Hawaiian Telcom: The Transition

[pzarquon]

So how's it going? Anyone else get their separate DSL bill yet? Have you as a customer received any helpful transition information? At least we know we're going to get two phone books (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/May/12/bz/bz02p.html) again. And I agree with those who say the new, albeit abstract, "bubble islands" logo sure beats the Verizon "V" any day. I doubt they're in a hurry to repaint their trucks, though...

[Linkmeister]

I've been wondering where to send my check. Maybe I'll go down to Pearlridge (Downtown) and try to pay in person.

[Miulang]

Maybe the 2 directories and new logos will help disguise any shortcomings you might have in the near future about the services you receive from the new phone company.

Miulang

[Glen Miyashiro]

Oh, were those the official new phone books? I assumed, based on their appearance, that they were another trashy set of useless ads and tossed 'em in the trash. I guess I won't be looking up any new phone numbers this year. :p

[Konaguy]

So how's it going? Anyone else get their separate DSL bill yet? Have you as a customer received any helpful transition information? .

http://hawaiiantel.com/ has a lot of helpful information. It is my understanding that the Verizon Online DSL bill will be included with your landline bill just like the
Verizon billing. If you heard any different please let me know.

[pzarquon]

Oh, were those the official new phone books? I assumed, based on their appearance, that they were another trashy set of useless ads and tossed 'em in the trash. I guess I won't be looking up any new phone numbers this year.Nah, the new, two-piece Hawaiian Telecom books aren't going to be out until October or so, and will feature the artwork of local schoolchildren. Aww! You're probably talking about one of the "other" two (or is it three, now?) small players in the local phone book market - the "Paradise Pages (http://www.theparadisepages.com/)" or "Ad-Ventures (http://www.ad-venturespublishing.com/)."

I'm still waiting for our DSL bill. I'm still not sure how they're going to separate it all, since now Hawaiian Telecom is providing the landline, and Verizon (on the Mainland) is "technically" serving the DSL.

So much for the news that Verizon was going to finally let folks have DSL without phone service!

[Glen Miyashiro]

Nah, the new, two-piece Hawaiian Telecom books aren't going to be out until October or so, and will feature the artwork of local schoolchildren. Aww! You're probably talking about one of the "other" two (or is it three, now?) small players in the local phone book market - the "Paradise Pages (http://www.theparadisepages.com/)" or "Ad-Ventures (http://www.ad-venturespublishing.com/)."Oh, OK. I feel better, then. It'll be nice to see phone books with local artwork on the covers again; that was the best part about the GTE Hawaiian Tel phone books.

[helen]

I was planning to get DSL via Verizon and then this switch occurs. According to the Hawaiian Telcom web page they offer the service but they don't say how much it is going to cost other than $19-20 for handling of the equipment and $99 cancelation fee if you do it between months 2 and 12 of your year long contract.

[Linkmeister]

I walked in to the new Hawaiian Telcom store (same layout as the former Verizon store) at Pearlridge and had no trouble getting them to accept my check. The cashier was funny: "you'll get a new bill...sometime."

[Linkmeister]

I was planning to get DSL via Verizon and then this switch occurs. According to the Hawaiian Telcom web page they offer the service but they don't say how much it is going to cost other than $19-20 for handling of the equipment and $99 cancelation fee if you do it between months 2 and 12 of your year long contract.

When I paid the bill in person (see below) I noticed they had ads up for three different DSL plans. I think all three are $29.95/month, but there are varying penalties for termination before contract completion. I know I saw month-to-month and annual terms; I don't remember what the third was.

[Miulang]

Be grateful you didn't suffer the same fate that Nadine Newright (http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=8819), from Haiku, suffered recently...she got 2 phone bills--one from Verizon Hawaii and one from Hawaiian Tel--on the same day...for the same services but each bill was for a different amount!

Miulang

[Konaguy]

Until the transition is complete Verizon Online will be providing DSL services.
[The transition period is 9 months from May 2, 2005]. It is my understanding
that until the transition is complete Hawaiian Telcom and Verizon will be
splitting the monies from the bill. Thus it should be all on one bill.

Verizon Online's pricing for DSL still apply.

1.5Mbps/384K 29.95/year contract/
37.95/month to month

3.0Mbps/768K 29.95/year contract
37.95/month to month

Edit: After the 9 month transition Hawaiian Telcom supposedly will have a
in-house ISP setup for DSL accounts.

Edit II: To order Verizon Online DSL you cannot do it online anymore.
You have to call 643-3456

[Konaguy]

My dad got our first Hawaiian Telcom bill yesterday.The landline, DSL charges
were on the same bill..thank goodness.


