Computer and Phones Wizards Needed!

[SkyMoonAbove]

How can I get my DSL to work on a fiber optic line?

And if I can't.....what service for an ISP can I use that won't break me money-wise that uses fiber optics lines?

FYI: I'm on Netzero 'cause it's what I can afford. The main phone line is Verizon. Awhile ago, Verizon came and changed the line to fiber optic. Netzero DSL uses only copper wire phone lines. Verizon claims that cannot remove what they did. I looked at what they did and all Verizon did was add two white boxes in the basement, a line that runs outside to a big gray box. I believe they just added and did NOT completely remove the copper wiring. Just mentioning this so you have more info to go on.

 

[SkyMoonAbove]

Guess no one has an answer.

 

[OnceFuturePoly]

Basically, you're screwed. No more DSL, from anybody. Any replacement is going to really cost you.

You can ask Verizon to give you a copper wire circuit. This is a a special order, and will really, really cost you. But you're right, the copper is almost certainly there, and could be reused if you pay Verizon hundreds per month.
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Best to switch your ISP from Netzero to Verizon, or alternatively, the cable TV company. It is also possible to get internet via cell phone.

Verizon digital service will get you internet and probably TV & movies, just like the cable company. (For ATT customers, it's U-Verse; don't know the Verizon name.) You don't have to get the whole Internet/TV-movies/Phone package but it won't be that much cheaper.

If you are already a cable subscriber, you might cut a deal with Verizon to replace cable and DSL with their digital service at a near break-even. Watch for the price to really jump after the 6 month "introductory special" ends.

If you already have cable, then adding internet (and maybe phone) and totally dropping Verizon might be affordable. Watch for the same "introductory special" catch when they tell you that they will save you money.

If you have a smart phone and a data plan, you may be able to hook your computer to the phone instead of the DSL modem. Tethering you computer to a phone will cost you another $20? a month (basically for permission to do so). Consuming any more data than your plan allows gets REAL expensive REAL quick. You may need to get a USB cable to connect the phone to the computer.

Don't expect to do much internet work -- many web sites are under-the-covers heavy data users. U-tube and downloads add up fast. (Remember the old dial-up days?) But it would probably do for e-mail, Google, and Lit.

One last idea. If you live in an apartment and share a wall/ceiling with nice neighbors who already have internet, you might cut a deal with them. Get them a wireless router (if they don't have an "N" model) and offer to pay part of their bill in exchange for the password to connect to the router.

You might have to buy a wireless device for your computer if you don't use a laptop with built in wireless. A USB stick type device could plug into the back of a desktop machine (and be easily moved to another machine). With a USB stick plugged into a laptop you can go hang out at McDonalds or other free wifi place.

To test this idea, you might have a friend with a smart phone come over and look for wireless signals in your neighborhood. Discard any which don't show at least 2 bars of WiFi strength. The house next door may be close enough, or if you are true inner city you might live above a merchant with wireless. Walking around with the smart phone and watching the wireless signal strength will tell you who/where is a potential WiFi partner.

If you do find some willing to share their service, you both may need to experiment a bit to get the router and computers positioned for best/fastest reception. And if you have a smart phone, also enable it to connect via WiFi.

 

[SkyMoonAbove]

thank you. the truth hurts but it's best to know.

 

[njlauren]

You won't be able to use net zero over fiber......

You could try what is left of dial in services, but they are going to be really slow.In my neck of the woods if you get internet, tv and phone it is running about 90/month, though i hear verizon's FIOS service is a lot more then they say, with all these fees and such. Broadband internet is about 50 bucks a month by itself I believe.

I wouldn't use a cell phone data plan, it is expensive. Verizon charges 30 bucks a month for 4 gig of data a month, and if you want to use your phone as a wi fi hotspot, it is like 20 bucks more a month. Might as well get cable or fios and not have to worry about the data limits (1 hour of a movie in HD format streamed would take you over the limit).....you can get a data plan and try a tether application using usb to connect your computer to the phone, but that is problematic, among other things carriers often block that and it can be difficult to get it to work.

If you are using a computer with wifi on it, you also could try and find open wifi connections, but it is likely you won't find any, most people are smart enough to password encode it, and if you do find an open one it might be really slow. Some cities and towns offer municipal free wifi, but that is pretty rare.

Another option might work out great for you is if you live in an apartment, you could set up a kind of shared service with several tenants. Someone could get wired with a high speed service (50 MBPS), and either sharing a common wireless router (assuming it is strong enough) or even wired (put a router on the cable modem, and literally run network cable,either through the walls or the windows, to people's apartments) and split the cost of the service so if it is 100 month, 3 people would be ilke 30 some odd bucks. Friend of mine shared a house in California, it had 50 MBPS service and cost them each like 25 month.

Unfortunately it is expensive in the US, in Korea for example you can get a much as 50 MBPS service for like 20 bucks a month.

 

[Paul_Chance]

You may have already done this, but look around locally (you can always use google), but there are oftern low cost local ISP's, especially if you are near any sizeable markets.

