James Atkins

Review of Consolidated Smart Systems

Without a doubt, the absolute worst internet servi...

Without a doubt, the absolute worst internet service provider ever. I repeat: ever. I have gone back and forth with CSS for the past 10 months trying to get this fixed. I can't eve begin to count the emails traded with them, but I've also had 4 techs sent out and had my modem replaced 3 times (even though that wasn't the problem), and still the internet goes down consistently every 5-10 minutes. This is not an exaggeration. I have to reset my Wi-Fi and/or modem every 5-10 minutes. Details as follows:

1) Again, I repeat: internet goes down every 5-10 minutes. For someone that relies on internet for business, this is 100% unacceptable. Even every neighbor I've asked--who all use the internet mostly for entertainment--express the same issue. So, business-related or pleasure-related, the fact is we are all paying customers, and this is inexcusable.

2) Tying into the last statement: I build a lot of websites and send a lot of emails. This means I have to make sure that my work is backed up before hitting save/publish/etc. Normally, I do this anyway, just to be safe (like this review). However, every so often, I forget. And sometimes I've just built out a web page of more than 1,000 words, only to hit 'save' and find the next page telling me there's no connection to the internet. This means I have to re-do the ENTIRE webpage all over again. Same with email: I often type out a very lengthy message and spend the next 10 minutes just trying to send it.

3) CSS holds an exclusivity deal (read: monopoly) on our apartment complex (Ocean Club in Redondo Beach). This is the worst of the worst, because it means everyone living here has no option but to use CSS. Accordingly, this has left me no choice but to find another place to live, where I have ISP options. There's a reason courts consistently rule against monopolies; it leaves the sole business with no incentive to improve, with customers dropping hard-earned cash for sub-par services. My guess is that CSS sets up dirt-cheap deals with apartment complexes just to keep themselves in business. At the expense of all the tenants, of course.

Do not, do not, do NOT use CSS. If your apartment complex uses only one ISP, find another place to live. No matter how you slice it, these people are thieves.