Review by GDATL 
UPDATED: 109 days ago
member for 6.5 years, 1200 visits, last login: 3 days ago
 Atlanta,Fulton,GA
 $42 per month
 about 3 days
 AT&T
 "Consistent Speed and Performance"
 "None"
 "6+ years of solid connection!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)
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05/12/2007 Update
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Still running fine. Did have a brief disruption a few months back, but service was restored fairly quickly.
11/06/2007 Update
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No news is good news. No problems, no disruptions. Solid service, good speed. No need to call technical support. Well, there is the name change ( Bellsouth to AT&T) but as long as I don't have to change my bellsouth.net email addresses, I'm OK with that.
03/30/07 Update
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Moved to 6MB service in January when it was first available at my location. I'm at the end of the line for the nearest DLSAM, so I know that I am not gonna get the highest speeds first. Results have been good speed, solid connection. Replaced Alcatel STH (ISP-provided) and my own Linksys router with new Westell 6000 DSL modem/router (ISP provided) and added my new Linksys 16 port switch. Upgrade was within a day or 2 of the request and went smoothly with no service interruption. Kept my static IP address and added networking support.
07/08/06 Update
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No complaints, solid service continued, no need to call tech support, monthly price has been reduced. Wish 6MB were available to me, but it isn't.
09/15/05 Update
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Absolutely no complaints. Service has been rock solid (even in my neighborhood with overhead copper wires for distribution). I have had no reason to call for technical support, so can't evaluate tech support. Billing has been accurate. Will upgrade to new 6MB service as soon as it is available.
11/01/04 Update
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Solid connection and continued reliable service with BellSouth Extreme DSL. Only problem I had was when a June 2004 thunderstorm took out a tree in my front yard and along with it took out all my utilities (electrical, phone, cable TV) .
This thunderstorm caused a lot of damage in the Atlanta area and so all the utility work crews were very busy. However, GA Power had electricity restored within 20 hours (was a major job - required me to hire an electrician to do a lot of work on the house itself, then get a new meter installed, new entrance line into house and new line from pole to house plus a county electrical inspection - was a miracle it all got done in 20 hours! ).
BellSouth restored phone service and DSL within 30 hours (required new underground line from pole to house).
Comcast Cable TV service required 6 days to even show up, although they did restore service with only one visit. Wonder if they would have been any faster if I had broadband cable???
Thanks GA Power and BellSouth - great service!
04/15/04 Upgrade Fast Access to DSL Extreme - no problems:
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When I learned on 4/11 that BSFA now offered 3MB service (found out here at BBR, not from any marketing effort by BSFA), I immediately went to the fastaccess.com web site and placed my order. The confirmation came back that the service would be up on 4/14. On the morning of 4/14, I worked for a while before I noticed that the response was a bit faster than usual and then I remembered that the upgrade was scheduled today. I did a speed test and the results came back that I was getting 2400/300 speed No equipment change or reconfiguration was needed to upgrade the speed, still continue to use my Alcatel STH and Linksys BEFSR41. In addition, I use 3-D-Link 614+ wireless routers, to support computer work areas for other family members and to provide wireless internet access on all levels at home.
I have not needed to use BSFA tech support so I can't effectively rate it. I get what I need from BBR.
11/30/03 BellSouth Fast Access ISP Rating Update:
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Continued Good Service and Reliable Connection. Consistent speed (1200+ up/ 200+ down). Did have a brief period (days) where connection speed slowed consistently, but it was restored. Never able to identify for certain what the cause was, but suspect a BellSouth fault.
Have not used BSFA Customer Support, so cannot effectively rate current support.
Expanded my home/home office network to now include 2 wireless routers (operating as access points) connected to Linksys 4 port wired router.
Contractual obligation to BellSouth is long past, but because of the good service, have no reason to entertain those ads and low-priced initial months with any other ISP, although I do hope that BellSouth raises speed limits above 1.5M/256k soon.
Have not subscribed to home networking/support, still use same 2 year old DSL modem (Alcatel Speed Touch Home/Ethernet) which uses PPPOE, and do not have a static IP address.
