 Review by CCarson 
UPDATED: 262 days ago
member for 8.3 years, 430 visits, last login: 1 days ago
 Redlands,San Bernardino,CA
 $29 per month (12 month contract)
 about 42 days
 Verizon
 "Great support by reps in DSLReports forum"
 "Service & support highly variable; sales reps in my case were quite poorly informed"
 "Good service, once you can get it working"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
Here is my experience setting up a dry-loop ("naked"/"standalone") DSL connection in Verizon territory through DSLExtreme. I have been a DSL subscriber since 1998 with Earthlink/Covad, SBC, and Verizon.
The DSLX rep informed me in no uncertain terms that my activation date would be 0-4 days after my Verizon disconnect date. It turned out this date would instead be 3-6 WEEKS after Verizon disconnect, leaving me without internet during that time.
I called them three times for status updates; on the final call, the rep contacted Verizon and managed to get an activation date.
The activation date came and went with no service. Most of the time I was able to get through to reps quickly, but twice I had to spend 30-45 minutes on hold waiting to talk to someone--usually in the afternoon (Pacific time). I was told a week later that my service *should* be active, but I had no service. Moreover, I was twice promised a call back from DSLX tier 2 tech support, which never happened.
Ultimately, this was mainly the fault of Verizon, which owns the phone lines. I believe the real problem is that Verizon originally installed and wired my NID/MPOE (phone box outside the house) incorrectly.
I ultimately fixed this myself by rewiring the box using information I looked up online (while at work). Although this was mostly Verizon's fault, DSLX could have done a far better job keeping detailed trouble-ticket notes. (For example, I called customer service to get credit for the time I was supposed to have service but did not. Despite a tech support ticket mentioning that Verizon needed to tag the wires for DSL, the rep would not credit my account; she didn't understand that this makes the service unusable.)
In the end, the process was more painful than any DSL installation I've ever encountered, even though I would do it again to avoid having to pay Verizon for its incompetence.
If you go dry-loop, be warned that you may have to spend a large amount of time on the phone talking to customer service and tech support at DSLX and that you may have to learn to work on your home's internal telephone wiring on your own. It's not any one company's fault, but it's the burden you as a consumer have to bear due to imperfect communication between DSLX and the ILEC.
* Addendum for upgrade 768k -> 3M service 1/2009 *
Upgrading should have been easy but was difficult. Tech support reps in house could do nothing and their actions resulted in my being offline for 2 days. Ultimately it was the actions of TS and the general manager in the forum on this site that got the connection going. Upgrades are said to generally take 5 business days. This took 24 days total from request to upgrade as well as hundreds of cell minutes on hold. In the end, the GM's attitude via this forum is what will keep me with DSLX.
Followup comments:  
dslx_gm
Premium,VIP
join:2002-12-26
Winnetka, CA
| Verizon Dry Loop DSL Hi CCarson -
I apologize that you relieved some mis-information regarding the activation of dry loop DSL through Verizon. Unfortunately the Verizon process to activate a drop loop line is not refined and can take an extended period of time. In looking back at our completed order the average time from order to activation is 15 days. With that said we have seen orders take longer. We are working with Verizon to persuade them to strengthen the process on their end to lessen the time frames.
Most clients on a line share DSL line are active within 3 business days. I assume the representative you spoke with inadvertently gave you the wrong information. I have sent an email out to our staff reminding them of the longer time frames it takes Verizon to activate a dry loop line. Additionally I will look at getting more information on site regarding the activation time frames for dry loop DSL lines.
If you wouldn't mind sending me a PM with your account information, I would like to see which representative placed the order for you and ensure that their supervisor speaks with them directly. Additionally I can follow up on your order and make sure it is on track.
Thanks
--
George
General Manager
DSL Extreme
Will work for reviews.  | |
|
CCarson
join:2001-07-22
Redlands, CA | will respond soon Not sure how to PM with this system...and it's difficult to explore when I don't have an internet connection at home  Will contact you once my connection is up & running.
Thx. | |
| fusionbrkley
join:2009-01-18
Berkeley, CA
 ·SONIC.NET
2 edits | move to the Bay Area and get Sonic.net ADSL2+! sorry to hear about your troubles. Why don't you move to the Bay Area, where you can get Sonic.net ADSL2+ naked, dry loop service, and have it installed quickly and efficiently like they did for me! 
check out my review at »User reviews - SONIC.NET to see how things SHOULD be done | |
|  |
CCarson
join:2001-07-22
Redlands, CA
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: move to the Bay Area and get Sonic.net ADSL2+! DSLExtreme is great once you get it working. Customer service is no worse than I've seen with Verizon, AT&T, or Earthlink.
I checked out Sonic's plans. For what I need, DSLX compares favorably:
Sonic:
down: 1.5 - 3 MBPS
up: 384 - 512 kBPS
cost: $29.99
DSLX:
down: 3 MBPS
up: 768 kBPS
cost: $29.99 | |
| | | |
| Forums » comments on review of DSL EXTREME |
|
(30)
(44)