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Bytes: Local Broadband Up-Date -- A few months back, in our premiere Fall Harvest/Election Day issue, we ran an article on speeding up your internet connection -- "Net Connection Not Fast Enough for You? Consider a Cable Modem." ... Last month, we ran our first Local Broadband Up-Date with some good news for the bandwidth-hungry: Both cable modem and two-way satellite are already available in some areas, and will become increasingly available in the next months. This month, we're continuing our Local Broadband Up-Date with news about digital subscriber line [DSL] technology. ... Both Waitsfield / Champlain Valley Telecom [WCVT], which serves a good portion of our readership area, and Shoreham Telephone Company [STC], which is centered on towns south of Middlebury, are working on a roll out of DSL. We did a little research, then spoke with Kurt Gruendling at WCVT and Jim Arnold at STC, and here's what we found. ... What Is DSL? ADSL is what is referred to as a splitterless telecom technology that allows you to use a single line for both voice and data. What this means is that there is no special equipment required to split the voice & data signals coming in over your phone line. However, while 'splitterless' is technically accurate, it is also something of a misnomer. Why? Because if you want to have analog devices -- like faxes, analog modems, satellite-connected phone lines, or, of course, your ordinary phones -- still sharing the same line, you'll have to install micro-filters to block out the DSL signal. If you don't, the DSL signal could significantly degrade the quality of your analog signal -- meaning static for phone calls, lousy fax transmission, or poor signal quality when you try to get that pay-per-view movie, etc. ... ADSL does provide a 'dedicated' line -- a 24/7 net connection. Moreover, unlike cable or satellite options, which are shared, ADSL's dedicated feature means that, since your phone line is your very own, performance won't degrade with multiple users on your line ... although this may not be a real problem here in Vermont, where even our cities are rural by national standards. What else? Well, ADSL can be hooked to a single PC or to a local area network [LAN}. And, for hardware, you'll need a DSL modem and/or a hub or router. But the most important thing to know about ADSL is that it is distance-sensitive. You have to live within roughly 3.4 miles --- 18,000 feet to be precise -- from one of the phone company's central switching offices. Beyond that, DSL is a no-go... What About Speed? On the other side of the coin, ADSL is not duplex, so upstream speeds -- the speed at which you send or publish files, including e-mail and attachments -- are typically set up to be half of the downstream rate or less. In practical terms, what does that mean? WCVT -- which has already begun a "soft rollout" with 100 customers currently being served -- will be offering four different DSL packages with four different speed configurations. These options have been dubbed: Home Office {384K downstream/128K upstream}; Home Office Plus {512K downstream/128K upstream}; Professional {768K downstream/384K upstream}; and Elite {1544K downstream/512K upstream}. These speeds are optimal, since a variety of factors can affect performance, including: your computer system {processor speed, memory, etc.}, phone line capabilities {not all phone lines are created equal}, and atmospheric conditions {not only those summer thunderstorms but solar winds can actually have a direct effect on just about any technology that has to go through the air or metal lines}. Of course, bottlenecks on the Internet itself will also always play a part. What'll
It Cost? In their web site info, WCVT currently asks $44.95/month for the Home Office package, which, like the rest, comes with a 'roaming' capability that will let you access your connection from anywhere in the country. It also comes with the standard Internet Service Provider [ISP] amenities -- 1 e-mail account, 5 meg of personal web space, and toll-free tech support. For $10 more per month, you can up-grade to Home Office Plus, which not only increase your downstream bandwidth, but jumps to 5 e-mail accounts. For $89.95/month, the Professional package gets you more speed in both stream directions. And for the truly bandwidth-hungry -- small businesses or agencies with multiple users on a LAN or those with bucks to spare -- $199.95/month will get you the Elite package, meaning all the speed that WCVT's G.Lite DSL can muster. Also note that DSL service will not be metered along with your regular phone line usage, so you won't be running up a bill while you're on line. On the hardware end, good luck trying to find a DSL modem on your own. The TelCo's have been gobbling them up as fast as they hit the market. That may sound like bad news, but think again. When you purchase the service, the TelCo will sell you hardware which they know will work with their equipment. And the last thing you need when you're anxious to try out your new bandwidth is the nightmare of installing incompatible hardware. On that score, then, WCVT has two options available for hardware purchase, depending on whether you opt for a month-to-month service plan, or are willing to commit to a 1-year service contract. {Either way, you still pay for the service monthly.