 
jfranco101
join:2003-05-16
Portland, ME | First Post. Anyone on this forum? | |
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dsprague
join:2002-01-20
Ellsworth, ME
| Considering switch from VZ to GWI Hi,
I'm considering moving my DSL service from Verizon to GWI. I've been burned by VZ lately with my DSL going down due to an error in their databases (related to a phone# change I made a year ago) which caused me to loose my DSL for a week.
It is not fun trying to resolve issues like this with VZ. Get tossed from tech support, to billing, to tech support.
Definitely raised my blood pressure.
Anyways, the price/performance from GWI looks good and sounds like people have had good luck with service.
So I think I may take the plunge.
One thing I can't have is downtime on my DSL connection.
Anyone out there that has switced from VZ to GWI that
could comment on the transition time and any DSL downtime
involved.
Thanks! | |
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jfranco101
join:2003-05-16
Portland, ME
| Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI In about 90% of the time, the CLEC to CLEC migrations go pretty well from VZ to GWI, unless VZ messes something up, like forgetting to put the line share on.
Also, when doing the transition, you want to wait until the GWI DSL is provisioned and up and running, before you cancel the Verizon DSL. Otherwise, you will have to wait a while before you can get any DSL.
--
POTS Splitters are your friend and no DSL installation is complete witout one... | |
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| dsprague
join:2002-01-20
Ellsworth, ME | So both VZ and GWI can be active at the same time with only one of the select modems(VZ or GWI) turned on at once. Overlap in the service would be good regarding the downtime issue that I have. | |
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jfranco101
join:2003-05-16
Portland, ME
| Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI The downtime issue all depends if Verizon decides to mess up. The migration would be managed by them, but about at least 95% of the time, DSL CLEC migrations go by with little or no downtime. To ensure this, you would want to make sure that the MAC address(es) of our NICs and/or router are added at sign up. GWI runs on MAC addresses to give out DHCP leases. I'm not sure how VZ goes in Maine at this point. I used to have them a few years back, and they were PPPoE. GWI uses the MAC address to give you a DHCP lease.
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POTS Splitters are your friend and no DSL installation is complete witout one... | |
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Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. I have a few questions not answered by the GWI website:
a) Does GWI equipment eke more up/down speed out of a given line length than VZ equipment? (There are no speeds listed on the GWI site that I can find.)
b) Does GWI use Verizon's pseudo EWL values, or measure pairs themselves?
c) What are the speeds available vs. line lengths so measured?
d) Does GWI ever request bridge taps be removed to improve a customers DSL performance?
e) I don't understand the download fee. There is a charge listed in a footnote on the GWI website for usage over 100 MB, I think for personal website use. Does this fee apply to one's personal website only, or to overall internet usage? If applicable to personal website usage only, does the fee apply only to the owner's usage, or to all usage. E.g., a 1 MB picture is placed on the website and 101 people download it. Does the 101st download start the cash register?
f) Can Westell modems be used, or only GWI supplied modems?
g) If one were switching over from VZ to GWI, how does one know when to reprogram his router for non-PPPoE (and possibly change modems)? When his connection stops working? Or is the customer notified in some manner?
h) Is there an amicable relationship between GWI and VZ techs in the Derry CO? [just kidding]
Thanks in advance
kirby | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
 ·Great Works Internet
2 edits | Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. Hi, I've been a customer of GWI for a few months now and I think I can answer a couple of your questions based upon my limited experience with them.
Questions A-D, I have no idea. I haven't used Verizon's DSL service.
E) The download fee is for files served from your personal web space on home.gwi.net only; the 100mb limit does not apply to your DSL connection. My account has only one web space login under the primary username while the additional email accounts do not have their own web space.
F) Don't know. I was sent a Lucent modem free of charge and I haven't had any problems with it.
G) Probably when your PPPoE connection stops working would be the best clue. A few days after I was already up and running, GWI support was calling me daily and leaving messages on my answering machine. I finally caught one of these calls and let them know that I was already successfully connected. They apparently will go through a lot of effort to make sure you're online.
