Tangents

Optimum Online & spam popup adverts

March 15, 2013

Optimum Online & spam popup adverts

“We are not responsible for content on the internet” was the blunt line that I was deflected with when I spoke to tech support at Optimum Online / CableVision. My counterpoint is that I get these pop-ups only when logged on with my new Optimum WiFi account, and even when I browsed my own site.

Optimum tech support refused to acknowledge this, and refused to (initially) escalate this as a valid complaint. It took a 40+ minute heated phone call before the lady on the other side of the phone would even budge from that blunt refusal that there is a problem.

UPDATE:
Due to this experience with Optimum Online, and really bad experiences with their tech support, I’ve decided to go with Verizon FIOS instead for my internet connection in the studio, and close my account with Optimum Online.

My experience with Optimum Online has me wondering just how badly they must be bleeding customers to their competitors.

Back to the original story:

Here is my setup:

I have 3 Macs.

I have 3 ways of connecting to the internet:
home = Verizon FIOS (much faster than Cablevision cable)
travel = Verizon hotspot
studio = Optimum WiFi

The Optimum WiFi is new – I had it installed 2 weeks ago in my new studio. I have a username and password … I log in … and a few minutes later, these popups appear at the bottom of my screen for approx 30 seconds. Sure, not a huge problem, but my take on this is that I am paying for the internet connection. There should be no popup adverts.

I *only* get this when I log on via Optimum WiFi. Not from the other internet connections.

I get this on two of the Macs that I took to the studio. So it isn’t one specific computer showing problems.

I get these pop-up adverts when I am on my own website! Not a random website. My own website. I know what is on my website. Definitely no pop-up adverts. And certainly not for Optimum Wi-Fi.

So I called Optimum tech support. The first time they said nothing like this is possible. I said I would make screen-captures the next time I am in the studio on their internet connection. So I did the next time … and called tech support.

The lady at tech support refused (initially) to budge from the scripted text. All I got was the blunt, “We are not responsible for content on the internet”, over and over. Thirty or more times, no matter how I tried to explain that I need to send the screen-captures to someone to look at … and that they could then see what I am seeing, before evaluating this.

I asked for the problem to be escalated. I was told this wasn’t possible. Over and over. Yet, 30+ minutes into this circular conversation, she spoke to her supervisor, and I told to send the screen-captures in.

At one point, the Optimum tech support even told me I should check out the source code of my website as the originator of these spammy adverts!

I expect nothing. I don’t expect a reply or any resolution. It is clear what is happening here with Optimum feeding these spammy adverts through.

The last time I had such abysmal response to a tech call, was when I had to deal with CableVision re my internet connection (before we switched to Verizon Fios). Oh wait, CableVision *is* Optimum Online.

What baffles me is how they can insist that I am not seeing what I am seeing. “We are not responsible for content on the internet”. Sure. But you are responsible for this spam / adverts that appear. No one else would have that vested interest in having an Optimum Wi-Fi ad appear.

Here is another example. Click through on the image to see the entire browser screen capture. (Same with the image at the top.)

What now, Optimum WiFi? What now?
Explain to me again how this is not your problem?
And how my call was not a valid complaint?

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15 Comments »

UPDATE:

It would appear that I am logged into the public network, and then these pop-up adverts appear?

Optimum refuses to admit anything, but speaking to friends … this appears to be what is happening.

When the internet service was installed on 1 March, it was cabled incorrectly. No internet whatsoever.
After a call to tech support, I switched the cables around. I got internet …. but … something is still odd, and it appears I am on the public WiFi instead of my own WiFi network.

ie, I have to log on, and if I am not actively busy with the internet connection, I get bumped.

All this boils down to …
1. the installation was bungled.
2. Otpimum is worse to deal with than even the DMV in sorting something out.

Comment by Neil vN — March 15, 2013 @ 11:55 pm
It almost seems like they have their internet gateway or routers configured to inject code into the HTML pages you request while you’re accessing the Internet through their network. The injected code would be their ads. If this is true, i’d say this is a serious problem. Better start attracting some major publicity to this.

Comment by Karel — March 16, 2013 @ 1:31 am
UPDATE:

Someone emailed me the link to Optimum’s Terms of Service,
and they do allow themselves the freedom to inject adverts.

