Well folks, I am still chugging along at three Mbps, the same speed I've had ever since we moved back here behind the barn. The service guy (nice fellow) seemed relieved that I really never expected to get 10 Mbps. He checked everything out, did his best, and then called in to change us back to our original plan: DSL and a phone we can't call out on.
I told him when he came to the door that I was pretty sure that kind of Internet speed was impossible here. He agreed, saying there would have to be a lot of lines changed around for things to improve.
A friend recently told me she was surprised we can get DSL out here at all, so I just thank my lucky stars for what I have.
The sales people for CenturyLink need to stop selling a product that they cannot deliver. A lot of people wouldn't be as easy to get along with as I was, and who are they going to yell at? Not the person on the phone who dangled the impossible carrot in front of their noses, but the guy who comes to the house and has to break the news to them that somebody lied.
And while I'm at it, CenturyLink, don't you think $65 a month is a pretty high price to pay for 3 meager Mbps? How about a senior discount or something? Anything?
Never mind. Just tell your sales representatives to stop selling something you can't deliver.
We pay $75 for 1.5. I think you have a deal. :)
ReplyDeleteCould this be right--I have 100 Mbps on my hooked in desktop and about 50 on the wireless? We bundle our internet with TV and phones and pay about $170/month.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we senior citizens should get a discount on our internet. and like you I am happy that at least I have it!
ReplyDeleteWe have high speed internet and cable in a bundle that starts out at $89 a month but ends up well over $100 by the time they add all the taxes and so forth. I looked around for less expensive plans but this was the best we could do.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who lived in the tiny community of George, OR, nestled up in the foothills of the Cascades. When the wind blew, they lost their power. If she wanted to get a DSL internet connection she'd start signing in, then wander off and clean the house, do the laundry...maybe even go in to the nearest town of Estacada to do some shopping. By the time she finally wandered back past her computer, she MIGHT be lucky enough to be online. My dial up service in Portland was slow when I had it, but not THAT slow. I imagine the satellite connections must cost an arm and a leg, tho. But it sure would drive me crazy now. It would take 20 seconds or more just to go from one page to another, too.
ReplyDeleteOr wait a minute? Is DSL supposed to be the faster service than dial up? LOL! I tell you, I'm hopeless.
ReplyDeleteSmall farm girl, I think you are right. Margaret, that is probably right. You live in a big city. My no-phone, DSL Internet, and Direct TV cost $125 or thereabouts. Our old house, several yards from the mobile home we live in, can get cable TV and Internet. We cannot get it here. Miss Kris, DSL is a form of high-speed Internet, it's always on... no dialup, even though it is provided through your telephone wires by the phone company. Yes, DSL is MUCH faster than dialup.
ReplyDeleteIf you want an even geekier explanation, cable broadband (through your cable provider) is shared bandwidth (transmission speed). Most will notice a real decline in up/download speed RIGHT ABOUT 3:15 on school days. (Wonder why?) :)
ReplyDeleteDSL uses the old copper phone lines, so the service is a bit more consistent, speed-wise, but it truly depends on how far you are from the nearest telephone company wire consolidation point.
Then there is Fiber Optic. While a grand effort is being made to distribute this in especially rural areas, because it's fast and cheaper than maintaining either COAX for cable or copper for DSL, but the push is to get the Fiber from point to point, not to each house. So, you'd still connect to the consolidation point over copper, but from there, your connection would be considerably faster.
/geek