I ordered service on a Friday afternoon and my connection was live by Tuesday evening. When the modem arrived on Tuesday, I just needed to call up support and give them the MAC address of my DSL router. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH | Thanks, eljay001
kirby | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
 ·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | a) If you're within distance, the lowest plan available is 3000/512. In any case, this would kill VZ's 1500/128... This all depends on loop length, of course
b) GWI does use VZ loop length numbers if that's what EWL is along the lines of.
c) If you're at 9000 ft or under, you should qualify up to 8mbps. Max LL is 18,000 ft supported
d) GWI will do their best to get bridged taps removed for DSL customers. Again, they have to deal with Verizon, who isn't so easy to push over
f) Westell modems can be used if configured correctly. (which they don't help you with)
g) The customer is notified, but most likely the connection will stop working before you're notified. (When signing up, make sure you give the router's WAN MAC address)
h) Couldn't tell you (Verizon.. amicable.. high doubts on that) | |
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| | Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. Thanks radtastic. I doubt my B90 Westell modem is smart enough to be reconfigured, but it was a thought.
Verizon is unlikely to provide 3000/512 over 12,000 ft I would guess, if ever. They now have me at the stretched distance of 15,200, precluding the new 1.5/382. I am physically about 6500 or 8000 ft without bridged taps depending on wire plant layout.
kirby | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. It's probably hit or miss at 15,200ft. It all depends on the quality of your loop. I would think that you could at least get 2000/512, if not more. A test at the NID would let you know the best that you could get on GWI, once provisioned. It wouldn't tell you too much when you're on VZ, because they have set rates. I would think that you should be able to at least get slightly more speed out of your connection, but they may need to adjust the rate to a point of stability | |
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| | | | Litbeavis
join:2004-09-09
Dover, NH | Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. At 15k you would be lucky ( with new wiring ) to get 1.5 mps up and .5 mps down for speed. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Considering switch from VZ to GWI, cont'd. I fail to see why that was posted. Since the last post on this thread was almost 3 months ago.. but oh well. And plenty of people at 15k can get 1.5 easy. Well, not easy if they have ancient phone wiring. If a person has brains, like the people on this site, they have read about DSL and know some of what they're getting into. But, 15k ft wouldn't be too hard to push 1.5mbps out to. Not sure if they could squeeze more, but my father has GWI DSL, is out 16kft and gets about 2-2.5 mbps | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
·Verizon FIOS
| More accurately in my case of a Verizon-specified EWL of 15,200 ft, GWI is presently providing 3 Mbps down and 768 kbps up. (Testing showed that my Verizon-supplied Westell B90 modem could do 2.9 down, and GWI-supplied Westell C90 modem could do 3.1 down.)
I am having an intermittent connectivity problem, measured by failed gateway ping responses, but that seems to be a function of something other than speed limiting line capacitance. GWI and I are working on it. Stay tuned for more.
kirby | |
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shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME
1 edit | Post here if you have been upgraded I want to see if anyone who uses this forum,has gotten the new speeds yet.Please put your town in also,and a speed test sample if you want to. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I'm on Verizon, and my cable stretched, so I didn't get any increase. This may be irrelevant to GWI, however.
kirby | |
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| | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Well your distance from the co shouldn't matter in this case,if your town got the upgrade,then you should have it,what town are you in by the way and what is your distance to the co. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
·Verizon FIOS
| I am supposedly 15,200 ft from the CO. Verizon's limit for the upgrade is 15,000. Physically, I'm about 6500 ft including a generous allocation for cable to the racks. Why do you think anyone in an upgraded town would be able to get an upgrade? There is obviously a distance limit. Whether I'm really beyond it is the real question.
kirby | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17 | Nothing new here in Rockland... | |
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| edgy314
join:2004-01-12
East Machias, ME | No upgrade here in Old Town/Milford, Bangor has been upgraded awhile ago. I live 12,000 ft. so GWI said that I would be able to get the 5mb package but not the 8... needed to be within 9000 ft from the CO. | |
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| | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Well from what I know,Portland,Bangor,Saco,Biddeford and New Hampshire were already upgraded,So keep the results coming,so I can compile a better list. | |
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| Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
| Signed on and came home to a box from GWI. Big smile, right?
Wrong. It was 50' of cat5 cable that I said I didn't need 
Anyway, the modem is in transit. I'll post back with more details as they become available. | |
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| | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded If you're in NH then you should be upgraded already,well go ahead and post your results here,so we can see if you are really getting the speed that you should be getting. | |
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| | | Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Well it hasn't been an easy couple of days.
The good news is that I didn't experience any down time. The bad news is that for some reason I also couldn't experience the 8/1 plan 
Verizon was a day late provisioning my line. I was still online at about 2.5/400, but they told me that their speed would kick in when the line was provisioned. The speed did increase a bit, but I never seen 5 down and anything higher than ~650 up.
