vision2020
Re: Infrastructure improvements.
On Tue, 18 Aug 1998, Robert Hoffmann wrote:
> At 02:16 PM 8/18/98 -0700, you wrote:
>
> >I spent the better part of a day researching what is available in the Moscow
> >area. Either the infrastructure is very poor, or the local providers are
> >sadly lacking in information.
>
> John (& company),
>
> Point well taken. I myself have the bandwith blues, and did some research,
> also. This is what I found out (which may or may not be in agreement with
> what you found out):
>
> First, Moscow does have ISDN service. I recall it is over $100/month
> (depending on contract), plus around $39 for actual Internet access. If
> you spoke to someone at GTE and they don't know about it, I'm not
> surprized. Try again, or ask local computer experts at First Step Internet
> or Cactus Computer whom to contact.
The GTE Phone Mart will gladly give you a 1-800 number to call for ISDN
information and ordering. I'm currently paying $116 a month for my ISDN
connection which essentially gets me two phone lines, a rock-solid 128
Kbps transfer rate, and 60ms latency. I was kind of forced into getting
the line after finding out that the normal, analog phone lines at my new
residence weren't even capable of handling a solid 14.4 Kbps connection
(This was a GTE equipment limitation, not a domestic wiring problem).
Installation costs were fairly low because I agreed to keep the line for
at least a year.
FSI can handle the server side of ISDN calls at our Pullman dialup number,
so we can provide the internet connectivity side for the extremely
reasonable price of $240/year.
> GTE is rolling out DSL (or ASDL, or whatever other alphabet soup variation)
> in Pullman. They won't do so in Moscow without an "anchor client," a major
> client willing to install umpteen lines. Incidentally, a little bird told
> me that preliminary tests in Pullman show that this technology will only
> give high speed on one sixth of the lines there.
I don't doubt it. I've seen all the USWest and GTE disclaimers... they
don't guarantee snot for connectivity speeds. I've also seen GTE's behind
the scenes ISP connection method and, while it allows you to use the ISP
of your choice, it is limited to T1 speeds (1.5 Mbit/sec).
> I contacted the cable franchise, and told things would happen in the first
> six months of next year. But your estimate of YEARS may be more recent
> than my findings, or may be given by someone who knew more (or less) than
> the person I spoke to.
I'd be hesitant to see how well this technology performs. Does anybody
know if this is a shared resource or not? If it is shared, I can see
connectivity speeds suffering during internet prime time (7pm-midnight).
I certainly hope Century does *something* soon, though. I'm getting tired
of the poor signal quality in the evenings. And, I'm betting they'll have
to do some sort of equipment upgrade to handle the emerging HDTV
technology.
> Another option is to use Multilink PPP technology. I actually examined and
> tried this, and will detail my experience (and why I quit, for now).
>
> Multilink PPP uses two modems (or a dual modem) in tandem (with two
> separate phone lines) to achieve quasi-fast access. I had a 28k modem and
> thought that I could effectively quadruple my access speed by switching to
> a dual 56k modem. This, incidentally, would be close to ISDN speed. The
> technology allowed you to use call waiting to interrupt one line. So I
> could connect with the fax/modem line at 56k, add the second line when I
> was not on the phone, and should a voice call come in, call waiting would
> bump me off the voice line, while maintaining the other line (only works on
> one line, not both).
>
> Well, there were problems. Such as the fact that the call waiting feature
> did not work on either line. So I would either have to add a third phone
> line (extra expense) or lose use of my voice line when I chose to use both
> lines. Of course, I wouldn't have to use both lines (I could just use the
> one), but doesn't that defeat the purpose?
>
> Equally disappointing was the fact that my phone lines could only achieve a
> speed of about 26,400, even with a 56k modem. So when using only one line,
> I was at the same speed as when I had my 28k modem. Instead of quadrupling
> my connect speed, I only doubled it (when disabling my phone line). Try to
> call GTE to ask them to improve modem speed. They only guarantee 21,000 baud.
Ouch. Did they install a line splitter when you got your additional line?
I forget the technical term for it, but essentially it allows two voice
calls to use one pair of copper wire. It has the same detrimental effect
you describe: poor connection speeds. (This is what caused my own phone
line problems.)
If you could "force" GTE to use a copper wire pair for each individual
phone line, it should work as you initially thought it would.
> The cost?
> Modem: $200
> Call waiting: $ 4/month, plus $10 set-up fee
> Extra ISP account: $ 15/month
>
> For quadruple modem speed, acceptable. For same modem speed, and double
> when knocking out my voice line, unacceptable. Return modem, cancel extra
> ISP account, cancel call waiting, lose $10 set-up fee and over a day's
> labor trying to get the thing to work, and then uninstalling and returning
> the modem.
>
> Should Turbonet inform me that the modem manufacturer has fixed the
> problems with call waiting, I might give it another try. Check back around
> October.
>
> Here's another possibility: If you are a new business, you might try
> moving into the business incubator (affiliated with the University). Last
> I heard, they had access that was close to ISDN speed. They might have
> even increased speed.
The incubator does have a 128 Kbps frame relay connection. While the top
speed is near identical to an ISDN line, it is a lot more responsive. This
is due to the difference between 60ms packet latency with ISDN and below
10ms latency with frame relay.
As far as connectivity goes, frame connections aren't really affordable
for an individual. The numbers are fuzzy, but I think the ballpark figures
are $400/mo for 128K and $1000/mo for full T1 (including both ISP and
GTE line charges) plus whatever installation charges and equipment
investments that need to be made. Bandwidth needs can be tailored, though,
in 64K increments.
> But I agree, in a town with a major university, you'd think that there
> would be more options. However, a trade article I read a while ago stated
> that high-speed access would not be a reality for the majority of Americans
> until somewhere around 2003-2005. Pay through the nose, or put up with
> slow access. I've decided to do the latter for a while longer.
First of all, thank God this isn't Lewiston because telecommunication
options are much worse there. (RANT: 1930's *mechanical* switch
technology?!? COME ON, USWEST! Get with the program!) Idaho seems to be
left out of most of the fun, and it amazes me just how many services GTE
does allow us because of the high amount of coordination between the
Moscow & Pullman switches.
As soon as our telecommunication infrastructure moves away from analog to
completely digital transmissions, our connection speeds will go through
the roof. If you really want high connection speeds, you could go to work
for an ISP. *big grin*
___ ___ ___
| __/ __|_ _| Mike Harshbarger, First Step Internet
| _|\__ \| | System & Network Administrator
|_| |___/___| (208) 882-8869 / 1-888-676-6377
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