03/03/03 BellSouth FastAccess ISP Rating Update:
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I wouldn't change any of my previous comments. Smooth installation 1 year ago. Reliable service with consistent speed (1200+ up/ 200+ down). Only 1 reason to call customer support and response was adequate.
Total downtime that I experienced in last year was about 3 hours and that was late in the day about a month ago - general outage in this area.
Expanded home network to add D-Link wireless router in addition to Linksys - and all works fine.
Would still make same recommendations as previous - use BBR to help select and plan installation. Pay attention to overall ratings and recommendations of current users before you make decision re:ISP. Read FAQ's here too - most of your problems have ALREADY been solved.
4/8/02 update - 60 days after install - and recommendations:
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60 days after initial installation. Excellent reliability so far; no downtime. Speed still generally approximately 1200/200. Have had a few occasions where it falls below that, but those times have been infrequent and have not caused any continuing problems. Have had no reason to call BellSouth Tech Support since initial installation. Have resolved my questions/problems by searching here at DSLReports first. Recommendations to prospective DSL users:
- Use ethernet DSL modem
- Read DSLReports 1st - before you decide on ISP and hardware
- Install per BellSouth recommendations to make sure line tests OK
- Re-read DSLReports - particularly "More Links" in BellSouth Forum
- If problems, try BS Tech Supp 1st, then ck answers here at DSLR
- Don't flame BS Tech Support, the best Tech Support guys can help here!
Bottom Line: Still pleased with the selection of BellSouth DSL here in Dunwoody. Thanks to all the BellSouth Tech Support guys that hang out here. I have often used the info you provide here.
2/25 update:
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Still satisfied. Speed generally approx 1200/200. No down time.
2/11/2002 update:
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After performance tweaks, speed now up to 1220/210!
2/9/2002 update:
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Easy install today through Linksys router. One note for Linksys router users: On the router setup screen, I had to enter my complete login username ("username@bellsouth.com" for example, rather than just "username"). Otherwise, I got an error message stating that PPPoE connect failed. This was actually a suggestion from the BellSouth Support technician on 2/8 when he corrected the line problem. Speed was only 700/200 after router installed with single PC connected, so I may have to apply a tweak or two.
2/9/2002 Installation Review:
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Ordered FastAccess w/Ethernet DSL modem 1/24. Order confirmed same day via email from BellSouth. Line provisioned 1/28 (technician even called me to let me know line changes were made). Self-install kit delivered 1/30. M first opportunity to install was on 2/7. I Installed my PC to the BellSouth Ethernet DSL modem (Alcatel SpeedTouch Home) through a Linksys router and configured the PC and router - but was unable to connect.
On 2/8, I connected the PC directly to the DSL modem (no router this time) using the BellSouth-supplied installation CD -- and was still unable to connect. At least now I could call BellSouth Support since this was a "supported" configuration. Very helpful tech rep from BellSouth quickly figured out a line problem on their end and was able to correct it within 10 to 12 minutes -- with me on the line during the process. Before I hung up the phone, I connected at 1200kbps/220kbps!
Only 2 weeks from order to high speed access -- it would have been only 1 week except for my delay in doing the installation!
So far, my experience with BellSouth has been: 1) Prompt/accurate order fulfillment; 2) Knowedgable/helpful technical support - tech rep even offered his suggestions on home networking, and was very clear about what they do and don't support; and 3) Easy installation on supported configuration with the BellSouth-provided install CD; 4) Fast line speed; 5) Quick problem resolution. BellSouth gets a very solid "A"
I'll install my home network this weekend using the ethernet modem and Linksys 4-port router to provide high speed access to my 3 desktop PCs and a wireless access point to connect to 2 notebooks.
Note 1: Thanks mykel8, for your helpful writeup on networking BellSouth FastAccess with the Linksys router...and for your reply to my questions!
Note 2: I placed an order with SpeedFactory first, based upon good reviews. They never responded to my first online order but responded the same day to a second order I sent a week later. Sales rep indicated that if I was going to install a router for a home network, I would have to pay $99/mo for Business DSL rather than $49 for Home DSL. When I complained via email, they reconsidered, but too late -- I had already ordered FastAccess from BellSouth.
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