Phone Co and Internet Connection Speeds

[pc]

Hi,
I'm wondering if any of you are experiencing this. Here's the background.

The community I live in is being "locked" out from connecting at any speeds higher than 28,800. The reason I was told was "this is just the way it is" and off the record, I was told it's because the phone co. doesn't want to upgrade it's equipment - $$$$.

Basically, what is happening is that although I am paying the same rate as someone 2 minutes away from me in another city, I am not being provided the same service that this other person is. Well, this really ticks me off because I've spent a lot of money on a high speed computer that I can't utilize to its potential.

I was also told by an extremely rude phone co employee that I could just buy an ISDN line for an extra $100 a month if I want to connect at a higher speed. Well, why would I want to pay $100 for something that my neighbors 2 minutes away get anyway and they don't have to have an ISDN line? Crazy!!

Couldn't this be considered an unfair business practice by the phone co? I'm not one to sue but myself and others in the community that I've spoken to, especially the ones that work at home online, would like to see this corrected.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

We're trying to decide what to do to get someone to look into this. We think probably we need to contact the Public Service Commission and the FCC.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you.

[Terra]

AAAAAARrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

My problem is EXACTLY the opposite!

Where we live, I can get 56K just fine, but the phone company will not deliver ISDN to my home...

They want me to pay bookoo bucks so that I can pay for THEIR card that they can install in their cabinent so that I can feel priviliged to be eL33t that I have ISDN...[nbsp][nbsp]Baahhhhhh![nbsp][nbsp]I am so pi$$ed off over this...[nbsp][nbsp]They want me to pay $1400 (plus monthly charge) for their equipment upgrades so I can enhance their network and their service offerings...

Needless to say, I'm still stuck on 56K...

BUT wait -- IT gets better!

56K == YES
ISDN == NO
Cable Modem = NO
T-1 == YES

Eiyeeeee!

I can't have the lower offerings, but can have a T-1 connection run into my house for a paltry $4200/month...[nbsp][nbsp]Go figure!?!?!?!?

This is Sprint were talking about...

Gotta love the Telco's were they don't give a rat's *butt* about their customers, nor the service offerings they provide...

--
Terra
--PFFT!--
FutureQuest

[Deb]

Gee thanks pc... see what you started now?

Deb
[nbsp][nbsp]--
[nbsp][nbsp] Off to go hide in the closet while TeRRa vents ;)[nbsp]

[Terra]

BTW, did I fail to mention that I had 2 ISDN installation tickets scheduled for 9/21/99 and found out a few days ago that I couldn't have it after waiting a month already...

GRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr!!!

--
Terra
--I am SOOOOO over it!--
FutureQuest

[Terra]

Fine!, but I'm going to have the last laugh!!!

I think I'll move to another state that does NOT have Sprint telephone service, and use one of their competitors!

Ha!

In your face Sprint!

--
Terra
--I'll show them--
FutureQuest

[Justin]

Well, I found out that we won't have cable modems for another 6 months - it reminds me of when a women turns 29 - they seem to remain 29 forever... I've been hearing 6 months for 2 years!

All I can get is either ISDN, DSL, or one of the other high speed options - but no cable modem... grrr...[nbsp][nbsp]Oh, well, at least I'll be able to watch FOX ;)


------------------
Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Terra]

bump

[pc]

Sorry, Deb! ;)[nbsp][nbsp]Should I ship you some earplugs by overnight express?

I would be *THRILLED* to at least get a 56K connection. My modem is actually cable modem ready but of course I can't utilize that either.

I am really peeved!!

I had the phone co come out 2 years ago and check my phone lines because I couldn't connect any higher. They told me it was my modem which I didn't believe but I let it go. So basically they lied. That's harsh sounding, I realize, but the truth.

Now I have this nice new speedy computer and it isn't speedy because they're doing this. It's like driving a Ferrari in the school speed zone.

Any suggestions on what to do? My neighbors are going to rally together to try and get something done on this. And no, we don't live in the "sticks". The phone co is just being cheap and not providing us with the service they provide others.

