| Author |
Message |
Mamapors
Member
07-29-2004
| Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 8:48 am 
I don't think phone line and High Speed Cable line are the same thing. Two different types of wire.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 11:24 am
Mama, when you say "cable" are you talking some kind of heavy duty wire or cable service line? I don't have / NEVER have had cable service for TV or internet. Comcast in this area. Don't want it. U-Verse which runs on fiber optic cables (heavy duty wire) is AT&T's high speed internet connection.
This is all our phone workings in this wing of the condo building (there's more outside):
|
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 8:12 pm
I am going to guess that the fiber optics are, well, fiber optics, as opposed to the metal wires that phone linens use. Just put fiber optics into the Google box, and you will see images of the cables and some articles that ask "What are fiber optics?" That should explain it.
At some point, your building must have had the fiber optics lines installed but not hooked up. You now have the ability to hook them up. I don't actually "know" any of this, just reasoning it, and if I am drastically wrong, SpongeBob2112 or Jimmer will bop in here and 'splain it all. Or I could read the Google links, which I am too lazy to do, LOL. I mean busy, busy, not lazy.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 5:45 am
I've done that, Juju. In the past I've called AT&T a few times and asked if U-Verse / fiber optics is available at this address. Was always told No. Last week called about my AT&T bill. In talking, was told U-Verse for internet, not TV (which I don't want anyways), is available here. And so coming to install it Wednesday morning. If fiber optics cable is in all that mess in the utility room in the above photo, how does it get to my unit without AT&T stringing new wires through the walls in this old building? I hope AT&T knows cuz I sure don't. Or the AT&T techs that make house calls know -- not AT&T sales / customer service people in the office. Will tech say when s/he gets here say -- No, you don't / can't have U-Verse? Find out Wednesday morning. 
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 6:59 am
U-verse does not have to have fiber optics installed within a house/condo/apartment to work. Take my house for example. Built in 2000 it has standard copper phone lines to pretty much every room in the house except the bathrooms but no fiber optics. So a year ago AT&T made me an offer to "upgrade" my phone and DSL to U-verse and cut my monthly bill. Sounded good so I did it. Because I have and prefer DirecTV I did not opt for the TV service. Unlike my old setup where I had one line for voice and one for the DSL and Internet it's all wrapped into one line now. Bottom line is that I have a nice clear voice line and higher speed Internet than I had before for a lower monthly cost. I could drop DirecTV and AT&T would provide the boxes (wired or wireless) for my TV service. All in all I'd say it works for me and the installation was quick, like 30-45 minutes, and didn't involve running any new lines, cutting holes in the wall, digging up the yard, etc. While it would be supposedly better to have a totally fiber optics wired residence they can still make it work over existing copper phone lines.
|
Bob2112
Member
06-12-2002
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 7:14 am
The fiber optic part will run to a remote node outside of your condo, typically less than 3000 feet from your connection. From there it is copper wire and will use some part of your existing wiring. Probably the wires currently being used by DSL. That's probably why they want to disconnect the existing DSL service first.
You will likely never see fiber optic cable in your home (or even building). It is very fragile and must be handled more carefully than wires or coaxial cable.
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 7:51 am
I agree that rewiring/running fiber optical lines within an existing home would be problematic. My house is two stories but no basement, no crawl space, mostly cathedral ceilings, and not much attic. That means poking holes in sheetrock and lots of repairs.....isn't happening.
Our community does not have buried fiber optical cable within the community and unfortunately this area, unlike other areas, doesn't require utility chases so all phone, cable, and power is ground buried meaning they'd have to make a huge mess at huge expense to rerun fiber optics and then the subsequent drops to each house. Maybe some day but probably not on my watch.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 7:55 am
Mack and Bob2112  That is so what I needed to hear. That basically explains it enough for me.
Because U-Verse will be operating partly on old copper wiring, will it still be F A S T ?? Or will I still be going slowish?
There is AT&T equipment outside in the yard in back of the building. And also black cable (half inch diameter at most) running around above ground in the yard from AT&T equipment. Noticed cable for first time yesterday when I was having closer look at it all. I bet that is all fiber optics related.
In the past couple days have come to realize I've been paying $15 per month more on my AT&T bill than I needed to since getting DSL. I do currently have 2 land lines -- one for voice and intercom to front door and another for DSL. The DSL line has a phone number assigned to it so I pay $15 per month for that. But having a number assigned to it was not necessary. Just had to have the 2nd line / wire run in my condo unit for my DSL. It was not used to make calls / never talked on that line.
If I could talk on fiber optics line, would I have the same phone number that I've had for 30 years? Don't want to change that. Also I am still using AT&T corded Trimline phone. I like it. But I'd always need "dummy" regular land line for connection to front door of building. Need some kind of phone for that. It's getting complicated. Talk to AT&T tech on Wednesday.