After talking with tech support we decided to knock my package back down to the 5/1 plan. I'm within distance (~7000') and they had me setup for the 8/1, but I wasn't seeing it.
Right now I'm getting about the same as I've had the past couple of days...
»/speedtests/44···87022912 | |
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| | | | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Well what you're getting isn't too bad.Most people on the 5/1 package get anywhere from 4.5 to 4.7mbps and up to 850kbps.By the way are you using a lucent cell pipe modem? I know someone who used a different kind of modem and then switched to a cell pipe and their speed increased significantly.Well good luck. | |
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| | | | | Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded They sent me out a used Westell modem (the bottom is all scuffed up).
The plot thickens though...
After agreeing to knock down to the 5/1 plan I decided to plug in the westell 2100 that I had with VOL. I seen a noticeable increase in download and especially upload speed (~600 to +750 after a few tests).
They are sending me out another modem. Another Westell I believe. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
·RoadRunner Cable
| 8/1 right here. Can only get 8016/924 at my loop length, but I'm lovin it. Not sure how accurate the speed test is with my speed, but I usually average 7.2mb on downstream speed when downloading files.
»/speedtests/66···87111069
Equipment upgrades to somes COs will come soon. Priority is on larger COs I've heard.
And you can add South Portland to the COs with upgraded equipment | |
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| | Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded radtastic, what kind of modem did they supply you with? | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I'm using the Lucent CellPipe, which was supplied to me by them.
Also, list of COs equipped with new equipment at this point:
Augusta
Bangor
Belfast
Biddeford
Lewiston
Portland
Rockland
South Portland
Waterville
All of NH | |
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| | | | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I am pretty sure saco is on the list too,I will e-mail gwi about this and try to find out some more information.I am glad everything is working out. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Saco is definitely on the list as well. It shares the same CO as Biddeford. | |
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| | | | ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
| said by BOGBS  :
I'm using the Lucent CellPipe, which was supplied to me by them.
Also, list of COs equipped with new equipment at this point:
Rockland
Do we have to call them up and request to be upgraded? I'm in Rockland and still getting speeds that look like 2000/512, even after power-cycling my modem. | |
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| | | | | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME
2 edits | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded said by ElJay :
said by BOGBS :
I'm using the Lucent CellPipe, which was supplied to me by them.
Also, list of COs equipped with new equipment at this point:
Rockland
Do we have to call them up and request to be upgraded? I'm in Rockland and still getting speeds that look like 2000/512, even after power-cycling my modem.
I got an e-mail saying that the speeds are avilable in oob,but I will have to ask them to bump me up to them,it seems.I e-mailed them and we will have to see what happens.
Well it turns out that they are currently upgrading the co,possibly today,and the new speeds should be available very soon,within this month I guess/hope. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded You're correct, they are in the process of doing so. I'm going to have my father's connection swapped to the new DSLAM once it's installed. I'm keeping up on this, so I'll let you know, unless you find out before me. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME
·RoadRunner Cable
| Yes, you will want to call the Sales department and ask if it's possible to have your line share switched to the newer equipment, as you're most likely still on the older DSLAM, with most of the other Rockland customers. GWI is not taking out old equipment at this point, they're just adding it. | |
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| | | | | | ElJay
join:2004-03-17 | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded radtastic, thanks! | |
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| | | | | 
ChimmieChunga
@gwi.net |
Do we have to call them up and request to be upgraded? I'm in Rockland and still getting speeds that look like 2000/512, even after power-cycling my modem.
Yes | |
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| Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
| After doing a little bit of reading through the dslr forums I came upon a diag test tool for the Westell modem I have.
GWI claims my line is provisioned for it's highest speed, yet this looks like it's not... | |
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ChimmieChunga
@gwi.net
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Speed is not just dependant on what they say.. You know your distance from the CO? Are you paying more for the higher speeds? Do you have a direct run from your NID to your modem?
You cant go by what they say, as a lot more factors play a significant role in your connection...  | |
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| | | Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I'm ~7400' from my CO.
All indications are that they are puzzled at why this is happening. So far I've been sent 2 Westell modems and they will only synch up at ~5/768. They have done a line test and had me do a NID test for them.
Right now I've got the Westell 2100 that Verizon let me keep hooked up and I'm seeing about 6/800. I'm waiting for them to send me a Lucent and see what happens.
