PBW Down? - Back up!

Roanon · #1 August 15th, 2003, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slynky:
Which, BTW, is one reason I didn't get DSL (too many horror stories about the stupid technicians who tried to install it).

Strange. At least here in Germany, is is the simplest thing in the world. You just get 2 units, Splitter and Modem, for easy and nearly idiot-proof self-installation. (idiot-proof: proof until someone makes a better idiot) Then you just have to hope that someone at the phone company manages to switch DSL on. DSL outage can happen, but is becoming less frequent, about half an hour every three months here and right now.

But, on the other hand, here in Germany I don't know any weird installations with analog lines and DSL - I don't even know if you are able to get them here. ISDN and DSL, thats the standard. And phone companies use a pricing policy that effectivly discourages the usage of analog lines.

[ August 15, 2003, 20:36: Message edited by: Roanon ]

Slynky · #2 August 15th, 2003, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Honestly I should have done this two weeks ago but I was lulled to inaction by the prospect of the DSL getting restored at any moment.

Geoschmo

That must be the optimist in you (

). For my part, seeing that it wasn't fixed in 4 or 5 days after both types of techs looked at it, I had my doubts that it would ever be fixed. It may still be fixed but failure to do so into the 3rd week sure says a lot for how pathetic the service technicians/companies are.

Slynky · #3 August 15th, 2003, 09:55 PM

Well, Roanon, the problem here seems (at first) to have been the surprise. By far, the majority of the Internet Users had dialup. But "one day", broadband became HOT and cable and telephone companies went after customers like crazy (hoping to get them and then have them forever...in other words, banking on the reluctance of a customer to not make a change once they have a broadband connection).

Around that time, DSL scheduling was running around 2 weeks wait time. Besides the number of people who wanted DSL, there was a shortage of phone company techs who knew anything about it. There is where all the horror stories came from. So, even after 4-5 years and with DSL expanding more and more, we still have idiots servicing the circuits. And, as is usually the case in a capitalist-driven society, more emphasis is placed on getting even MORE customers than there is making sure you can take care of what you have.

Roanon · #4 August 15th, 2003, 10:07 PM

Yep, Slynky, we had the same sudden "HOT" period. But 2 weeks waiting time... you could only dream of. For some reasons unknown to me, it took months to get it. But if that means they did a better and more reliable job in supplying DSL, I definitely prefer that choice - especially as the waiting times are history now

German Telekom effectively still had a monopoly in these times, it looks like there are certain aspects in which pure capitalism isn't preferable.

[ August 15, 2003, 21:11: Message edited by: Roanon ]

geoschmo · #5 August 15th, 2003, 10:11 PM

Took me about a week to get it IIRC, and I set it up myself. Was no problem. Until two weeks ago that is...

Slynky · #6 August 15th, 2003, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Took me about a week to get it IIRC, and I set it up myself. Was no problem. Until two weeks ago that is...

Funny...

My wife, who is working her "work-at-home" day, just called and said the cable was out. I walked her through powering the router and modem down, powering them up and had her tell me about the lights on the modem. It appeared the problem wasn't on our end. So, I told her she needed to call the cable company. She called me back in 15 minutes to say 2 things: (1) There was a tech on the way to the house and (2) it had suddenly started working again...so should she call and cancel or let the guy come and check it out.

Just pointing out how the cable companies have gone out of their way to get rid of the terrible service image they had years ago...while the phone companies, the "lessor gods", still have a "we'll get around to it" perspective.

Slynky · #7 August 15th, 2003, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Took me about a week to get it IIRC, and I set it up myself. Was no problem. Until two weeks ago that is...

By the time I cashed in our dialup and called for a cable install, they were running a "We'll have it installed with 24 hours or you'll get an additional month at no charge." campaign going. Mine took longer because I had them run a cable line to the computer room (where we didn't have an existing cable).