Help!!! I would like to get DSL.

Just a quick warning about DSL. I went this route when I first moved from dial-up. Just a couple weeks into the service I was not very happy with the speed. For over a year SBC (my ISP) advised that I should try a variety of things to speed up my connection. Only after my contract was up and I advised them that I was leaving for a cable connection did they finally tell me that I was at the very fartherst point that they supply service and that the wiring in my neighborhood was very old. They were going to be upgrading it soon and offered a "special" that I promptly refused.
Most areas have both cable and DSL available. Right now in my area the prices are very competitive. Under $20 per month for a year contract. Also, if you have Time Warner cable for instance you don't have to have Roadrunner. You could elect to use Earthlink by Sprint. The best advise I can give you is shop around. Contracts are usually designed to protect the provider, not you. Don't become obligated to stay with a carrier when you might want to change later.
Bob

I've lived in several areas of the country and even Canada and IMHO, Cable is much better. I've also had Time Warner / Roadrunner and thought they were great.

But sometimes DSL is all you can get, especially in rural areas. Check with the DSL company - most offer plans with varying access speeds for a little more money.

Comcast cable imposes severe limits on how many emails you can send. For example, you can send a single email to no more than 49 addresses. If you want to email all your club members, or organize a school reunion, or just have a lot of friends and an extended family, you simply can't contact them all with a single email. Protesting to Comcast has no effect. They don't care.
Among other restrictions are:
- Maximum of 20 emails per minute.
- Maximum of 200 emails per hour.
So, even if you split your club membership into several smaller groups, if your club has more than 200 members, you can't email them all within the same hour!

Therefore, when signing up for a new ISP, the first question you should ask is: "What kind of restricitions do you impose on my ability to send out email to my friends?"

If you are lucky enough to have phone service on fiber optic and want to pursue getting DSL with the phone company, you might be able to get DSL without a modem. That was my experience with Bell South. I got a separate ethernet circuit to the home and have an R45 jack in the wall to connect my router to.

Thanks for the help. Very much appreciated. I live in Panama City Florida. My phone provider is Bell South. I think that I would rather have phone DSL if the signal is constant. It's definitely cheaper. My cable provider is COMCAST but the cable broadband is really quite expensive and they would like me to sign a service agreement. Not interested.
I found a bunch of stuff about DSL, here on cnet right after I posted this thread. Like I said, I'm a newbie. Didn't look hard enough. I like my info personalized.
Cost effective is a big deal with me. I got an offer from AOL for 9.99 forever. But I have to pay Bellsouth (I think) to route the service through my phoneline right? That's really what the question was all about. I want the service for the same as I pay for dialup if I can. I'm cheap. Hehe. There is a deal with SBC/Yahoo but, I see there are some problems with installation. I really don't want AOL. But the price is tough to beat. Any other feedback will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Go with the phone company and stay as far away from AOHell as you can. All ISP providers use the phone company's facilities. If you have a problem, a lot of blaming happens between the ISP and Bell South with you in the middle. One phone provider, one ISP, period.

DSL will never be the same price as dial-up. You pay for what you get. Cable is often more than four times faster than DSL. My Comcast gives me 3 Mb/s, steady and constant. The old school thought about cable being slower if more users are on line is pass

Coryphaeus,

Thanks again. Like the website. I'm going to bookmark it and learn. The computer is my new obsession and it seems that with things changing as rapidly as they do, I don't think that I will ever get bored.
I figured that I would have to pay for my connection. I don't think that my needs, now anyway, require cable, of course, it would be nice to have a T-1 line connection. I work for a wireless telecommunications company (I'm not going to say who) and know a bit about the way that the phone system works and have some background with electronics and a reasonable grasp of connections, capacitors and the like. What do you think of SBC/yahoo? I would like to get a professional opinion.

Since I worked for SBC for almost thirty years, my heart is still there. If they offer DSL service, get it. If you have a problem and can't get it resolved, their escalation process is probably the best.

I still have my SBC/Yahoo! dial-up account for kids to use. I've had zero problems.

Wayne

Like Wayne said, you get what you pay for. Cable broadband is faster the DSL broadband. But it also costs
more(a lot here in Dallas). Broadbandreport.com reports
Florida has BellSouth. Plug in your Zip Code and get a complete list for your area. All ISPs offering DSL service WILL be using BellSouth lines to supply it. I originally had ATT phone systems, had for years, and tried to start DSL. After 8+ attempts (ordering and reordering), I had to give up and change to SBC(their phone lines).If BellSouth is your phone company, look for deals. When I talked to SBC about DSL, they offered me a tier-2 speed (1500 instead of 768 download) for the same price. I had to sign up for 1 year, but thats not a big deal. I don't Game, so I have never wished I had Cable, DSL is so much faster than the Dial-up I had for years it is pitiful.
If you read the report on BellSouth at Broadband Reports, notice this guy's gripes all stem from not configuring his system correctly.chuck

"Since I worked for SBC for almost thirty years, my heart is still there. If they offer DSL service, get it. If you have a problem and can't get it resolved, their escalation process is probably the best.