 

[SkyMoonAbove]

right now, what I don't understand is Verison says they can't remove what they added. we only have phone service with them, nothing more. so, they told me today that they can't remove what they did as we would lose our phone service. basicly, Verison screwed us as I find it very hard to believe they cannot remove what they did. And all they did was ADD something, they didn't remove the copper wire or replace it with fiber.

we could switch phone companies but the person i live with dosn't want to as they said it would take too long. i don't know, this shit is so confusing.

if any of you wish to see pics of what Verison added, i'll post them.

 

[Hubs_in_hose]

and why can't you use Verizon FiOS? I have it and until there is something better I won't change off this service.

 

[sethp]

and why can't you use Verizon FiOS? I have it and until there is something better I won't change off this service.

Should be the same price as most standard dsl, but faster? Problem solved.

 

[OnceFuturePoly]

right now, what I don't understand is Verison says they can't remove what they added. we only have phone service with them, nothing more. so, they told me today that they can't remove what they did as we would lose our phone service. basicly, Verison screwed us as I find it very hard to believe they cannot remove what they did. And all they did was ADD something, they didn't remove the copper wire or replace it with fiber.

we could switch phone companies but the person i live with dosn't want to as they said it would take too long. i don't know, this shit is so confusing.

if any of you wish to see pics of what Verison added, i'll post them.

Explanation of Verizon saying "that they can't remove what they did as we would lose our phone service"

You got a literal answer to your question.

Verizon will only provide residential phone service using the digital boxes in your basement. They will not (and technically can not) provide residential phone service over the old copper wires. (The central office equipment that used to be connected to the copper wires is gone.)

Therefore, if you have them remove the new digital boxes, then there will not be any place for you to connect your phone for Verizon's residential phone service.

While it may be physically/technically possible to reuse your copper wires, they will be a direct connection to somebody else, not to Verizon. That somebody else, not Verizon, will have to provide the box where you will plug in your phone, computer, and/or TV. (The DSL modem Netzero gave you is an example of such a box.)

Reasons why you're screwed

1. It takes a lot of equipment on the Verizon end of your wire to provide you service. That equipment is gone. Verizon will not reinstall tens of thousands dollars of central office equipment just for you and you alone. It's even possible the digital circuits connect to a different "all digital" central office.

And, Netzero will eventually remove its equipment from your old central office when all the Netzero DSL customers have been lost (converted by Verizon to digital), same as you were.

2. The distance between Netzero and you will become too long. DSL needs short wire circuits, like 3+ miles or less.

You old DSL circuit ended inside a cage at the central office where Netzero put its equipment (aka DSLAM) that talked to your DSL modem. The new end will be much farther away at Netzero itself, maybe even be in a different city!

3. IF Verizon can provide a suitable bare wire circuit to Netzero, You will pay a large "up front" fee and a lot more per month. That's because Netzero treats bare wire (local loop) customers as a "business". And you will have to use Skype or some sort of internet phone service.

Equally expensive would be phone and internet service from someone else like U.S. Voice and Data, who would have Verizon install a data circuit between you and them. Again, you'd be a business, not residential.

Changing phone service.

This is done all the time, and the phone companies and cable companies will coordinate the effort. About midnight on the target date, the dial tone will change over automatically from the old to the new company. You will need to unplug your phone from the new Verizon box in the garage/basement, and plug it into the box the cable company installed beside the Verizon box.

Your phone number is also portable. It should move about midnight on that same day. The worst your callers might hear is a "number not in service" message for a couple of the wee hours of the morning while the change propagates through the switching system.

My advice, again:

1. See if you can share/steal/piggyback on wireless service with/from a close neighbor.

2. Call Verizon and ask about internet service from Verizon.

3. If you are willing to change phone service, call the cable company and ask them to beat the deal Verizon gives you.

4. Call Netzero (and/or any other local ISP companies) and ask if they will provide internet service over a dedicated local loop circuit, not DSL piggybacked over your (non-existent) phone line.

5. Raise the rent from the person who lives with you.

 

[SkyMoonAbove]

you have answered my question thoroughly and I appreciate it. i'll look into the cost of getting better internet through Verizon but if it's too much I am shit outta luck.

much appreciated, SkyMoonAbove

 

[OnceFuturePoly]

you have answered my question thoroughly and I appreciate it. i'll look into the cost of getting better internet through Verizon but if it's too much I am shit outta luck.

much appreciated, SkyMoonAbove

Actually, first get a price from Verizon for phone & internet.

Then call the cable company for their price for the same services, and tell them what Verizon offered you. They will almost certainly beat Verizon's price, and maybe even throw in TV.

Finally, call Verizon back and tell them what the cable company offered. Verizon should lower their price to be competitive.

Don't forget, there will probably be a reduced rate for the first 6? months, after which that special price will go up to the regular rate. So when you compare, look at both the short term price, and the long term rate you will be when the "introductory offer" is over.