Any laws requiring minimum connection speed availability?

Mongo · 01-14-04, 11:41 PM

Hi all,

As I've b-----d and moaned about before, I'm stuck on a dialup connection because of the crappy ass cable company in this area. The part that pisses me off is Time Warner's lines run within a mile past my house and serve most of the town, except this particular subdivision...

To add insult to injury, the phone lines suck in the area and the absolute best I can connect at is 31.2 (usually 28.8 or 26.6)
(I've tried other ISPs too just in case it was a problem at their end, but always get the same connection regardless of which dialup ISP I use.

Is there ANYTHING I can do? Either some deregulation law I can cite to get TW allowed into the area? Hell, I'd even settle for at least a real 56k connection, any regulations requiring that phone line quality be suitable for a faster connection?

shaun3000 · 01-14-04, 11:49 PM

Uh no, there is no law that requires a minimum data speed.

Mongo · 01-15-04, 03:30 AM

Actually, there is (or at least there was at one point...)

Back in the day when 14.4s were just coming out (or maybe when 28.8s? not exactly sure) there was a law stating that line quality must be good enough to establish at least a 2400 baud connection.

Was kind of hoping maybe that law had been updated....

belboz · 01-15-04, 03:33 AM

I don't know if it was part of any regulation, but I remember our phone company (GTE at the time) had a guaranteed connect rate below which they would come out and put in new lines if your old lines couldn't manage anything faster. However, the guaranteed rate was something absurdly low so it was sort of moot.

Basically, your SOL. I'm sure you've considered satellite?

I.Like.It · 01-15-04, 06:32 AM

Plus the phone company shouldn't be resonsible for the crappy lines found in older homes or the poor installation found in new homes.

Mongo · 01-15-04, 06:47 AM

The problem isn't the wiring inside the house. I've run a wire directly from the computer to the telco box to test that.

(Plus I've had the same problem in 2 different houses that are next door to each other)

Yeah, I've considered satellite, but the problem is they require a 1 year contract, and I'll be moving in 6 months.

al_bundy · 01-15-04, 07:22 AM

On dial up the connection that you are getting isn't as important as the back end network at the ISP. One place I worked we changed out some dial in modems and conncetion speeds dropped from the high 40's to low 30's. The speed of the connection went up because on the backend we changed out a 10Mbps line with a 100Mbps line and we connected it to a switch instead of a hub.

Have you looked at DSL or maybe the thing with two phone lines connected to the computer?

OldDude · 01-15-04, 07:31 AM

You might check whether there are any updated drivers for your modem (find their website). I had this problem and found an updated driver. It pushed my connection speeds from low 30's (and highly variable) to lows 40's and less variable. Helped a bit; not as much as broadband, but better than nothing.

cseyer · 01-15-04, 10:05 AM

Try a different modem. I tried two v.90 modems back to back in the same computer with the same phone line and was able to consistently get in the 40's with one while the other was strictly 28.8 or below.

I am now thank god on a broadband connection but I feel your pain!

Dave99 · 01-15-04, 12:00 PM

What about wireless? I've seen more of those popping up on rooftops here in iowa lately..

Dave

FuzzyBallz · 01-15-04, 02:31 PM

Instead of bitching and moaning here like you're some illegal immigrant who can't even vote, why don't you get your ass up and write to your local politicians and demand that you don't get treated like 3rd class citizen. Tell 'em you don't wanna wait 5 minutes to load a pic of young hotties. Get your neighborhood involve too. Get together and spam the damn politicians.

Mongo · 01-15-04, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FuzzyBallz
Instead of bitching and moaning here like you're some illegal immigrant who can't even vote, why don't you get your ass up and write to your local politicians and demand that you don't get treated like 3rd class citizen. Tell 'em you don't wanna wait 5 minutes to load a pic of young hotties. Get your neighborhood involve too. Get together and spam the damn politicians.

Oh man, don't even get me started...that's a whole different rant. I HAVE done that. I've called just about every single department for both the city and county. No one in any (*#@)@ department has a frigging clue what I'm talking about, or who is responsible. They can't even come up with a straight answer as to if it's a city issue or county issue. (I live outside the actual city limits.)

TheSilverSurfer · 01-16-04, 12:36 PM

not much call for it these days but....ISDN? Get a second line with the phone company....they may still do theses.

i understood cable isn't available...DSL a no go too?

