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Review by midiman32 See Profile

  • Location: Donahue, Scott, IA, USA
  • Cost: $52 per month (12 month contract)
Reliable service, low pings, speed for distance
Copper lines, speeds could be faster
Great ISP besides the physical limitations that every copper line has
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Connection reliability:
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Value for money:

7/12/13:

Today, the CST tech came over after a few unsuccessful visits and hooked up the bonded modem to my wiring and it plugged in and just worked. Apparently there is quite a bit of configuration at the DSLAM side.

So, now I am bonded enjoying nearly double download and not much more upload, but it went up some. The modem used is a Comtrend 3100U which is a wireless router along with DSL bonded modem. I just eliminated three pieces of equipment (router, access point and switch). So far, I am happy with the results!

The Speedtest with 11.65x1.07 and 39ms ping is my bonded connection.
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6/18/13:

For reasons I completely understand, the point-to-point wireless idea was ruled out for the most part. These guys aren't in the WISP business, so I wouldn't expect to them to put up a directional just for my use.

Anyway, I spoke with the COO about the use of Sharedband and bonding two of their lines through it. I heard of Sharedband through the forums and it had mostly positive opinions, so I was willing to try it as a band-aid of a solution. the COO said he would talk to his bonding techs about the idea. He called back and from what I could tell wasn't really fond of the idea. Instead, he offered a newly adapted bonding solution from the DSLAM (one that works at long distances apparently). The install for this new bonding is on Friday. All I know is I will be receiving a bonded modem on my end. I will update over the weekend with the equipment used and the outcome.

Now I just wait for next year when they put a remote 6-7000 ft away.

The Speedtest with 4.98x1.01 and 37ms ping is my normal unbonded connection in Annex M mode.
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5/12/2013:

After my modem, router and two computers fried from a thunderstorm, I was forced to get new equipment. CST now has an option to rent the modem as well as buy. I chose to buy (New modem model: BEC 5200SRD). As for the router, I bought an Asus RT-N16 which had really good reviews. Long story short I ended up returning it due to poor performance (QoS and slow upload speed through it). I now run on a pfSense box and love it.

Getting back to the review, I spoke with the CEO again and asked about a point-to-point wireless system from the CO as it is a two mile line of sight. I would be using two of these:

»www.amazon.com/gp/produc ··· F8&psc=1

They haven't really ruled out the idea. The CEO said he would like to have the Chief Operating Officer (fairly small company) call me about my issues.

The next day, the COO called me and mentioned they have an Remote Terminal going in northwest of me and they would be willing to move it around to get it closer to me. This would cut the distance in at least half and allow bonding if I wanted. He wanted to move the install date of the RT to this year if I understood right. So now I am awaiting a call back on more info about the RT install details. That's all for now.
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1/31/2013:

Spoke with a corporate officer from CST about my issues of bonding and they have been experimenting with a bonded modem and equipment in the DSLAM. He said that they don't want to bond two lines at my distance (which is 14,500 ft) due to the stability of the connection (or the lack thereof in my case). He stated that bonding is for customers much closer (like 8,000 ft or under) to bond two lines for customers who want IPTV along with an internet connection of 20/2 because apparently TV takes alot of juice. He said SD channels take about 3Mbit while HD channels take 9Mbit.

I would like to know more about bonding limitations if anyone has any info (if distance is a factor and what not). He said they're installing many remotes but not one in this direction this year. I'll check back with them next year on their upgrade routes.

If anyone has any thoughts on how to get line stats and also bonding information, I would like to hear them.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I signed up with Central Scott Telephone (a NetINS company) in October 2011. Their service has been 100% reliable in terms of speed and uptime. I am about 14,500 ft from the fibre fed CO. At original activation of my account, they recommended the 3/0.5 plan due to distance.

When I signed up, they gave me the modem and it was a plug and play install, simple as it can get. The modem is a BEC 5200S. When I plugged in my laptop directly to the modem, I was happy to see the speedtest was maxing the connection at about 3.2/0.55. I asked them to upgrade the connection to the next tier which was 12/1. They alerted me that I wouldn't see the full speed of the tier due to distance. After replacing all the internal wiring from the NID to the phone jack with Cat5e, I am now achieving speeds of 6.5/0.9.

From what I've read on this site, it sounds like I am really fast for the distance, so for that I am pleased. However, I am itching to go faster and achieve more upload, so I have inquired about bonding two lines and they can do it, but only under business plans. I am currently waiting for their callback on the business plan prices. If I hop on to a business plan, I will update this review with a reflection based on my experiences.

