Broadband Wierdness
I currently have SBC DSL. I'd like to switch, but I can't get any other service(besides sattelite) to my house. I've tried other DSL providers, but they all say that they can't reach my house, and none of the cable providers can either. What's up with this? Shouldn't they be able to get to my house, at least the DSL providers?
Comments
Originally posted by CubeDude
I currently have SBC DSL. I'd like to switch, but I can't get any other service(besides sattelite) to my house. I've tried other DSL providers, but they all say that they can't reach my house, and none of the cable providers can either. What's up with this? Shouldn't they be able to get to my house, at least the DSL providers?
It all depends on where you live, and how far that is (measured along the telephone wires) from the CO (Central Office) to which you're connected. The best DSL bandwidth is only possible within one mile from the CO. DSL at any bandwidth won't reach over three miles from the CO.
DSL crams a lot of bandwidth onto an old installed base of twisted-pair copper wires that were never intended to be used for this kind of bandwidth. It's just a lucky accident that DSL works at all, even with its reach from the CO being limited.
If you want DSL, you'll just have to hope that your local telco company sees enough potential value in installing a new CO closer to where you live.
That's an expensive proposition, but perhaps not as big a deal as it might sound like it could be. Despite the terminology "Central Office", a CO isn't necessarily a big building with desks, potted plants, and a water cooler inside. It can be nothing more than a small shed or a closet rented in the back of a local Dunkin Donuts.
Or, across the Benicia Bridge from Martinez/Concord, and next door to Vallejo.
Or the location of the(now) Valero Refinery, which used to be owned by Exxon, now ExxonMobil.
Solano County.
Anyways, I thought that if I could get PacBell/SBC/Yahoo/whatever it is now, I could get other providers. I'm confused.