01-14-04, 11:41 PM	#1
Mongo DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Back home in Maine! Posts: 1,611	Any laws requiring minimum connection speed availability? Hi all, As I've b-----d and moaned about before, I'm stuck on a dialup connection because of the crappy ass cable company in this area. The part that pisses me off is Time Warner's lines run within a mile past my house and serve most of the town, except this particular subdivision... To add insult to injury, the phone lines suck in the area and the absolute best I can connect at is 31.2 (usually 28.8 or 26.6) (I've tried other ISPs too just in case it was a problem at their end, but always get the same connection regardless of which dialup ISP I use. Is there ANYTHING I can do? Either some deregulation law I can cite to get TW allowed into the area? Hell, I'd even settle for at least a real 56k connection, any regulations requiring that phone line quality be suitable for a faster connection?

01-15-04, 07:31 AM	#8
OldDude DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: MI Posts: 24,488	You might check whether there are any updated drivers for your modem (find their website). I had this problem and found an updated driver. It pushed my connection speeds from low 30's (and highly variable) to lows 40's and less variable. Helped a bit; not as much as broadband, but better than nothing. __________________ 9/11/2001 - You have awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve. - paraphrased from Yamamoto

01-15-04, 10:05 AM	#9
cseyer DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 1,009	Try a different modem. I tried two v.90 modems back to back in the same computer with the same phone line and was able to consistently get in the 40's with one while the other was strictly 28.8 or below. I am now thank god on a broadband connection but I feel your pain! __________________ My DVD's

01-16-04, 12:36 PM	#13
TheSilverSurfer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: My Mommy says I'm Special! Posts: 302	not much call for it these days but....ISDN? Get a second line with the phone company....they may still do theses. i understood cable isn't available...DSL a no go too? __________________ I love my ugly shirt!

01-14-04, 11:49 PM	#2
shaun3000 DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 7,753	Uh no, there is no law that requires a minimum data speed.

01-15-04, 03:30 AM	#3
Mongo DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Back home in Maine! Posts: 1,611	Actually, there is (or at least there was at one point...) Back in the day when 14.4s were just coming out (or maybe when 28.8s? not exactly sure) there was a law stating that line quality must be good enough to establish at least a 2400 baud connection. Was kind of hoping maybe that law had been updated....

01-15-04, 03:33 AM	#4
belboz DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: HB, CA Posts: 2,592	I don't know if it was part of any regulation, but I remember our phone company (GTE at the time) had a guaranteed connect rate below which they would come out and put in new lines if your old lines couldn't manage anything faster. However, the guaranteed rate was something absurdly low so it was sort of moot. Basically, your SOL. I'm sure you've considered satellite?

01-15-04, 06:32 AM	#5
I.Like.It Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 69	Plus the phone company shouldn't be resonsible for the crappy lines found in older homes or the poor installation found in new homes.

01-15-04, 06:47 AM	#6
Mongo DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Back home in Maine! Posts: 1,611	The problem isn't the wiring inside the house. I've run a wire directly from the computer to the telco box to test that. (Plus I've had the same problem in 2 different houses that are next door to each other) Yeah, I've considered satellite, but the problem is they require a 1 year contract, and I'll be moving in 6 months.

01-15-04, 07:22 AM	#7
al_bundy DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: in da cloud Posts: 26,196	On dial up the connection that you are getting isn't as important as the back end network at the ISP. One place I worked we changed out some dial in modems and conncetion speeds dropped from the high 40's to low 30's. The speed of the connection went up because on the backend we changed out a 10Mbps line with a 100Mbps line and we connected it to a switch instead of a hub. Have you looked at DSL or maybe the thing with two phone lines connected to the computer?

01-15-04, 12:00 PM	#10
Dave99 DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: US Posts: 7,681	What about wireless? I've seen more of those popping up on rooftops here in iowa lately.. Dave

01-15-04, 02:31 PM	#11
FuzzyBallz Suspended Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 5 Point West Side Posts: 2,171	Instead of bitching and moaning here like you're some illegal immigrant who can't even vote, why don't you get your ass up and write to your local politicians and demand that you don't get treated like 3rd class citizen. Tell 'em you don't wanna wait 5 minutes to load a pic of young hotties. Get your neighborhood involve too. Get together and spam the damn politicians.