 GA
@Level3.net | ISDN Info Search I'm looking into ISDN for my home in southern GA. Fed up with dial-up speeds, DSL is too far, satellite is too expensive, and wireless internet is either unavailable(cricket) or too strict(verizon). I'm trying to gather some info on what is involved in setting up an ISDN line.
To what I have gathered, you need to have your phone company to install two phone lines with ISDN enabled. Then with the two lines, you connect them to an ISDN terminal to connect to an ISP.
To make this happen, the cost of the installation of the lines, the monthly rate for the ISDN and the cost for the ISP service need to be calculated.
Have I got all this info correct or am I totally wrong? |
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| Sounds like you're in the ballpark. I would suspect the biggest cost hurdles are how far are you from the central office where the ISDN will originate.
Total bunch of bologna regarding the lack of broadband availability in many cases.... sigh...
In my case, it was significantly higher than Satellite cost, i.e. ~$140 / month. Many posts seem to report varying costs from less than $60/month to more...
You can find more info here by searching the forums, or also:
»What is ISDN??
and
»www.att.com/gen/isp?pid=2533 |
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GA
@Level3.net | Thanks for the info. Just to clarify, ISDN is just like DSL in the fact that I can use the internet and still use the landline phone at the same time. The one thing that is driving me for a different internet option is the ability to keep my phone line open while being able to use the internet.
One last question and I think i'll be set. According to DSLR, This is my local CO's feature set:
SV High cap mux terminus-DS1 to voice
PL Swiched access-price zone 3
PC Special access-price zone 3
GL International blocking
GD 800 or 800 type service
GC WATS or WATS type service
DA Feature group D with 10XXX dialing
BA Feature group B
Just by this info, can you tell if it's wire for ISDN or would it be more of a customer support call? |
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| 128K ISDN should allow you to have two 64K circuits, meaning you can use one circuit for data and make phone calls using the other 64K circuit. Voice quality is supposed to be pretty good from what others have stated.
Not sure if that feature set supports ISDN -- have to defer to other's or your local carrier for that question. |
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GA
@Level3.net | I'm assuming a bonded 128K ISDN would take all the circuits for data and no voice then. What I was hoping to do is to get at least a 128K for some Xbox Live but I might be OK with 64k. |
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| ISDN should allow you to run 128K for data and then when you use the phone line, it will occupy the other 64K channel giving you 64K for data and 64K for voice. When you hang up the phone, the other 64K line should renegotiate the data call giving you 128K for data.
Keep in mind there may be certain factors such as hardware, ISP features and client-side configurations to enable that functionality. That's at least my understanding of it. |
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GA
@bellsouth.net | Thanks for all the help and info. This should set me into the right path. Next thing would be check with my carrier (Bellsouth aka AT&T....yeah) for pricing then find an ISP. I've seen people using localnet so I may check into them. |
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| Order code S-0 with AT&T (assuming they use the same codes as SBC did).
That lets voice calls override data calls (you're dialed up, someone calls, it'll dump your data call and make the phone ring).
Of course--dependent on your hardware. |
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GA
@Level3.net | Thanks for the info aeblank. Defiantly keep that code in mind. Also finally got to the residential ISDN people. Went from sales to tech. support to business. A guy is suppose to call back sometime for pricing and availability.
And for future use, the number they gave me to get to AT&T Residential ISDN was 1-800-858-9413. Not sure if this is for Georgia region only but thought I'd save some people 15 minutes of run around. |
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GA
@Level3.net | reply to GA
Well got info from AT&T. Good news is that it wouldn't be too terrible expensive. It was $195 setup and $75 a month with an extension to a nearby town's CO. Bad news, and the deal killer,was there was a 200 hour limit with 2 cent per minute over. But when I do bonding, it would be half the hours and double the overage.
The representative, which I found out was the ONLY residential ISDN rep for the southeast, did suggest to try checking out a business account for business ISDN.
So it may turn out that I may go for wireless since if I used every bit of that 100 hours at 12 KB a second, it would be less if I used
5 Gig a month wireless without a time limit.
But I gave ISDN a shot. Great when you can find it unlimited but no so much when not. Thank you all for your help in my pursuit for ISDN knowledge. |
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