Get On and Stay On, But You Can't Go Fast
Written: Mar 10 '02
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Pros: Customer service have SOME sense, easy to install, no disconnects
Cons: Speed capping and limitations
The Bottom Line: For casual surfers, or if there's nothing faster around.
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| stinger839's Full Review: BellSouth FastAccess ADSL |
I'm a power user in every sense of the word. I demand 100% of every piece of hardware and software in my computer, and I require even more when it comes to bandwith and reliable internet access. Broad bandwith has got to be the greatest thing to happen to me, but after a while the sense of a newfound invulnerability that is unleashed with the acquisition of a hi-speed internet connection fades to reveal anger and frustration over inconsistent download and upload speeds.
DECLINE OF A POWER
The first few days I had dsl were excellent. All my downloads hit 120kbps or more and all my uploads hit 50k. This was not to last. I'm the kind of person who is sending and receiving megs to gigs of info every day. As soon as Bellsouth figured this (it didn't take them but a week), my sends on IRC were capped to 25.6k, my sends via FTP were capped to about 40k, and whenever I was sending and receiving at the same time, my download dropped to about 10k, and that was downloading from T3 connections! This horrible trend has continued to this day, and now they've started charging me extra for services I don't use.
THE EVER GULLIBLE, LOVABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE
I broke my first modem totally be accident. Someone tripped on the dsl wires when I was not home and ripped some small wires apart. I called Bellsouth to tell them my modem was broke, and they sent me another free of charge only 4 days later. GoTTa loVe iT!!!!
INSTALLATION: EASY EVEN FOR DECAPITATION VICTIMS
One of the big pluses about dsl is the modem is external. You plug it right into a USB port and install the software and DSL filters. It doesn't interrupt your phone, and you don't have to watch a dimwitted "technician" drill holes into your baby so they can install the proper hardware which you've told them twenty times you already have in your computer. You don't have to deal with routers or ethernet cards or any of that. Just plug in and go.
The only install problem I encountered was that the software kept saying the activation password I was providing was incorrect. I called up customer service to discover it was correct, but they sent me the wrong copy of the software. This however was no problem. The support guy added me in manually with no problems. I didn't have to endure long waits or a drooling retard on the other line. It was three questions, three answers, and it was fixed in under 10 minutes.
CONNECTING...DIALING UP IS EXAGGERATED BY CABLE COMPANIES
Dialing up? Not quite. Yeah sure you do dial an access number, but the entire connect and log on takes about 2-5 seconds. It's not like 56k where you sit around for 10 minutes praying it will log on. This is just as well as the connection being on 24/7 as with cable, if not better because if someone is packeting or hacking you, you can at least log off and change your IP. I rarely ever get disconnected, and if I do, it takes me 2 seconds to reconnect.
TO SUM IT UP
If you really need bandwith and lots of it, investigate other ISPs in your area. If it comes down to this or cable though, ask around. You will probably end up with the dsl considering the cable companies are bigger pricks when it comes to capping than DSL companies are. If you just like to surf and download only on occasion, get this, and AVOID CABLE at all costs.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 60 per month
Version Number or Year: 2001-Alcatel Speed USB Modem
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Epinions.com ID:
stinger839
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Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Reckless teenager with too many correct opinions on too many subjects.
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