The latest J.D. Power customer satisfaction ratings for Internet service have telcos leading cable companies in customer satisfaction for broadband service. Qwest was rated highest in the west and Verizon in the north central region. Earthlink performed well, receiving the highest ratings in the south and east regions. No cable company led in any region, but Cablevision placed second in the east, ahead of Verizon. Surprisingly, dial-up Internet subscribers indicated a higher customer satisfaction rating than broadband subscribers. The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with high-speed and dial-up Internet service providers based on seven factors: performance and reliability; image; cost of service; offerings and promotions; billing; customer service/technical support; and e-mail services.
