anybody using SBC Yahoo DSL?

[Garrett Goebel]

I've had Business Class (1.5Mb/386Kbs, 5 static ip) SBC DSL since they
introduced it. I had SBC ISDN before that. I moved house about a year ago,
and was forced to change ips. All I ever wanted was a few static ips, so
I've never used their email, etc.

My comments are inline below...

Brian Kelsay wrote:
> 
> Current pricing is $26.95/month (1.5Mbps down) for a one yr
> commitment with free hardware and self-install.  The higher
> speed (3Mbps down) is avail. for $36.95/month and same free
> hardware and install.

$27/m is the price for 384Kbps-1.5Mbps/128Kbps (down/up) w/ 1 dynamic ip.

$37/m is same but gaurrauntees 1.5-3.0Mbps/384Kbps (down/up).


> If you have this service and use Linux, did you have to hook
> up a Windows PC for the initial install and then move the NIC
> used for the install to your Linux box or Linux based firewall?

I've never had to use windows. They've never made a deal of it either. My
service is the Express-S 384Kbps-1.5Mbps/128Kbps (d/u) w/ 5 static ips. I
don't know how the dynamic ip service is configured, but I've never had to
move a nic (nothing tied to the nic's mac address).


> Do they use PPPoE?

I've never needed to configure it.


> How is their customer service if you are competent with PCs
> and networks?

It is all about getting past the first 2 tiers. Ask to speak with a manager
as soon as diplomatically possible. I have an ancient DSL terminal
adapter... It pretty much assures that I get passed up quickly, because none
of the lower tiers know how to deal with it.

The initial two tiers' support is about on par with Telektronics. It sucks.
I wouldn't trust them to do even the simplist things. When I got DSL
installed at the old house, they entered me in the system twice, double
billed me, and when I told them which account wasn't active or in use, they
cut off the live one.

In fact pretty much every time I've had to deal with customer support has
been a nightmare. Murphy's law applies. Keep notes of everything they say
they've done or will do. Keep names, note down times of phone calls,
tracking numbers everything. You'll need it.


>  Do they try to give you the run-around and have you do
> stupid things in their support script books or do they
> listen to you when you tell them you have already tried
> all that?

Not so much. What they do do, is make you wait forever and drop calls.
Getting past the initial two tiers is the key to solving any real problem.
And you won't be calling them unless its a real problem anyway.


> Have you had any problems with the service being down 
> frequently like some users here that have RR have
> experienced? 

The one good thing I can say about SBC is that I haven't had to call
customer support much.

5 years ago, or whenever they intially offered DSL... they did have
problems. I used to keep a log of downtime. Now a'day's it's pretty good.


> have you had trouble with email being down?  

never used it. I've always done my own.


> If I get this DSL connection I intend to try to have my own
> mailserver, but the family will probably be on the 
> ISP mailserver.

You're going to do that on a dynamic IP?

Do you (or anyone else for that matter) have experience with DynamicDNS
and/or other providers of dynamic dns resolution services?


> Any trouble running a home webserver, mailserver and using ssh
> into said servers?  

no problems. no complaints.


> Any blocked ports by default?

no problems. no complaints.


--
Garrett Goebel
IS Development Specialist

ScriptPro                   Direct: 913.403.5261
5828 Reeds Road               Main: 913.384.1008
Mission, KS 66202              Fax: 913.384.2180
www.scriptpro.com          garrett at scriptpro.com
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