Rural Telephone and DSL

[JoeR]

I have noticed that rural subscribers pay premium rates and get the least amount of service. What really upset me was the recent FCC release which states that 78% of all zip codes have high-speed data services; although, the local phone company can state they provide these services within the given zip code if they have at least ONE person with the high-speed services. As many of you already know, rural zip codes can encompass hundreds of square miles!
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/2002/nrcc0201.html>http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/2002/nrcc0201.html</A>

This is leading to a question:

My area is growing, yet my subdivision has 5 acre lots in which most people own more than one lot and was originally established over 20 year ago. This means that most of the homes are 1,000+ feet away from each other and the telephone system is old. A new subdivision is being built 5 miles from us, and it will have the latest and greatest services from the phone company. This caused me to call my local phone company to ask if our neighborhood would be receiving DSL. They just about said, "NO" in their politically correct way... This makes me feel that the telephone company treats rural subscribers with less importance. Is there a law that protects rural subscribers from Urban vs Rural discrimination?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[MikePA]

This attitude shown by your phone company is similar to the attitude shown by the electric companies earlier this century to rural customers. It's what resulted in the REA and it's why my electricty comes from a co-op. If I wasn't on the path to a small village, i.e., the phone and cable companies have to go by my place to get to the village, I wouldn't have access to cable or DSL. I would complain to your state public utilities commission, if you have one.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>I have noticed that rural subscribers pay premium rates and get the least amount of service</font color=blue>

That's a fact, for sure!/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif We have two phone lines; one to talk on and one for the Internet. About 2 months ago, the line we talk on was out of service for 4 days (I reported it on a Friday, they don't work on the weekend, I called again early Tuesday morning and they said the repair order had been closed - service man said it was fixed when it wasn't, so he did fix it that day), a week ago, ours and at least 3 neighbors' phones were out of service for two days. During both of those times, our Internet line worked (and of course we were able to call out on it, but no one knows that number to call us). Then this past week, the "talking" line was working, but the Internet line worked intermittently for 3 days. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it was completely dead (no dial tone) and sometimes there was just a lot of static on it. I reported it at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday and was told they would be out sometime that day - no one came, they didn't work on the July 4th holiday of course, so I called again on the 5th and the guy finally showed up and fixed it).

Of course those are not the only problems we've had; just the most recent. In Texas, we can file complaints with the Public Utilities Commission, either through the Internet, by letter, or by phone. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[TerryinMD]

Ahhh... telecommunications - Internet and otherwise.

First, just like any business a company is going to place services in more densely populated areas first. They are going to get a return on investment. Now let's talk some realities. The older phone companies basically understand POTS - plain old telephone service. They do that quite well (let's not start a long-winded discussion on this aspect /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif). Their company culture does not understand data and the Internet. Plus, Government regulations tie their hands slightly.

Congress passed a law in 1996 (I believe that it is the correct date) that was supposed to open up the telecommunications industry and allow all telecom companies to share Central Offices (COs) for Internet equipment (DSLAMS, routers, and such for DSL service). This really never happened. If you look at the DSL industry, what has happened. Almost all of the startup companies went belly up. Why, because the older telecom companies prevented them from building up the equipment in the COs to provide low cost DSL service. Why - because the older companies want that revenue. So, a lot of foot dragging and excuses followed.

I talked to Verizon DSL sales this past week and was told that they would be building out our area within the next six months. Gee - isn't that something. I guess there is a demand for the services. The copper is in place - no new cabling is necessary unless there are not enough pairs to service the area. Typically, when a phone company installs cabling they put in 100% more than is necessary. That allows for growth and maintenance. Cable is cheap. Labor is expensive.

I believe that there are some other telecommunications laws and regulations on the books that address data services to rural area. But, one needs to research them and then have someone enforce them. I understand the frustration - at work I had 100mbs to the desktop - at home the best I get is 28.8bps. Downloads are just painfull.

Terry

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Morning Joe,

Count your blessings. When I got out of the service back in early 69 I went to work for GTE in so cal. That was about the time they started upgrading rural service.

Then there were ten party lines. Private lines took almost an act of Congress to get. This was in Perris, Temecula, Murrieta, etc.

It's all about money. The return on investment on servicing a city block is much greater than that of servicing two homes per mile.

As I understand it DSL will work out of what they call a mini office. That looks like container where you see all the telco trucks when there's work to be done in the area. A quick way to i.d. it I believe is there will be a power meter.

The problem is the cost of the equipment to supply DSL service in that container. In the city that unit's cost is split between the capacity of the subscribers because it's full. But out in the country there might only be five or six souls within the eighteen thousand feet limit. That would be like you buying a twenty thousand dollar tractor to sweep the sidewalk while charging two dollars a week to do so.

The best way to get something besides minimum lip service from you telco is to get some neighbors together and contact the state regulatory system.

Here in tejas Verizon (GTE) just sold all of their rural territories. They did this to bring the cost per line down. Of course Valor, the buyer, doesn't have the pockets of Verizon and so the service is going to deteriorate big time now.

The PUC will get complaints and Valor will stand there with empty pockets and a poor pitifull me look on their face. We will probably get a state supported entity to provide the service to the rural areas. Then Verizon or SBC will buy back the territories when they're up to par.

The law of the jungle one oh one doing the two oh two.

 

[Wingnut]

I guess the internet age has sped up things for all of us, Joe. Heck, it was only 7 years ago that I got a private line ... before that there were 4 on our party line. Try to access the internet on a party line.
It was only 10 years ago that the telco in Alberta bought out the private exchange my parents were on. That private exchange still had quite a few "fence lines". Yes! They used barb wire fences as part of their network. 10 years ago!
Yeah, I'd like super fast service at home too ... but, since it's a want and not a need ... I have no intention of spending the big bucks to get satellite service .... I'll wait until the technology improves enough fo rthe price to come down. And it will ....

 

[Dozernut]

I feel like a kid with a full cookie jar and the parents are gone. Our little phone company is a co-op. If you are a customer you are an owner. I get dividends twice a year and sometimes do not have to pay a phone bill for a couple of months. Our little rural company offers DSL if you want it, and service is excellent. It is the most modern telephone company in Illinois. The equipment is new and we have fiber optic cables servicing the customers. It would be hard for the service personell to put you off as you know them by first name and where they live. Sometimes there are advantages to living in the sticks.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

How quickly a convenience becomes a necessity! /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
Not long after that, it becomes a birthright . /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif
Pretty soon all the lawyers will be lining up to file class-action suits. /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Well said, Bill. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[mbsil]

DSL has a limit of 17,000 ft. from the CO (central office) switch. They can put a remote or "mini" switch out closer to you and serve it with fiber optics, then it serves you with copper out to the 17,000 ft. limit.

If you live more than the 17k ft. away, consider ISDN. It is 4-5 times faster than dial-up and relatively cheap (~$35/month).