Sorry Terra! I'll bet to a smart techie like you, this is a really big blow. And also, I have to say that when I read one of your posts on Server News or Server Suggestions, I am still amazed that you are really speaking English. You're techie talk just blows my little mind away (really!). ;)[nbsp][nbsp]I've got to learn some of this stuff you are talking about.

Forever Technically Challenged,
pc

[sheila]

All I can get is either ISDN, DSL, or one of the other high speed options - but no cable modem... grrr... You don't want cable modem. It's almost as expensive as DSL, but as more customers sign on it gets slower and slower as you all share the bandwidth.

Better to just get DSL and have guaranteed speed.

[Armand]

Okay I've done this rant before but always have the need to get it out of my system every once in a while.

Same thing here pc![nbsp][nbsp]I have been fighting with my Telco for nearly a year over the same issue.[nbsp][nbsp]Telco snobbery... they are willing to upgrade certain parts of the city to new fiber optics but not mine.[nbsp][nbsp]Boils down to company only feels obligated to upgrade areas where the per captia income is like 50K -75K or above which is probably like 10% of the city.[nbsp][nbsp]Meanwhile the rest of us run on phone lines the company admits are nearly 50 years old and are lucky to get the full 28.8.[nbsp][nbsp]Yet AOL and state give them millions upon millions to upgrade.[nbsp][nbsp]Can we say MONOPOLY's evil?

50 years on the old lines... come on... you've made your money and are getting financial incentives to upgrade for christ sakes... what more does it take?

ISDN finally just started being offered as far as I know.[nbsp][nbsp]So cable and ISDN is available I believe, but can you say reamed? I knew you could.

All in all, I really feel everybody's pain on this one. But I'd give Terra's left arm for that 56k connection....LOL.. Sorry I need mine...lol. ;)[nbsp]

[YFS200]

GT&E: "You need to be within 3 miles of the central station for DSL."

Me: "What exactly a 'central station'? Some box on the road, or a building? Please say box because I am quite near one. A[nbsp][nbsp]friend ran it over with his tractor last week and you had to dig it up and replace it."

GT&E: "I am not sure what a 'central station' is in your area. It may be a large building."

Me: "I live in a town with a population of 500 people, I think I would notice a building with GT&E painting on the side. Can't really hide something like that."

GT&E: "With that small of a subscriber base, it's not going to be a large building. You have a good chance that the phone system is old and can not handle DSL."

Me: "So when's the phone system going to be up graded?"

GT&E: "It normally is when the existing system becomes over loaded or damaged and has to be replaced."

Me: "With this town, the chances it will become over loaded is null. So I am stuck with 14.4 connection?"

GT&E: "You should get at at least a 28.8 connection with the current equipment."

Me: "Maybe when the noise that sounds like a guy attacking the line with a weed wacker stops, But you have been out 4 times and still can't fine him."
[nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp]
GT&E: "We can send out another crew."

Me: "No thanks, I am going to call that friend with the tractor and go 'central station' hunting."

GT&amp;E: <click>

Me: &quot;Hello? Hello?&quot;


Ok, so that's not excatly how it happened. But it's close.

Phone equipment can't handle DSL and I am way to far from the 'central station' to get it even if it could. I will try again in 2004.

[nbsp]
Eddie
[nbsp]

[Terra]

Me: &quot;What exactly a 'central station'? Some box on the road, or a building? Please say box because I am quite near one. A[nbsp][nbsp]friend ran it over with his tractor last week and you had to dig it up and replace it.&quot;
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

--
Terra
--Tears in my eyes--
FutureQuest

[Deb]

:D ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Rich]

PC:

If you are using a 56k modem, one common reason for a consistent 28.8 connection is that the route you take performs more than one analog-digital conversion. This is the case in areas where telcos have not completed their analog-digital line upgrades.

The telcos have no responsibility to provide data grade connections. However, they DO have a responsibility to provide a voice grade connection that is within established limits. If the problem is due to a line noise problem and not due to the number of a-d conversions, then sometimes making sure that the route meets voice standards can also restore your data connections. :) You can ask your phone company to run tests on a trace and provide you with the data. They are required to do this if you provide sufficient data to indicate that a noise problem may be present. For more info, see:

http://help.ibm.net/helplib/tlcoinfo.html

Another possibility is to change ISP's. When you change ISP's you will obtain a different route to different modems and this will sometimes resolve the problem (since a different route may not have more than one a-d conversion, or perhaps is an all digital path.)

