OT........broadband question

[Liz]

2 OT questions in one day. Please don't ban me yet! I have a friend who needs help.

I have a friend who wants to get broadband DSL - like Verizon. We both assumed she could get Verizon DSL so waited until the last minute. She was just old that Verizon DSL isn't available in her area and she is in the process of moving her office to her home. Cable is way too expensive.

Where else can she get something similar to what Verizon DSL offers? She lives in central NJ - 908 area code.

Thanks for any help. I told her someone around here might know.

Liz

[Lara]

Hi Liz,

In order to get DSL, she has to be within a certain distance to the central office where the equipment is held. If she is not, there is no getting DSL. I suspect any other DSL providers in her area go through her local phone companies lines.

She can try this site to see if she can hook up with other DSL companies here.
http://shopfordsl.com/nj/index.cfm?cogid=jcr266

[Arctirus]

Weird.. I've never seen any cable vs. dsl prices that were more than $10 apart.

[Liz]

I was also surprised. Verizon DSL is $29.95 a month - including your phone line, and quite a few features. You can use your phone at the same time you are online.

Cablevision is $49.95 a month which of course, has nothing to do with your phone line - so you're paying for Cablevision plus your phone. It adds up.

Liz

Weird.. I've never seen any cable vs. dsl prices that were more than $10 apart.

[Liz]

Thanks Lara,

I checked this out. 2 choices - With Direct, you have to purchase it.

Earthlink - I'm very surprised that Earthlink is about $800 for setup. Doesn't seem like an option. Even Verizon only costs $200 for set up - and you can set it up yourself or have someone else do it and no charge for setting up the outside lines.

She might have to go with Cablevision.

Liz

Hi Liz,

In order to get DSL, she has to be within a certain distance to the central office where the equipment is held. If she is not, there is no getting DSL. I suspect any other DSL providers in her area go through her local phone companies lines.

She can try this site to see if she can hook up with other DSL companies here.
http://shopfordsl.com/nj/index.cfm?cogid=jcr266

[Peter_AUS]

Down here, ADSL works through Phone Exchanges that need to have Special Equipment (DSLAM's) that have Ports that allows technicians to hook phone lines up to those ports and by computer setup the speeds of ADSL. Because the majority of lines are copper there is supposedly a physical distance of up to around 3 - 4 kms that then allows you to access the internet at speeds of up to 1500Kb/sec.

Some Internet Suppliers are installing their own equipment in exchanges here that by-passes the national phone company (Telstra) who have had a monopoly on the system for many years now and are offering hookup of up to 12000kb/sec, substantially faster at cheaper pricing than the 1500 systems that are the normal high point of sales. Majority of people have 512/128 ADSL although that is changing as more equipment comes online.

In some ways we are behind other countries with ADSL. The new ADSL equipment is ADSL2 which allows for faster speeds and costs over $100,000 for an exchange to be equiped, although not fully for all people to connect.

As this is happening there are changes going on within the National Systems that will probably counter attack the other Businesses setting up their own equipment and boosting competition and lowering pricing.

Setup certainly doesn't cost as high as it seems to in the USA ($129Aus), but there are certainly higher prices paid for data usage, especially from a business point of view.

Just to give you an idea here is a link to some current proposed changes to ADSL with the company I link with as a guide.

http://www.internode.on.net/about/ne...prerelease.htm

And these changes have generated 35 pages of discussion about the changes since they were announced yesterday afternoon. Although not set in concrete they will be probably very close to what happens as of 28th February 2005 which is next Monday.

This is the current pricing page http://adsl.internode.on.net/pricing/home.htm

I am talking mainly from a home usage point of view as well.

Remember this has nothing to do with what is available to people in the USA, only to us Australians.

Just thought the info might be of interest as comparisons to what happens in other areas of the world.

[Michael Fanelli]

Thanks Lara,

I checked this out. 2 choices - With Direct, you have to purchase it.

Earthlink - I'm very surprised that Earthlink is about $800 for setup. Doesn't seem like an option. Even Verizon only costs $200 for set up - and you can set it up yourself or have someone else do it and no charge for setting up the outside lines.

FWIW, Eathlink does not charge $800 to install DSL. I've had DSL broadband from them twice in different places and the installation was free. Satellite broadband is $800 for equipment and installation.

[Lara]

I think you're looking at the business DSL Liz. I think they might charge about $50. for an activation fee.

[Liz]

Lara,

Help! This infor is from the link in your post above. I tried all the "cheaper" prices - but there were NO options. The set up fees are $599 and up - Earthlink for "home" is $799

Am I missing something - or doing something wrong?

Thanks............again!
Liz

I think you're looking at the business DSL Liz. I think they might charge about $50. for an activation fee.

[Lara]

Liz, that's just one site to go through. What I see is the page where you put in your friends phone number, address etc. Cable should be available.

You can try going to the Earthlink site and see what you get there. https://store.earthlink.net/cgi-bin/...?product=cable

I really don't think your friend will be able to get DSL. It goes through the phone line, therefore if Verizon is not available to your friend, I doubt any other DSL ISP will be available for her either.

[Liz]

I really don't think your friend will be able to get DSL. It goes through the phone line, therefore if Verizon is not available to your friend, I doubt any other DSL ISP will be available for her either.