I still have my SBC/Yahoo! dial-up account for kids to use. I've had zero problems.

Wayne

Posted by: Coryphaeus Posted on: 12/12/2004 6:58 AM " SBC is a company that took over my Prodigy DSL and discontinued it in the New York City area and held my phone line hostage. I could never get DSL again because of SBC refusing to release the phone line.

I just made the switch. Do it! You will not be sorry.
Everthing you need will be sent to you. It's easy.

Mike

I don't know if SBC / Yahoo is available in your area, but if it is then it is a good option. Otherwise, see what BellSouth recommends then do some research on that option.

Some of what SBC/Yahoo includes is more software than I wanted to install on my computer; with the correct information Windows XP will directly connect and you don't need the CD they include. However, you may have to dig a little to get the setup information; this includes user name, password, etc.

If you want a simple setup, load the CD they will send you and go.

Make sure you ask for a DSL modem with an Ethernet connection, it is simpler and faster than some that are available with USB connections only. Also, if you ever get a second computer Ethernet will connect to a router so that you can easily have multiple computers on one DSL line.

I personally have had much better success with DSL than with Cable, but either one is MUCH better than dial-up. I think DSL is the best since it is like having your own carpool lane; doesn't go at 120 MPH, but you can always get there. Cable is like owning a very fast car, but sometimes you are stuck in traffic.

Good luck, I think you will really like DSL

This discussion is helpful to me. I live in Oklahoma City where Cox is the only internet cable provider at $49.95 a month and SBC is the DSL provider at $29.95 a month. Apparently the city made a deal with Cox and they have a cable monopoly. That's why prices here are so high. I'm not going to pay $49.95.

But if the slowest DSL is really substantially faster than a 56K modem and will let me hear audio and see the video clips the news sites have on them I'd pay $29.95.

Am I right?


Hank
============

Yes,Its About 7 - 10 Times Faster Then Dial-Up,
Depending On Your Wired Distance From The Serving
Switching Office To Your Home. I Also Live In OKC
And I Currently Have SBC-Yahoo! DSL Service.
I Have Had This Service For Over Two Years And I
Have Never Had Any Connection Troubles. I Am About
2/3 Of The Maximum Distance That DSL Will Reach, and
I Get About 650 - 750 KByte Speed. Downloads Are Fast,
And I Went Through A Upgrade From Windows ME To XP,
And Yes With XP You Will Not Need To Use The CD Setup
Software Sent By The Southwestern Bell ( SBC Yahoo!
DSL ) Service Group. XP Has The Info That It Needs
To Configur Your PC, Just look For That Note About
"Don't Used The CD Provided If Your PC Is Running On
Windows XP", If You Do The Self Install,And Have Any
Troubles, You Can Just Call The Phone Contact Numbers
That Will Be In The Self Install Kit. Be Sure About
What Type Of Connection You Will Be Making To Your
Computer. If Its Ethernet Make Sure You Eather Have A
Ethernet Card Already Installed In Your Computer
System, Or That You Known How To Install A Ethernet
Card Into You PC. If Your Connection Is For An (USB)
Type Connection,Just Call And Check With (SBC)
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Also Note That Your
Current Phone Line Must Be Provided By (SBC), So That
They Can Just Place The DSL Service On It. The
Current Rate Is About $26.95 For Only The DSL Service.

Like I Said For About two (2) Years Now I Have Not
Had Any Connection Problems With My DSL Service.
When I Turn On My Computer & It Boots Up,The DSL
Modem Will Be Up & Connected To The (ISP) Even Before
Windows Is Completely Booted Up, Then I Can Just
Click On My Browser And Go To Any Web Site (URL)
Address, Just Like You Do With A Dial-Up.

Works Very Well For The Cost.

PS. I Am A Retired "Southwestern Bell Telephone Co,
(SBC) Employee. But I Do Not Know What The Current
DSL Speeds Being Offered Are Right Now,But I Think
That They Are Now Starting To Offer More That One
Speed, So ASk The Questions About The Speed Or Types
Of DSL Service Offered In Your area Of OKCY And Of
Course The Total Add On Cost. Also Note You Can Use
Any Web Browser's With Your (SBC Yahoo! DSL Service)
Just Clck On the Browser Of Your Choose & The It Will
Open & Go To your Default Web Site,Then You Can Type
In Any Web Site Address (URL).

