price Plans***
Residential Commercial
/Month Price /Month Price
Month to Month*
$65.00 $65.00 $85.00 $85.00
Yearly**
$55.00 $660.00 $75.00 $900.00
* A $50 deposit is required with the first months service fee. The deposit will be deducted from the final month fee (30 day notice prior to the first of the month is required to cancel the service, for a Minimum of 2 months service) The website also goes into great detail explaining the differences between fiber optic cable and cable internet with the suggestion that the service offered by TRS is the superior one ie fiber optic. I am really confused about this, as Spectrum is installing fiber optic but not ready to hook up in S-bag for another 3 weeks, but TRS has fiber optic NOW? I must be missing something. I did send an inquiry from the website asking which service was being offered to S-bag Lake.
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Post by jimherbst on Oct 2, 2019 14:00:15 GMT -5
The "fiber optic" claim by TRS begs the question THEN WHY DOES TRS NEED THE S-bag COMMUNICATION TOWERS. So, if TRS truly intends to "cable up" S-bag, I can reach only one conclusion. TRS needs our towers in order to service internet customers outside the park. If that is the case, it is a direct contradiction from what leery listerine told me in an email back in July. Moreover, if our towers will be used to serve only customers outside of S-bag, why are we leasing our towers to TRS for the next 3 years at $0 rent?
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Post by Admin on Oct 3, 2019 11:52:53 GMT -5
You ask very good questions, Jm Herbst!
I have not yet received a response from TRS to my written inquiry about whether their service in S-bag is fiber optic or cable.
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Post by Admin on Oct 4, 2019 20:59:20 GMT -5
Still not a peep of even an acknowledgement of my inquiry from TRS....
Spectrum is scheduled to do a survey of my property within the next two business days to give me installation info. This was scheduled via internet Chat today. They made appointment to call me to discuss on Oct 8th. I have a phone appt for noon! Now THIS is Customer Service!
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