To find out if the problem is more &quot;local,&quot; like right outside your house wiring, you can try connecting to your ISP using their 800 number, if they have one. These are almost always connected over an all digital route.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Rich
-- &quot;Hello. Is the party to whom I am speaking?&quot;

[Dean B]

And to think I was only complaining about my 49300 connection last week .......... ;)[nbsp]

[Leigh]

I'll also second that the cable modems aren't all they are cracked up to be.[nbsp][nbsp]It has gotten slower and slower and TCI/AT&amp;T is notorious for making you wait on the phone 45+ minutes for tech support![nbsp][nbsp]Mine is $39.95, not as high as a DSL so I guess it is okay.

It does give a faster download most of the time, but just general surfing and that &quot;instant&quot; loading of images is a bunch of hooey.[nbsp][nbsp]The commercial lied![nbsp][nbsp]And I loved that commercial!!!!!

But I really shouldn't complain...

Leigh

[elite]

If you have a lot of people in your area on the cable modem it can slow things down, but dont frey they can give your area more bandwith easily but wont do it unless you complain..

[pc]

Here's a letter I received today from BellWeWantAllYourMoneyButWontGiveYouServiceSouth:

Thank you for your message to BellSouth® Online.[nbsp][nbsp]Unfortunately, your problem is not uncommon. Please remember that the phone system is designed for voice not data. The connection speed for a standard analog line can be influenced by a number of factors. BellSouth® can only offer you a certain connectivity over your voice grade telephone line. The connection speed for a standard analog line can be influenced by a number of factors such as the distance from our central office, weather conditions, your modem settings, or even the time of day that you are trying to access your Internet Service Provider. Please check your diagnostic program for your modem and verify your ISP setup to make sure you have selected the highest speed offered. You may also contact our repair center at 557-6111 to have routine testing performed on the line to insure there is no problem on our end. You are using a voice grade analog line. For faster access you will need a faster line. In some areas we can! now offer:

(1) ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) which allows you to transmit high speed (voice, data, fax, and video) between two locations simultaneously over a traditional telephone line using ISDN equipment. For more information on ISDN please visit our website at:
http://www.bellsouthonline.com/isdn/index.html or call 1 800 858-9413 .

(2) ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) which can be used for connecting to the Internet or to a corporate LAN at connection speeds significantly higher than analog service. ADSL is provisioned using existing telephone lines and allows data traffic to be sent over channels not used for voice transmission. Bell.South.net Fast Access is BellSouth.net's offering of ADSL service. For more information on BellSouth.net Fast Access go to website:
http:www.bellsouth.net/external/adsl or call 1 888-321-adsl (2375).

Thank you for choosing BellSouth®
*my comment* for the above statement: I don't know of any other provider in my area, so where's the choice?


Here are the prices for the ISDN service:


1. 60 hours included in monthly flat rate 3¢per minute over 60 hours USAGE Cap of $245/month[nbsp][nbsp] LATA boundary local calling area[nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp]
2. 120 hours included in monthly flat rate 2¢per minute over 120 hours USAGE Cap of $220/month LATA boundary local calling area

3. 240 hours included in monthly flat rate 1¢per minute over 240 hours USAGE Cap of $195/month LATA boundary local calling area

4. 800 hours included in monthly flat rate 1¢per minute over 800 hours USAGE Cap of $110/month LATA boundary local calling area

5. Unlimited hours included in monthly flat rate LATA boundary local calling area

6. 200 hours included in monthly flat rate 1¢per minute over 200 hours[nbsp][nbsp] Basic local calling area
[nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp]

WHAT A DEAL!!


So, no one said anything about if there is actually anything you can do. We do know that BellS is blocking us purposely. That was told to us by a BellS employee. Is there anything that can be done? All I want is 56K service!!
[nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp][nbsp]

[This message has been edited by pc (edited 09-23-99)]