O Canada! → Canadian → Start Communications > [DSL] Which Installer comes first? Inside or Outside?

[DSL] Which Installer comes first? Inside or Outside?

I'd like to share two installation experiences, both of which were the result of my recommendations, so I feel responsible.

== Part One ===

Friend #1 had moved into an old apartment building in West Toronto. So, this was not a switch from another ISP. The install was September 20th.

2013-09-20 14:54 SMS

"First technician has been here! The guy from Start has been but I still have to wait for a Bell person to activate the line. When the DSL light (2nd from the right) is steady green, it is ready. THEN I phone Start to get my wifi password."

"Also, while I had been told initially that the window was 12-5, the Smart tech told me that Bell's window is until 6. If I had had other plans, I would have missed him."

There were problems that I won't detail, except to say that the next day I went there, discovered a defect in the modem, found that I could get PPP on my (Bell) account; I phone Start and got her Start password fixed, and left her an old ADSL2+ modem+wifi. (ADSL2+ is fine since it's a 10/1/300 plan which is provisioned with ADSL2+, not VDSL2.) This was fine for a day, then there were new problems -- bad wiring. Bell Tech came and very kindly fixed the wires.

(Seems to me that if Bell Tech had come first, then Start Tech would have been able to get to the point of saying: "There! Everything is working perfectly now." Or not, and fix whatever needs fixing.)

=== Part Two ===

Friend #2 had the install scheduled for today. This one is a switch from Bell (25/10) to Start (25/10), with a Bell home phone remaining:

"We have confirmed your FTTN internet service will be installed on Tuesday
October 1st, 2013. Two technicians will be scheduled for your installation
day, the first will arrive between 12pm and 5pm to bring the circuit to
your premises and a second technician will arrive afterwards to complete
any inside wiring work that is required to ensure an optimal signal and
reliable connection."

So, I went there at noon. Set up the SmartRG modem, and the RT-N66U Tomato router with the Start account, which worked just fine, and waited.

Tech arrived some time after 2. Disconnected the SmartRG modem and plugged in his Sagemcom. Installed a splitter/filter at the outlet. Then he went to the Demarc and removed the splitter/filter that the Bell Tech had put there last year to isolate the DSL line that went straight to the 2nd floor modem outlet, from the horrid phone line(s) that went all over, with makeshift extensions and answering machines and other yucky things.

When he arrived, I asked him who had sent him and what his objective was. He was the "Start Tech", not the "Bell Tech", although he was dispatched from Bell. On his work sheet it didn't actually say "Start", but "Multiboard". (He had clearly never seen a SmartRG modem.)

When he was leaving, I asked him what he had done, and what was left for the Bell Tech to do, when the Bell Tech might come, and what exactly would happen when the Bell DSL gets disconnected in a few days.

He said he had tagged the line for the Bell Tech, who would connect it when he gets there.

We had this conversation as I walked with him to the van. He was almost ready to leave when he agreed to come back to reconnect the Bell DSL (that my friend is still paying for) and the other pair, and leave two jacks by the modem, one for the old Bell and one for the future Start.

There was a Bell van up the street, near the (Stinger/IKNS) Remote, when the Start Tech left, and we thought he might come soon after. But I had to leave at 16:50 to go to a meeting. At 17:00 Bell Tech called -- running late, not coming today.

CORRECTION: Bell Tech said running late, will try to be there by 6.
UPDATE: 13:00
... noon next day ... still no DSL on new Start Line. ... , Start called, and said to call them if there still is a problem. Start Support checked with Bell .. there are outside problems, Bell is working on it. Start will call when it's fixed.

(So, again, it seems to me that had the Bell Tech come before the "Start Tech", it would have been obvious that since we were paying for both DSL services during a period of several days, that it would be grotesque to leave us with no DSL for any time at all. So, instead, the "Start Tech" arrived, immediately disconnected the network, did some work on a wire that went nowhere, and almost left, with the customer having no DSL connection, while paying for two.)

(I thought I'd share this story. It seems that Bell dispatches both the "Start Tech" and the "Bell Tech", and that there is a sensible sequence and another one. Even though they have a 5 (or 6) hour window, it seems that in 2 out of 2 cases the sequence was reversed. Not a disaster, but useful to know, and to know what one can expect.)

So, I left my other SmartRG there, connected to the Future Start jack, as a "DSL detector". Then, hopefully some time tomorrow, I'll be able to post DSL stats from the 2 active DSL lines.

The inside wiring technician is employed by a company called Telecon who is contracted by Bell.

Odd that they'd go so around to answer your questions.

Perhaps I should have said "We are paying for Bell DSL for a few more days and expect to use both Bell DSL and Start DSL during that period", or something more explicit in terms of what to do, but I tend to listen and learn, and perhaps I'm too subtle.

But my major concern is with the sequence reversal.

To me, "a second technician will arrive afterwards to complete any inside wiring work that is required to ensure an optimal signal and reliable connection", seems reasonable.

To replace "afterwards" with "before" seems less so.

Update:

Start called back:

Yesterday Telecon did the dry loop.

Bell was unable to complete the outside wiring. They have to send out another Bell Tech. Earliest date is October 9th.

Bell account ends Oct 3rd.

Mhm.

What was the issue with the delay on the Bell side?

I only got the information second hand.

(My guess is that of the 8 (?) pairs that go to the house, and of which only one has actually been used in the last 8 years, he couldn't find another one that is usable.

Another guess might be that the Remote's cards are all in use. (4 years ago the DSL line was (surreptitiously) re-directed from the very near remote to the very far CO, when this customer switched from A. to T. That's is why I recommended switching to B. last year, to get back into the Remote.)

But those are just guesses. )

I suppose I could call Start and ask. Do you suppose that Start actually gets any "particulars about the issue with the delay" from Bell in a situation like this?

Multiboard is one of Start's old "names" guess they kept it.

Update: Bell Tech is now scheduled for Oct 4th. Line issues are being resolved. All should be well when Bell Tech is dispatched Oct 4th. (Just as all should have been well when Bell Tech was dispatched Oct 1st.) Customer has asked Bell to extend old DSL service by a week, in case Bell takes longer than expected to fix the unexpected problem and delay that Bell has created. (She retains Bell landline phone.)

Good good, glad we could get that done earlier than originally planned. Have a great day.

Sorry to hear about the delay, sounds like we were told it'd be sooner but then perhaps more work than expected. If you want to PM me your account # I'd be happy to look into why, but sounds like the 8th is going to be when the lines are fixed.

Update:
Bell is extending the old DSL account until Oct 10th.