Covad’s safety net

At a time when competitive LECs and ISPs are closing their doors or selling off assets with regularity, Covad Communications is attempting to settle the concerns and troubles customers have. The provider’s new “Safety Net” program will be utilized when Covad customers are forced to switch ISPs. As part of the program, customers are able to continue using Covad services while switching to a different ISP.

The program is targeted at customers unhappy with their ISPs service and support. In most cases, the complaints are coming from ISPs undergoing financial trouble.

Covad is positioning Safety Net as a transition program, under which customers are still able to maintain a DSL connection and IP services. Customers have the option of switching to Covad.net or one of Covad’s preferred ISPs.

“Customers can go online to our Web site to see if they qualify to go through the program,” said a Covad spokeswoman. “But if you are not currently a customer of Covad’s, a different method is used.”

So far, DSL.net has announced that it is participating in the program. Covad is currently establishing agreements with several other providers as well, according to the spokeswoman.

“We worked diligently to make the Covad Safety Net experience as automatic, seamless and painless as possible for the customer and the affected ISP,” said Chuck McMinn, Covad chairman in a released statement. “We are trying very hard to manage a difficult situation with as little customer disruption as possible.”