Worst case is that I downgrade to the 5/1 plan and use the 2100. Still not a bad trade-off IMO
I also understand that things happen. I'll be happy with whatever comes out of this, and they have been good to deal with. I have no regrets in my decision to switch. | |
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BOGBS
Premium
join:2004-05-11
Saco, ME | hey creep. OOB was sucessfully upgraded to the newer equipment today. I had them place a an order to be swapped over today. Thought I'd let you know | |
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| | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Ok thanks I will contact them immediately. | |
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| | | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I placed my order just now and it should be here in a few days.But I am going to Canada so when I get back on the 8th of July I will post my speed test results if needed. | |
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| | | | shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME
| Re: Post here if you have been upgraded I just got upgraded today,»/speedtests/26···88000944
my upload didn't increase thought,I was supposed to be upgraded on the 25th so they are still working on it.I will run a tweak test soon.Otherwise everything is excellent. | |
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| edgy314
join:2004-01-12
East Machias, ME
| Latest areas soon to updated Ellsworth , Lincoln, Presque Isle, and Old Town .
That is the lastes info as of Thurs. of last week. Old Town is to be upgraded today. I dont know how long it takes them to install the new stingers and make the new upgraded packages available to customers.
According to Verizon I am 16,00O FT. from the CO now, I believe at one time I was supposed to be 12,000 ft. I dont know how much of the 5 mb I can pull at 16,000 ft. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH | Edgy314: Please let us know what speed you eventually end up with. At 15.2 kft (a few weeks ago) your results potentially apply to me.
kirby | |
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| edgy314
join:2004-01-12
East Machias, ME
| Will do Kirby I keep getting conflicting info about the speed that I will be able to get. My area has just been upgraded with the new DSLAMS so it available.
I am on the phone with GWI as I type this . Just spoke to them Kirby and they have turned up my connection to 3.5 mb . That is the probably as good as it is gets at our distances from the CO.
Going to try it out right now but will let you know what I find out.
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| | edgy314
join:2004-01-12
East Machias, ME | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Cool no waiting to be put on the new DSLAMS. Kirby I am consistently getting speeds 2978/425 that is good as it is going to get at 16300 ft. on the 3mb package. Hope this helps best of luck. | |
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| | | Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH | Re: Post here if you have been upgraded Thanks edgy314, for the report. Right now Verizon is limiting me to about 1/4 of your up/down speeds at 15,200 ft. Guess I better round up all my questions and call GWI.
kirby | |
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MyS
@Dial1.Bos
| *Sigh* This sounds like a really great plan, looks a lot better than Road Runner for less. I'm in the Caribou area, but I called and I'm at 20,000 feet, which is 2,000 feet too far to qualify. I hope it will be available in my area soon, until then I'm stuck with 56k. | |
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Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA |  I suppose no posts is a good thing
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See 7 replies to this post |
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judah486
join:2004-01-07
Thomaston, ME
| ok some1 sell me/ answer some Qs ok want DSL and yes verizon sucks
now ft to CO is that really ft to CO or ft to fiber-optic cable? as fiber does not have near the drop of copper
binary news groups?? and if so any good?
any conn problems of late?
would it be advised to get new wire to pole?(condition unknown at best)
anything i should know(advise) or ask
thanks much | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
| Re: ok some1 sell me/ answer some Qs You'll have to get binary newsgroups from a third party. GWI outsources their newsgroups to Giganews and they do not include the binary news groups. See this: »www.gwi.net/support/knowledge/ne···ver.html
I haven't had any connection problems on a local level (the connection from my house to the central office), but there are a few small and rare blips in service from time to time further down in GWI's network that usually don't last for too long. For $30 I think they're acceptable. GWI seems to have plenty of bandwidth because I get the full speed of the line (I'm still on the old 2048/512 service) no matter what time I use it.