Aaron

[Linkmeister]

Is anyone having trouble sending mail from a verizon.net account today? I can receive with no trouble, but every message I've tried to send just times out.

[1stwahine]

Ooooo, I'm so mad! :mad: I've been having problems with my computer since this morning. I go to Hawaiian Tel @ Ward to pay my bill and ask if my bill include my dial-up charges. It does. Who do I call for help. Customer service. Fine I answered. Had to go Verizon to pay cellelur bill. Hawaiian tel no longer deals in wireless that was under Verizon when new owners took over. Still with me?

I go home and computer just can't get connected. Oh! I forgot this is the hp503n that I got new that and had fixed how many times. I call Hawaiian Tel and they tell me to call Verizon @ 1-800-567-6789. Now they have a new system and if you really need to talk with an "technician" remain on the line.

Ok...due to the vulgarity of what happens next, you have the option to read it at http://www.hawaiistories.com/lynn

Thank you,
Auntie Pupule

[waioli kai]

pzarquon: " I doubt they're in a hurry to repaint their trucks..."

"they" being "Hawaiian Telcom" of The Carlyle Group (http://www.thecarlylegroup.com/eng/index.html). Not that Verizon and before that GTE were not of Carlyle; both were, increasingly in stages. Only now with its newly named HiTelcom does Carlyle Group (motto: "Global Vision. Local Insight.") raise its hydra-headed (Hydra but for the monster's immortal center head) corporatist body of elitists' anonymity self-assuredly casting its shadow over Hawaii so as to see be seen, listened to, and, above all, obeyed; the latter activity being Hawaii state and county elected and unelected officials' bending over, bending whatever, facilitating whenever, to please The Carlyle Group--"
Our mission is to be the premier global private equity firm, leveraging the insight of Carlyle's team of investment professionals to generate extraordinary returns across a range of investment choices, while maintaining our good name and the good name of our investors ". Extraordinary returns to anonymous investors? What a pile of stink!! "...maintaining the good name of our investors...". For all the public knows such investors could have "good names" like: Marcos, Suharto, Pahlavi, Somoza, Pinochet, Bush, Cheney.

If Carlyle does not just flip its HiTelcom for "extraordinary returns", slithering again to below the Hawaii populace's radar where The Group is most comfortably acquistive, manipulative and profitable (at other's expense, of course) ,,, perhaps they will repaint their free-of-license-fee vehicle's for their employees at the company's property-tax-free properties. Costs of such paint jobs would surely show up as costs to be borne by HiTelcom customers.

Go to a county's tax assessor's records and see what GTE/Verizon/HiTelcom has ever paid in county property taxes. Yet, the "pubic utility" (owned by anonymous people) pays great sum$ to advertise to promote their monopolistic image.

[MadAzza]

Ok...due to the vulgarity of what happens next, you have the option to read it at http://www.hawaiistories.com/lynn


Ooo, love your Web site! F*** this and damn that, and at the end, "In the name of Jesus, amen."

you so funneee, girl!

[DaveNSoKona]

I found out that we can get DSL out here in the sticks. We had been connected via satellite $$$Starband$$$. DSL is sooo much nicer (faster) and cheaper than Starband yeah!!! :D Whoever is billing us for the service...don't really care.

[Pomai]

Just received our Hawaiian Telcom White and Yellow Pages directory.

What's the deal with the cover photos? They're out of focus (which looks unintentional), it's cropped poorly and why show a picture of Waikane ridge on a cloudy day? It is possible to get a rainbow without clouds behind. I've done it. The photo of the couple on the beach looks like one of those "just take this picture for the hell of it" kinda' shots.

Wouldn't have paid a penny to have those developed. Seen camera phones that take better pictures.

On the plus side, it's good to see the white and yellow is SEPARATE now. Handicap folks (like my aunt with arthritis) will rejoice!

[helen]

My memory might be kind of fuzzy on this but I sort of remember that when white pages and the yellow pages were seperate books they were roughly the same size. Now the yellow pages is way bigger than the white pages, however both sets put together is about the same size as last year's edition.

[pzarquon]

A big step for Hawaiian Telcom comes this weekend, when the proverbial switch will be thrown (http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2006/03/27/daily2.html).Hawaiian Telcom has spent more than $100 million and a year's worth of work leading up to something that will happen in a matter of seconds this week. It is the handoff to local personnel of back office functions that Verizon Communications had moved to the Mainland back when it owned the phone company here.

