Some ADSL questions...

Bube · 11-28-2003, 10:35 AM

I was thinking of getting ADSL, but nobody gives me the information I need. I'd be very happy if you could help.

1. Do I have to pay for the phone line? I don't think so, because as far as I know, you're always connected, like cable, right? That wouldn't be good.

2. Do I have to pay for an ISP? Or do I just pay for the subscription?

3. A 128Kbps connection is about $40. A 256Kbps connection is about $60. It's worth it, isn't it? I'm willing to pay the extra out of my pocket (I'm not the one to pay if we get 128Kbps).

Jason1 · 11-28-2003, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bube

I was thinking of getting ADSL, but nobody gives me the information I need. I'd be very happy if you could help.

1. Do I have to pay for the phone line? I don't think so, because as far as I know, you're always connected, like cable, right? That wouldn't be good.

2. Do I have to pay for an ISP? Or do I just pay for the subscription?

3. A 128Kbps connection is about $40. A 256Kbps connection is about $60. It's worth it, isn't it? I'm willing to pay the extra out of my pocket (I'm not the one to pay if we get 128Kbps).

That sounds very high...it depends on if that is your upload speed or download speed...My family pays 45 a month, and that gives us like very high download, 128 upload. If that 128 or 256 is talking about your download, id say your getting ripped off.

Null · 11-28-2003, 01:34 PM

pretty sure the 128k he mentioned is upload. in which case it wouldnt be worth the extra unless you send a lot of files out. Download is what you really want.

my cable gets about 3.5MB (roughly 3500kb) for about $40/month

the ISP and subscription payment is one in the same.

And it should run on your same phone line so it wouldnt need a second. if you need a second you have to pay for it extra

Bube · 11-28-2003, 02:26 PM

No, I'm talking download (BTW, if you have 128 d/load, you have 64 u/load, 256/128, 512/256. It goes like that). It's expensive since it's pretty new over here. But whatever, there isn't any other provider.

Even though, this is much better than 2 months ago: $90 for 128Kbps, $125 for 256Kbps (d/load).

What I meant by "worth it" was the extra $20 for 256. Thanks for the answers.

Null · 11-28-2003, 03:44 PM

if thats really what your talkin bout. download. then that is absolutly horrendous. and no way is it worth it in anyway.

And there is no set in stone upload / download. its all what they care to give you. i have 3.5MB / 128 up

Jonbo298 · 11-28-2003, 04:08 PM

If thats the only high speed option in your area, go for it. But if cable bb is offered in your area, look into that more.

Bube · 11-28-2003, 04:09 PM

Maybe horrendous, but I sometimes pay $30 just for dial-up (because of the phone). I'm definitely thinking of getting ADSL, but which one? 128 or 256? Yes, it is expensive, but please don't compare it with other countries and make me want to live there. Like I said, ADSL is pretty new over here.

We do have cable. My friends who have it say that if there are a lot of people using cable TV in the area, the connection slows down. And if there's a storm or something, the connection completely stops. It's also more expensive than ADSL.

Null · 11-28-2003, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bube

We do have cable. My friends who have it say that if there are a lot of people using cable TV in the area, the connection slows down. And if there's a storm or something, the connection completely stops. It's also more expensive than ADSL.

look into the speed per money ratio of both. you might get a lot more bang for your buck if you look around even tho it might cost more.

And does your cable TV go out a lot in storms? even thro they ride on differnt signals they come thro the same wire. so most likely if your TV cable doesnt go out much, neither will your Cable internet. i've never had it go out cause of a storm.

And what many dont tell you. is DSL also flucuates speed depending on a lot of ppl in your area. but really you only notice if your uncaped (for both cable or dsl)

if they cap you at 128, and they can go up to 3MB, your not going to notice anything depending on the ppl in your area. same with cable. and even when you do, its barely anything. Unless you sit there with a broadband speed test running it over and over, you will not notice speed changes.

The other thing, at least around me, DSL will have you sign a 1 year contract, and you have to deal with it, good or bad for that full year. Cable lets you go and get out of it or cancel the subscription anytime. (at least around me, perhaps something you should also check into)

Jason1 · 11-28-2003, 06:56 PM

I have had my cable out because of a storm...now that I think about it, Ive had them both out at the same time, but ive also had my TV working and just my internet out a couple of times also...I cant hardly remember the last time it was down though, its been very stable the last couple of months.

Null · 11-28-2003, 10:35 PM

im not saying it wont happen. but if you dont have that many probs with your TV cable. more then likely you wont have many with your internet. they arent the same even thro they come on the same cable line. they run on 2 differnt signals thro it.

Bube · 11-29-2003, 08:58 AM

Cable is just expensive. The same dload/uload speed for a more. And in Ankara, I heard there were a lot of problems waiting to be solved. A lot of people are cancelling their subscriptions.

But, I found out that there were no free ports for ADSL in my area. 60000 ports for the whole country!?!? Just great!

quiet mike · 12-01-2003, 05:59 AM

You Canadians and Americans have no clue how expensive narrowband is here in East Europe and Middle Asia. Just to give you an example, I had SBC/Ameritech ADSL with $39.99 a month in USA with around 800Kb download and 128Kb upload, and now in Romania I'm paying $35 for Cable with 128Kb download/upload. I could get a $24 contract if I would accept a 400MB limit per month.

Anyways, Bube, You are right about the ADSL connection, you are always on, and no payments for the phone line or ISP, since the ISP is the connection provider. The problem with ADSL is distance from the telephone company. If your connection is more than 3km, you might not get ADSL at all. The shorter the distance the better the signal, the closer to top speed specified (no signal lost, no noise interference on line)

Now you have to see if they have different contracts with hour limits during day or amount of MB per month limit, or any other interdiction. I for example got slowed down cuz I downloaded over 6GB a month and I had to tell the company to give me my bandwith back since in contract it didn't specified that even if they were doing it.

PureEvil · 12-01-2003, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quiet mike

Now you have to see if they have different contracts with hour limits during day or amount of MB per month limit, or any other interdiction. I for example got slowed down cuz I downloaded over 6GB a month and I had to tell the company to give me my bandwith back since in contract it didn't specified that even if they were doing it.

Certainly.

I had cable, but it was down often, so I switched to ADSL, and my biggest issue thus far has been the bandwidth limits.

Somehow, not even doing anything exceptionally downloady, I always end up right near my 5GB download limit per month. So far my ISP hasn't made up any rules about what happens if you go over, but they're working on it and I believe the plan involves an extra fee for using anything over that limit. Kind of sucks, but what can you do.

Another big difference in the speed. I've never gotten a download over 150 KB/s with ADSL, whereas with cable it was at least 300-400 KB/s down. It doesn't really make that big of a difference unless you're downloading huge files all the time, but it is something worth looking at.

The extra speed certainly is nice, but in your case, I'm not sure it's worth the extra 30 bucks a month. Depends what you're using it for, really.