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SBC, Charter fight high-speed Net battle
STLtoday ^ | 1/17/04 | Michael Sorkin

Posted on 01/17/2004 9:25:12 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

Edited on 05/11/2004 5:35:42 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Tom Ferrara never set foot in a store over the holiday season. He bought gift books, a new home stereo and a big-screen TV over the Internet. Some days he worked at home in Webster Groves using his personal computer to connect with his computer at work in O'Fallon, Mo.


(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: internet8access

1 posted on 01/17/2004 9:25:12 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
A Post-Dispatch reporter was able to install SBC's DSL connection in about 45 minutes - with considerable help from Jim, a technician in Hazelwood who answered the company's help line.

45 minutes? What's with SBC? Hard to see how Verizon could have made my DSL self-install much easier - I think it took me less than 20 minutes...

2 posted on 01/17/2004 9:43:36 AM PST by general_re ("Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
I would suggest using LINKSYS cable modem. Will eliminate many problems associated with cheap cable modems provided by cable co. Also, if one lives in an area prone to T-storms, lightning,etc. cable is far less liking to take a hit. Most lightning damage occurs via phone lines connected to PC. Surge protectors? I've had to file two claims (in the past) because of lightning strikes that "jumped" past suger protector.

Downside to cable? Co$t.

3 posted on 01/17/2004 9:54:44 AM PST by donozark
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
My comcast just went from 1.5megabit to 3.0 or so, free. It's incredible. 385KB/Sec downloads now. Wow! :)

It's expensive, about $55 a month. But I love it! heheh.

Way better than my DSL used to be.
4 posted on 01/17/2004 9:57:15 AM PST by Monty22
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Bump.
5 posted on 01/17/2004 10:01:50 AM PST by Humidston (Two Words: TERM LIMITS)
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To: general_re
I use Virgin here in the UK (Branson has his hands in everything). The longest part of the procedure was unpackaging the Alcatel modem and plugging it in. Click a link provided by email. Type a password. There she was- set up.

The longer part was installing a fire wall and getting my other desktop networked with my main one so I could use the broadband on both.
6 posted on 01/17/2004 10:09:33 AM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: Prodigal Son
I'm technologically challenged and had to put in an ethernet card to install SBC broad band . After two anxiety attacks and five calls it works marvellously. Pay raises for the SBC staff say I.
7 posted on 01/17/2004 10:27:10 AM PST by basque69
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To: basque69
I guess I just got lucky. I got my two network cards, snapped 'em in. Plugged in the cable and used the local area network wizard and it was all good. I had already had my broadband connection set-up a few weeks before. My other computer recognized the internet connection and I was good to go.

I'm considering switching over to a router because the way it is now, I have to have both computers on in order to surf with my older one (because the connection comes through my newer computer).

My only problem now is I tend to have files scattered all over the place on both computers. It's mainly the bookmarks that get annoying. I have both my desktops side by side. Sometimes I'll be replying on one thread at FR on one 'puter and another thread on the other one. Gets confusing with the keyboards and 'where did I bookmark that?'
8 posted on 01/17/2004 11:05:47 AM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: donozark
I have some of their equipment also, works well. I recommend to anyone just getting into this that they go wireless, Linksys makes a nice little system which not only offers that but combines your hub and router. I can't imagine stupid people not being able to set this up. And think of all those wires that you eliminate!
9 posted on 01/17/2004 3:14:23 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection (www.whatyoucrave.com)
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To: Prodigal Son
I use Virgin here in the UK (Branson has his hands in everything). The longest part of the procedure was unpackaging the Alcatel modem and plugging it in. Click a link provided by email. Type a password. There she was- set up.

Heh. I got you beat - Verizon does DHCP in this area, so there's no password and no authentication. Put the filters on the phones, plug the modem into the ethernet card (it's even got a USB port for those who don't have ethernet or are paranoid about cracking open the case) and the phone jack, boot up, and start surfing. Total time - about 15 minutes. Another ten minutes to configure my mail and newsreader, and away I go.

Now, ordering from Verizon was a different story - their salesmorons don't know jack, basically, including whether or not I could get DSL here. Took me several weeks to actually place the order for service and receive the equipment, but after that, it was all gravy... ;)

10 posted on 01/17/2004 9:16:00 PM PST by general_re ("Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson)
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To: general_re
45 minutes? What's with SBC? ...

There has to be something else to the story. I helped a friend put in an SBC/Yahoo connection recently -- in Southern California. The modem and instructions came packed in a box -- and the startup instructions were very clear about the initial steps. Once the install program started running it was an easy install. It was obvious that someone had been doing their homework.

Things have advanced quite a bit in just a few years. I put my DSL line in about four years ago -- and at that time a tech had to come out and install splitters at the box, etc. The self-install is just so much nicer.

From what I've seen of SBC in this area, they have got their act together also.
11 posted on 01/17/2004 9:27:03 PM PST by StevieB
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To: StevieB
There has to be something else to the story.

I think it's this part: "A Post-Dispatch reporter..."

So it's a journalist doing the install - i.e., it takes a moron 45 minutes. For normal folk, it should go a bit faster ;)

12 posted on 01/17/2004 9:38:37 PM PST by general_re ("Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
I have had Cox for about a year. Excellent service on this end and good on getting system down problems fixed. I have a cable modem to a linkys router. I am now sorry I didn't go with Air Port wireless because my wife wants her own Mac. Cox costs about $50 a month plus I paid extra for the cable extension under the house to this room but I now have a Aquos FP TV to the left of the computer. Nice for the Nascar threads.

This site will give you your upload and download speeds however it's not working for me at this time... http://www.dslreports.com/stest?loc=2 (I wonder why that didn't hot link?)

13 posted on 01/17/2004 10:06:58 PM PST by tubebender (Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see...)
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