[amsat-bb] Re: AT&T's DSL Internet service

[n3tl@bellsouth.net]

It sounds to me as though the relative age of the equipment in a given service may significantly impact the quality of service subscribers receive. 

My experience here, pre-ATT bundle, was with Charter Communications. After taking a job that provided me the chance to work from a home office, I decided to add Charter's telephone service to get unlimited long distance instead of switching everything over to AT&T. That proved to be the worst mistake I've ever made with any kind of utility-related decision.

My home security system activated multiple times in the middle of the night when Charter's phone service burped. The first time, I woke up to hear the alarm going off for the first time ever. Rather than waiting for someone from Central Control to check in, I decided to call 911. Imagine my reaction when I found the phone line dead. I grabbed a handgun and slowly made my way downstairs from the bedroom, only to find everything locked up tight and undisturbed - except for my sleep and my blood pressure.

Service calls here did nothing to mitigate the problem, which I solved by taking everything to AT&T. That being said, my 6-meg DSL has delivered as advertised, and it doesn't seem to suffer the periodic lapses of service that were pretty consistent here with Charter's high-speed. 

I don't have an HD package for TV, but I am very pleased with the satellite service through Dish Network so far. It gives me NASA TV, for example, which Charter doesn't even offer (or, rather, didn't as of the date I ended longstanding service with them). Same way with NFL Network, which Charter pulled after making it available for about 30 days shortly after it launched. 

I haven't any filtering issues at all here related to DSL, including with the security system. 

I suppose there is a mix of good experiences and bad with the phone comapny and with cable. I hope you end up pleased, whichever way you decide to go. I'm really glad I made the switch here to AT&T. 

73,

Tim
-------------- Original message from RFI-EMI-GUY <Rhyolite at NETTALLY.COM>: -------------- 


> Perry; I have had recent experience with ATT DSL. About 8 months ago My wife decided to change our COMCAST cable service to an ATT DSL/DishNetwork bundle. (She did this w/out consulting me!) She was assured by ATT that the DSL service would provide the same or better than 6 gig service we were enjoying (trouble free) from Comcast. In fact ATT made a big point that using a cable modem we were sharing 
> bandwidth (you still do with DSL upstream of the DSLAM). 
> Truth be told, ATT could not deliver 6 gig service to our home 15,000 feet from the DSLAM. The copper network is very old and deteriorated. In fact after having troubles: 1) they wanted to downgrade the GOS, 2) They no longer offered the 6 gig GOS to my block. I also spent a lot of time rewiring the phones in the house 
> to deal with DSL filtering issues. 
> ATT's real reason to market the DSL/Dishnetwork bundle is to pull customers from the local cable service in anticipation of their fiber to home video service 
> that they are slowly rolling out. I would avoid ATT DSL unless you have a DSLAM 
> in your neighborhood and you have neighbors who are satisfied with the service. 
> Otherwise, steer clear. Also the DishNetwork service has been a bit troublesome 
> in performance and HD channel packages. So now I am back with Comcast for 
> internet and stuck with Dishnetwork HDTV for 10 more months. 
> 
> Also ATT has blocked usenet binaries groups so if you were getting manuals, 
> files and schematics from ABSE or similar newsgroups, you are out of business. 
> 
> 
> Has anyone on the BBS had any experience with AT&T's DSL Internet 
> service???? 
> 
> I will be using a Apple IMac computer and the people here in town 
> don't seem to know anything about a Mac computer. 
> 
> I would also like to know if upgrading to DSL will cause any 
> interference on my TS2000???? 
> 
> 
> Perry WB8OTH-- 
> 
> Joe Leikhim K4SAT 
> "The RFI-EMI-GUY"© 
> 
> "Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? 
> For if it prosper, none dare call it treason." 
> 
> "Follow The Money" ;-P 
> 
> 
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