PenTeleData Spams Customers With Affiliate Linked Emails

For those Pennsylvania residents using PenTeleData (ptd.net) as their Internet Service Provider, there has obviously been a change in policy of what they are sending their customers via email. Sadly, they seem to have ventured into affiliate marketing by trying to get people to click on links within their emails that will generate them additional revenue.

In the last two days I have received 4 emails from them touting the services of a computer backup service called Mozy. Now, this wouldn’t be so bad except for the fact that Mozy is neither the cheapest or best service available. PenTeleData is also not recommending them out of the goodness of their heart, or for the sole interest of helping their customers, as they indicate in their spam emails.

PenTeleData is using what’s referred to as an “affiliate link,” to direct you to their recommended backup service. Clicking their provided link earns them a commission on every customer they convince to sign up with this separate and unrelated company. It’s a pretty damn good commission, too.

This makes us wonder what PennTeleData will be pushing next by claiming it is only to assist their customers. Will it be a link to large screen TV’s, or perhaps an iPhone purchase?

PenTeleData should not be using affiliate links in their customer service emails and if they do, they should openly state that they have a vested interest in promoting any item in which they are working on a commission basis.

As for computer backup services, cheaper and better ones exist.

Rather than using the company PenTeleData suggests, try Carbonite. It’s the best in the industry and we don’t make a penny if you decide to use them. They are also cheaper, if you feel you must have an online service, rather than just purchasing an external hard drive for your computer and having it automatically copy everything at home. The cost in doing that is far lower than any online service.

In the meantime you should unsubscribe to the PenTeleData email service. Obviously, they have turned the controls over to a group that is more interested in promoting items for commissions than in providing customer service.

We shouldn’t be subjected to spam from our own Internet Service Provider.