As for the distance requirements, I have no idea. I thought DSL didn't run over fiber because it uses the excess bandwidth available in the copper wire above the voice range (>4khz). I'm a neophyte when it comes to the tech stuff behind the implementation of DSL, so perhaps somebody else has better information. | |
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| judah486
join:2004-01-07
Thomaston, ME
1 edit | ya but i figured they woul zip along the copper then patch thru some conversion into the fiber but mybe not
but there is no GWI on this side of the boarder yet
and there won't be til next year
well there is "GWI" but just contracted thru verizon's servers no GWI equipment yet
what level did you go with??
i am not even live yet and already being put thru their(edit>>verizon's) crap
BUT tech has been prompt and helpful..despite reviews | |
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| | ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
1 edit | Re: ok some1 sell me/ answer some Qs When I signed up the only service that GWI had was "GWI Broadband" for $29.95 and the speed wasn't advertised. I've never asked them what the official speed is, but for me it performs like 2048/512. This single plan has been replaced with the three service levels, and if I had to sign up again I'd choose the $29.95 3072/768 tier because 99% the time I'm not even using the full 2mbps worth of bandwidth that I have now. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
·Verizon FIOS
| I am running about 2 Mbps down and 768 up. This is the 3 Mbps down plan, but at over 15 kft EWL, 3 Mbps causes too many modem retrainings. Line noise can also cause problems, even at shorter distances.
Except for new FIOS, Verizon does not normally send DSL via fiber optic lines. If you get your phone connection from an RT, which is likely fed by fiber from some CO, you will be outa luck for DSL. If you are on direct copper from the CO, and the EWL is listed in Verizon's data base as 18 kft or less, then Verizon will give you DSL. In that case GWI will give you faster DSL. I'm unsure just how farther out GWI will support DSL than Verizon.
Your internal phone wiring is more likely to be a problem than the line from the pole, unless the pole to house wiring is more than 50 years old. If you have several phones, or a lot of interior wiring, you should buy a POTS splitter and use it to separate DSL from POTS between the outside NID and wherever your wiring starts spreading out.
I recommend you follow threads in the Verizon forum to develop a sense of what is what. At least in NH, GWI has to adapt to Verizon plant.
kirby
DSL = digital subscriber line
POTS = plain old telephone service
EWL = effective wire length
CO = Company Office
RT = Remote terminal
FIOS = I forget | |
|
gwi4dsl
| Extended Network Broadband Service Hello,
Would anyone at GWI explain what is the:
"Extended Network Broadband Service"
Price, download and upload speed?
How is this service differ from the Regular,Premium,Redline?
Can you upgrade to better tier when using Extended Network Broadband Service?
Thank | |
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chubtoad
join:2004-11-27
Bay Shore, NY
|  User Rights
Not so much interested in hosting a web server, but we'd like to host an FTP server. Right now we have Adelphia Cable and they say no servers, and they block 21 and 80 round here. Anybody use the service in the Milford, ME area? | |
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| Flycat
join:2003-05-12
Tewksbury, MA
1 edit | Re: User Rights »www.gwi.net/about/aup.html
While they don't explicitly prohibit the use of servers, they leave the door open to forcing you to shut down your server if it consumes too much bandwidth.
# Continued impedance of other users through mass consumption of system resources, after receipt of a request to cease such activity, is prohibited.
I occasionally share files with friends using both dc++ and ftp and have never heard from them, and my ftp is run on port 21 so it's not like they couldn't find it if they wanted to. | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
1 edit | I don't think GWI goes around scanning for servers, but I imagine if you use a whole lot of bandwidth they may take notice of you. The only port I've noticed GWI blocking is 25, so you'll need to use their SMTP server to send mail. | |
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| | chubtoad
join:2004-11-27
Bay Shore, NY
| Re: User Rights thanks a lot for the info!
This info was for a friend actually, i use optonline when i'm home and use Road Runner when i'm up at school. Optonline used to allow webserver but one day, *poof* no port 80 hosting blah, ftp was always the best way to get around my old school's web filtering software anyway | |
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ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
1 edit | $5 increase in price for 3072/768 service I got a letter in the mail today letting me know that the cost of the $29.95 tier is going up to $34.95 as of February 1, 2005. They blame the "FCC and the courts" for allowing "the telephone company that supplies your area" to increase the fees charged to companies like GWI who share the telephone lines.
The letter also mentions that they're going to be offering a unlimited nationwide phone service (local and long distance) early next year for a "single flat monthly fee as low as $39.95."