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 8:09 am
I kept my phone number and I didn't have to change any of my phones in the house, both wired and wireless. Even my alarm system worked without change though they did discover a small issue with the system that was causing line static. Took them a couple of visits but a smart tech finally wondered out loud if it might be the alarm connection so I showed him where it was wired into the phone system in the house. He rewired the connection and all is good. I do have a combination of wired and wireless Internet devices and those had to be reset to the new U-verse modem but that wasn't hard just something that had to be done.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 8:21 am
Keep in mind I'm in condo building. In the past, some units have had real problems with land line phone connection. I never did. Problems always seemed to be in other wing (this is two wing building) or on opposite side of this wing (units face either north or south). But for some time now I've have problem with static / buzzing on my phone. Not always -- just sometimes. Person I'm talking to doesn't hear the noise. It can be so loud that I can't hear who I'm talking to well enough to understand.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 9:21 am
These are the two AT&T thingies in the back yard. Fiber optics related? In the lower pic next to the fence on the left, you can just see some of the black cable. Much more of it runs into our yard. It goes to / comes from under the fence to single family house(s).
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 10:30 am
The "thingies" could be related but maybe not. Around here AT&T installed some pretty large, like big refrigerator sized, boxes above ground. It's been an evolving process from what I can tell as they initially installed smaller boxes some 10 years ago then a slightly larger box and now even larger boxes. Could be in some locations all this equipment is underground or otherwise hidden but I live in a mostly residential area so not many places to hide the equipment. Doesn't help that the geology here is almost solid rock with a foot of the surface. Makes digging holes and burying stuff hard.
As for your line noise.....U-verse installation may be your friend. The last tech who came out to my house brought this laptop like diagnostic tool and hooked it up to my system. He didn't explain what all the tests and screens told him but it did help whittle it down to what he called a "bad line tap" and eventually the security system. We'd had slight line noise before U-verse but not enough that it was an issue but after U-verse and two visits to tweak the system our line is crystal clear now.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 11:40 am
There is also BIG refrigerator / freezer box too not far from above. Hidden behind some bushes in condo yard. I didn't look close at it. Figured it had been there for many years / more than the above, but I don't know. I've been living here for almost 30 years.
|
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 8:50 pm
Hahahahaha, I knew if I posted something mostly wrong I could lure SpongeBob out of hiding. And we got Mack too! Yay!!!
Let us know how you like it, Colordeagua.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 9:56 pm
What I don't like is dealing with AT&T offices. When I placed order for U-Verse was told by CS (I have her name and employee number) that $199 installation charge would be waived. (That's not uncommon.) Yet when I look at my order info on-line, shows $199 charge. Spent 45 minutes on phone this afternoon with an AT&T CS (got his name and #). I don't know where charge stands at this point except -- I AM NOT PAYING IT. Original CS also said I would get $100 Visa gift card after 1 month service. I mentioned that today. CS today said if you don't get it or it doesn't work, call us. He said that's not uncommon.
AT&T is in business?????????????
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 5:22 am
As I recall we went through the same kind of Kabuki dance with AT&T with our U-verse upgrade and install. Supposedly free but on paper it was a couple of hundred dollars and then credited back in pieces. I guess it's some complicated accounting process to separate labor and equipment costs but it's weird. If it's free it's free so why all the drama. Of course I've seen similar "offers" and then bizarre fine print from other service providers over the years so it's really nothing new but nonetheless annoying.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 11:57 am
Annoying to say the least. Something else -- ya wanna call AT&T. There's an infinite number of toll free number to pick from. A CS will give you a number. Another CS will give you another number. Ad infinitum. Ya wanna call Apple. All I know is a choice of two toll free numbers. That's the way to operate.
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 5:14 am
Well it's Wednesday so today is your install day. Hope it all goes well. I did forget to tell you that our Internet speed went up significantly from our old DSL. We supposedly had the highest DSL available, at least in our area, but U-verse is like two or three times faster and that's with their kind of middle speed option. While still not as fast as say cable providers like Time Warner and RoadRunner it works well for us.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 11:18 am
Tech has come and gone. Was here probably hour at most. It is good!! Definitely faster. Actually haven't surfed around too much yet. No doubt it's fast. Tech didn't have to do too much with wires. Some in the wall in my unit behind wall-mounted Trimline phone. And also some in the mess in the utility room. But AT&T tech gave me something that MEANS ALOT to me / us non-techie peoples. AT&T sheet with info on it and also tech's name and phone number to call ANYTIME for connection / network problems and same for his manager's. The phone numbers are local area code -- not toll free number. 
IT IS GOOD!
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 11:22 am
Great news! Glad it went well.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 2:02 pm
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 5:36 pm
But may not be (quite?) as fast as I hoped. Haven't surfed a ton as yet, but still occasionally get the "you are not connected to the internet" screen. Wait a few seconds and the page loads. Was hoping that would be totally gone. Tech said building is still a little distance from actual fiber optics. He said it would be faster than DSL. See how it goes for a few days. In the past, have streamed video (Amazon and Netflix) in spurts. I have an Amazon Fire TV. For a little while had some buffering with Netflix. Mostly video streaming was OK with DSL.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 5:48 pm
I've never used a computer in anyone else's house. So really I don't know how to compare my DSL speed and now FO speed with any other home network. Just know that it isn't as fast here as in Apple Store. 
|
Debra
Member
11-19-2003
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 5:58 pm
Here is an article and speed test link for AT&T.
http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401829&cv=812#fbid=Z3TyDgbqk82
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 6:08 pm
Color, ANY store (if they are smart) will have high speed and very local internet connection so that is difficult to compare to anything at home.
Back when I had DSL from Verizon, it got SO bad that when it went down I just went back to dial up!
Cable here is MUCH better but there certainly are many times I get slowed down or get those messages.
I need to go get the faster box Time Warner is offering for no charge and see if that is better.
|
