DSL - getting it fixed

[SARGE]

I suffered/learned through the 56k craze. I learned all the different variables involved in getting or not getting the preferred speeds and disconnects. Poor telco lines always dropped the speeds and caused disconnects. Providing the lines were ok, I learned to decipher between modem and ISP problems. All that has quietly gone away now that DSL has arrived. This is a whole new game.

Here's what I've found so far. First, the gov't and its rules has severely limited who troubleshoots and how. The DSL is actually owned by the vendor, not the telco. Telcos provide the outside lines. The equipment in the office and everything beyond the dmarc is the customers and vendors. When DSL doesn't work, the party begins. The DSL vendor is dispatched and says "no DSL signal at dmarc". Telco is dispatched and says line is working and talking. Telco is not allowed to have test sets to see where the signal is failing, or to even see if signal leaving the office. Telco refers back to vendor. Customer is still waiting and waiting. The trouble is usually found in the office (remember the vendor owns the dsl equipment, not the telco).

I've seen DSL run on incredibly poor telco lines, even when you couldn't talk on the line. The only factor regarding telco is the distance factor. Perhaps, when the wrinkles are ironed out, better coordination will result in better service. In the meantime, guess who gets the bad rap? And you already know the customer is in the middle. I remember when one call did all - no more. Competition is a bittersweet pill.

[Xayd]

Bugs, yes, but I prefer competition to the alternative. Remember when ISDN was over 200 bucks a month?

I had the DSL-Hell that many folks went through, and it comes down to the provider usually. Every problem that came down to a line issue was fixed promptly, I had no complaints from the telco techs. Routing, hardware, and software issues, on the other hand, are a nightmare. SBC has dialup techs working DSL support. A big recipe for disaster. The tech support people don't know how anything works, all they can do is stall you until you give up and slam the phone down. The customer is basically on his or her own to troubleshoot and nail down a problem, then beat SBC techs over the head with the obvious issues until they're resolved.

But when it works, it works great. Since I've gotten everything working I've had uptime of about 95%, and no degrade in speed.

I have no quarrel with you guys who fix lines Sarge. But I have no doubt in my mind that if there were no competition in-state long distance would shoot right back up to 40+ cents a minute, broadband over telco lines would be so outrageously expensive that only successful businesses would be able to afford it, and Joe Q. Citizen would be back to square one.

Think about this, though. With cable internet access, there's no reason to have a phone line anymore. You can get about 400 minutes of nationwide digital cell phone usage from Suncom for 60 a month. Back in Louisiana, you pay 65 a month for a 50 mile radius.

If I didn't have DSL, there'd be no telco line running into my house, period. This isn't the fault of the wireless companies or the consumer. Telco's have abused their monopolies for years, and will very soon be replaced by wireless providers for voice service IMHO.

Xayd