I'm evidently still on the old 2048/512 plan, so if they're raising my rates, I'll have to call up tech support and ask them to put me on the new "Stinger" equipment so I can get the faster speeds. | |
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| Kirby Smith
join:2001-01-26
Derry, NH
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: $5 increase in price for 3072/768 service GWI is still a better buy than Verizon. I pay $30 to Verizon for 768/128, and $30 (going to $35) to GWI for 2000/768. Verizon's new block-all-emails-from-Europe policy also reduces the value of their email service. Eventually, I may just move my Verizon DSL connection to GWI, if they ever find out if they can line share a metered line. I estimate from reported line EWL that I could get at least 1500/768 on the second line.
kirby | |
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| | ElJay
join:2004-03-17 | Re: $5 increase in price for 3072/768 service Yeah, I agree, it's still hard to beat at $35. GWI's stability and speed blow what I've heard about my local cable modem service from Adelphia out of the water. | |
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| 
astokes
join:2000-08-11
Bangor, ME
| Well now their prices are inline with other providers they should at least give us access to Binary newsgroups, you can get the same package from Verizon with some of the best news service there is period.
Or at least offer the service for a few $s extra. | |
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| shit
join:2003-07-14
Skowhegan, ME
| said by ElJay :The letter also mentions that they're going to be offering a unlimited nationwide phone service (local and long distance) early next year for a "single flat monthly fee as low as $39.95." I can't wait to get that service,I currently pay too much to Verizon. | |
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astokes
join:2000-08-11
Bangor, ME
| odd routing of late Well I noticed lately that my speeds have been slower than usual, running a speedtest at »nyc.speakeasy.net gave me slower downloads and much slower uploads.
So I did a trace to the site and found out that instead of going directly to NY like it always did it now first goes to Chicago then off to NY. I emailed tech support with some tracerts weeks ago but still no route changes.
I even emailed Sprintlink directly seeing as it was their network that the problem on.
I have found a fair few other sites based on the east coast that now go to Chicago first via Sprintlink, this increases latency and gives slower download speeds.
Anyone else see the same results? try a trace to nyc.speakeasy.net | |
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astokes
join:2000-08-11
Bangor, ME | Re: odd routing of late Anyone care to try a trace to nyc.speakeasy.net? It will help me out knowing that is not just me getting odd routing.
thanks | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
| Yep, it's still going through Chicago:
Tracing route to dns.nyc1.speakeasy.net [216.254.95.2] with TTL of 32:
1 0ms 0ms 0ms 10.50.0.1
2 13ms 15ms 14ms bath-df-2-rkld-df-2.gwi.net [207.5.136.93]
3 16ms 16ms 15ms agst-co-r1-fe2-bath-co-r1-fe3.gwi.net [207.5.136.217]
4 17ms 17ms 17ms lstn-co-r1-fe-agst-co-r1-fe.gwi.net [207.5.136.226]
5 16ms 18ms 19ms 340c1-lstn1-ge.gwi.net [207.5.136.205]
6 17ms 18ms 18ms ptld1-340c1-ge.gwi.net [207.5.136.201]
7 23ms 23ms 22ms sl-gw4-spr-0-1.sprintlink.net [144.223.81.181]
8 23ms 23ms 22ms sl-bb21-spr-10-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.21.21]
9 41ms 40ms 41ms sl-bb21-chi-6-2.sprintlink.net [144.232.19.205]
10 41ms 40ms 40ms sl-gw22-chi-9-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.10.14]
11 49ms 48ms 45ms sl-abovenet-21-0.sprintlink.net [144.228.207.54]
12 46ms 46ms 46ms so-3-2-0.cr1.lga1.us.above.net [64.125.28.149]
13 46ms 47ms 62ms so-0-0-0.mpr1.lga1.us.above.net [64.125.27.142]
14 45ms 45ms 46ms so-1-0-0.cr1.lga3.us.above.net [64.125.30.18]
15 46ms 46ms 46ms 208.184.48.181.speakeasy.net [208.184.48.181]
16 47ms 47ms 45ms dns.nyc1.speakeasy.net [216.254.95.2]
Tracing route to speedtest.pinetreenetworks.com [65.198.75.28] with TTL of 32:
1 0ms 0ms 0ms 10.50.0.1
2 14ms 14ms 15ms bath-df-2-rkld-df-2.gwi.net [207.5.136.93]
3 16ms 16ms 17ms agst-co-r1-fe2-bath-co-r1-fe3.gwi.net [207.5.136.217]
4 16ms 17ms 17ms lstn-co-r1-fe-agst-co-r1-fe.gwi.net [207.5.136.226]
5 17ms 24ms 18ms 340c1-lstn1-ge.gwi.net [207.5.136.205]
6 18ms 19ms 22ms ptld1-340c1-ge.gwi.net [207.5.136.201]
7 17ms 19ms 18ms 1cc2-ge-ptld1-ge.gwi.net [207.5.143.169]
8 25ms 24ms 28ms POS3-1.GW2.BOS4.ALTER.NET [65.206.126.169]
9 24ms 24ms 26ms 168.at-5-0-0.XR2.BOS4.ALTER.NET [152.63.17.6]
10 24ms 25ms 25ms 178.ATM7-0.GW4.BOS4.ALTER.NET [152.63.24.225]
11 28ms 29ms 29ms pinetreenetworks.customer.alter.net [157.130.12.210]
12 29ms 30ms 29ms speedtest.pinetreenetworks.com [65.198.75.28] | |
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ElJay
join:2004-03-17 | Any comments on GWI's phone service? It's not available in my area yet, but I may try it out when they deploy it here. I'm not a big phone user but the overall cost will probably be close to what I'm paying Verizon and AT&T for my current plans. | |
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astokes
join:2000-08-11
Bangor, ME
| Re: Any comments on GWI's phone service? I had the service installed in June, no problems as of yet. Works just like my Verizon line did. Sometimes there is a small delay after dialing before there is a ring but thats it. Same old quality and stability, I love the fact I call call my friends and family back home in the UK for 2c a minute.