The back office, for a telephone company, includes everything from human resources to payroll to billing, and as a practical matter in this particular case it also included directory service, which will move back to Hawaii for the first time in years when the switches are thrown Friday.There's an interesting note for those here who've been trying to figure out problems with their DSL connection (http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=7033&page=4&pp=20):...Hawaiian Telcom did add a new function, giving its call center personnel some diagnostics for people running into computer trouble while engaging in Internet telephony. The thinking, executives said, was that even if the computer trouble was not Hawaiian Telecom's issue, it was better to dive in and help fix it than to lose business because of it.

[Linkmeister]

The thinking, executives said, was that even if the computer trouble was not Hawaiian Telecom's issue, it was better to dive in and help fix it than to lose business because of it.

Sheesh. Somebody figured out that the customer wants something and doesn't much care who provides it. Kinda like Borders saying "no, we don't have that, but Native Books might."

Good for them, if true.

My connection wouldn't work this morning, but after an hour or so on dialup I tried it again and it took (so far). I think I'll try going by the HawTel store at Pearlridge this afternoon and see how much hassle replacing the modem might be.

[Linkmeister]

I'm one of those people who uses a mail client, and the instructions seem straightforward, but so far when implemented don't work. I think I'll give them a few days and try again, since there's a 30-day forwarding policy for old Verizon mail.

And now the HawaiianTel.net website seems to be swamped; at least, it's not responding.

[Menehune Man]

I've let everyone in my address book know of my new email address already. I haven't done anything to my own computer. This morning I tried to forward an email from my 'puter to the "new" address and then clicked send/receive nothing has come back to me, yet. I shouldn't be receiving any emails to my old account and sure hope I do get them at the new?! I'll call them later on today when I get home. I had called about mid-month last month and was told that I shouldn't have to do anything. But it looks like I may have to anyways. :confused:

[Linkmeister]

In theory all you have to do is change the incoming mail address from "incoming.verizon.net" to "mail.hawaiiantel.net" and the outgoing from "outgoing.verizon.net" to "smtp.hawaiiantel.net" but (at least in Eudora) you're then prompted for a password, and despite my trying both possibilities as mentioned on the Hawaiiantel.net support site, it hasn't taken.

[Konaguy]

Make sure your USER NAME under your server settings for both outgoing
and incoming is "username"@hawaiiantel.net. It won't work if you do not
do this.

If anyone needs assistance in the changes..please message me.

[Konaguy]

This link may help too..
http://hawaiiantel.com/Residential_Internet_Transition_02.htm

[1stwahine]

I got HawanTel DSL but I've been using and will continue using gmail.com for my email account. Why? Moa easy. :D

Auntie Lynn

[Menehune Man]

I just gave doc1456 a call (left a message), because I really don't know what I'm to do to get my outlook express to switch over to the new email address. My friend who has moved to the mainland, built my computer and set it all up for me. You guys say just do this or that, but it all sounds like Fijian to me. Meaning I recognise the words, but what it all means, I don't know. So I need a person to do it for me. As long as the 'puter starts up and does the simple things I ask of it I'm okay.
Help! :eek:

[Konaguy]

I've had to help two of my parents friends with the e-mail switchover..oh joy..:)
It wasn't too hard for me, but it can be confusing if you are a novice.
Also it is best to activate your verizon e-mail address. Remember in thirty
days all your Verizon e-mail will dissapear.

Also I found out that next Saturday, HT will have their homepage setup
so you can manage your account.

[adrian]

I just gave doc1456 a call (left a message), because I really don't know what I'm to do to get my outlook express to switch over to the new email address.
I have no idea also. Heck, I don't even use any email clients except for school.

I assume that you just replace the verizon domain (xxx.verizon.net) with hitel's domain (xxx@hawaiiantel.net) but that's all I could think about.

But in the business section, they can go to support.hawaiiantel.net, but I can't access that page either by browser, nor ping the fqdn or IP.

Maybe they'll iron out the details by Monday.

[Menehune Man]

Okay Thanks Doc. Anyone into helping me with this? I'll pay. ;)

[Linkmeister]

Well, I've been testing on and off all day, and I can say that the mail.hawaiiantel.net portal (http://mail.hawaiiantel.net/cp/ps/Main/login/Login) is working for both verizon mail and Hawtel mail, meaning it's collecting mail sent to both addresses. Just type in your old verizon username and your old verizon password and you'll see an incoming mail screen with a pane below it for reading the piece of mail you click on above (it's like Outlook used to be and maybe still is).

