QWest DSL service

[Eric91Z]

OK, I am shopping for new ISP and the choices are limited because of where I live. I am tired of paying $25/month for 125 Kbps speeds. I can get faster, but I have to pay more and don't think that is worth it.

I used to have MediComm highspeed which is a local cable provider, but that is no longer available in the area we moved to. So, my only other option, which just became available, is QWest DSL.

So, I have a couple of questions:

1) Does anyone here use QWest DSL? If so, how do you like it?
2) How can they achieve up to 1.5 Mbps download/896 Kbps upload on a phone line connection (or faster with their Premier account)?

I am used to the cable modem connection and will have to get another modem from QWest to be compatible with their setup. Just wondering if it is a good deal or not, is it reliable, and how do their get those speeds on phone lines? Just looking at going this route for the only other option for an ISP that is not only faster, but cheaper than what we have now. Plus, we use QWest for our phone service and get a little more discount even with that.

Any and all input appreciated.

[Vortech347]

I have the Qwest 1.5MB package. I download at 165k/s and upload at 100k/s. Noting but love for it.

[duhtroll]

Qwest is evil IMO. They rank right up there with AOL in underhanded ways to get your money. I have not had internet through Q, though.

They screwed me on my former home phone service. I ported my home number to a cell that I use now exclusively and they charged me for additional service time past the cancellation date because it took THEM longer than expected (longer than they told me) to release the number to my cellular company (which doesn't take long at all - they were just stalling to get more money).

That, and they have upper management who are criminals - do a search.

Hopefully it will work out for you. I will never deal with them again.

-A

[Eric91Z]

I have the Qwest 1.5MB package. I download at 165k/s and upload at 100k/s. Noting but love for it.

You download at 165 kbps and upload at 100 kbps? Is that sarcasm for the "Nothing but love for it" comment? I already get around 125 kbps with my current provider, but would like to have close to the 1.5 Mbps I used to have.

Wouldn't 1.5 Mbps = 1536 kbps (1 Mb = 1024 Kb, right?).

Just checking. And they do that over a phone line? I think I might have to go this route. And we have never had any problems with our phone service or billing (knock on wood). Then again, we have basic service and never use long distance on the home phone.

[Vortech347]

Ok let me rephrase

1.5 megabit service. 8 bits=1 byte

I download 165 Kilobytes/S 8 bits=1 byte

I'm getting about 1320-1340 true megabit download.
My best friend used to work for qwest and he hooked me up on a "special" plan when he worked there. I pay so little its wrong. :lol: Also don't opt for the MSN service, just get the connection and its cheaper.


Its done over the phone line. I love it. My phone line dosn't qualify for any higher speed or I'd get the 3mb service upgrade for nothing :(

[Eric91Z]

Ok let me rephrase

1.5 megabit service. 8 bits=1 byte

I download 165 Kilobytes/S 8 bits=1 byte

I'm getting about 1320-1340 true megabit download.
My best friend used to work for qwest and he hooked me up on a "special" plan when he worked there. I pay so little its wrong. :lol: Also don't opt for the MSN service, just get the connection and its cheaper.


Its done over the phone line. I love it. My phone line dosn't qualify for any higher speed or I'd get the 3mb service upgrade for nothing :(


I guess now I am confued at the true rating of the service I have currently. The service is offered at 125kbs - kilobits or kiloybytes? It is not very fast at all - at least not compared to the cable modem service I had with my previous provider. The advertised speeds on the Qwest website for this setup seems to be what my prior provider had and it was MUCH faster than what I have now.

And, with the Qwest service, if it does go through your phone line, does it tie up your regular line or provide a dedicated access through the phone line and you can still talk when online? Also, do you have to "dial-up" each time you want to use the service or just connect like I do with my current cable modem that is connected all the time?

[RF Overlord]

I guess now I am confued at the true rating of the service I have currently. The service is offered at 125kbs - kilobits or kiloybytes?Eric, don't feel bad...a LOT of people are confused about this.