Overall, the best ISP around (and my only wired choice), a very honest company, I would recommend them to anyone in this area (Iowa side).

My original connection was 6.2x0.85 with 50ms ping (non Annex M mode).

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member for 12.3 years, 676 visits, last login: 2.6 years ago
updated 9.1 years ago


Review by FreedTech See Profile

  • Location: Atlantic, Cass, IA, USA
  • Cost: $114 per month
  • Install: about 7 days
At least there is high speed internet in the country.
Slow service for the price!
Slow but reliable (at least)
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I live in the country on an acreage so I was very excited to see that the local phone company offered DSL. Granted it isn't the fastest in the world but at least it isn't dial up or satellite!

Local phone company was very good in getting my house and modem activated. All we had to do was pick up the modem and plug it in.

member for 13 years, 1530 visits, last login: 197 days ago
lodged 11.7 years ago







Review by linux73 See Profile

  • Location: Clarence, Cedar, IA, USA
  • Cost: $129 per month
  • Install: about 1 days
Works as advertised. Great speeds, this is a quality fiber system.
There really isn't anything to complain about with the Co-Op here anymore.
Good value, great speeds, insignificant down time.
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These guys have really gotten their act together since I first posted on DSLR complaining about their "REACH DSL" service.. ie. Etherloop.

Today, they are prompt, courteous, and the service speaks for itself really. They offer digital cable and telephone over the same fiber, and the bundle deals are generous in my opinion. The service is never really down and it is has been rock solid stable since they first began putting subscribers on it.

Speeds seldom vary and it is unusual to have a ping of more than 40ms to nearly any server on this side of the planet. The new service tier system is more than fair. I don't know anywhere else where you can get 15Megabit DSL so far from a commercial provider at these prices.

I highly recommend both netINS (in this area) & the Clarence TelCo.

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member for 21.6 years, 671 visits, last login: 2.1 years ago
updated 12.7 years ago


Review by ihatenetins See Profile

  • Location: Griswold, Cass, IA, USA
  • Cost: $70 per month (12 month contract)
  • Install: about 2 days
Fast hook up, get dsl at home 15 miles away from office, 10 miles out in rural from town
they say UP TO SPEEDS OF not GUARANTEED! Bad bandwidith for video conferencing using viable vpad or sorenson videophone
too much money for too little service Better than dish internet though
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The griswold telephone co-op is a ripoff, they require you to have phone line, 25 dollar for basic package then charge you 50 for 256 download/ 128 upload or 75 for 512 download/256 upload or 100 a month for 705 download/512 upload speed rates but guess what? i had the 512/256 option and i never see upload over 100 k or downloads over 350k i keep testing on dslreports.com and speedtest.net hey come out very close but its still very disapponting to find out you dont get what you expect.

When i read the contract they said they will waive 99 dollar installation fee, yet we already have it installed it before we came here. they also said SPEEDS UP TO not guaranteed speeds so thats also very frustrating and disapponting. I cant use video conference equipment with their speeds even when my equipment could use 128k down and up no problem they make it all blurry and stupid. they tried to charge us $350 dollar for a draytek vigor 2500 modem, we had them give us draytek vigor 2700e due to my requirement for dmz also. they act like modem is their own property and like nothing can touch them even angry customers. I hope new service comes here and overshadow this company.

They convinced me by letting me test drive their internet right inside their building bam its very fast then at home bah way much bigger difference in speeds. even my mother have the 512k option and she is 3 blocks away from the office still bad quality as well.

UNFORTAUNTELY for now its either netins dial up which is worse or hughes net or directway which is even worse than netins dsl. SO for that im grateful but im not grateful for how netins works with small town co-op. Also when i call netins offical support about techincal problem they ask me for info and just type it in instead of pulling up a file. they seem to not have a file on you at all, They would be like helpful but ignorant and not know lot about their equipment. Then when you are done talking with the netins offical support, they dont give you a solution, they just say OK WE WILL CALL YOU RIGHT BACK but guess what? i never get a call back yet.

If it was up to me, I'd just come in the town with big stack of money and kick em out of business and take over and give better service for better prices.

NETINS AND TELEPHONE CO-OP IS MONOPOLIZING THE SMALL TOWNS!!!

member for 15.9 years, 1 visits, last login: 14.9 years ago
updated 15.8 years ago