You also can use what GWI now calls Solo DSL for $5 extra which is what Verizon calls Naked DSL, no dial tone needed. So you can just get GWI broadband and use Vonage or something similar. | |
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jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME | naked dsl i just signed up fot he naked dsl redline service. will let you know if it measures up to the claimed 8Mbps/ 1 Mbps that im paying 54.95 for. sales rep said im very close to CO so i should be there, gets hooked up in 7 days. | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
1 edit | Re: naked dsl I gave info to one of my coworkers about it. I'm curious if it's available yet in our area, since we don't have GWI's phone service deployed here. I'm not sure if the availablity of naked DSL and GWiLine are somehow related. | |
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| jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | the seven days turned into 16 days. Apparently the rep from GWi didnt get enough info from me to provide to Verizon, so I was rescheduled. I am up and running now. Tech came out on a sunday. Im not up to full speed yet. Limping with 2980kbps down and 332kbps up. Was told that by tuesday id be much closer to Redline Service Speeds of 8000kbps down and 1000 kbps up that i signed up for.Will keep you all posted. | |
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| | jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: naked dsl modem seems cheaply made, Westell wirespeed, havent found too much info on it, Speed not quite as advertised, 6500/650 ,
instead of 8000/1000....i think ill reduce my plan and my speed will be about the same. havent had too much tim eto try to fiddle with settings to improve bandwidth, si have had to restart modem a few times, seems kinda normal. overall happy customer | |
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Quahog
join:2002-10-26
South Paris, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
| GWI to drop speeds in Norway/South Paris Here is an email I received from them recently. I am not happy at all and now I have to look at going with adelphia for higher speeds. It figures, just when I find a good company, One I am very happy with, They go and do something like this. Something sure stinks here in Norway, Maine
We have been attempting to reach you to talk about our service offering in Norway. We are scaling back our higher cost services in Norway due to the small number of customers signed on over the last three years. We have provided the best broadband, but until the community responds - we are only supporting two dozen customers.
We are converting you to our prior DSL service. This will slightly lower your speeds to 2.3 mbps To make this transition more palatable, we will be giving you one month offree service. Please contact us to go over the details as soon as possible to prevent any downtime in your
service. We look forward to assisting you with any questions you may
have. Thank you for your
cooperation.
Sincerely,
Emilie Douglass
Sales Team Leader
Great Works Internet | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
1 edit | Re: GWI to drop speeds in Norway/South Paris That's too bad. It seems amazing that they'd stay there at all for two dozen people. I seem to be still on the 2.3mbps service here in Rockland and I don't really mind it. Most streaming applications (e.g. video) generally peak out at 700kbps and general browsing/downloads are still plenty speedy at 2mbps. | |
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jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
| my gwi so i upgraded to more speed, quite happy. im also way behind on my bill and they dont seem to care. will be digging into pockets to pay up.