Getting your client to work is trickier. Right now I can't establish a network connection from Eudora to Hawtel to advise it of the password for the new Hawaiian Tel personality I created. I've emailed support@hawaiiantel.net about it, but I imagine they're swamped.

[Konaguy]

Okay Thanks Doc. Anyone into helping me with this? I'll pay. ;)

I'd help, but I live on the Big Island...unfortunately..weee bit too far away.

[Konaguy]

Getting your client to work is trickier. Right now I can't establish a network connection from Eudora to Hawtel to advise it of the password for the new Hawaiian Tel personality I created. I've emailed support@hawaiiantel.net about it, but I imagine they're swamped.

What version of Eudora are you using ?
Make sure the login is "USER NAME@hawaiiantel.net"
The same goes with sending e-mail. Both incoming and
outgoing require a password.

[Menehune Man]

I'd help, but I live on the Big Island...unfortunately..weee bit too far away.

I know... I saw your Location: Kailua-Kona. Otherwise I would've PM'd you too!
Thanks for trying to tell me "though I do not know the way."(Frodo again)

[Linkmeister]

What version of Eudora are you using ?
Make sure the login is "USER NAME@hawaiiantel.net"
The same goes with sending e-mail. Both incoming and
outgoing require a password.

I'm on 7.0.1 Paid version.

I was using stimb@verizon.net, so I created a new personality with the username stimb. You're suggesting I change the username in the personality ID to "stimb@hawaiiantel.net"?

That doesn't make sense if I can log in to the mail.hawaiiantel.net portal without the full-on mail address as a username. I'll give it a shot, though.

Edited to add: I'll be damned. That worked. It doesn't make sense to me, but it took. I just got (in Eudora) the 15 messages that have been sitting at the mail.hawaiiantel.net inbox.

Weird. Thanks, Aaron.

[lavagal]

well shoots. Our phone line is dead out here in Hawaii Kai. Weather? Verizon pulling an April Fools joke on Hawaiian Telcom? On us?

[Konaguy]

Weird. Thanks, Aaron.

No problem, what you ran into threw me for a loop initially too. I was
having problems reconfiguring one of my parents friends computer. The
password would not take. Then the light bulb came on..and I tried
username@hawaiiantel.net... bingo :)

Edit:I guess I saved one person from calling up HawTel :)

[Konaguy]

well shoots. Our phone line is dead out here in Hawaii Kai. Weather? Verizon pulling an April Fools joke on Hawaiian Telcom? On us?

Is it raining in Hawaii Kai...I guess the weather has been playing havoc
with the phone lines..

[Linkmeister]

No problem, what you ran into threw me for a loop initially too. I was
having problems reconfiguring one of my parents friends computer. The
password would not take. Then the light bulb came on..and I tried
username@hawaiiantel.net... bingo :)

Edit:I guess I saved one person from calling up HawTel :)

I still maintain it makes no sense to be able to log in to the mail.hawaiiantel.net portal without the full-on username you describe, yet be unable to do it via a mail client unless you DO use the full name/address. Oh well.

I also figured out that if your client wants an smtp relay personality (like Eudora does for the two Gmail accounts I have forwarded into it), HawaiianTel works, just as Verizon did before it.

[Konaguy]

I still maintain it makes no sense to be able to log in to the mail.hawaiiantel.net portal without the full-on username you describe, yet be unable to do it via a mail client unless you DO use the full name/address. Oh well.



Yeah, the joys of transitioning e-mail addresses :)

[craigwatanabe]

This is why I have dumped my POP3 email and instead am using my Yahoo as my primary email address.

And now for the big news...I am on broadband finally!!!! Hopefully the access point that is providing me 3MB/s thruput will stay up tonight. I talked to one of the owners of Advanced Wireless Services and he said the person is licensed under an agreement to keep his 2.4Ghz access point up and running 24/7. I'm thinking he's shutting it down when he goes to sleep because it conveniently comes back up between 7 and 9am the following morning. Thank God I still have my dial up service.

Which leads me to Hawaiian Telecom (to stay OT). Even for dial up we have to change our email protocals.

[Konaguy]

Knowing the time would come that there would be transition from Verizon
to Hawaiian Telcom, I started using my Gmail account as my primary e-mail
address a few months ago. So for me it was non-event this transition.
Except I did have to help a few people reconfigure their e-mail address
because of this change.

[lavagal]

We don't use their internet service but are a captive telephone customer. After wasting quite a few cellular phone minutes on hold, we now have a service ticket to put our phone back on line after we got dropped out yesterday (April Fools!). We've been assured that our phone would be back in service by Friday at 7 p.m. Good thing we have cellular phones!

