DSL Hassle (Score 1)

I was the first one to get DSL in my neighborhood a few years ago.

An appointment was made through the Pac Bell website to have DSL installed and sign up for one of the DSL providers listed on the web site. I also ordered a DSL modem from the website. It took the phone company about three months to check the line before they can install DSL.

Finally when a technician showed up, he installed a splitter on the phone line and hooked the DSL modem to the computer. Then he asked me what IP address to use. We spent the next couple of hours trying to find someone at the ISP that knew what an IP address is and which one to use. The technician ran out of time and had to leave. It took three more days of phone calls to get the IP address and finish the install myself.

The DSL worked great for a couple of years before I started to have lots of problems. To get the problem fixed I would have to call Pac Bell who tells me to call SBC, they tell be to call the ISP, the ISP tells me to call Pac Bell. A never ending circle.

Finally I cancelled DSL and used the Ricochet wireless modem for a year and half before Metricom went bankrupt. Now I am back to 56K dialup.