Re: [PLUG] DSL Connection Speeds

[gabriel rosenkoetter <gr@eclipsed.net>]

On Tue, Feb 05, 2002 at 11:43:46PM +0000, jbeck@jbwd.net wrote:
> Here's my question: On dca.net's web site, I checked availability, and it 
> mentioned that 1.5mbps/128kbps service was available in my area.  I then 
> checked Verizon's site, and they only offer 768mbps/128kbps service to the 
> same number.  I am wondering if even if DCA offers 1.5, is it somehow 
> limited by Verizon to only 768? 

Probably not.

There are three distinct entities in DSL service:

line provider
DSL provider
ISP

For example, my line provider is Verizon, my DSL provider is Covad,
and my ISP is Speakeasy. Those are sometimes joined together (from
ISP backwards, almost never the other way), so that COVAD will also
be your ISP (er, they used to, they may not any more), and Verizon
will do all three. This is NOT a situation where having one person
do everything is a good idea, necessarily.

You will wait as much as two months for Verizon to provision the
line, and one (or, in extreme circumstances, two) working days for
each of the other two to do their thing on installation (presuming,
of course, that the other two aren't also Verizon). I think that
speaks for itself.

After installation, the only company you deal with is your ISP. If
it's a problem with one of the others, they communicate with them.
(Well, mostly. I keep a close eye on Verizon trucks when they come
around. I haven't yet had to say, "Hey. You. Don't touch that. I
know you don't know what it is, and I know you're not supposed to."
But I expect to have to. Ideally *before* they've decided my DSL
pair is spare.)

Back to the bandwidth issue... assuming you're not right on the edge
of the range for 1.5Mb service, this has to do with how much money
DCAnet has laid into the CO versus how much Verizon has. (If you're
on the border, DCAnet's estimation *might* be wrong; that is, they
may think it will work, but you'll find that it doesn't, quite. But
I have a feeling that DCAnet's pretty good about this.) It's quite
possible that DCAnet (well, Covad, actually; they are also a Covad
reseller, aren't they?) has a beefier DSLAM in the (Verizon's) CO
than Verizon does. They want to do this well, Verizon just wants to
sucker AOL users into giving them their money.

-- 
gabriel rosenkoetter
gr@eclipsed.net

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