[adrian]

Is anyone else having problems with their routers? I tried the two linksys routers and I can't get online via them: I had to connect my laptop directly to the modem.

[Konaguy]

No problem here. My D-Link router is still purring along with no problems.

[Linkmeister]

I get occasional flickering lights at the DSL modem side, but the router seems to be ok.

Aaron, my troubles last week seem to have cleared up (knock wood). I reseated every cable I had and I'm leaving the DSL modem plugged in 24/7. I haven't had a problem since I did that.

[Konaguy]

Aaron, my troubles last week seem to have cleared up (knock wood). I reseated every cable I had and I'm leaving the DSL modem plugged in 24/7. I haven't had a problem since I did that.


Well thats good to hear.Hopefully you won't have further problems *knock on wood*

[Konaguy]

Something to keep in mind during this bumpy transition period from Verizon
to Hawaiian Telcom. It is very important that you retain your Master e-mail
account information that you signed up with Verizon Online.If you do not, you will not be able to modify your e-mail accounts on http://www.hawaiiantel.net/

[adrian]

Well, actually, we'll have the ability to reset the passwords and such sometime next week.

And again, the user ID is your username@hawaiiantel.net

[Konaguy]

Well, actually, we'll have the ability to reset the passwords and such sometime next week.

I was only mentioning it because if you want to do changes now you'd be
SOL if you didn't have your Master e-mail account info. I learned that today
while doing e-mail changes for one of my parents friends.

[Linkmeister]

I was only mentioning it because if you want to do changes now you'd be
SOL if you didn't have your Master e-mail account info. I learned that today
while doing e-mail changes for one of my parents friends.

Define Master e-mail account info. Besides the original username and password, what else is there? :confused:

[Konaguy]

Define Master e-mail account info. Besides the original username and password, what else is there? :confused:

When you setup your Verizon Online account the first time, the user name
and password you create is your master e-mail account. It cannot be changed
and is the only way you can access/modify your sub e-mail accounts.

[Linkmeister]

When you setup your Verizon Online account the first time, the user name
and password you create is your master e-mail account. It cannot be changed
and is the only way you can access/modify your sub e-mail accounts.

Ah. Okay, then. I have no sub-accounts, and I know the Verizon data upside down and backwards (and I may even have it written down, too).

Thanks.

[Konaguy]

Ah. Okay, then. I have no sub-accounts, and I know the Verizon data upside down and backwards (and I may even have it written down, too).

Thanks.

I wasn't sure how HawTel was going to handle this aspect until today. As their
portal was not up until today. I spent 30 minutes helping one of my dads friends
with configuring a whole bunch of sub accounts and found out this is how HawTel is going to do this.

[alohatim]

I finally got around to dealing with this thing yesterday. I went to the hawiiantel site and could not log in with any accounts. After a call to 643-4375, I was told that none of our accounts had been transitioned over. Herman, the rep, quickly created a new master account (same name, plus a numeral 2 after it) and gave us a new password. I was able to log in and create subaccounts and aliases. We will see if our verizon mail makes to the haw'ntel accounts.

btw, I really love this forum for the way people share their frustrations, their solutions, and especially their humor. Mahaloz to everybody that contributes!

Tim

[i-hungry]

I just logged in to the new account. I guess it was a good thing that I didn't use much besides the connection. No need for changes to webpage links, email and etc. :o

[1stwahine]

I finally got around to dealing with this thing yesterday. I went to the hawiiantel site and could not log in with any accounts. After a call to 643-4375, I was told that none of our accounts had been transitioned over. Herman, the rep, quickly created a new master account (same name, plus a numeral 2 after it) and gave us a new password. I was able to log in and create subaccounts and aliases. We will see if our verizon mail makes to the haw'ntel accounts.

btw, I really love this forum for the way people share their frustrations, their solutions, and especially their humor. Mahaloz to everybody that contributes!

Tim

Aloha Tim, We try our best! I'm glad you think so. Hmmm..so the rep's name was Herman? You sure wasn't Adrian? nah, nah, JOKE!

Take care and thanks for the appreciating our Ohana.

Auntie Lynn

[Menehune Man]

I'm just sooo glad my email situation is working now! :p

[Konaguy]

Appears the SMTP server is down again tonight. Luckily I have a backup Gmail account

[Konaguy]

I did some traceroutes and it looks like the long awaited Hawaii Internet Exchange peering is up today. http://www.hawaii-ix.org/

[adrian]

Just out of the blue, I did a IP location search, and searched the location of my own IP address. Guess where its being orginated from? Maui!