getting 11000kbps down,worth the extra dough to me.upload around 710 kbps, wished it was more up but this is the best bang for buck connect in southern Maine that i know of. this is naked dsl as well, no phone no problem. | |
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jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME | Solid Service My service has not dropped once since i was set up last Aug/Sept. | |
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astokes
join:2000-08-11
Bangor, ME
| Re: Solid Service Hi
Hey if you want the higher uploads on your ADSL2+ service, get a Westell 6100 off of ebay, I got one for $20. I have the update firmware for it to give it ADSL2+ support, now my upload syncs at 1024 and I average around 864 on speedtests where with the Lucent I averaged high 600's.. The modem supplied by GWI (lucent 23a) will sync at 1meg but doenst give that speed in the real world. | |
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Nhbass
Upside Down Jeep
Premium
join:2001-01-15
Nashua, NH
| GWI Sold some of their CO's Received a letter in the mail today from "USA Telephone" stating my account had been sold to them. Called GWI, they confirmed they have sold all but 4 of their CO's apparently. I have contacted USA Telephone to inquire about DSL costs as they have NO info on DSL on their site. BOO HISS to GWI for not notifying their customers about this before it actually happened. Depending on the response I get from this new company, I may have to cancel DSL after 5 years and revert back to cable. Verizon does not offer anything other than 3mb/768 in my area.
Watch your mailboxes, you could be next!
--
In memory of my Father, George Skuse Sr - 8/6/42 - 1/21/05. Gone entirely too early.May you find a shady spot in heaven and know you are always in my heart. | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17 | Re: GWI Sold some of their CO's Ugh, "USA Telephone" ... Are these the same idiots that bought Prexar?
»www.link2usa.com/
I didn't know that GWI even owned some COs... I thought they were all Verizon. | |
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Nhbass
Upside Down Jeep
Premium
join:2001-01-15
Nashua, NH
| Re: GWI Sold some of their CO's I'm not sure. I was told by a GWI sales rep that they had sold all but 2. I think they probably piggyback Verizon down here, but they do own ones up your way. I wish they would add online bill payment. They're one of only 2 bils I have that can't be paid online.
--
In memory of my Father, George Skuse Sr - 8/6/42 - 1/21/05. Gone entirely too early.May you find a shady spot in heaven and know you are always in my heart. | |
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| | | ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
| Re: GWI Sold some of their CO's said by Nhbass :I wish they would add online bill payment. They're one of only 2 bils I have that can't be paid online. Same here. Instead I just use my bank's online bill pay and they mail a check to GWI on my behalf. Given the size of GWI I'm kind of surprised that they haven't brought it some third party to do online ACH payments on their behalf. | |
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| GenBlood
join:2005-04-14
Nashua, NH | I can see a change in the cards again. DAMN ...
Another good DSL provider sells out. | |
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jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME | Gwi and verizon---dark fiber I read in the bangor daily or ppress about the state forcing verizon to let gwi use some of its dark fiber. The article didnt disclose where though. | |
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| ElJay
join:2004-03-17
·Great Works Internet
| Re: Gwi and verizon---dark fiber It was in the BDN: »www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=137707
quote:
One competitor recently had to appeal to the Maine Public Utilities Commission to compel Verizon to give it access to some of Verizon's "dark fiber," which are fiber optic cables that are installed and connected but not being used. The PUC regulates utilities such as telephone services in Maine, but not other Internet-compatible industries such as cable or satellite television.
According to a June 1 order issued by the commission, Biddeford-based Great Works Internet complained that Verizon was shirking its mandated obligation to give local telephone service competitors access to its network - in this case by claiming it had no dark fiber available where GWI wanted to expand its service.
The PUC, however, made a different determination. In the order, the PUC wrote that Verizon "unfairly discriminated against GWI" and ordered Verizon to make two high-capacity dark fiber strands available to the smaller company.
The location of these strands is considered proprietary information and is not being disclosed by the parties involved, according to Lindley. Not all sections of broadband backbone in Maine are owned by Verizon, he said.
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xQuestx
join:2001-05-15
Bar Harbor, ME
clubs:
1 edit | Hello all, hop question. I just recently got on with gwi, I have a question about my first hop, it jumps around alot, whats going on? here's a picture of ping plotter. the 2nd hop stays pretty much the same. thanks. Scott. | |
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| tacos4me0
join:2003-05-22
Houlton, ME | Re: Hello all, hop question. That's normal with DSL service. First hop to your CO is always jumping around. | |
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jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | Slow last few days Anyone else in southern Maine been slow on the download lately? I usually test over 10 Mbps but lately have been in the 6 to 8 range. I use speakeasy and a few other speedtests.
GWI's speedtest is showing me from 47 Mbps to 3 Mbps.
speedtest.gwi.net | |
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| jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME | Re: Slow last few days Things seem back to normal now. | |
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