Tech: DSL, who is good?

Subject: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Bert
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 10:41 AM

I'm looking for a DSL service supplier. I've ben trying to get a DSL line through Verizon and after nearly a month I'm still getting a runaround.

SO who is good out there?

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:39 AM

I have been pretty pleased with SBC, which was bought out by Yahoo!

I had been trying to get DSL services for about two years, and kept being told that I was too far from the switch point. Finally, with improvement in technology, the perimeter moved out to include me. I was at that time getting my telephone service from a third-party seller, whose name I disremember now. I was told that to get a DSL line I had to be a telephone customer of Ameritech, the local phone company. Fine; I switched, and got the DSL line. Had Ameritech as my ISP and phone company. Then SBC merged with Ameritech, and so THEY were my phone and ISP source. And then Yahoo! bought out or merged or absorbed (you pick the word) SBC. So now it's SBC-Yahoo. I'm pleased enough with their service.

It would be possible for me to switch ISPs, but by committing to a year's coverage at a time I get a substantially lower rate, and since I'm generally happy I just renewed for another year.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Bert
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 12:37 PM

Thanks Dave.

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Bert
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:27 PM

refresh. someone else must have something good to say about their DSL provider

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:40 PM

I use Speakeasy. Not the cheapest but damn reliable with good support. From what I hear, AOL is a bad idea, mostly.

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: artbrooks
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:43 PM

I'm pleased with Earthlink, even though ( I understand) they have some kind of corporate tie with AOL. Their spam filter is pretty good. DSL plus ISP costs about $50 per month, and they provide the DSL modem and phone line filter w/o extra charge.

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Bert
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 08:34 AM

Thanks guys,

I'll take a look at those choices.

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:22 AM

Another vote for Earthlink.

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 11:47 AM

I also use Earthlink. No, I don't believe they're tied with AOL. At one time, CompuServ and it's small subsidiary Sprynet were purchased by AOL. But Sprynet was set up as a reaction to AOL, for people who didn't want all of the AOL nonsense. They sold us (I still have a sprynet address) to Mindspring, out of Georgia. Several years ago Mindspring (which is where much of Earthlink's innovative spam-blocking software comes from) and Earthlink merged.

It was agonizing at times to be moved around from one server to another, but as GUIs became easier to use, the latest shifts have been more or less seamless. I live close to a Southwestern Bell node, but I use Earthlink. It in turn actually contracts with Covad to provide the DSL service. Covad provides service to several DSL providers, Southwestern Bell included, I think. I am happy with my service, they've replaced a modem for me when an earlier one didn't work, and were helpful in arranging the filters so I don't have to filter all of my phones. (I have a dedicated filtered DSL line in my office while the rest of the house gets phone service on that same line). The only time I encountered a problem was when I was setting up my own wireless network in the house and couldn't get a connection. I called Earthlink and the tech pooh-poohed my questions. I'm sure they'd prefer to give me the equipment and charge me $10 a month for infinity to have them set up my wireless network. I complained about this next time they asked about my customer service, but that was the end of it. I think it's a losing proposition for them to try to offer wireless when you can buy the system (modem and reciever card) for under $100 one time cost.

Earthlink costs a bit more than some others, about $50 a month. But if you read the small print, those that cost less now are offering special low rates for the first few months or year. Then it goes up to around what Earthlink charges. I figure for the hastle of switching all of my accounts and email it isn't worth trying to save a few dollars in the short term.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: JudyB
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 12:22 PM

I have Verizon, which is the only game in town at the moment - though I'm hoping the local ISP we use for dial-up will expand its DSL coverage to our area - it does reach some surrounding towns now. I've had a number of billing hassles - they keep changing the rules about what I need for service to keep my 29.95/month rate, though I think we've finally resolved that (rate without a Verizon phone "package" is 34.95 in Maine at present). I tend not to use the word "lie" - but the salesperson and I definitely had a different interpretation on the meaning of "next Tuesday" - and when I called the support number to find out why I hadn't received the confirmation call that my line was ready to go, the support people said the sales people had no way of seeing the service people's schedule, so they couldn't give me a date for the switching on of the service that had any relation to reality. They apparently pick a date at random, possibly based on some sort of statistical average.

The other problem I have with Verizon is that none of our friends in Australia can see the web site that comes with my package. They can e-mail to my Verizon address, but when they tried to go to the web site, they got versions of "This page cannot be displayed" and/or time-out messages. The tech people at Verizon swore they'd never heard of such a thing and didn't see how they could be blocking access from a whole corner of the globe - but I think they are. That may not be a problem for everyone - but we wanted to make our Australia photos available to the folks who'd provided such great hospitality while we were there. I moved them all to Charley's overworked site, and everyone could view them there. Something else to consider if you have some choices.

JudyB

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 01:33 PM

I have Earthlink, which is currently good--set up was traumatic--and it took more than a month to actually get it to work--tech support insisted that if it didn't work, it was because of some peculiarity in my phone wiring, which I almost believed, til I discovered my neighbor, who is a networking techie for a government contractor, was having the same problems getting the service to work that I was--then one sunny day, it connected without a hitch--

The above problems aside, Earthlink support is much better than Verizon support--

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: freightdawg
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:04 PM

We use MSN through Qwest phone service. We had been on AOL and we will never go back. Every once in a while we will have a little problem with the service, but it always seems to be located with the town in which we live, and the service is never down for more than 2-3 hours. When I have been able to get an answer it is usually do to the switching station (or some such thing) being snafu.

The service itself is great. We have had no complaints, and the price is right too (the Mrs. is the bookkeeper, so I can't give specifics.) Since we combine our long distance service and the DSL together we get a price break on both.

Hope you get your DSL. I hear cable is even faster, but comparing DSL to dial-up is like comparing a cheetah to a cockroach (in a lot more ways than one.)

Freightdawg

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:51 PM

there are 'sometimes' smaller companies that have good service....although I doubt it can help Bert, ToadNet is an example. (Wash. DC area and Eastern shore)

Subject: RE: Tech: DSL, who is good?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 02:15 AM

The thing about Earthlink as a bigger company is that they're aggressively pursuing the abusive spammers and are winning in court. It may be a Pyrrhic victory considering what those court cases must cost and how much spam continues to fill the IN box.

SRS