I guess its a good thing, because there's been little Maui problems. :D

[Konaguy]

Just out of the blue, I did a IP location search, and searched the location of my own IP address. Guess where its being orginated from? Maui!

I guess its a good thing, because there's been little Maui problems. :D

I don't know if you are trying to be sarcastic or not..But the geographic
location vs IP address are not normally accurate.

[adrian]

This is an interesting development: initial reports says that Hawaiian Telcom are only supporting the Westel Versalink 327 modem/router combo. Since we had DSL from Verizon in 2003, we have a Westel modem and a Linksys router. I just sent an email to my supervisor to inquire if we can still support these two devices and if not, then I know a lot of us will be upgrading.

[Linkmeister]

I've got a Westell modem and a D-link router. Seems ok to me.

[Konaguy]

This is an interesting development: initial reports says that Hawaiian Telcom are only supporting the Westel Versalink 327 modem/router combo. Since we had DSL from Verizon in 2003, we have a Westel modem and a Linksys router. I just sent an email to my supervisor to inquire if we can still support these two devices and if not, then I know a lot of us will be upgrading.

That don't make any sense to me, as I have a D-Link DI-604 router and
Westell 2100 DSL modem and they both work flawlessly.

[adrian]

That don't make any sense to me, as I have a D-Link DI-604 router and
Westell 2100 DSL modem and they both work flawlessly.
Exactly.

But so far, no one responded to my inquiries, so either their getting their act together, or their just shutting me down.

Unless their willing to give 10,000+ (maybe even more) customers new routers and modems, then they better have an explaination.

[Konaguy]

Exactly.

But so far, no one responded to my inquiries, so either their getting their act together, or their just shutting me down.

Unless their willing to give 10,000+ (maybe even more) customers new routers and modems, then they better have an explaination.


It is very likely that system wise other Westell modems and routers will still
be supported just there won't be any tech support if something is wrong.

[Konaguy]

It appears that Verizon is blocking e-mail sent from smtp.hawaiiantel.net.
I sent an e-mail to my aunty on the mainland who has Verizon. It got
bounced by Verizon's e-mail server.

SMTP protocol diagnostic: 550 Email from your Email Service Provider is currently blocked by Verizon Online's anti-spam system. The email "sender" or Email Service Provider may visit http://www.verizon.net/whitelist and request removal of the block.

[Linkmeister]

I dunno about blocking. I tried sending to the old Verizon address from a different one (not the new HawaiianTel one). I hadn't received it through the HawaiianTel address, so I tried to login at the old Verizon mail site to see if it was hung up, and I got this:

"We are sorry, but your account has been disabled."

However, I tried sending it again to the old Verizon address from the new HawaiianTel address and it got right through (forwarded to the new Hawtel address).

Whatever that means for your aunty.

[Konaguy]

Well its not the end of the world :) luckily I have alternative SMTP server
to send mail through :).

[Menehune Man]

Again, I'm just so glad our households email system is working! We have a Westell model 327W modem. I pray to it daily (only joking). :rolleyes:

[adrian]

Anyone saw the HiTel ad in this week's midweek? They replaced DSL with "high speed internet" and are telling cable customers to switch to save. click here for the picture (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/adri1456/dslcable.jpg) (sorry for the image quality, but it came from my camera phone).

IMO, they should just stick to the straw commercial.

[alohabear]

The new ads on TV seems to show that it's a family company where generations of ohana work and nepotism is taking place. My kid brother is an engineer for Hawaiian Telcom from before they were Verizon. He used to tell me that family members could not work there. Now the ads welcome it.

[pzarquon]

It appears that Verizon is blocking e-mail sent from smtp.hawaiiantel.net. I sent an e-mail to my aunty on the mainland who has Verizon. It got bounced by Verizon's e-mail server.Apparently Verizon tightened up its spam filters this week (again), and lots of other people (http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/04/24/1538205.shtml) (including customers of other much larger ISPs and e-mail providers -- like Gmail (http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060426GmailBlockedByVerizonSpamFilters.html)!) are affected. So in this case I would suspect it's Verizon's doing, not HiTel.

[Konaguy]

Apparently Verizon tightened up its spam filters this week (again), and lots of other people (http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/04/24/1538205.shtml) (including customers of other much larger ISPs and e-mail providers -- like Gmail (http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060426GmailBlockedByVerizonSpamFilters.html)!) are affected. So in this case I would suspect it's Verizon's doing, not HiTel.

