ADSL, advice wanted
12 February 2001, 12:00 AM
#1
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It has come time to get connected at home. ADSL will be the chosen route, I think.
Can you suggest good companies to go with.
Do you have other suggestions?
Nigel
Can you suggest good companies to go with.
Do you have other suggestions?
Nigel
12 February 2001, 01:49 PM
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Hi,
BT is the best for ADSL but has ADSL been installed in your local exchange as there is a national rollout for exchanges and your local exchange may not have been done yet. I hope it has for you as your only other option is ISDN and it is not as good a deal as ADSL.
BT is the best for ADSL but has ADSL been installed in your local exchange as there is a national rollout for exchanges and your local exchange may not have been done yet. I hope it has for you as your only other option is ISDN and it is not as good a deal as ADSL.
12 February 2001, 04:10 PM
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DONT USE BT FOR ASDL!!!!!!!
As I work in the IT industry (Like many of us on here) I have heard a lot of bad reports about the BT service.
You may not be aware, but the weekend of the 3/2/01, the ASDL network fell over due to, the current system not being able to cope with the number of users signed up. BT are investing more money in signing up users than making the network stable.
I currently use ISDN and have looked into ASDL since the service started. As with everthing else in IT, I have decided to wait until the technology has settled down a bit.
BT Offer Openworld for £40 -£45, but there are some companies now offering ASDL in some areas for as little as £25 a month. Check around.
Even worst is that 512k sounds a good download speed, but it is on a ratio of 50:1 so you could share your bandwidth with upto 50 people.
As I work in the IT industry (Like many of us on here) I have heard a lot of bad reports about the BT service.
You may not be aware, but the weekend of the 3/2/01, the ASDL network fell over due to, the current system not being able to cope with the number of users signed up. BT are investing more money in signing up users than making the network stable.
I currently use ISDN and have looked into ASDL since the service started. As with everthing else in IT, I have decided to wait until the technology has settled down a bit.
BT Offer Openworld for £40 -£45, but there are some companies now offering ASDL in some areas for as little as £25 a month. Check around.
Even worst is that 512k sounds a good download speed, but it is on a ratio of 50:1 so you could share your bandwidth with upto 50 people.
12 February 2001, 04:31 PM
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I have been on BT's ADSL for well over a year now and have to say it is very reliable. BT are, after all, the owners of the technology so if anyone is gonna get it right its gonna be BT.
Also, it isnt 50 people sharing 512k. You get your own dedicated 512k line.
BT are, however, experiencing teething problems, as all technologies do.
Cem
Also, it isnt 50 people sharing 512k. You get your own dedicated 512k line.
BT are, however, experiencing teething problems, as all technologies do.
Cem
12 February 2001, 04:45 PM
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BT Openworld ADSL is contended, either 20:1 or 50:1 depending on how much you pay.
You might be very luckly and be the only person on your exchange with it though.
Chris.
You might be very luckly and be the only person on your exchange with it though.
Chris.
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12 February 2001, 09:44 PM
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Which will of course, mean that you have your firewall in place Mr Veiga 
A few facts for you.
At the moment, only BT supply ADSL services. There are a number of ISPs reselling BT's service. This will change as local loop unbundling occurs (but don't hold your breath, don't expect to see wide scale competition for at least 9-12 months).
If you have cable TV in your area, consider a cable modem, NTL amongst others offer a comparable service to ADSL via cable.
The user ratios mentioned are correct and the level of contention you get (1:50 or 1:20) will depend on whether you have the business or home service.
As Cem says, it is not 50 users sharing a 512K line, each customer has a 512K pipe. Congestion can occur at the local exchange as the data is passed from your connection (through a DSLAM - DSL Access Muliplexor)and onto the backbone network (normally an ATM backbone). This is where the contention ratio becomes critical.
If you do consider a cable modem, remember that they are not immune to similar congestion issues. Cable modems are effectivley operating in a LAN enviroment and the more users on your piece of wire, the more likely congestion will occur (technically speaking, the congestion occurs at a different part of the network, but the end result to the customer is the same).