I Hope This Well Help You.
Yes All The Comments Above This Post About The Cable
Co's Higher Speed Is True & Also The Fact That Your
Wired Cable Connection From Your Cable Modem Is The
Same Connection, That Any Of Your Other Friends And
Not Friends, Will Be Connected To As Well As Yourself.
This Common Connection Will Then Go To A Repeater
Device Where Other Common Connection Are Also Connected, If The Power To This Pepeater Device Is
Lossed Then You Will Not Have Any Access To The
Internet Untill The Power Is Restored. This Fact
As Well As The Fact That The Cable Connection Is
A Common Connection Is Why I Am Not on A High Speed
Cable Moden Connection And Of Course The Higher Cost.
I Don't Know about Your Cable Tv Service, But My Cable
TV Service GO's Out Of Service About Three To Four
Times Per Year,And It Take Then About 6 To !2 Hours
To Get It Back Up, That Happens More Offen During
Thunder Storms And Winter Weather. So I Just Keep
On Browsing Storms Or Not, Winter Or Not.
The Only Time That My DSL Will Be Out Of Service Is
When The Server For All Of OkCY Area Is Down, Or When
My Phone Line Is Down Or Out Of Service, Which Like
I Said It Been Over Two Years Since I Have Had My
Phone Line Or DSL Server Service Down ( Out Of Service ). So I Think In My Case The Overall Service
Has Been better For Myself.

I Bet That If You Go to DSl Service, You Will Never
Go back To Dial-Up.

I Hope This Helps You.

It is a given that cable and/or DSL is MUCH better than a dialup connection. But you get what you pay for. At $5 per month for my dialup, it is hard to justify a monthly charge that is 5 to 10 times more.
When prices come down on cable/DSL, I'll reconsider.

For 6 months, I worked for an out-source agency handling customer calls about setting up their DSL. If you are using only one computer with Windows XP, you DO NOT NEED the SBC software. If you want to use multiple computers on the DSL, you will need their 2-Wire modem and software. DSL has only one major benefit over cable - you are on a dedicated line. Cable is on a LAN (Local Area Network) and if anybody on that LAN is into malicious hacking and your machine is not adequately secured, - - - . New cable limits make it faster than DSL, but at a higher price. It is also less restricted as to how far it can go out from the cable source. DSL gets weaker/slower the further out you get. If you aren't downloading large files (movies, music, hi-res photos, etc.) your SAFEST bet is to stay with dial-up.

If Running Windows Xp Of Your Computer System,You Will
Need The DSL Modem To Interface Between The PC's
Ethernet Card And the Phone Line That The DSL Service
Is On. But You Are Correct In The Fact that The Drivers Software On The CD Provided, Will Not Be Needed. Because Wibdows XP, Has The Driver Software That Is Needed To Make The Ehternet Card Work With The DSL Modem.

Even If You Place A Router On The Eathernet Connection, You Will Still Need The DSL Modem, To Make
The Interface Connection To The Phone Line.

Just Did Not Want Anyone Confused About This.

Note I Am A Retired But Still Active (SBC) "Southwestern Bell Telephone" Tech.
I Worked inside The Local Switching Office And
Later AS Manager Within Tech Support For The Newer
Digital Switching Offices Local & Long Distance For
The Five State Area Of Southwestern Bell Telephone
Co. I Went Through The Tele Co's Tech Schools For DSL
Support. So I am Going BY My Experance's Of Suppouting
The Outside Installer That Installed DSL Service's
For Our DSL Customers. So If You Were Instaling DSL
Service For Customers Computers With Out Any DSL
Modems, I Would Like A Detailed Step By Step Procedure
As To How You Got The DSL Service To Work?

I have a DSL connection that I run two computers on. I don't think I have a 2 wire modem. It is the same modem I used when I had only one computer on DSL. I simply use a router after the modem and I don't have any software installed. I simply used Windows XP to set up a network.

I have had SBC/Yahoo for about 3-4 years now and have had very minimal problems. Any problems I did have I was able to resolve myself. I think SBC is worth it. Plus it is easier to run phone line than it is to run tv cable!!

Re: Help!!! I would like to get DSL.