This the deal, I use HawTel's SMTP server to send mail. The mail gets bounced
from Verizon saying SMTP server is blocked. So thats why I said what I said..
It could be too that the VZ mail server is checking reply address.. which I use
Gmail...but why would say SMTP server blocked ?

[Dale]

Another solution is to set up a Hotmail account and use Hotmail outgoing mail servers. That's what I use for backup. Works great!

[Konaguy]

Gmail allows the same thing too. Which has saved my bacon a few times already.

[Linkmeister]

Gmail allows the same thing too. Which has saved my bacon a few times already.

Please elaborate. I have two Gmail accounts forwarded into my Eudora setup, but when I use one of the Gmail accounts to send, I think it goes out through HawTel's server. Can I avoid that from within Eudora?

[Konaguy]

Basically I have Thunderbird configured with two SMTP servers.

smtp.hawaiiantel.net (default)
smtp.gmail.com

I can switch between either on the fly. Sending mail through GMail
requires authentication just like HawTel. But you need to set the port
to 587 and authentication to TLS.

[Linkmeister]

Hmm. That's gonna require a little thought in Eudora, particularly the switching "on the fly" aspect. Ok, thanks.

[Konaguy]

No problem, make sure your username is 'username@gmail.com'. I forgot to mention that.

[adrian]

In yesterday's Honolulu Advertiser, they had an article on the transition, saying that the wait time was 15 to 30 minutes! I just want to know who personally experienced (or knows someone who did) the long wait at the phone?

[Konaguy]

http://aaronstene.blogspot.com/2006/05/hawaiian-telcom-transition.html

Hawaiian Telcom : The Transition
Lots of articles on the Hawaiian Telcom ongoing transition here,
here, and here the past couple days. I certainly hope Hawaiian Telcom resolves all the customer service problems before tackling rolling out IPTV .

Hawaiian Telcom's application to the Hawaii DCCA-CATV division to start CATV service.

[Menehune Man]

I'm still 'just' glad my and wife's email works along with getting to HT and Google! ;)

[adrian]

I'm still 'just' glad my and wife's email works along with getting to HT and Google! ;)
Everyone is. :D

[adrian]

Did anyone get delayed email that was supposed to be sent from April 7th? I checked one of my email addresses, and I see that a test email I sent to myself that's dated on the 7th, that was recieved at 14:12 today.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Hawaiian Telcom still has bugs to work out.

I got my bill today in the mail and found that I was being charged for two months' worth of fees, both last month and this month. Huh? I logged into their web site and found that no, they had in fact billed me and gotten an automatic monthly payment from me yesterday. C'mon guys, get your story straight. Did you bill me, or didn't you? :confused:

Also... they don't make it easy for you to log out of their web site. The regular billing pages don't have a "Log Out" button. You have to go to your Preferences page (https://hawaiiantel.dpnetbill.com/UserAdmin), where there is a "Log Out" tab visible. :(

[adrian]

I got my bill today in the mail and found that I was being charged for two months' worth of fees, both last month and this month. Huh? I logged into their web site and found that no, they had in fact billed me and gotten an automatic monthly payment from me yesterday. C'mon guys, get your story straight. Did you bill me, or didn't you? :confused:

According to the phone recordings, the money will be put back in the accounts ASAP (I forget if it passed already) but the may billing will start this week (or something like that). Call them and listen. :D

[Adri]

My folks got a double billing and they tried and tried to reach a live person at Hawaiian TelCom and got frustrated with a seemingly endless wait. This must have been before the recordings. I got a double billing and didn't even bother to try to contact them. I paid them, and have always paid them, on time. It's up to them to straighten out their messed up records.

[Paul]

I actually was triple billed for last month. The website shows a double payment but my bank statement shows three. I called them up last Friday. They acknowledged that I was billed twice but couldn't find the third payment on their records. They told me to call back on Monday. :mad:

[Konaguy]

I think they really under estimated the scope of transitioning to an in-house
back office operation. If hindsight was 20/20, they should've "rented"
Verizon's back office operations for a few more months. They did that for
two months already from February through March 2006.

[Adri]

I know I said I wouldn't bother but I decided I should make sure my phone bills were correct so that it wouldn't adversely impact my phone service. I finally reached someone at Hawaiian TelCom to discuss my billing. I asked the person to tell me my current balance because I made a payment this month, on time as all my payments have been, and soon thereafter received a bill that looked like a double bill and enough time has passed that they should have received my payment. The person said the current balance was the double amount. I asked the person to confirm whether they received the payment I sent this month in case the check got lost in the mail or something. The person said they received my payment the day after I sent it (well before the due date). Then I asked, even taking into account that payment, my balance is still the double amount? Then the person said they had to check something and then said no. It's only half the amount. So apparently Hawaiian TelCom's system doesn't adjust what their representatives see as the current balance due on an account even if they have received a payment. It seems to be two separate parts of their system.

