Donald Ekman <ekman%wdl30@wdl1.wdl.loral.com> (05/31/91)
Today Pacific Bell came to my house to install the second line that I ordered two days ago. They replaced the old cable from the pole to the house with a new, two-line cable. They replaced the old box with the new "Telephone Network Interface," which is a box in which my internal lines connect to a terminal block, which, in turn, connects to the telco line via a modular jack and plug. Just the thing for isolating problems to either my in-house wiring, or the telco line. It took exactly five minutes to connect my modem to the new line, and another two minutes to test the whole thing. Pac Bell, for once, did something right. You see this, John Higdon? :-) Donald E. Ekman | Disclaimer: Loral Space Systems/Loral | doesn't think I have Palo Alto, CA USA | any opinions. They ekman@wdl30.wdl.loral.com | are probably right.
"Ole J. Jacobsen" <ole@csli.stanford.edu> (06/02/91)
You're lucky. I had to really work hard to convince the installers that they should rip out several generations of interface boxes and clean it all up with a six-line box for me and a two-line box for the guy downstairs (we share a garage in which the boxes are located). The installers told me that while it is in the company's interest to introduce the new telephone network interface boxes as much as possible, it is *not* in the installers' interest, as the nifty new boxes reduce service calls for which these guys get paid. One bad thing that they did do and I did not discover until after they were done: In order to get all my lines installed they had to pull out the existing five-pair underground cable and replace it with two five-pair cables (or so I thought). Since the conduit was so tight (it took them five hours to pull the 60 feet or so to the nearest pole) they "cheated" and intstalled a three-pair plus a five-pair. I have six lines, the other guy has two. 3 + 5 = 8 and 6 + 2 = 8, so now there is no room for expansion! Ole J Jacobsen, Editor & Publisher ConneXions--The Interoperability Report Interop, Inc., 480 San Antonio Road, Suite 100, Mountain View, CA 94040, Phone: (415) 941-3399 FAX: (415) 949-1779 Email: ole@csli.stanford.edu Direct: (415) 962-2515
John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com> (06/03/91)
Donald Ekman <ekman%wdl30@wdl1.wdl.loral.com> writes: > It took exactly five minutes to connect my modem to the new line, and > another two minutes to test the whole thing. Pac Bell, for once, did > something right. You see this, John Higdon? :-) Yes, it certainly makes perfect sense for PacBell to remove your old drop, replace it with two-line overhead drop, and install a modern demark when you added ONE (1) line. On the other hand, it also apparently makes sense to the powers that be at PacBell to have an entire corner of my house covered with six types of protectors and ten haphazard single-line drops feeding them. A recently suggested theory is that this is PacBell's infliction of punishment for my having so many lines. Now for $300/month, it could all be provided on T1. Hmmmm .... could it be a sales pressure tactic? John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
Dave Levenson <dave@westmark.westmark.com> (06/05/91)
In article <telecom11.420.8@eecs.nwu.edu>, john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) writes: [regarding Pac*Bell's installation of ten individual single-pair drops on his residence] > A recently suggested theory is that this is PacBell's infliction of > punishment for my having so many lines. Now for $300/month, it could > all be provided on T1. Hmmmm .... could it be a sales pressure tactic? ^^^^^ ^ ^ Hey, John, is looks like one of your ten single-drop loops may be unbalanced! Is that $300/month in addition to the monthly rate for service on the ten loops? Dave Levenson Internet: dave@westmark.com Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857
John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com> (06/06/91)
Dave Levenson <dave@westmark.westmark.com> writes: > Hey, John, is looks like one of your ten single-drop loops may be > unbalanced! The ONE thing I cannot complain about regarding my marginal phone service is the transmission quality. There are no buzzes, clicks, hums, or other noises of any kind. On any line. > Is that $300/month in addition to the monthly rate for service on the > ten loops? But of course. Only Pac*Bell can so cheerfully charge you, and then charge you again. If you order a phone in a distant city and have it delivered to you via T1 on which you pay mileage, Pac*Bell will also tack on FOREIGN EXCHANGE charges! John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !