Slonkast Episode 21

Last night I was privileged to be the guest of Kevin Slonka and Ryan Lantzy on episode 21 of the Slonkast, a podcast devoted to technology, social networking, computer security, and mobile technology. I had a great time on the show, and it reminded me of the glory days of the SACS Report. Except you can’t see my socks.

Thank goodness for Virgin Mobile's lousy coverage

Maximum PC reports that Virgin Mobile secretly caps "unlimited" data plans:

Subscribers to the $40 per month Unlimited Broadband2Go plan who exceed the industry standard 5GB cap will receive notice that their bandwidth will be significantly diminished for the remainder of the billing period.

Long-time readers of this blog will recall that I obtained just such a device, but returned it due to a lack of coverage at my house. Since the whole point of the purchase was to have unlimited broadband, instead of my paltry 7.5 GB/month WildBlue satellite Internet plan, I'm glad that it didn't work out.

Virgin got some great press from David Pogue based entirely on the "unlimited" aspect of the plan. He's remarked upon the backpedaling, but I'm sure Virgin has still seen a huge net benefit from the coverage.

Most galling is this statement in Virgin's press release:

Keep in mind, 5GB is A LOT of data. To give you an idea, it’s about 250 hours of web browsing or over 500,000(!) emails*. So this change shouldn’t affect you unless you’re a heavy downloader/streamer/etc.

Yes, it's "A LOT" of data if this is 1998, and we do 1998 things with our Internet, like read email(!) and surf(!) the web(!). But what if we want to do 2011 things? Well, 5 GB/month will get you less than two Netflix movies at highest quality, or about half of a major-release game download from Steam. An operating system update for your iThing will eat through half a week's worth of your allowance. Windows 7 installation media from TechNet? Two weeks' worth, sir. Grateful Dead shows? You could get one a week, if you don't want to use your connection for anything else.

It's 2011. Digital delivery of software and HD video is here now. Stop quoting bandwidth in "emails", "web pages", and "screen-resolution photos", and recognize it.

Virgin Mobile MiFi 2200: A “review”

This morning I was finally able to pick up my Virgin Mobile MiFi wireless access point at the FedEx Ground facility in Hunker.  My success was not due to any competency on FedEx’s part, but rather to good luck and helpful staff in Hunker.  I arrived at the FedEx Ground facility just after they “opened” at 8:00 am.  It’s clearly not a place where they intend to serve many customers in person:  You have to speak through an intercom so they can let you through the gate, and you enter through an office which has no counter or receptionist.  But a helpful guy met me there, and quickly discovered (surprise, surprise) that they had not received the instructions to hold the package for me.  He ran off to the trucks, and was able to remove the package from the truck before it left for the day.  I appreciated the effort, and the driver was actually happy that I came in.  The package was the only one for my area, so I saved the driver about 30 minutes by picking it up.  So kudos to the local staff, but the overall FedEx Ground customer service and internal procedures and communication still seem to be completely screwed up.

I ordered the MiFi with the hope of replacing my horrible WildBlue satellite Internet access with the 3G access the MiFi provides.  After an appointment in Pittsburgh, I hurried home to try it out.  The timing seemed perfect: since it was raining, my WildBlue Internet connection was, in its typical fashion, non-functional.

The device is very small (like a few credit cards stacked together).  I charged it up and turned it on.  It created a new wireless network that I could see in my laptop’s list of networks, and I connected to it easily using the credentials listed on a sticker on the MiFi.  I continued through the activation process, and once it became necessary for the MiFi to contact the mothership, it started to become apparent that the Sprint 3G signal strength here is poor.  The activation eventually completed, but I haven’t really been able to browse the web, and the MiFi status page shows that it’s “Connected,” but usually with 0 or 1 bars of signal strength.

So it looks like it’ll be going back to Virgin Mobile soon, and I’ll continue to be stuck with satellite Internet service.  When we moved here 3.5 years ago, I had to switch from Sprint to Verizon for cell phone service due to a lack of signal at our house.  I was hoping that the coverage had improved since then, and the online maps showed 3G service here, but I guess that’s not the case.

Fedex Ground + Direct Signature Required = FAIL

I recently ordered a Virgin Mobile MiFi 2200 (which I'll write about if and when I receive it).  Unfortunately, Virgin Mobile shipped this device by FedEx Ground, with "Direct Signature Required."  This is a great strategy, provided your customers are all unemployed pot smokers who never leave the house.

"Direct Signature Required" means that somebody must be present at the delivery address to sign for the package.  For FedEx Express services, this is only moderately annoying, because after they miss you once, you can go pick up the package in the evening at the FedEx Express location, which is probably not too far away.  FedEx Ground, however, is a completely different system, whose facilities are few and far between, and which do not have convenient hours.

Since the Spousal Unit and I are gainfully employed, there wasn't anyone home today when FedEx Ground tried to deliver the package, nor will there be anyone home the next two days.  I called FedEx to discuss my options, and my option was this:  They can "add a note" requesting that the package be held at the FedEx Ground facility in Hunker, PA, 90 minutes' drive from my home.  I can pick up the package either between 8:00 and 10:00 am, or between 4:00 and 6:00 pm.

Virgin Mobile:  It is not reasonable to make your customers deal with this crap.  FedEx:  You need to find a way to better integrate your craptacular Ground service with the rest of your system.  I should be able to easily divert Ground Direct Signature packages to a FedEx Express facility or a Kinko's store.

UPDATE (the next day): Despite my request to hold the package at the Hunker facility, FedEx Ground attempted re-delivery today.  I'm getting up early tomorrow to go to the facility between 8:00 and 10:00 am, so I called to reiterate my request.  The CSR I spoke to did not see any record of the request I made last night, and entered a new one.  I asked how I could be sure that the package would be there tomorrow morning.  She instructed me to call at 8:00 to verify that it is on hold.  I explained that in order to drive 90 minutes to Hunker to be there during their morning window, and then arrive on time to an appointment in Pittsburgh, I had to leave home well before 8:00.  She apologized repeatedly.  I asked if the apology was all that would happen for the screw-up, or if further action would be taken to identify and correct problems in FedEx's processes.  She asked if I wanted to open a complaint, and I said yes.  She noted my name and phone number and said someone would call me.

For the exciting conclusion, see Virgin Mobile MiFi 2200: A “review”.