Down And Out
Had at least a couple posts to make this morning, but I lost my DSL connection around 9am and still don't have it back as I write this. Luckily, SBCGlobal, AT&T, or whoever I'm using now, also gives free dial up connections for their customers, so I can post this using dial- up.
I'll post whatever I was gonna post when my DSL is back up and running.
As an aside, I'll have to say I've had more connection problems with DSL than I ever remember having with good old Humboldt Internet dial- up. Not that it happens all the time, just a lot more than I remember happening with Humboldt Internet.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 10:06 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Anybody else having problems, or is it just me?
We're trying a satellite connection. It should be installed Friday, after years of dial-up out in the country (no DSL, though we can see the main line from the house). FYI, it's HughesNet, about $500 for installation and $60/mo.
I've got no DSL troubles right now. I've never had any problems -- I've been very impressed with the service, actually.
Strange that you'd go down and I wouldn't. Don't you live pretty much right next to the phone company's switching station?
I may be facing what Fred's going through with my SBC DSL. After complaining bitterly about the unnotified raise in my DSL rates from 19.95/mo to 34/mo they agreed to give me a 21/mo rate but last week I got another AT&T/SBC phone solicitation telling me their raising my rates back up to 34/mo so again I will have to complain to get my rate back. SBC jacks you around with their rates I think deliberately confusing customers with rate changes.
Hank wrote, "Strange that you'd go down and I wouldn't. Don't you live pretty much right next to the phone company's switching station?".
Yep, something like three blocks. Weird how I've had so many problems. Today's problem seems to be fixed now, though.
Actually, most of the problems I have had with DSL are usually short lived, and at least they have a 24/7 hotline to report problems. Problem with that is, it seems to be one of those foreign phone banks where the techs often can barely speak english.
I did have one extended problem with Humboldt Internet, way back when. I could connect, but the connection was so bad I'd often get disconnected while downloading e-mail.
I let it go for a few days, figuring everyone else was having problems too and they were working on fixing it. Finally, as the problem continued, I called Humboldt Internet and they said they weren't aware of any problems at all.
I ended up calling the phone company and got one of those automated line tests. They told me everything with my phone line was fine. I was at my wits end as I'd decided the problem was with my phone line. Phone company said the problem was likely on the inside of my house and it was my problem to deal with.
I couldn't see how, as nothing inside the house and phone line had been altered.
Finally- I believe it was on Memorial Day- it was becoming unbearable. I happened to go outside and actually saw a PacBell guy working on the phone lines a few house down across the street. I went down and asked him if there was a problem with the phone lines.
He said none that he knew of that would cause my problem but he'd come check it out. He was trying to eat up all the overtime from working on a holiday.
He came over within the hour and reiterated that, if the problem was between the terminal on the wall of my house and my phone, it was my problem. He put his meter on my line ( I think he was expecting the problem to be inside the house). All of the sudden he raised his eyes and said, "Nope. It's our phone lines. We'll have to take care of it.".
Within a couple hours he had me up and running again.
anon10:21 We had satellite for several years up in Weitchpec. It was Starband then but it became Hughesnet. We were off grid and had to shut down the modem when not in use. It was almost as fast as DSL on download but about equal to dialup on upload. There were very few problems and the guy who installed it Dex of "Teledex" was super helpful. As I recall it was around a grand for the equipment and installation. We now have cable internet and it is so far the best. Good luck.
down and out? does this mean you'll be spanging for internet service?
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