I've used Verizon DSL, and while it worked flawlessly before Verizon got involved with GTE, after the marriage it was a nightmare! DSL technology is an ingenious use of copper cabling, but unfortunately idiots control access to it.
I've had a good experience with Verizon. I don't use their software (not necessary) and their service has been reliable. The modem went bad early on and I had to have it replaced. They ended up sending me two modems. I had a couple of connection problems with them about a year ago that required a call to tech support but have not had any more problems for a long time.
Please don't get me started again about how much I HATE those embedded monopolies. I think we covered that before recently! Mike
I have Verizon DSL and it's great. Been using it for over a year and it's very rarely down; good steady speed (128 X 768 kbs if memory serve). They sent me the modem and phone filters via USPS and I installed it myself. Easy. I also use Verizon as my Internet ISP and the total package comes to about $42 a month (it was only an extra $7/month to use them as an ISP). Good email service, snappy web. Excellent tech support too, 24/7. On the other hand, once you get a cable modem, you might discover that it's not as good as it's supposed to be. In my area (Seattle) cable modems have been a complete nightmare for many users. Not in small part because of the @home email fiasco, but also iffy reliability and bandwith. Anyway. it looks like you're covering all bases. You should add a phone modem to the setup
The one upside for using cable in my area because heat affects the outside plant they have to take all of the filters off to improve the -db drop loss so I get HBO, CineaMax and Star for free. Raised hell for them to put the filters on so I wouldn't get billed for them down the road and they just updated their databases to reflect that my cable modem wouldn't work with them installed. Sweet! As for DSL you can blame Congress and the 1996 Telecom act and the FCC(Regulations out the butt) for most for the problems not that the companies themselves have blame to share. I work in the telecom space designing DSL networks cable HFC networks and Sonet networks. Each Technology have there problems in designing depending on the physical area your putting them in. Right now I'm fighting with AT&T to extend a drop to the head end point of 400 feet to put my church on high speed access. They want 1600 bucks just for the materials and installation then we have to buy business class service at 80 month with 5 year contract. There is no DSL or Line of Sight Wireless in our area so it's either get bent over by AT&T or go Starband which isn't bad. We'll see. Bsulli
get ready for SDSL (synchron DSL) which is the "virtual" equivalent of fractional T1 to the home, at local phone call prices. DSL3 will be variations on the SDSL, just with duplexing (easiest way to explain the multiplexing capability and multi-stacked lines) some phone companies have taken due notice of the horror stories and frustrations of this newer technology VIP (voice over IP) on POTS lines, and are preparing to re-offer a customized service plan(S) with specific customer service that actually speak "tech-ize". so, start writing those checks and being the same predictable consumers, we've always been.
limitdown This is nothing new. I have used both SDSL and ADSL. The only difference is the modulation scheme. G.DMT versus G.LITE. SDSL is symetrical which means the same speed in both directions. SDSL requires a dedicated copper pair between you and the Telco CO. ADSL rides over an existing 1B line. SDSL is typically used for Business accounts and at a premium. More importantly is the number of hops and the amount of congestion between you and the TIER 1 of the internet. This is where most of the bottlenecking occurs. This is true regardless of the medium (DSL, Cable, Wireless). Another big misnomer is that T1 is better than DSL. Well in many instances it is. But T1 only means that you can do 1.54 MBS bidirectional from you to the CO. Again, the pipe could be a DS3 but if there is congestion between you and TIER1 the big pipe does nothing. Also, most applications do not require a fast uplink speed, so regular DSL (512K x 128K) should do just fine. This can be demonstrated with a bandwidth monitor. Mike
Good site with reports of how other people have fared with their DSL/Broadband: http://www.dslreports.com Mr. Toad
couldn't resist asking that one. no offense. you actually saved me from believing in the telco, yet again
I have a problem with the jtrader price feed connection. A trace route just times out after line 15. My broker tells me my isp should reroute the connection, but qwest refuses. Is that unreasonable to expect of an isp? I use jtrader through rcg express.