The wait was annoyingly long so I tried to access my account information from their website since my billing statement says we can do that. However, it looks like we can only access our account information online if we allow them to automatically deduct payments from our bank accounts. Given how messed up their billing system seems to be, I don't want them automatically accessing my bank account.

[Linkmeister]

Since I'm cheap ($0.39 for a stamp!) and since HawTel has a store at Pearlridge which I drive past every day, I walk my payment in and get a printed receipt. That way I've got a little backup during this turbulent mucked-up time.

I don't suggest it's a remedy for everyone.

[pzarquon]

Billing woes overwhelm Hawaiian Telcom systems (http://starbulletin.com/2006/06/21/business/story01.html)
Hawaiian Telcom's transition problems surged yesterday as a flood of calls from customers with billing inquiries overloaded the phone company's call center, leaving some callers unable to reach even a recorded message... The problem is so severe that Hawaiian Telcom is asking customers who believe they received an erroneous bill to disregard the flaws, pay only what they actually owe and refrain from calling the company to discuss the errors.Sounds like they're going to have to run those "please go easy on us!" television commercials a little longer than initially budgeted.

What a mess. My mom got an incorrect bill, too. I told her to just pay for the one month. "What if they cut off our service?" she asked. I thought about it for a moment. "The way things are going over there, I doubt they'd notice, anyway. But if they cut you off, I don't really think you'd miss 'em." After all, it seems as if "land lines" are mostly targets for telemarketers, cell phones are cheap, and internet service is available elsewhere. It's a realization I'm sure more and more customers are coming to these days.

[LikaNui]

Similar story in today's Advertiser at this link (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/BUSINESS/606210351/1071).
Sure am glad I'm not a Hawaiian Telcom customer.

[Miulang]

With all the technological and billing challenges Hawaiian Telephone has experienced in its short existence, would anyone want to order cable service (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/22/br/br10p.html) from them too? :rolleyes:

Miulang

[1stwahine]

With all the technological and billing challenges Hawaiian Telephone has experienced in its short existence, would anyone want to order cable service (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/22/br/br10p.html) from them too? :rolleyes:

Miulang

Waves hand in the air! ME!!!:D

I had technological problems when I first got connected to DSL through HawnTel. Other than that - no pilikia. Absolutely no problems regarding billing. I dunno wat all the fuss is about. :confused:

Wait. I neva go check my mail yet. :eek:

Auntie Lynn

[Konaguy]

With all the technological and billing challenges Hawaiian Telephone has experienced in its short existence, would anyone want to order cable service (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/22/br/br10p.html) from them too? :rolleyes:


Well they can't be worse than Oceanic Time Warner. It bugs the heck out of
me when I call them up and I'm left on hold. Rather frustrating indeed. I'm actually looking forward to them rolling out IPTV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPTV)

HawTel's Application to DCCA (http://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/catv/cable_operators/hawaiian_telcom/cable_franchise_application.pdf)

[Dale]

I get automatic bill payment, and it's late. How can automatic bill payment be late? Under Verizon says, it was taken out every time, on time and without problems.

Maybe they will turn off service because HT forgot to pay my bill automatically???

[Paul]

I get automatic bill payment, and it's late. How can automatic bill payment be late? Under Verizon says, it was taken out every time, on time and without problems.

Maybe they will turn off service because HT forgot to pay my bill automatically???

If you had automatic bill payment under Verizon, I don't think it transferred to Haw'n Tel. You have to set it again at the HT website.

[Dale]

Was working good until they had billing problems. My automatically bill payment was transferred from VZ to HT.

Sprint did that once to me before. They disconnected me for a 42-cent balance on the account (yup, they have a policy in place that they don't want you to pay any bill less than a $1, so I did ... ignored the bill, even after calling Sprint 3x and confirming if I had to pay a 42-cents bill or not)

[Konaguy]

I was reading Hawaiian Telcom's response to the DCCA-CATV division today and
stumbled upon something very interesting. I had read in a Honolulu Advertiser
article in May that only Hawaiian Telcom DSL customers could get IPTV service.
If you read my blog, apparently they've backtracked on that requirement.

http://aaronstene.blogspot.com/2006/06/hawaiian-telcom-iptv-service-update.html