I know Pete Holt is using a 2meg ADSL service, so he might be a good person to approach regarding performance and installation etc. I also believe that Lee Christie (SIDC IT bod) was also hoping to offer an ADSL service, so it might be worth chatting to him too.
One other thing - GET A FIREWALL. Do not rely on having nothing or just hoping that your AV software will stop anything nasty. At the very minimum, get hold of a copy of ZoneAlarm, which is free for personal use.
If you need anymore info, feel free to email me.
Cheers
Chris
A few facts for you.
At the moment, only BT supply ADSL services. There are a number of ISPs reselling BT's service. This will change as local loop unbundling occurs (but don't hold your breath, don't expect to see wide scale competition for at least 9-12 months).
If you have cable TV in your area, consider a cable modem, NTL amongst others offer a comparable service to ADSL via cable.
The user ratios mentioned are correct and the level of contention you get (1:50 or 1:20) will depend on whether you have the business or home service.
As Cem says, it is not 50 users sharing a 512K line, each customer has a 512K pipe. Congestion can occur at the local exchange as the data is passed from your connection (through a DSLAM - DSL Access Muliplexor)and onto the backbone network (normally an ATM backbone). This is where the contention ratio becomes critical.
If you do consider a cable modem, remember that they are not immune to similar congestion issues. Cable modems are effectivley operating in a LAN enviroment and the more users on your piece of wire, the more likely congestion will occur (technically speaking, the congestion occurs at a different part of the network, but the end result to the customer is the same).
I know Pete Holt is using a 2meg ADSL service, so he might be a good person to approach regarding performance and installation etc. I also believe that Lee Christie (SIDC IT bod) was also hoping to offer an ADSL service, so it might be worth chatting to him too.
One other thing - GET A FIREWALL. Do not rely on having nothing or just hoping that your AV software will stop anything nasty. At the very minimum, get hold of a copy of ZoneAlarm, which is free for personal use.
If you need anymore info, feel free to email me.
Cheers
Chris
13 February 2001, 08:31 PM
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Thanks for the advice, I'm still trying to get a straight answer as to getting the ine in the house.
I will be using an ADSL hub router, anyone tried one?
I will be using an ADSL hub router, anyone tried one?
13 February 2001, 09:05 PM
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Nigel
Whoever provides your ADSL line should supply you with a DSL modem / router as part of the package. At the moment BT are supplying the Alcatel 'Stingray' DSL modem, but there are a variety available. Three ISPs worth looking at,who all offer an ADSL service are Zen, Madasafish and Freedom2Surf.
Chris
Whoever provides your ADSL line should supply you with a DSL modem / router as part of the package. At the moment BT are supplying the Alcatel 'Stingray' DSL modem, but there are a variety available. Three ISPs worth looking at,who all offer an ADSL service are Zen, Madasafish and Freedom2Surf.
Chris
13 February 2001, 09:37 PM
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Just to clarify what Chris L said.
BT Ignite provide and install the actual ADSL circuit, they don't provide any service on top.
BT Openworld, Freeserve, AOL etc all buy the circuits from BT Ignite and then offer the Internet connectivity.
Freeserve and AOL are currently threatening to take BT to court as BT Openworld are allegedly getting 200+ ADSL installs per day, whilst they get 15!
Chris.
BT Ignite provide and install the actual ADSL circuit, they don't provide any service on top.
BT Openworld, Freeserve, AOL etc all buy the circuits from BT Ignite and then offer the Internet connectivity.
Freeserve and AOL are currently threatening to take BT to court as BT Openworld are allegedly getting 200+ ADSL installs per day, whilst they get 15!
Chris.
13 February 2001, 10:27 PM
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I can do you ADSL but not cheaply. Why ? Cos the current offerings are (to put it bluntly) ****e.
we don't bother with USB rubbish - you get a router to plumb into your LAN. Maybe not home user based but then again home users arent interested in the performance and reliability of our services. Business users are hence this is more of a business package.
we don't bother with USB rubbish - you get a router to plumb into your LAN. Maybe not home user based but then again home users arent interested in the performance and reliability of our services. Business users are hence this is more of a business package.
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