live and learn

[desmocat]

I now have a 265 dollar paperweight staring at me on my desk.. Wanted an ISDN line, called the ISP amnd they said "no problem, we'll send you the software to set up the connection" Got said software about 5 days later, set up ISDN "modem"(actually a T/A with integrated nt-1)tried to dial, no luck called ISP,then was told "oh, YOU have to call the telco and tell them you want to set up an ISDN line" Well,. I call and was then told It would be $53 a month for 2B+D,plus a 250 dollar"circut design fee" plus 80 bucks installation! My advice is look before you leap, but nowhere on the ISP's site or on the software did it say you would incour this kind of cash outlay.Needless to say I called and cancelled my" ISDN hookup for 21.95 a month". I don't understand how they can justify this kind of price when the same telco (SWB)is constantly crowing about dsl for 34.95 a month!" Lets all pay 18 bucks a month for a lower bandwidth connection."DUH!! And to top it all off, my current ISP is really pissed because they can't get the telco to work on their own equipment located in the ISP's building,because they are backlogged doing DSL setups. That's a good way to do business"lets neglect the customers we already have to install DSL, so we can take business from our customers and sign them up on our own connection" Anti-trust anybody? Well, time to kick the soapbox back under the desk for a while,gonna go play with my gas powered R/C car, it won't abuse me http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[CMonster]

Sell your paperweight on ebay. 2B+D ISDN is kind of preDSListoric now anyway. Not getting stuck with ISDN is probably the best internet thing to happen to you. Is DSL or cable in your area? Why don't you investigate other ISPs? What part of Texas are you from? Star County Rocks! Where the buttons and briers grow free!

...And if you had a job installing DSL you might think the backlog is a good thing.

[PCnerd]

This might not look as a good advice, but get a free ISP. I have been using one for a long time. Works better than other commercial ISPs.
The following are in USA: http://www.freedsl.com

or a normal one(56K) http://www.freei.net -easy to get rid of the banner and they will send you a free CD
http://www.freewwweb.com

[desmocat]

Cmonster, I live just on the southern edge of Ft Worth,and DSL is available in the area,but my loop length is 18100 ft.My only hope is that they can somehow extend the service with some kind of repeater or something. I don't think the telco is going to go to that expense anytime soon.And cable won't be available for a while.I'm in a broadband no mans land (that sounds like a song title http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif ).DirecPC is another option,but I really haven't explored that route,but I do have a DSS dish already. Thanks for the input. take er ezzzzzzzY Mp

[daveleau]

Yeah that is my fear that I am too far away from the connection to beneift from DSL. Thanks to our newsletter I found that out about DSL. I didn't know that before.
Dave

[wyvrn]

Ask them if they support a lesser from of DSL called G-lite. It gives lower speeds, but has up and down and is faster than ISDN still.