[thelist] Re: DSL vs. Cable

deke web at master.gen.in.us
Tue Oct 22 22:40:00 CDT 2002


On 22 Oct 2002 at 22:39, William Kolean posted a message which said:

> I had Verizon DSL in NYC and like you I wasn't getting very good speeds
> - plus I hated using PPPoE instead of an ethernet connection. I went
> with DSL because supposedly you get a dedicated connection whereas cable
> is pooled, but now I hear that sometimes DSL is pooled as well, and
> after my experience with Verizon, I believe it.

> I switched to TWC's RoadRunner and it's a million times better: ethernet
> connection instead of PPPoE, 230k download speeds, and even though they
> don't support using a router, they don't discourage it either.

I had cable internet from Comcast, because DSL wasn't available until
I bought a house in July. I've got Verizon now.

The tests say 500k versus 650k that I had with Comcast, but that's not
a difference I can detect without a stopwatch - fast sites are here NOW
and slow sites are still molasses. Upload speed is 128k either way.

The difference I find is that Verizon is reliable. Rock solid. The
Comcast connection was constantly dying. The "lease" on the IP number
is supposed to last a week, but it never lasted more than 2 days, maybe
3, and then it would be difficult to get the system to reconnect. I had
to disconnect the router/switch each time and connect directly to the
modem with Comcast before I called them for support in order to be able
to convince them that they were hosed, instead of me.

They wanted me to buy a hub, and rent individual IPs for each of my
puters in order to connect, and oh, better not have that linux box
connected, even if I don't go online with it. The support people at
Verizon not only allow you to have my router/switch, but they told me
*exactly* what to do to configure it.

My wife is "as dumb as bag of hammers" when it comes to the internet,
by her own admission, but just last week, she was telling me that she
was glad we switched to Verizon, because she doesn't have to fight the
computer any more.

Verizon has just introduced a "Veriations" deal now, where DSL is
*significantly* cheaper than the $45 that Comcast was charging me. When
the cellphone contract runs out, I plan on switching from
VoiceStream/MobileT to Verizon because on their deal, I can use the
excess cellphone minutes each month for long distance on the *wired*
phone. I only use $10 worth of long distance, but with Veriations, my
long-distance becomes free.

When I moved, they told me to just give the cable modem to the guy who
installed the cable TV at the new location. I did. They started billing
me for $162 for the RCA cable modem (which would not be a recommended
modem at $99).  Called them, they agreed that the modem had been
returned, and told me everything was taken care of. The next month,
they sent me to a *collection agency* for the $162. Spent 3 hours on
the phone getting them to look at their files, and they finally agreed
that the modem had been returned, and everything would be square now.
The next month, the collection agency called again. I spent from 9:50
AM until 4:05 PM before they finally were able to locate the papers in
their files that indicated that the modem had been returned. I told
them to come get the digital cable box as well; I didn't want to risk
my credit rating by having their equipment in my house. Over the next
five days, I got four phone calls trying to convince me to keep cable
TV.  I now have DISH network installed, more channels, better
reception, less money, and when DISH commercials come on, they don't
blast you through the walls like the too-loud Comcast commercials did.
I am a *very* happy camper to have been able to tell Comcast to take a
hike.

deke








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