We (Comcast) currently offer a "4 Meg" download speed. Transport through-put is actually measured in Bytes (capital "B"), not bits (small "b"), so "4 Megabits per second" is the same speed as 500 kiloBytes per second. An ISP that offers a 1.5 Megabit service is actually providing 187.5 kiloBytes, so your service at 125kB/S would be called a "1 Meg" services. I think what Nitrous is trying to say is that he downloads at 165 kB/S (165 kiloBytes per second), which is about right for what is advertised as a "1.5 Meg" service.

By contrast, a 56k dial-up is really running at 7kB/S... :rolleyes:

DSL service really does run on the twisted-pair copper from your home, but the provider has to "pre-qualify" your line by making sure there are no bridged taps, load coils, etc installed...in other words, being sure the pair goes directly from your house to their CO, with nothing else connected to it (which is actually fairly uncommon in the POTS world). That is one of the reasons DSL can only be offered to people within a certain radius of their CO; the DSL signal is higher frequency than the voice signal, so there is much more attenuation over distance.

To answer your other questions, yes, you can use the voice and DSL signal at the same time, and no, you don't need to "dial-up" to use it...it works just like cable (only not nearly as well).

[Eric91Z]

Eric, don't feel bad...a LOT of people are confused about this.

We (Comcast) currently offer a "4 Meg" download speed. Transport through-put is actually measured in Bytes (capital "B"), not bits (small "b"), so "4 Megabits per second" is the same speed as 500 kiloBytes per second. An ISP that offers a 1.5 Megabit service is actually providing 187.5 kiloBytes, so your service at 125kB/S would be called a "1 Meg" services. I think what Nitrous is trying to say is that he downloads at 165 kB/S (165 kiloBytes per second), which is about right for what is advertised as a "1.5 Meg" service.

By contrast, a 56k dial-up is really running at 7kB/S... :rolleyes:

DSL service really does run on the twisted-pair copper from your home, but the provider has to "pre-qualify" your line by making sure there are no bridged taps, load coils, etc installed...in other words, being sure the pair goes directly from your house to their CO, with nothing else connected to it (which is actually fairly uncommon in the POTS world). That is one of the reasons DSL can only be offered to people within a certain radius of their CO; the DSL signal is higher frequency than the voice signal, so there is much more attenuation over distance.

Thanks for that explanation. That does make sense. And the Qwest service is actually something new in the last couple of months for our area. And it does show we have their "DSL Deluxe" service available which is the 1.5 Mbps.

I also just checked my current provider's website and the service I have now, on a cable modem, is actually 128kbs (small 'b'). And as they say "Over twice as fast as 56K modem". Slow...

Sounds like the Qwest setup could be a nice speed increase option for me. That will be nice since I will be doing more remote access from home for Work.

[TooManyFords]

I've got Qwest DSL here now and pay about $33/mo. for the 1.5/896 service. I got a /27 block of IP's for an additional $15/mo and am even authorative on my DNS servers for it. A heck of a lot less than Mediacrum and they didn't have /27's !

I have Vonage and no real land line and they still put it in.

It works. I just wish I had a faster upload speed for my web servers to host videos.

John

[CRUZTAKER]

I installed .... and later removed....ALL of the QWEST co-locations in the Ohio region. Quest is done around here. Relatively busy in Illinois however.

The achieve the speeds you pay for because all of their equipment is (co-) located within SBC central offices. They rent space, their area is caged, and they have their own DSLAM bays. Your premise dial tone passes from the central office switch, through one of their pieces of equipment, and out to your home. At the mercy of all the copper within the 2 mile co radius unless it goes out on fiber to reach further than 2 miles or so.
All of these DSL providers work in this fashion. The company that can offer the best price however, is one affiliated with the dial tone owner. The biggest case in our area is SBC/Ameritech DSL which is through their partner company ASI.

AKA, SBC Yahoo. Currently 14.95 month. I average 1.7 mb down and 430k up. For the price, it works for me.;)