} For the month-to-month types, the hardware will run you $275, which includes the modem and 5 micro-filters. But with a 1-year contract, the price drops to $99. When Can You
Expect DSL Service? Again, WCVT is already serving about 100 customers with DSL out of their five central offices -- the Bristol Central Office (C/O), Charlotte C/O, Hinesburg C/O, Richmond C/O, and Waitsfield C/O. According to Kurt Gruendling, these five sites will allow WCVT to potentially service about 45% of their customer base. But WCVT also has plans for an additional 7 sites which should "come on line some time within the next 3 or 4 months." The additional sites, according to Kurt, "will allow us to hit about 65-70% of our customer base." Currently, those interested in DSL through WCVT are going on a waiting list and will be brought on on a first come - first served basis. As for Shoreham Telephone, while they already have their switching gear, they're waiting on an order fulfillment from Lucent for the rest of the hardware. According to Jim Arnold, there's no sure way of predicting when Lucent will come through. But, he said, "the best case scenario would be mud season," although he emphasized that there was no way of knowing for sure. Once the rest of the equipment arrives, the biggest issue, according to Jim, is "the learning curve." Specifically, as anyone who's ever fussed with PC's knows, the question is whether the equipment will genuinely be "plug 'n' play" or not. {For those who're interested in such things, allow us to refer you to this month's Computer Tutor: When Plug 'n' Play Won't.} But Jim thinks that, the learning curve aside, summer is a safe bet, at which point STC will be "starting with Shoreham and Cornwall first, then slowly roll out from there." Summing Up ... DSL may be just what the doctor ordered for the bandwidth blues. If you don't have cable and don't care to ... or, if you want a dedicated line ... or, if you prefer the relative reliability of your phone line as compared to your cable service ... and, no matter what else, you live within 18,000 feet of a TelCo central office switch ... DSL offers a reasonably priced package to boost your bandwidth considerably. And the good news is that WCVT's G.Lite-based option is built on one of the more common DSL standards around. DSL, then, won't be available to everyone. The 18,000-foot limit is just that. But if you weigh the alternatives and some of DSL's features outweigh the somewhat reduced bandwidth when compared to cable or satellite, then it may be the option for you. Want More Info? For more info about WCVT's DSL offering, check out their DSL FAQ page. ... You can also complete their on-line form about your interest in DSL, which, if you're seriously considering DSL, can help increase the likelihood that DSL will get to your neighborhood sooner rather than later. Shoreham Telephone does not currently have info on DSL at their site. but we'll keep you posted. Fore more info about DSL in general, visit any of the following sites. But beware. It seems most sites devoted to high speed bandwidth assume you have it already {or want to entice you}, because the pages sometimes take a coffee-break to load. Meanwhile, happy trails. ... .. ******* ******* If you would like to submit a feature for our Computers & Tech section, don't hesitate to let us know. Simply e-mail us at comptech@downstreetmagazine.com. The e-mail should contain your name, address, and a phone number where we can reach you. You may also send a copy of your proposed article. The text can either be included in the body of the e-mail, or you can send it as an attachment in just about any word processing format. If your piece is accepted, we will pay a small honorarium for your interest & your time. [See Freelancers Wanted for more details.] ******* ******* If you would like to advertise in this section, or throughout the magazine, please visit our Advertising Info Pages ... or call, write, or e-mail ads@downstreetmagazine.com. ******* *******. |
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