[sathackr]

I cut my teeth at an "ISP" that would order a business DSL line at a MDU/Apartment complex, run it through a Linksys router, then over the phone wiring using 2-wire "HomePNA" devices and charge each person $30/month for the service.

The routers locked up so much they had one of those plug-in timers [1] set to reboot the router each night during their 'daily maintenance period'. They wouldn't even dispatch someone to do it when they started getting calls.

[1] http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-15153-GE-Mechanical-24-Hour-1-O...

[atombender]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read on HN.

[sathackr]

I left after about 6 months. This was around 2001.

They also got in trouble with the LEC(and law enforcement) for using the LEC copper to interconnect their equipment between buildings. It was a common practice for them to tone out pairs in a neighborhood and patch their own wires in using the LEC's boxes and wiring.

They are no longer in business.