cvaughn919 - To DSL or Not DSL...that is the question

cvaughn919

A Solitary Heathen's Worldview in Modern Times

To DSL or Not DSL...that is the question

Well,
    Have been fighting the battle of trying to keep connected for over a week now. Seems the phone company and Basic just want to point finger at each other? The local phone co. has said since the beginning that they believe the problem is with my modem itself, though is one of the "new" and pretty small ones not much bigger than a cigarette pack. Basic ISP our course says the problem is with the quality of the phone line. I had about a week of trouble when I first got the dsl out here a couple months ago, and since then has worked fine ... until the week before last that is.

    What to do now? I do not know. Have had no luck resolving and can't see paying for service that does not work. I was happy when the phone lines got upgraded a couple months back and could finally support DSL. Before that I was among the 40 million or so Americans who live in places without viable access to high speed internet. I do not count the satellite providers, because they are so expensive, as well as they charge you extra for your data amounts and limit without "excess" charges is some idiotic amount like 8 megs a day?

   So, the phone co. has been out here twice in past week. Both times saying the line was fine. I have called in to Basic ISP cust service numerous times. Each time I have to disconnect the computer because there is no phone in that room. So it must be moved to another room where I have to hook it up and then call in. After a couple fruitless hours of trying to get the service working, it must then be shut down, disconnected, and moved back to the bedroom where it is supposed to be at. It is the same phone line (splitter) so that is not the issue as the phone co. already checked it. But all I get is a "red" lite for internet on my modem.

   Anyways the last time I was on with Basic Cust Svc., they said leave the 'puter where it was at and they would check with phone co. and call me back. They never called back, and because i left 'puter in the dining room, the cat chewed thru the power cord to the modem. That is why the computer is in the bedroom (cat free zone pretty much). So what to do now? I have no clue. Every time the phone co. come out they want to sell you their internet. It is cheaper than Basic at $15 a month but you must sign a 2 yr contract. I did not like the sound of that coz you have to pay it even if you quit (15/mo for each month of 2 yr contract) no matter what...like a cell contract?

anyone have any suggestions?

too bad the dial up is only good for checking the e-mail. is too slow to do any real work on web or even for listening to music...

chris (disgruntled Basic customer)

Posted: Sunday, July 03, 2011 with 2 comment(s).

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Tags: What DSL service?,

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Comments

I feel your pain

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 12:56 PM by suengenenc

I am STILL in the dial-up hell. Tried to send a movie to my daughter over the internet. HAHA Jokes on me!! The ISP (Basic) resets and interrupts the data, and it fails every time!! I HATE DIAL UP!! Now, after reading your blog, I am truly afraid of the alternative!
Geez, I hate the phone company too. They always say their line is fine. We fought with them for 10 years!! I finally just let it go. I deal with the bad days. The rain makes the line speed a joke! The pop and crackle of the line dumps me off. Sigh. I used to love where we live (in the mountains)
Can't afford that satellite internet either. A friend once said to me, "They certainly are very PROUD of their product"! That's an understatement. Talk about gouging.
Anyway, I digress.
I am so disappointed to hear of your problems with the DSL. I will make a guess that the "phone lines" ARE truly part of the problem. The line repairmen are told to lie to the customers. More than once, a repairman came clean with us, and admitted that the lines were so overloaded with customers, that they actually have melted! They stretch the number of users per lines beyond the limit, and won't admit it. So, to, the internet providers are most likely doing the same thing. Money is tight, or money is everything. Take your pick.

I have no real hope that the two most important parties (telephone company and ISP ) will ever be a solution to your problem. I'm jealous that you "have" DSL, but am sad, very sad by your plight.
Sue

No More DSL

Thursday, July 28, 2011 6:14 PM by cvaughn919

Yah, Ended up having to cancel out of the dsl (basic). Dunno who was responsible but 8 weeks I had it and it worked about 5 of the 8 weeks. that is unacceptable. i agree with you likely the phone co. here they have the added duty of trying to sell you their high speed internet so they don't really want anyone else's to work if you catch my drift. so i am back to the dial up jungle where you cannot do much else besides check e-mail. so sad. news said over 40 million americans live in areas without dsl service. wonder how many more live in places like here where you are supposed to have it but it dont work!!! bet another 40 million, only developed country that has so many people stuck on outmoded dial up that is largely useless. cant do any streaming, no movies, no tv, no radio even at the special low speed if avail. does not work right. too sad.

warning: avoid the satellite like the plague. they charge super high overage fees for anything reasonable in the way of usage. could end up paying hundreds a month for doing broadband like movies etc. avoid. they are toxic same for their tv products they are bad news and all they do is add excess charges constantly. avoid avoid avoid.