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DSL Newsletter

DSL Newsletter – December 1999
www.mminternet.com/dsl
888-654-4971

 What if I Move?

What happens if you get DSL installed, sign a one year or multi-year contract, and them move?  With many ISP’s offering free equipment and installation for customers who sign one or two-year contracts this presents a problem.

Right now with today’s DSL technology the customer premise devise and the telephone company central office devices must be compatible. This generally means that the same manufacturer makes them. With low cost residential services from the Regional Bell operating companies like PacBell, GTE, Bell Atlantic, etc. the customer gets a device installed by the Telco. Both the customer end and the Telco central office equipment must be compatible and for these kinds of circuits are generally manufactured by the same company. Fujitsu and Alcatel are the most widely used brands of equipment by the Telcos.

If you signed a one-year contract with an ISP, got equipment installed and then moved, you would pay for a new installation wherever you went. In most cases the Telco’s are offering bundled packages with the equipment included with installation. If you are moving within an area served by the same Telco, and you can qualify for DSL service, you can probably move your DSL circuit to the new location and only pay for a new install fee.

If you signed up with an ISP that uses Covad, Northpoint, or Rhythms DSL circuits, the same issues apply. But since these companies have their own networks installed nationwide in most metropolitan areas you can probably use the same equipment. There are some caveats however since the equipment is different from the 144K IDSL service and all other xDSL services offered by these firms.

Covad, Northpoint, and Rhythms all hold the ISP accountable for the full term of the agreement. This is why users are often asked to sign an agreement and fax it to the ISP.  So if you have to move or cancel service for any reason during your contract, you are responsible for the full term of the contract.

PacBell has an alternative, a flat $199 cancellation fee if you have to cancel service anytime during your one-year term. Telcos, eager to fight the CLEC’s such as Covad, Northpoint, and Rhythms, will generally make it easier for you to cancel your DSL contract. Larger ISP’s that purchase higher quantities of DSL circuits my have more favorable terms with their Telco that allows them to set up their own cancellation fee schedule.

With high-speed Internet access being an emerging area, there will continue to be choices for your connection. DSL technology is developing and standards groups are working on developing standards. Some Telco and CLEC equipment that is already installed may have to be changed and may require you to change equipment to take advantage of new services.

One example of what can happen with long-term contracts is the user who took advantage of the new CompuServe rebates to get a free PC. He has a free pc and a three-year commitment to a dial-up ISP account. When he asked me about getting DSL he was unable to justify the cost of paying for that dial-up account in addition to getting DSL. A perfect example of how people can get stuck in an agreement that can prevent someone from upgrading.

The lesson – read the cancellation terms of the agreement you sign carefully, ask the ISP what happens if you move or need to terminate service early, and also ask what happens if the DSL service cannot get installed properly.  Also ask what happens if you plan to move and cannot get DSL service at your new location.  These are all important questions in our mobile society.

Bob Cohen

copyright 1999 MM Internet, Inc.

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