Internet-At a Faster Pace

In a day and age where telecom's fizzle, carriers implode and demand for hosting has gone bust - companies like NY-based Fast Pace Networks march on. Why? Good old fashioned customer service.

Moving at a Faster Pace

New York, NY -- August 16, 2003 -- In a day and age where telecom's fizzle, carriers implode and demand for hosting has gone bust - companies like NY-based Fast Pace Networks march on. Why? Good old fashioned customer service.

Like a few others who got onboard early, Fast Pace Networks got started in the ISP business back in October of 1993 complete with visions of grandeur of becoming the next CompuServe or AOL.

Soon afterwards in July of 1994, the company became the first ISP in New York City to offer annual service at only $99. Ahead of its time, or again simply a bit visionary, the company's only problem was convincing its prospective customers that the price was for real.

At the urging of others it finally raised rates, though just high enough to keep away the skeptics. Not quite Net Zero, but again that was in 1994.

Fast forward to nine years later and the company has become a nationwide ISP and provider of a broad array of services. So what makes these guys special? Their web site includes a traditional list of ISP services that includes web hosting and design, along with ISDN (although that is somewhat unique today with others focused on DSL).

As a test, XSPNEWS went in search of their remote access dial up points of presence, far from the city life of New York - in what we'll call a "rural area" in the western U.S.

Not were not only surprised to find one access number - but five, all sporting the latest protocols and connection types. Beyond start pages and quick links to useful web sites - a trip to the company's web site shows the company still offers great promotion with the sign-up of annual service.

Translated otherwise it boils down to putting the customer first, providing an affordable product with needed availability.

And while the company didn't grow up to be AOL - it can be thankful that it didn't grow up to be CompuServe either.