Yes........looks that way. It's expensive down there - $49.95 a month - and she still has her phone bill to pay. I get Verizon DSL for $29.95 including the line with some features. She was hoping to get something similar.

Earthlink - not available in her area. You can get it through Satellite only $749 set up - guess that's what the $799 was on the other website - no DSL was available. Thanks for your help, btw.

AT & T sent her a letter - she can get it for $29.95 there - but has to get the "broadband" somewhere else for more $. Go figure - why do they even advertise?

Thanks for your help.

Liz

Liz, that's just one site to go through. What I see is the page where you put in your friends phone number, address etc. Cable should be available.

You can try going to the Earthlink site and see what you get there. https://store.earthlink.net/cgi-bin/...?product=cable

I really don't think your friend will be able to get DSL. It goes through the phone line, therefore if Verizon is not available to your friend, I doubt any other DSL ISP will be available for her either.

[Liz]

I got it figured out Michael - thanks.

The $800 was for Earthlink Satellite - no DSL available in her area.

She will probably have to go with Cable - not bad, but the DSL is almost 1/2 the price in my area - even more if you include the fact that you still have your phone line free.

Good to see your around Michael.

Liz

FWIW, Eathlink does not charge $800 to install DSL. I've had DSL broadband from them twice in different places and the installation was free. Satellite broadband is $800 for equipment and installation.

[Liz]

Wow! I guess we shouldn't complain - huh?

I guess we're spoiled - technology has come a long way - in a relatively short time.

This is very interesting, Peter. Thanks for posting it.

Liz

Down here, ADSL works through Phone Exchanges that need to have Special Equipment (DSLAM's) that have Ports that allows technicians to hook phone lines up to those ports and by computer setup the speeds of ADSL. Because the majority of lines are copper there is supposedly a physical distance of up to around 3 - 4 kms that then allows you to access the internet at speeds of up to 1500Kb/sec.

Some Internet Suppliers are installing their own equipment in exchanges here that by-passes the national phone company (Telstra) who have had a monopoly on the system for many years now and are offering hookup of up to 12000kb/sec, substantially faster at cheaper pricing than the 1500 systems that are the normal high point of sales. Majority of people have 512/128 ADSL although that is changing as more equipment comes online.

In some ways we are behind other countries with ADSL. The new ADSL equipment is ADSL2 which allows for faster speeds and costs over $100,000 for an exchange to be equiped, although not fully for all people to connect.

As this is happening there are changes going on within the National Systems that will probably counter attack the other Businesses setting up their own equipment and boosting competition and lowering pricing.

Setup certainly doesn't cost as high as it seems to in the USA ($129Aus), but there are certainly higher prices paid for data usage, especially from a business point of view.

Just to give you an idea here is a link to some current proposed changes to ADSL with the company I link with as a guide.

http://www.internode.on.net/about/ne...prerelease.htm

And these changes have generated 35 pages of discussion about the changes since they were announced yesterday afternoon. Although not set in concrete they will be probably very close to what happens as of 28th February 2005 which is next Monday.

This is the current pricing page http://adsl.internode.on.net/pricing/home.htm

I am talking mainly from a home usage point of view as well.

Remember this has nothing to do with what is available to people in the USA, only to us Australians.

Just thought the info might be of interest as comparisons to what happens in other areas of the world.

[Lionheart]

Hi Liz:
Check and see if there is wireless point-to-point internet access available. It's more expensive than DSL but the only requirement is that you can place a radio receiver/transmitter within line-of-sight of the provider's radio tower/transmitter from your roof. I can't get DSL in the foothills (too far from downtown) and I'm just below the boundary where the other DSL provider in the area has coverage, cable is non existent, and satellite doesn't exist out here in boonies. BUT we do have point to point. CommAdvantage provides point to point out here, even though I had to build a 45 foot tower on the back of my property to get line of sight to their transmitters on the mountain. I get an average of 1.2 to 1.5 Megabits/sec data transfer both up and down, so I'm pretty happy, but it's not cheap (40 dollars a month, plus the $600 it took to build the bleepin' tower). Just a suggestion.

[Liz]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I'll tell her about it - I have a feeling she is going to go with the cable since it's about the most reasonable in price, altho more expensive than DSL. However, she can't wait until DSL is available in her area. She actually lives in an area where are are a lot of business men and women - I'm surprised there is no Verizon DSL.

Thanks for taking the time to explain.

Have a great day!

Liz

Hi Liz:
Check and see if there is wireless point-to-point internet access available. It's more expensive than DSL but the only requirement is that you can place a radio receiver/transmitter within line-of-sight of the provider's radio tower/transmitter from your roof. I can't get DSL in the foothills (too far from downtown) and I'm just below the boundary where the other DSL provider in the area has coverage, cable is non existent, and satellite doesn't exist out here in boonies. BUT we do have point to point. CommAdvantage provides point to point out here, even though I had to build a 45 foot tower on the back of my property to get line of sight to their transmitters on the mountain. I get an average of 1.2 to 1.5 Megabits/sec data transfer both up and down, so I'm pretty happy, but it's not cheap (40 dollars a month, plus the $600 it took to build the bleepin' tower). Just a suggestion.