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#1
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DSL/CABLE Internet service
We have suffered the last few years with sporadic internet service outages from our cable company (Mediacom). Calling their help line is especially frustrating because no matter when one calls the wait for a person on the other end to actually pick up the phone is at least 45 minutes. Then they will always require that someone come to our house (even though the problem is in the cruddy old lines on the street) to look around, which means we need to take a half day off from work to let them in.
Anyhow, I can get DSL service from the phone company (Qwest) for about $10 less per month. Does anyone here have Qwest DSL? Is it pretty reliable? Is it a lot slower than cable? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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1996 Saab 9000 5 speed 2002 Volvo XC70 1983 300D [sold ] 1981 300D [sold ] 1973 450se [sold ] 1967 230 (4 on the floor) [sold ] |
#2
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Depends on how far away you are from your Central Office. If you're not too far away, it is barely noticable.
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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein 09 Jetta TDI 1985 300D |
#3
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If you are close to the switch it will likely be faster, you have dedicated bandwidth with most DSL connections while you share cable bandwidth.
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#4
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How do I figure out where the switch is?
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1996 Saab 9000 5 speed 2002 Volvo XC70 1983 300D [sold ] 1981 300D [sold ] 1973 450se [sold ] 1967 230 (4 on the floor) [sold ] |
#5
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My time is coming to get internet service at home. Verizon is installing the Fios cables in my building and we will be eligible to get their t.v and internet service for a decent price. Comcast now had the monoply in the building and from what the neighbors tell me the service is pretty good. Verizon has a tower on top of our building so signal should be good.
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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process." 2012 SLK 350 1987 420 SEL |
#6
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Quote:
__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century OBK #55 1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles 2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles 2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles |
#7
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I have Mediacom cable at my house in town, and service is ok. Prime time, say 7:00 pm, and the cable slows way down since so many in the neighborhood are using it. But, downloads are pretty fast, especially early in the morning, which is when I use it a lot.
I also have Qwest DSL at my other house. I am 300 yards from the switch. I personally like it better than cable. It seems more reliable, and I like that it's distributed within the house via the telephone lines. I don't have to wire separately for it. I don't have cable tv at that house anyway. But with all the download choices via internet, I don't really need tv there.
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DS 2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful 87 300D a labor of love 11 GLK 350 So far, so good 08 E350 4matic, Love it. 99 E320 too rusted, sold 87 260E Donated to Newgate School www.Newgateschool.org - check it out. 12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten 87 300D, sold, what a mistake 06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold Las Vegas NV |
#8
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speed isn't the only problem
I can deal with the slowdown at busy times. Our main problem is when the service goes out entirely for days at a time. Our provider seems to intentionally understaff their service desk so it will take forever to get them on the phone. We also get really crappy tv reception from the cable. Unfortunately, I just found out we have line of sight issues so dish is not an option for us.
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1996 Saab 9000 5 speed 2002 Volvo XC70 1983 300D [sold ] 1981 300D [sold ] 1973 450se [sold ] 1967 230 (4 on the floor) [sold ] |
#9
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It depends entirly on your system. Our cable system barely delivers video so high speed data is pushing it. OTOH our phone system has been upgraded from the switches to the lines on the poles and the DSL is by far the best internet I have ever seen. The speeds are exactly as advertised 768/3000 and it has been "down" 2 or three times in the last 4 years.
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#10
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I was just wondering about the effect of fiber optic cable service on data speed over coaxial or whatever the prior delivery system was. Anybody know?
Mine is optical but has been getting much slower recently for some reason.
__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century OBK #55 1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles 2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles 2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles |
#11
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Shameless plug: If anybody wants fiber (or DSL), and you are pretty sure you have fiber in your area, let me know/send me a PM - I get brownie points from the company for passing on potential customers - pricing won't be any different. -thanks!
__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein 09 Jetta TDI 1985 300D |
#12
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It sounds true, and it is true to a very limited extent; you have a wire from your house to a central location which is not shared. However, this doesn't do you one bit of good unless the connection from there to "the internet" can handle all of the users downloading at the highest speed at the same time. Here's a hint: any company to set things up this way would quickly be out of business. |
#13
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As was quoted earlier, if you have cable, you're sharing your bandwidth. As far as I know, your cable company terminates on copper at the pole and at your house. Therefore, you're not getting "true" fiber. I have Verizon Fios and it's fast as hell and true fiber to the house. 50 megs down with 5 up. Fixing to go to 100 down. Runs around $50 per month with a free wireless/wired router. They are very aggressive in Fairfax and I feel this is the best deal in your area. Hope this helps.
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#14
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Obviously it is all part of the "internet", some providers have a bigger pipeline than others. |
#15
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That said, we recently dumped Charter cable internet and got AT&T DSL, and couldn't be happier with the decision. Cheaper, faster and more reliable. |
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