 GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT | New technology where I live! I live in Juneau and would love to support this technolgy. With all the servers I run from my computer, for light use, the promise of 1mbps upstream sounds great! And it's always great to see a little competition emerging as well. But I'm very used to my 7mbps downstream connection with the cable modem.
I'll be watching the technology and hopefully their site will start to show a little more promise as far as pricing strategies and packages offered. Until I see an increase in downstream bandwidth and more solid information obtainable without having to phone them I'm afraid I'll be sticking with the big bad evil local cable company. |
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| Extreem Souyhern IL, still need broadband. |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK | reply to Gork
High-up sources in the AT&T Alascom world tell me that it will be rolled out to Fairbanks next (after it is hopefully fully installed and successful in Juneau) and then Anchorage. Lookin' forward to that!
1mbps up is freakin' awesome, but like Gork, I'm used to my 3mbps cable connection (used to be 5, but I downgraded and sometimes regret it), even though my upload is only 256kbps. If anything, maybe GCI will up the upload speeds... |
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GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT | said by cluth:
maybe GCI will up the upload speeds...
THAT would be sweet, but after seeing GCI's business pricing on their symmetrical services, well, let's just say I won't be holding my breath. Unfortunately. |
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 koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK
1 edit | reply to cluth
said by cluth:If anything, maybe GCI will up the upload speeds... Just you wait till next month... Oh, man, you are going to freak out.
It might get pushed back, but more or less, download and upload speeds will be increased significantly. If you don't believe me, call GCI and ask about increasing your upload speed. Chances are they'll tell you that "later this year", the upload will be increased.
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There's no place like ::1. |
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GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT | If GCI increases their upload bandwidth for normal end users to 1mbps without raising prices substantially it would thwart any chance AT&T Alascom would have integrating this technology where GCI's cable platform is already in place. Very interesting info, koolman2  . |
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koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK
1 edit | It's still rumor, but from what a tech has told me, and what a different tech told a buddy of mine, I am very excited. PM me for more information, but remember that is only rumor at this point.
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There's no place like ::1. |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK | Still waiting for GCI to announce any increase in speeds. :-( I may give them a call to see if they can tell me anything... I do know a few techs who may know something... |
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koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK
1 edit | They may have moved it back a few months to be sure everything's ready. My cable modem has been moved around channels quite a bit in the last month, probably looking at the usage patterns.
Needless to say, GCI will not put up with being second compared to ACS when it comes to internet speeds.
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There's no place like ::1. |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK | said by koolman2:Needless to say, GCI will not put up with being second compared to ACS when it comes to internet speeds. ?!?! Yes, but unless something is in the works with ACS, too, they have a LONG way to go to catch up with GCI. (You're right, though--GCI would hate to have to drop its "DS-Snail" campaign...) |
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koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK | I mean upload speeds, silly.
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There's no place like ::1. |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK | Oh, duh. Yeah, they'd better keep ahead of them on that... |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK
1 edit | Any update on this? It's been a few more months and no word from GCI--nothing on their website, no press releases, nothing. I haven't called and asked, nor have I used any of my connections (some low-level, one high-level--a friend's friend's dad is a VP, I guess), but I'm getting awfully tired of 256kbps upload...
Edit: Whoa, this is freaky: I just started uploading a large file, and Mac OS X Activity Monitor is telling me I'm hitting around 60KB/sec (max of 67KB/sec) upload! The uploading app says the average upload speed is 424 Kbps.
1) Goof in their system? (Config tables in the modem corrupted or something?)
2) Special bonus for being a long-time customer?
3) Off-peak hour (4:30am) special?
According to the marketing on their website, my 3mbps downstream package still includes 256kbps upstream. Maybe the technical guys made a change recently and marketing has not updated it yet. Good job if they did, but ~512kbps (which is what I'm assuming it is) is better but still far short of what it should be. I might just go ahead and call them in the morning to see if they're offering any new packages... |
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koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK | The upload speeds have been doubled from 256 and 384 to 512 and 768 respectively. It hasn't been announced, but their tech support has gotten a memo.
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There's no place like ::1. |
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GorkOu812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT
3 edits | reply to cluth
»www.gci.com/forhome/promos/xtrem···asd7.htm indicates these changes have now been put in place. Thank GOD. And heck, since I'm already paying $10/mo for a static IP address already at the new 7/768 tier it'd only be $20 more to move to the new 10/1 tier. I have a decision to make!
All prices/speeds are contingent on having a subscription to GCI's Ultimate Package Plus which forces you into phone, long distance, cable TV and Internet service through GCI. The prices quoted are in addition to the price for the package, which is $89.99 with 320/128Kbps broadband service. No, these prices are not for the feint hearted! (I pay $77.50 per month for "the Ultimate Cellular Package" which allows me to substitute a cell phone w/ 150 local minutes for the local/long distance phone in the Ultimate Package Plus.)
Ultimate Xtreme - $39.99
3 Mbps/512 Kbps
Unlimited downloads
Spam/virus protection
4 (10 MB) email accts
10 MB web storage
Ultimate Xtreme Family - $49.99
5 Mbps/512 Kbps
Unlimited downloads
Spam/virus protection
8 (10 MB) email accts
20 MB web storage
Ultimate Xtreme Entertainment - $69.99
7 Mbps/768 Kbps
Unlimited downloads
Spam/virus protection
"Priority support"
8 (10 MB) email accts
20 MB web storage
Ultimate Xtreme Power - $99.99
10 Mbps/1 Mbps
Unlimited downloads
Spam/virus protection
"Priority support"
Dial-up account
Static IP
8 (20 MB) email accts
50 MB web storage
Note: GCI does have enough plans and packages as well as upgrades to packages to make your head spin. I only noted those I'm familiar with which allow you to take advantage of the new highest upload rates. Also, I'm quoting information available in the 99801 area code - I don't know how different things would be in a different area.
EDIT
As far as an update to the original post goes, nothing seems to have changed on the home front regarding AT&T's new offering. Their site to site service is apparently available in the Juneau area. But if I have to contact them directly for pricing and availability I'm not going to bother. They need to make their web site more interactive to rope me in. |
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cluth
join:2004-01-06
Anchorage, AK | Cool! Thanks for the update. Will have to decide if $60 more per month is worth the coolness factor.
Would be a no-brainer if they offered a 15/3 tier for the same $99 (I think I heard that this was in the works, but maybe they scaled it back to 10/1 or maybe they're still thinking about 15/3), but 10/1's certainly better than the old top-of-the-line package! |
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koolman2Premium
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK | It certainly is! I've already upgraded to it because of the upload speed. 
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