no ADSL port available??

[^dAvEy^]

Just steaming right now...the ADSL service option I wanted to order from the local ADSL company website would not let me do so online - the option did not show up on the order page. So I phoned and after a long time on hold, the agent then checked to see if ADSL is available in our area - he found we were good to go. Then, after telling him which service option we wanted and asking him why we are not able to continue the order online, he put me on hold again.

He then came back and confirmed that "ADSL is available in this area, but that there is no port available at the moment". He said that hopefully there will be one in a couple of weeks.

What I'm wondering is whether this is all on the up&up, or if we just getting the run-around for not opting for the service option that they are pushing. The 2 options available are the same price/month, but have a couple of minor perc differences. I wanted to order the "less popular" one.

They are pushing a "quick-connect" self-install option where the purchased price for the modem is rebated back to you (or get a free $69.95 mp3 player)

The second option has a tech do the installation for $40, modem rental included, but you get the $69.95 mp3 player as a perc gift. This is the option we want - don't want to own a modem and would like the mp3 player.

Anyone have insights or comments please?

[BigFred]

Hi Davey

Not having a crystal ball I don't know, but I suspect it is a logistics problem. The equipment in the local telephone exchange that is used to provide DSL connections is quite expensive. So the ISP needs close to 100% occupancy to get a decent return. The units are manufactured in modules, so either they need to wait till they have a number of orders to justify installing an additional module or saturation has been reached and they are waiting for a cancelation so that you can take over the service. I suspect the former.

At a previous location my telephone service was provided by a RIMM, (a box on the side of the road which concentrated telephone services into a digital stream and feeds this over optic fibre, back to the main exchange) The provision of DSL services to customers on the RIMM requires the instalation of a module capable of providing 24 services physically in the RIMM. The telco told me that they would not install one unless there were an initial uptake of 19. Needless to say I could not get DSL in that location. BF

[^dAvEy^]

Thanks for the info, BF - think I'm following you on the tech notes. I guess it makes sense that ADSL service ailability might have gaps at times for new customers in some locations/neighbourhoods. That being said, it bugs me that they'd said it WAS available at this address less than a minute before finding out which service option I wanted to order, then telling me it isn't available. He said that I'm on a list and will get a callback once it becomes available in a couple of weeks, he guestimated. Most frustrating and inconvenient!
Thanks again.

[Tuttle]

Originally posted by ^dAvEy^
That being said, it bugs me that they'd said it WAS available at this address less than a minute before finding out which service option I wanted to order, then telling me it isn't available.

That's pretty typical unfortunately - do a very basic service qualification check up front to keep the customer interested (like "do we have DSL equipment in that exchange"), then leave all the potentially nasty bits like transmission loss and free ports to later checks.

[^dAvEy^]

Thanks for that, Tuttle - I don't like what I'm hearing; however, it is starting to look less like my service option had any effect on the (un)availability of ADSL service at this location for the time being.
Thanks again.

[^dAvEy^]

Came across this thread while surfing VDr and thought I'd give an update.
Called back to the local ADSL provider about a week later - didn't bother waiting for their promised call when service comes available....
Conspiracy theorist that I am, I was not surprised to find that the opperator did not know anything about a lack of "port availability" in my neighbourhood...she set it up without delay and I'm using it today.