[ale] Cablemodem problems, considering DSL

[Jim Lynch]

Ken Cochran wrote:
> Summary, 2 questions:
>
> 1.  What's wrong with my cablemodem Internet service?
>
> 2.  Would the better choice for DSL be ATT/Bellsouth or HiWaay?
>   
Can't comment on the first.

I'm one of the few here that have had good luck with BS/ATT dsl.  
Outages are very rare, only 2 or 3 in 4 years.  They do block port 25, 
but I can live with that.  Once in a great while their mail server go 
unavailable for a period of time, maybe once every 6 months.  I suspect 
that by now the Feds have figured out how to ask for no warrant taps 
from anyone and require that they keep their mouths shut.  I know that's 
what has happened when they go to libraries.  The libraries are 
prohibited from ever divulging the  fact the feds asked for anything and 
they cannot appeal to any court.  In fact just telling a lawyer about 
the situation will get you jail time.  So I'm sure they have figured out 
how to apply that same law to wiretaps. 

Anyway back to ATT service.  The only major outage I had was when my 
original Modem died.  They wanted $100 for a new one and when I 
suggested to the fellow on the phone that I'd sign a 1 year service 
agreement if they'd toss it in for free, he sent it to be for free but I 
never saw any agreement. 

I've never been a big fan of BS or ATT 'cause their service overall is 
pretty shabby but they seemed to have gotten DSL right, at least on this 
end of town.

Jim