Review by dalebesh 
Posted: 9.7 years ago
member for 9.7 years, 5 visits, last login: 9.7 years ago
 San Jose,Santa Clara,CA
 $49 per month (12 month contract)
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Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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I ordered 384/1.5mps service. It runs quite fast consistently. Latest ping test on your website was 1148 for text, and 1132 for binary.
I am happy with the performance overall. I have had about 3 instances (in a month now) where I could not connect for up to 1 hour.
Scheduling the installation was a nightmare. I lost a whole day, fortunately not a work day, and one evening, ( I was home anyway) and one Saturday. I had applications into other providers, but PB finally came through.
The first appt. was the scariest. I just purchased a brand new Dell desktop, with the NIC card installed. Tech told me that wouldn't do, he would need to hook up an external (Alcatel 4060) but he didn't have one in the truck. So he installed the internal 3060 and could not get it to work right. Biggest problem was the browser would not connect. Had a winsock error. Tried everything including a call to Dell. Nothing did it. 2 days later, after I restored my PC, another tech showed up with a 4060. got a connection right away, but still the browser problem. He recommended I reinstall Windows 98. My networking was corrupted. Well, he was right! I had previously tried to install an Win95 dial-up to use the regular phone modem. It must have corrupted the registry.
After I uninstalled that, I reinstalled W98. I took the manual and got the 4060 working, and it has worked ever since.
In all fairness, the first tech did a great job on the wiring. He even left me splices and showed me which wires to connect at the box to join all phones on the same line after I dropped my 2nd phone line. That worked out great.
I was close to getting Flashcom...but after what I read on here, I think I did all right.
I am set up for PPPoE. Appears to work fine.
Waiting still for my first DSL billing. I applied online for the discount, free installation. My original request was mid - December, and first scheduled appt (no show) was on the 27th. of Dec. I will fight for it, I am signed up for a year,
and after what they put me through on the no shows, I should qualify.
I strongly recommend a firewall to be safe. ZoneAlert is great! It is very effective at blocking in both directions,
which includes your own applications trying to get out to do updates. You have control over everything.
Plus it's free! No shareware, it's free!!!
It's highly recommended by ZDNET ...including network experts that have reviewed it. Don't mean to
undermine any other firewall being recommended here, or elsewhere..just know this one has been thoroughly reviewed, tested, and the price is right!
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