Then I wonder why the tech support were so vehemently in denial of this?

optimum.net/WiFi/TOS

“Additionally, the Optimum WiFi service may use automated processes to monitor and scan communications over the Optimum WiFi network in order to maintain and provide services, improve your experience, ensure the integrity of your communications, convey messages related to your Optimum WiFi account, deliver relevant advertising and for various other purposes related to the provision of Optimum WiFi services.”

Comment by Neil vN — March 16, 2013 @ 2:00 am
Time for a new Internet Service Provider.

Comment by Maui Wedding Photographers — March 16, 2013 @ 3:49 am
Simple really. Dump them, let them know in no uncertain terms why. Tell everybody you know… oh, you already did that! ;-)

Comment by Lanthus Clark — March 16, 2013 @ 4:30 am
I would say that “monitor and scan” does not imply “alter the data”. My strict understanding of that ToS excercept is that they are happy to track your activity and utilize the data for ad-targetting in case the ads are already delivered (this opens a bunch of interesting questions regarding passing these data to third parties, but this is US-based, not EU-based, so it doesn’t mean much, probably).

Either way, it looks like Neil is going to be looking for a new provider soon enough.

Comment by jkt — March 16, 2013 @ 4:31 am
Piss them off! :)

Comment by Trev — March 16, 2013 @ 5:34 am
This is a serious problem. You cannot modify the content your clients are requesting over the network as an ISP. Where is the limit?

Comment by Karel — March 16, 2013 @ 1:41 pm
Cancel the contract, switch to another provider. I would never ever allow anyone to inject something into my WEB, into my code… in my eyes its a severe issue. And i doubt its legal… !

Kweide

Comment by kweide — March 16, 2013 @ 2:22 pm
No-one would be in the least bit critical if you were to take your custom to another service provider. As I see it, these ‘Optimum’ people are not in the least bit ‘optimal’ in any way.

There are many service providers out there, so exercise you rights as a customer and go somewhere else. Oh, and whilst you’re at it contact your trade association and tell them what is going on as well. Optimum might find they have far fewer customers than they once had, and far fewer advertisers as well.

Best of luck with all you do, and thank you for the numerous and varied tips and tutorials you so generously provide for us.

Comment by Phil Johns — March 17, 2013 @ 1:47 pm
Wow, you’d think if their public wifi injects ads that tech support should have immediately known you were connected to the wrong wifi and begun troubleshooting the installation.

There are probably complicated ways to get around their ads using VPNs or something, but really they should fix their installation. I’d honestly look for another provider immediately if they treated me like this.

Comment by David Hogue — March 17, 2013 @ 3:05 pm
The decision has been made – I am going with Verizon FIOS.

I’m taking a much faster setup with Verizon FIOS, so I can possibly do podcasts and such from my studio in future.

So the comparison may not be entirely fair … however, my first two months with Optimum Online is free …. but my first two months with Verizon is going to be more than $400 incl installation costs. (This is partially due to me taking a much faster setup.)

So yeah … I’ll rather take the $400 knock than deal with Optimum’s free first two months.

My mind was pretty much made up, and then on Saturday morning, the day after the heated exchange with the Optimum techie, I got a call from Optimum tech support, saying that yes, these popups do appear on their WiFi service.

So I was right all along, but had to go through all that aggravation.

I still think the techie that called me on Saturday wasn’t fully informed .. or fully informing me, because I do think my friends on FB that gave me some advice, are correct in that Optimum’s public WiFi has these pop-up adverts, and that they shouldn’t appear on your personal WiFi connection.

But right now, this is a moot point.

Next week Thursday, Optimum is coming in to remove their stuff in the morning, and Verizon FIOS is installing my internet connection.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil vN — March 17, 2013 @ 3:16 pm
Great move Neil, you cannot put up with feeble attitudes and arrogance.

Send them a link to show them you were not to be screwed with!

Comment by Trev — March 17, 2013 @ 7:58 pm
Here are the SpeedTest results for internet speeds at my studio:

Admittedly, this is skewed, since I did pay extra for Verizon to bump the speed up from the basic package.

The baseline comparison should be the internet speed I get at home with Verizon FIOS … still much faster than Optimum Online. Really, the speed difference is quiet dramatic.

And … no popup adverts. And no arguments with tech support about whether this even exist.

Comment by Neil vN — March 26, 2013 @ 7:26 am
speedtest.net results for Optimum Online at my studio

speedtest.net results for Verizon FIOS at my studio

speedtest.net results for Verizon FIOS at my home

Comment by Neil vN — March 26, 2013 @ 7:27 am