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I just want to share my experience with Choice Wireless internet service with everyone. Based on all of the ads I saw boasting the fastest speeds available and great service I went and purchased a Choice Greenpacket modem and their wireless internet service of 1 mbps. I figured I would go with the 1 mbps and see how it goes then upgrade later if I needed too. The woman at the store set my modem up there and tested it to make sure everything was working correctly. I then drove home and set up my modem as instructed by the salesperson. I put it near a window and was getting a strong signal as all 3 lights were on. I was able to connect to the internet so I was happy.
As the days went on, I starting becoming very frustrated with the slow speed, and also I was getting disconnected from the signal about once an hour. I started doing speed tests and I was getting a pretty consistent 30 mbps. I knew this wasnt going to cut it so I went back to the store and told them what was going on and asked if I upgraded to the 3 mbps if that would improve my situation and the salesperson said "oh yes" very convincingly. She also put a note in her system to have someone call me. So now with the upgrade I get home and for the next week I am reading about 90 mbps pretty consistently even with a strong signal. My signal is still dropping about once an hour for 5 to 10 minutes. I have moved the modem and tried every window in the house and nothing helped. At times I would lose signal even for a few hours. I called customer service one night but couldnt even get through to anyone.
I had enough anyway at that point and decided to call BBVI. So I returned my Green Packet modem after 3 weeks of using it. After all of the refunds Choice still charges me about 90 dollars! I called to complain and they said there was nothing they can do about the charges. They said they were usage charges and will stay. They said they cannot refund those charges. I explained to them that it is poor business to advertise and sell a product, not deliver as promised, and then charge the customer anyway. She said that because I did not try to troubleshoot the modem with themover the phone, that it was my fault it didnt work. I have never dealt with such terrible business practices in my life.
On the other hand since getting BBVI I have NEVER lost signal and get an average speed of 3 mbps and sometimes early in the morning I even get over 5!
I hope this help out other people who are exploring internet on STX.
Posted : August 3, 2012 12:07 pm
There are several threads on this forum about Choice and its sheer inability to deliver what it promises. Tony Shepherd is the CEO. I inflicted upon him total misery with the incessant problems I had with the service and finally was refunded EVERYTHING I had paid.
Posted : August 3, 2012 12:15 pm
Choice has no ability to deliver the speeds they are promising. They built their network on Wimax technology that everyone else is moving away from (including Sprint who was an early backer) in favor of LTE. The towers have not even close to the "backhaul" aka connection lines to the internet needed to service the number of users per tower at the speeds they are promising. If they were a bigger company someone might even be tempted to sue them for false advertising for what they are doing. It is a shame as there is a demand for higher speed internet but they are clearly not the ones to provide it.
For now BBVI is your best option on the island by far.
Sean
Posted : August 4, 2012 12:40 pm
@the-oldtart Choice Wireless promised EVERYTHING and they made good for a while. Our local store closed without notice and now, I have no cell service because I'm "nit registered to any network". Biy, they sure t=do take my money outta my account right on time every month, though? Living in a remote area, trying to plan my Great-uncle's funeral. Choice Wireless SUCKS.
Posted : May 29, 2022 10:05 pm
Choice Wireless SUCKS.
The only internet service in the VI that doesn't suck is Starlink satellite internet.
Sure you have to buy your equipment upfront for about $500 but for $110 a month, you'll enjoy blazing fast speeds of >200 mbps which will enable you to stream anything in HD or 4K on multiple devices without any data caps.
For comparison, I have Liberty BBVI's "Business Platinum" service at my office which suggests up to 52 mbps for $299 a month (yes, you read that correctly $299 a month). Well...I check my speeds everyday and rarely see anything faster than 25 mbps and usually about 15 mbps.
Additionally, Starlink will not be affected by hurricanes. You simple take dishy down before things get hairy and as soon as the hurricane passes, fire your generator and put it back up for awesome internet and wifi calling while everyone else has no service for days or weeks.
So, the moral of the story is Starlink is the best internet service in the VI...period.
Posted : May 31, 2022 8:46 am
Agreed!!!!!!!!
Posted : June 1, 2022 8:22 am
