pupddc
join:2001-04-10
Scottsdale, AZ
|  Qwest DSL / AOL ISP
This is driving me crazy... I have Qwest DSL and it works fine. I also am paying for Qwest.net (soon to be moved to MSN?), and an AOL account which my daughter and I use for dial-up infrequently. I can access AOL using the web interface or the AOL SW using LAN/ISP access.
The question is - why do I need the Qwest.net account? I never use the email account or the dial in; I use the DSL access to surf the web or use Yahoo mail. AOL and Qwest say that I can cancel my Qwest DSL service, go to AOL and then sign up with them and they will provide me DSL service (through Qwest!). This seems crazy! Am I missing something? Other than for business reasons, why do I need a Qwest.net account? What is the 'technical hook' between the DSL modem, the DSLAM at the CO, and the ISP? Ideas? Thanks - Dan |
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tahjah$
Premium
join:2001-11-03
| Your Qwest.Net account is the ISP account tied to the DSL service. If AOL supports Qwest DSL, then you can call Qwest and have them switch the ISP for the DSL to AOL, then drop the Qwest.Net service.
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I can't think of anything catchy to put here, so I'll just leave it blank. |
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pupddc
join:2001-04-10
Scottsdale, AZ
| AOL supports Qwest, but Qwest will not switch my ISP to AOL. They tell me I have to cancel my Qwest account, call AOL, apply for service to AOL (which I already have), apply for AOL Plus DSL Service (where the DSL portion is provided by Qwest), and then I have AOL and Qwest. Not to mention a possible 4-5 week interruption of service.... Or - I can continue to pay for both the Qwest ISP AND the AOL account and everything will be fine (and waste $23.50 per month).
There has to be a technical solution here, right? |
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tahjah$
Premium
join:2001-11-03
| reply to pupddc
Qwest has contracts with volume licensing partners, such as with MSN, and cannot be simply switched. Perhaps AOL is the same. Then everything has to done from scratch.
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I can't think of anything catchy to put here, so I'll just leave it blank. |
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MondoMor
join:2001-02-17
| reply to pupddc
FWIW, I switched from Qworst.net to VISI (a local ISP) without any lapse in service (unless you count the time spent entering in the new username and password in my Cisco 678).
It wasn't trouble-free. I tried to migrate to MSN first (back in October), but it would never let me. Qwest couldn't help - they didn't know why I was unable to migrate and their advice was simply to wait 'till I got moved by force.
I didn't go for that. Going from one bad ISP to a worse one, depending on the horrible technical services of both to make the transition seemed like a bad idea. Certainly I'd have an outage while both chased their tails and blamed each other.
So I proactively switched to VISI. Sure enough, Qwest botched their end. They kept billing me through February (even though I told them in no uncertain terms I was canceling my Qwest.net service). They finally stopped billing me. But to this day, my Qwest.net email address still works.
If they're not the most inept company in existence, they must be very, very close. |
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Phoenix Gold
Hypocrite
join:2001-11-24
Faulkton, SD
clubs:
| If you dont mind switching phone numbers you could add a second line, order AOL on the new line and when the DSL is active cancel your qwest.net account (and the old phone line). There will be some charges for installing the new line, but you could avoid the service interruption. |
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MHoltum
Premium
join:2001-02-26
Tempe, AZ
 ·surpasshosting
| To cancel your qwest account and get AOL BB you would call Qwest and cancel your service. Both your line and your account. Then you would have to call AOL and setup a DSL account. Your existing AOL I would cancel too, as it is a Dialup account and not a DSL account. I think if you just cancel your ISP (qwest.net) and try to just keep your AOL account you will loose connectivity to the net.
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»www.users.qwest.net/~holtumgm Cisco Router info site!
[text was edited by author 2002-04-06 13:37:03] |
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pupddc
join:2001-04-10
Scottsdale, AZ
|  reply to pupddc
I understand your point; and that is exactly what I am trying to avoid. There is a technical answer I am looking for; do I really need the Qwest.net ISP? Can I create a phony ISP and give that to Qwest? Is there an ISP that would be free or cheap with no email, storage, support, etc? Everything works fine now but I am paying for 2 ISPs... |
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Phoenix Gold
Hypocrite
join:2001-11-24
Faulkton, SD
clubs:
| No. You cant give qwest a fake ISP. Right now you are using the qwest.net account to access your AOL account. Without the qwest.net account you would only have an a dial up AOL account. You would still be paying qwest for use of the copper wire, but the wire wouldnt "plug into anything" (ie, no internet connection other than the dial up). AOL's DSL service is all inclusive, meaning that you buy both the DSL line (coppper wire) and the ISP service from them. They are the ones who in turn pay qwest for the use of the copper wire. As i stated in a previous post the only way to avoid a service interruption is to install a new phone line and activate AOL dsl on it, then cancel your old DSL line and phone number. |
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dsltek
join:2001-08-18
Poulsbo, WA
clubs:
| reply to pupddc
said by pupddc:
What is the 'technical hook' between the DSL modem, the DSLAM at the CO, and the ISP?
Here's my 2 cents...
You don't need the Qwest.net account, but you would have to do the disconnect, reconnect (or what Bremerton suggested by adding another line), because AOL is a Volume ISP (along with MSN and DirectTV)... The important part to remember is there's Qwest DSL and Qwest.net... they're not the same thing. You need Qwest DSL to have DSL with AOL (AOL isn't like Covad or other CLEC's... they don't lease our pairs) but you don't need Qwest.net to have DSL unless AOL doesn't support DSL in your area. In that case, AOL offers "BYOA" (Bring Your Own Access), which sounds like what you have now...
Hope this helps alittle!
(I know, clear as mud  )
Tek |
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seaman
Premium
join:2000-12-08
Seattle, WA
| reply to pupddc
"This is driving me crazy... I have Qwest DSL and it works fine"
Simple advice...
1. Dump AOL
2. Keep DSL with Qwest
3. Switch to good local ISP before you are migrated.
I actually encountered one person who ordered DSL through AOL. 8 weeks later it still wasnt happening. AOL tech support was a nightmare.
I agree with those above-- there is no technical workaround. AOL has always been a proprietary service and does not look to fit in like your ordinary ISP. |
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