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[Internet] Thinking of switching to 7Mb DSL, anyone happy with i

Re: [Internet] Thinking of switching to 7Mb DSL, anyone happy wi

reply to robwiljas
Netflix HD needs 5Mb as the start point any less and you wont get HD not sure about YT. But it should be less because most YT vids are smaller resolution. You can try dsl or cable for 30 days and cancel if you want. I say try both at the same time, and dont sign with Frontier at all till the tech has installed and run speed tests on his laptop as you watch and ask him to run speed tests to sites outside of Frontiers network and even have him run netflix in HD for you too. You shouldn't have to do this with cable because cable has faster speeds than dsl so try them for 30 days for sure. Weather you get both or just one be smart and do tests a few times a day three is good say morn and one during peak evening and another rite before bed. And test ping and speed to 3 or 4 test sites. Save all the test results along with any comments for each day.

reply to pittpete1
I have said this before the hole term contract thing is more of a bluff. In truth you have the rite to cancel any service that degrades from what you can prove you got at the start remember that first 30 days where you did tests.

pittpete1 has some good advice to check with your neighbors first. This way you can obtain first hand knowledge of what the service in your area is like, i.e. do the respond promptly to service calls, does the DSL service meet the advertised speeds, etc.

reply to robwiljas
Thanks for the responses guys. Unfortunately I don't know any neighbors with DSL. I'm probably just going to sign up without a contract and try it out.

As I stated dont let the term contract scare you I have talked on behalf of many of my clients that were in term contracts with both TW and Frontier and not one has ever had to pay an ETF and if it was to get thier service problem fixed because of less than what they were promised or w/e for most I even got money back as compensation for thier time and trouble. Just do what I said when the tech does the install make him do speed tests to both inside and outside of frontiers own tests and if its not the 7Mb ask why and have him show you proof. One of Frontiers tricks is to have all new dsl installs to have the speed set at the dslam for your line to much less than what you can actualy get.

reply to Hank
The tech should be able to tell you the distance. If you are too far out you will probably not get the 7 mb even if provisioned for 7 mb. Distance counts. Their SLA's always state "up to" xx-mb. But as gozer states make sure they have you provisioned for the higher speed. You'll soon find out if the distance will support it.

reply to robwiljas
I have Frontier's 7Mb DSL and I get about 6.4-6.5 Mbps in the day and 0.5 to 1 Mbps at night. I can watch YouTube in 720p without buffering in the day. I don't have Netflix, so I don't know about the speeds. There is a website that you can use to check distance to the Telco. It's »www.t1shopper.com/ . Just enter your zip code at the top, then enter your address in the next window, and press next. It will then show you the distance to the telco and it's code.

reply to robwiljas
You can also find the distance to the CO here
»/coinfo

reply to robwiljas
Oh and it will cost more if you go the no contract route not sure but you may have to pay the install fee and equipment cost. And another thing you should be aware of is if you plan to get phone service or not. You have to pay for a phone line or a dryloop and the phone is easy you basicly have to get a package phone deal.

»www.frontier.com/personal/intern···l-offers

If you dont want a land line let us know and we will explain all you need to know about the dryloop thing.

reply to grobinette
I guess if you live in the city, but for those of us in the boonies that site is far from accurate.

reply to robwiljas
Thanks again for all of the responses.

I'm an idiot lol, I completely forgot there's a large Frontier building down the street from me. According to those sites that's the CO that would serve me, and it's about 1860 feet from me.

I think they're hurting for customers right now. The promo they have right now is Broadband Max (6 or 7Mbps depending on who you talk to) and Digital Phone Unlimited for $50.98 per month with no contract, no installation fee and it has a 3 year price guarantee. They also have a 15Mbps FIOS and Digital Phone Unlimited bundle for the same price, also with no contract and a 3 year price guarantee. Unfortunately my apartment complex is not setup for FIOS though.

I wish they offered the 12Mb bonded DSL package here but they don't. They do offer the second connect line for $15.99 though.

I'm probably just going to order it and try it out for 30 days and then decide if I want to keep it.

reply to gozer
I know you've said this before.
Who wants to be bothered with calling Frontier for months and documenting problems and speed degregation?
Then having to deal with rep after rep and bill after bill.
Been there, done that.
Don't agree to a contract is my advice and my opinion.
You have yours, and I have mine.

reply to robwiljas
O and BTW, make sure the tech tests your speeds at 8:00 at night when everyone is online.
Speeds during the day will not be the same at night.

Some very good points pittpete1. Only reason I document things here is because Frontier is the only game in town for us.

robwilljas - To get a second connect you must have a second phone line installed. When I got mine you could not get the second connect as a dryloop.

reply to pittpete1
the techs dont work at night so you have to do the tests and just keep the test results so you can prove that there's a slow down during peak times. I know all about the hassle and time it takes to get anything fixed. I have a name for it "Frontier's Gauntlet" and it is hard to get through it, most just give up. But I do know how to traverse it fast and win. Frontier has got you so scared of the signing a contract, but as I stated before and will prove this by offering help to anyone that would ask that is or wants to leave Frontier and was told they will be charged an ETF. Here's just one way to get out of the contract at no cost. send a registered letter based on the problem you have with Frontiers service. Per Frontiers own TOS Frontier must fix the problem within 30 days. This power cant be used if you just call them. Dont fear the contract

that was sarcasm gozer
most of Frontiers speed problems occur when others are online
you talk about documenting,sending registered letters,etc....
this is not good advice to be giving people IMO
I'm not trying to stop people from using Frontier.
I use them over cable and the 2x I had major problems(on their end)
they were remedied but it took an awful long time and a lot of effort on my part.
If I wasn't in a contract I wouldn't have bothered.

Damn I can be smart and yet so slow I missed the sarcasm. I also agree with you and was not trying to put people off of Frontier at all I have been with them for more than 12 years. Even longer if you count the years before dsl when I had dialup from Frontier and have had land line even longer and I have always recommended Frontier over cable we have TW here as the only other option.

Why would you not have bothered based on the term contract, would you have left?

"I had major problems(on their end)
they were remedied but it took an awful long time and a lot of effort on my part"

And I am sorry for this. Here's why I was directly responsible for a change in Frontier's support policy that made it close to impossible to get to the NOC (network operation center) I noticed a network problem and as I had done many times before tracked it down and called support and showed the first lvl phone tech what IP it was and he transferred me to the NOC and like it has always worked. I gave the NOC tech the info and assumed it would be fixed as it had in the past well it didn't get fixed so about 4 or 5 days later I called again and Frontier had a new policy that stopped me dead the CS was not allowed to even check the IP or even even contact the NOC at all and the only way he could reach them was to pass it on to his manager and even the manager now could not call he was restricted to email only.

Very interesting gozer. So you're the reason for that policy change. I guess in reality there are other methods that work and it is a culmination of several independent efforts that eventually result in system wide and long term change.