OT: DirectTV DSL out of business!

[tangman99]

Darn, I loved their DSL service and they are closing their shop in 30 days. Does anyone else that have their service have any idea what they are going to do with the DSL modems? The email they sent did not mention it and when I set up my service, there was something like a $600 charge would be assessed if you did not return it after you discontinued service.
So what now? Does anyone use BellSouths DSL service? It appears to be the only other one available with high speed. I will never used a cable modem as out local cable provider has complaints and outstanding class action lawsuits against them for terrible service and billing errors.
Thanks

 

[robn70]

I was wondering the same thing. I don't think that they can charge us for the modems. I found having the static ip was handy for server testing. now have to go back to verizon as non of the other dsl providors in my area offer static ip and i still have my old verizon modem anyway.

 

[madd catt]

Direct tv was bought by the other sat company dishnetwork a year or 2 ago they may continue the service.they may replace the dish with another 1.The report about them being bought was by i think widescreen review mag and/or home theater magazine.Earthlink has a dsl service by satelite maybe they have a modem.

 

[quazi]

FYI:
Is DIRECWAY closing?
No. DIRECWAY high-speed satellite Internet services remain unchanged.
So, instead of DSL, you can change to DIRECTWAY, FWIW.

 

[tangman99]

Originally posted by quazi
FYI:
Is DIRECWAY closing?
No. DIRECWAY high-speed satellite Internet services remain unchanged.
So, instead of DSL, you can change to DIRECTWAY, FWIW.
DirectWay is only a 400 kbps download speed. I was getting 1.5 mbps with my DSL and averaged like 1.2 mbps. I just switched over to BellSouth. I was actually their customer all along as DirecTV DSL was just my ISP and sent me the bill. BellSouth owned the network so nothing will change for me now except I will just get billed by BellSouth. All the phsical connection and the network will be identical so I know I will get the same performance.
I will miss the Static IP address though. Will have to do the DHCP thing now.
Cable modems are hit and miss depending on where you live. I know several people who have them and loved them, but as more people have been added, there performance has suffered because you share bandwidth with your neighbors. With DSL, you get direct bandwidth to the Service Station where everyone is at the mercy of the network.

 

[chinnyr]

Have you seen what the directway costs!Not to mention a different and/or upgraded dish.I got burned by their dsl service too.I just switched to them less than 7 months ago.It took quite some time to get things changed to this(email,address changes,etc)and now I need to find a new service.Kinda funny how THEY don't have to pay a penalty for shutting down.We would have to paid a hefty fee to get out.Anyway.....I've found At&t,verizon,and earthlink serve my area.They all have promo offers going right now.
As for thier modems,I think they had(have) 180,000 customers.....that's alot of stuff to try and get back.I doubt they will ask for them back.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Actually cable modems are the best. Even though you are guaranteed bandwidth with DSL, you can get the same and even more with cable. I have comcast, if i can tell my service is getting slow I call up and they run a test, if it averages below the normal speed they give it a boost. So far i've only had to call once, cant beat downloading an mp3 in less than a minute.
Also get one of those Cable/DSL routers, no need to pay for extra IP's and you can do great things like MP3 Servers and such.

 

[tangman99]

I don't deny cable modems can be better than DSL, but not in my area. It's the provider, not the technology. In my case, there is no question about which to use. It's DSL all the way.
While we are talking about using a router to have multiple computers on one connection, you can also take it a step further. If you live in a community where houses are pretty close together, just setup an 11b wireless network and place access points in facing windows between your houses. Now you and you neighbor can both have Cable or DSL service and split the $50 bill in half.
I don't do this myself as I am a totally moral and honest person, but I have friends who are less moral than myself that do this exact thing.

 

[tangman99]

Kipass,
You are lucky. That is some serious bandwidth. If I could get that, I would not hesitate to go cable modem. Like I said, it's the provider, not the technology in my area. And you are correct sir, 11b is not totally secure even using the internal encryption which cuts it's speed in about half the last time I messed with it.
I seriously do not share DSL and don't even have a wireless network as I have no use for one at home. The only reason that I mentioned this was I set this up for a couple of friends of mine that wanted DSL but did not want to pay the cost. They live next door to each other and one of them has a wirless network for his laptop so I just jokingly told them to put a wirless access point at the other dudes house, get a wirless NIC and share the cost. The rest is history.

 

[danrw84]

i dont like DTV as much as digital cable.