Review by mtmra70 
UPDATED: 1.9 years ago
member for 8.6 years, 669 visits, last login: 60 days ago
 Portage,Kalamazoo,MI
 $60 per month (12 month contract)
 about 5 days
 "Low monthly costs, fast speeds, no ports blocked."
 "Fastest plan requires POTS line."
 "Better than Charter cable..."
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Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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Ok, I was moving to an apartment complex that could only receive DSL(I did not have an issue with this) and from previous people living there, I knew fast speeds were posible at this location. In October I placed my order for phone service and DSL and my move in date was Nov 22nd. The rep on the phone said I could receive the 768-1500/256 package. She also said that I would have to wait 2 weeks for line testing before I could receive my DSL service, but my service delivery date would be Dec 3rd.
Come Dec 2nd, I had not yet received my modem, so I called the DSL tech line and I talked with ASI. ASI said they had just received my order and they showed that my service delivery date was Dec 9th. I called back SBC and all they showed the same info, Dec 9th. I was upset, but lived with it.
Later that same week (Dec 4th I think) I actually received the modem(quick shipment I guess). I plugged it in and began waiting expecting it not to sync till the next week, but to my suprise it sync'd the next day. I began using the service and was getting about 1200Kb down and 136Kb up. I figured my service was not up to par yet since it wasnt even the actual turn on date. I was going to wait 10 days after the 9th before calling about the speed.
Dec 16th came around and all of a sudden my DSL speeds dropped VERY low. I messaged a couple people and someone opened an ASI trouble ticket for me. I talked with the ASI tech and he said he noticed my modem dropping some cells when he did an ATM ping on it. He said this shouldnt be doing it and began asking me where my modem was, what was near it, etc etc. I told him it was fine up until Dec 16th and nothing changed in my house, but he was reluctant to escalate this since my modem spot at home wasnt superb. He did how ever see that my modem was only set to the 384-1500/128 speed package.
So I hung up with the tech from ASI for now, I then called SBC to have them check my package. I wasnt suprised to hear that I did not have the package I originally ordered. The SBC rep bumped me up to the correct package I originally ordered and later that night my speeds increased, but not to their full potential. I will wait the 2 days to see if they increase even more, if not, I will call back ASI and/or SBC.
So far my experience with SBC with DSL hasnt been too great. The initital order seemed to go smooth, but I was told wrong dates(or SBC dropped the ball on that) and I was not given what I was ordered.
**Update**
Low and behold, I wasnt the only person having this issue. I talked with some friends in town and their DSL speeds were very slow also, so we posted on the forums instead of calling SBC(since they cant help much over the phone). There were problems and they were resolved in a few days in my town, but my ordered speed had yet to be acheived. I messaged one of the techs on the forums to check the status of my speed increase. He said that it takes about 2 days for the speed request to be processed first, the reps can not make the provisions. So he said he would work on it first thing monday morning the next week. He later messaged me that day saying it was finished. I waited about 5 days and I had my correct speed sent to my modem. So all in all, I am happy with the ASI and SBC tech I talked to via email, but the SBC and ASI techs I talked with on the phone were not very helpful or they were always misinforming me.
**Update** Just got the 3Mb/386Kb package. AWESOME speeds...exceeding what I am paying for which is a plus! Local cable company cant even begin to touch these speds.
**UPDATE Dec 2007**
Moved out of the Comcast service area and decided to try AT&T (SBC) again. Speed was alright (not as fast as my Comcast connection) but the person that took my order was not the most helpful. In the end, everything was activated on time and promptly....just dont like the high prices.
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