Thanks for the help. Very much appreciated. I live in Panama City Florida. My phone provider is Bell South. I think that I would rather have phone DSL if the signal is constant. It's definitely cheaper. My cable provider is COMCAST but the cable broadband is really quite expensive and they would like me to sign a service agreement. Not interested.
I found a bunch of stuff about DSL, here on cnet right after I posted this thread. Like I said, I'm a newbie. Didn't look hard enough. I like my info personalized.
"Cost effective is a big deal with me. I got an offer from AOL for 9.99 forever. But I have to pay Bellsouth (I think) to route the service through my phoneline right? That's really what the question was all about. I want the service for the same as I pay for dialup if I can. I'm cheap. Hehe. There is a deal with SBC/Yahoo but, I see there are some problems with installation. I really don't want AOL. But the price is tough to beat. Any other feedback will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Posted by: rjonsolo Posted on: 12/11/2004 4:25 PM " The AOL (America Off Line) is if you have DSL already. It is know as bring your own access. AOL does not give DSL.

anything Sprint offers. I have never had more problems with a company in my life re: billing problems. When I had dial-up they actually sent me a bill for 1200.00 once month because they "forgot" to put on on their old Infolink service when I changed a few things on my service, even though I repeated asked the CS Rep if he had done so. Now I have DSL through Giant communications, and my phone bill, dsl and partial tv Cable together is approximately 120.00 a month..of course after that 1200.00 bill anything would look good. They also offered free installation, so check into your local cable or telephone company. I am sure there are better deals in other areas of the country, but I live in rural Kansas, and this is probably as good as it gets right now (we actually just got DSL here, )

Check with BellSouth. They offer 3 tiers of DSL- 256K, 1.5M or 3M, at very reasonable rates. They supply the equipment, which is extremely easy to install. (If you make a mistake, they also give you an 800 number to call. And, yes, their reps are in the states, speak English, and know what they are talking about.) Adding DSL to your phone service may also make you eligible for service discounts.

I'm into this well after the curve, but I am an SBC network techncian. I do many DSL related network repairs. If you have specific questions about what or why in reference to SBC DSL service, I would be happy to help.

Searching for service or software related "tweaks" try www.bandwidthplace.com or dslreports.com, they also have good "speed tests" - free. The cable company offers a DSL service that in many cases is faster...if you want to pay the higher price per month. Their advantage is upload speads, symetrical service, upstream = downstream. To a much greater degree, their speeds vary by time of day(network traffic). Our curcuits are to a much lesser extent affected by amount of traffic and to a greater extent by distance and "wire quality". Our greatest obsticle is our regulatory enviroment.

This MYTH of bandwidth sharing. I've NEVER seen a slowdown on cable. I live in a pretty big apartment complex and I'm SURE a few others have cable. My speeds are at LEAST twice as fast as "consistent" DSL speeds.
Security? I'm SURE DSL has its flaws. Nothing is foolproof.
Did the cable company charge you a late fee and you couldn't pay it? Have fun downloading CRAP on Kazaa....and you talk security..
GO CABLE! SPEED is what counts!

~Tom

-----------------------------------------------------
On 12/17/2004 9:02 PM

Tom Aikman Said:

>> This MYTH of bandwidth sharing.
>>I've NEVER seen a >>slowdown on cable.
>>I live in a pretty big apartment >>complex and I'm >>SURE a few others have cable. My >>speeds are at >>LEAST twice as fast as "consistent" >>DSL speeds.
>>Security? I'm SURE DSL has its flaws. Nothing is >>foolproof.
>>Did the cable company charge you a late fee and you >>couldn't pay it? Have fun downloading CRAP on >>Kazaa....and you talk security..
>>GO CABLE! SPEED is what counts!

>>~Tom

--end of message-------------------------

With Cable internet, anywhere between 25 and several hundred users share the local node - depending on where you live and what your neighbors are using for internet access. Try a speed test in the early evening or Sunday afternoon (usually peak times in residential areas) to see how you rate.(on internet speed that is 0-

As far as Kazaa goes - it ain't on my PC bubba !

Additionally:

1. I get less spam than my cable-using friends - my DSL provider has an outstanding anti-spam filtering system built in. While most of the Cox.net users I know get 10-50 spam emails per day , I might get 1-2 a week. This is mainly due to most mega-cable companies blanket non-censorship stance , which naturally comes from the entertainment division. This explains the cavalier attitude towards email filtering on the internet provider side of the corporation.

2. With DSL, I can change my IP address at will - any hacker can tell you this is a security plus. Cable users are stuck with a long-term address allowing for easier hack attacks and better information collection via website logs on your internet surfing activities.

anyway - IMHO -

Pure raw speed, sure, go with Cable it IS faster.

For Better Security plus great everyday speed vs. cost plus better Reliability - get the DSL service.

nuff said.

let's talk about something less controversial, like Chevrolet VS Ford or how about VHS VS Beta o-:-:-:-:-o

Why would you wan't to change your IP addy unless you are doing something WRONG.
Security...the PC of mine is secure. I do not have a worry about this. SPAM...I get what I ask for. Ya know...BestBuy, NewEgg newsletters and what not. SPAM has little to do with the ISP and more to do with the USER.
SPEED....CABLE. Nuff said.
Chevy wins.... although the new STANG looks sweet.