First off, let me start by filling you in on my experience with Hell
Atlantic. I originally ordered ISDN from Bell Atlantic because I was
planning on moving within a year and did not want to sign a long term
contract with a DSL provider in case where I moved did not offer the
service. (Same city, but different area). Well, Bell Atlantic flubbed
up the line installation and I went 3 days without ANY phone service.
So I cancelled the ISDN. In doing so, they tell me DSL is now available
through them with no contract. 640 down / 90 up service for $49.99 a
month. So i sign up. Well, the first 10 days were fantastic. Not a
problem. NO INSTALLATION. All I had to do was install microfilters on
my phone jack and plug the line into the external Westell DSL modem and
into my nic card. Worked great. Well, after day 10 it went to hell. I
ended up with no service for 14 out of the 29 days I had the service. I
cancelled it on day 29 so I could get my $100 back for the modem. So
whatever you do, READ DSL REPORTS AND BE FOREWARNED ABOUT BELL ATLANTIC.
So Im back at 56K. But then we had a family situation arise in which I
will not be moving probably for another year or so at the earliest. So
I called Fast.net since they offer DSL in my area using COVAD. I had to
sign a 12 month contract, but for $69.99 I get 1.5Mps down and 384 up.
I am less than 1,400 feet from the central office.
OK, here is my question observation. With BA, I had no installation.
Just the microfilters. Now, with COVAD, Bell Atlantic came out
yesterday and ran a separate data line into the box out back. Tomorrow,
a technician is coming to run it from the pole/box out back into our box
down stairs. Then on Saturday a COVAD technician comes in and installs
it onto my PC. I did not realize there was that significant of a
difference in DSL technology offerings. I would think this separate
data line would be superior method as the old method did give me some
modem noise on my telephone in the PC room, but not on our main phone
upstairs. All were on the same line. Im ASSuming COVAD is using a
splitter of some kind but using a separate data line which is to be used
for DSL only, not any phone service.
Are any of you out there more familiar with these processes,
installations, etc?
One thing I learned with my BA DSL, Im glad I kept my Earthlink account
active <VBG> The one downside is Fast.net does not give me free dial up
service as BA offered with DSL. Its only $9.99, but its not free ;)
You have to have a backup service available unless you can live without
ANY access from time to time. Or if you go with Bell Atlantic, no DSL
service a MAJORITY of the time. <G>
Scott
PA-Scott
PowerSims.com
--
Scott B. Husted
ICQ# 4395450