[Tfug] Dilemma: Qwest or Comcast?

[Jon]

euvitudo wrote:
> On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 10:38 AM, Matt Jacob <m at mattjacob.com> wrote:
>   
>> Earl wrote:
>>  > 2>  From the experience of friends, don't use MSN as a ISP.  It just sucks a bunch.
>>
>>  How does the whole ISP thing work with DSL? I've read about this before,
>>  but I'm still confused. To me, ISP means someone who provides your
>>  internet service, but with DSL, it seems like your ISP just provides
>>  email and web hosting and you get the actual service from the company
>>  that owns the lines. If that's the case, I don't need an ISP, because I
>>  manage my own email and web hosting.
>>     
>
> I have Qwest.  It seems silly they require an ISP.  It appears it is only
> to keep the ISPs from banding together to complain about
> non-accessibility (though I'm not sure why they don't complain about
> Comcast--maybe they do?).  Or maybe it's to give customers an option
> other than MSN (if they didn't, I wouldn't be a Qwest customer).
>
> I've heard rumors that you can get DSL without an ISP, but haven't tried it
> myself.  If you are successful with this, I'd surely like to know.  It would
> save me $20 per month.
>
>   
>>  If I have to get *some* ISP, what's the cheapest way to go so that I'm
>>  not paying for stuff I'm not going to use?
>>     
>
> When I moved to Tucson I decided to use The River as the ISP (they were
> the cheapest of the Qwest ISPs), which has been OK.  They've been able
> to resolve my issues (though they have a quirky configuration they
> require you to have--but I just ignore it; when I have issues, I don't tell
> them about my config, and have always been able to work it out).  One
> thing I needed was a static IP, which they gave me without an extra charge.
>
> Unfortunately TheRiver is now owned by Nationwide internet.  The transition
> wasn't very smooth, but the connection has been relatively stable for the past
> several months.
>
> They charge $20 per month, regardless of the bandwidth you purchase
> from Qwest.
>
> Anyway, that's my $0.02.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Phil
>
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>   
DSL w/o an ISP?  That's like hooking up a  voice line up to a dead pair 
of copper wires.

Qwest is the carrier but you'll need a host (AKA ISP) to host all your 
IP needs across that carrier. Qwest powered by MSN is one option. The 
other is to throw your money back in to the local community for your ISP 
needs. In no particular order those would be:

1) TheRiver
2) DakotaCom
3) SimplyBits
4) Login

I would call all of them and get their pricing or take a peak at their 
web page. I have had DSL since '98 - first with AzStarnet (bought by 
DakotaCom) and now with DakotaCom. Service is rock solid and support has 
always been above what is expected.

There was a short stint where I had Comcast back in '01 when it first 
rolled out. It worked flawlessly. My needs required me to get DSL once 
it was available in my new neighborhood.


--
Jon