TDS DSL on Beaver Island
Moderator: Gillespie
Re: Beaver Island Broadband DSL
In Ann Arbor with TDS I had the 768k symmetric and it was totally fine for anything I could figure out to do with it. Unless you are planning on serving bittorrents (which would be pretty antisocial on a thin, crowded straw) or hosting a big website (which you'll be better off doing in someone else's data center on the mainland) you should be good...
The only exception to this might be if you want to do a lot of video conferencing.
I have a much faster line now and I mostly don't notice the difference. Most of your inbound latency will have more to do with how the html/javascript/images in the sites you use are constructed.
The only exception to this might be if you want to do a lot of video conferencing.
I have a much faster line now and I mostly don't notice the difference. Most of your inbound latency will have more to do with how the html/javascript/images in the sites you use are constructed.
Jeff wrote:I'm pretty darn excited about the TDS offering.
As you pointed out on your news site, the upload speed is only 512 kbps (I was personally hoping it would be faster, but I think this will satisfy most). The TDS advertised upload speed is twice as fast as the slowest Central Solutions wireless plan, equal to the equally priced wireless plan, and only half as fast as the $79/month Central Solutions plan. On the other hand, the advertised TDS download speed is 3x as fast as the fastest previously announced Central Solutions consumer or non-dedicated business plan.
I asked a few questions that I was very curious about and here were the answers I received:
Q. Is there a setup fee?
A. We do not have a set up fee associated with DSL. We do charge $12.95 for shipping the modem.
Q. Is more than one modem choice available on the Island (I see mention on the tds website of the Actiontec 701c and previously the Actiontec 724)? Will plenty be available on the Island at launch for anyone who wants service ASAP, or should people who are really excited (like me) pre-signup to get in line ASAP and have the customer equipment on hand?
A. I believe there is only one modem offered and it is the Actiontec. That modem is reliable and used all over the country for DSL delivery. TDS will ship a DSL kit to the customer including the modem from our Madison, WI fulfillment center. We do keep some modems on-hand in the event of failure or for a customer that needs immediate service. The customer can request LIDS, which is local support.
(edit: my added note: this seems to be the manual for a similar model http://www.actiontec.com/support/broadband/gt701.pdf - not overly fancy, but looks downright simple to install)
Q. Is there work to be done at each customer's location when each person signs up or is that part pretty easy?
A. There really isn't anything that needs to be done on site. The customer will use the DSL kit and instructions to install the service. It is very simple. You basically have to hook up the modem.
Q. I saw on the News on the Net site that it is stated there is a one- or two- year contract required. How important is it to choose the right plan from the get-go, namely, if you signup initially for a lower plan, can you upgrade freely to the higher plan at some point within the initial contract? Vice versa, if someone signs up for the highest plan now, can they downgrade at any point the future to a lower plan if they for whatever reason don't get the higher speeds due to distance (not sure if this is applicable?) or maybe feel they only need the lower plan at a particular location in the future?
A. Our customers are free to move into an alternative plan at any point in their contract. This applies to both an upgrade or downgrade.
Q. With Satellite (my point of familiarity on the Island for the past 5 years) a big concern is that you sign a long-term contract and then once the system is loaded up quality of service drops. If someone signs a two-year contract, is there any minimum guaranteed level of service for either the residential or business DSL plans?
A. Our customers should expect to receive the bandwidth they are paying for throughout the term of their agreement. Of course, this can vary slightly. However, they should expect very close to their purchased speed. TDS spells out our actual policy in our "Terms of Service" document. This can be found on our website at www.tds.net
Terms of Service: http://www.tdstelecom.com/about/_terms_of_service.html
Acceptable Use Policy: http://www.tdstelecom.com/about/_acceptable_use.html
Q. With Satellite I'm used to having a Fair Access Policy -- with wildblue it's 17 GB/month down and 5 GB/month up for example; with Hughes it's a bit more but on a daily vs. 30-day rolling total. I know mainland DSL and Cable is just starting to put FAPs in place but at much higher levels of usage right now. Will the TDS DSL Island packages have a fair access policy in the terms of service? Is there a guideline level of usage for each plan that is "too much; it's time to upgrade to the next plan"?
A. TDS has a 50 GB limit. Again, you may want to visit www.tds.net to review our "Terms of Service" document.
Q. Does a higher priced business plan offer a higher quality of service?
A. The best way to describe the difference is in the service level. Because of the critical nature of business customers they can expect a higher level of support. We certainly provide a high level of support to all customers. However, business customers receive prioritization
I was a bit skeptical when it was first announced due to the lack of information, but now I'm very very excited about the TDS deployment on the Island. I can't wait to signup!
thoughts on speeds and business DSL accounts
Yes, but to play devil's advocate, did you ever send a file or upload a group of images on your TDS 768k upload plan and say to yourself "I just wish this took 33% longerIn Ann Arbor with TDS I had the 768k symmetric and it was totally fine for anything I could figure out to do with it.
"Overall though I agree 100% with you -- I think everyone will be very very very happy with these plans.
I do think the higher level central solutions wireless plan has a slight edge in having 2x the upload speed of the highest current TDS Island-DSL offering (because when I'm sending or uploading I'm typically waiting for it to finish and want it to go through ASAP), but at the same time the TDS plan offers 3x the download speed of the maximum central solutions plan (and for residential customers, 3x the download speed at half the price!) which is a substantial gain (and most everyone does download far more than they upload, even if some of it is in the background.) I tend to be skeptical until I see it for myself, but so far these offerings look excellent for the Island.
business accounts
I also had a great conversation with Brandon McDonald, Account Executive for TDS Telecom at 1(800) 233-5605 ext 3561. I think most if not all the businesses on the Island have already received a call from him by now -- but if you haven't talked with him and are thinking about the best possible broadband option, you should give him a call. I volleyed every question under the sun at him and he handled them in stride and gave me very quick and good answers.
He did correct what I posted earlier on the forum here (which is for the residential packages in the original post of this thread) and said that business DSL accounts do get the even nicer actiontec 724 modem with wireless router built in and also the capability for remote diagnostics. (and I pointed out, it looks curvier and sleeker on your desk too.)
He also said that business customers get a priority tech support line, priority response to restore connectivity in "minutes or hours" if something ever goes wrong, equipment gets hit by lightning, etc. and access to him as an account rep to streamline the setup and help with any issues or questions as well as a number of other benefits that were minor to me but might very well be interesting to you (e.g. antivirus software for 5 computers, hosting, office max savings, etc., etc.) Call him for many more details.
I'm always a bit cautious and had actually thought I'd go for the residential to start and run wireless and dsl side by side in the spring (I'm used to satellite which has a binding contract no matter what), so I asked what happens if I sign a 2-year contract and for whatever reason the business account isn't working out for me? He said there is a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, and after that the termination fee for a business account is $150 but they would certainly work with anyone who is not satisfied for whatever reason to see what they could do to make them completely satisfied. That sounds pretty darn fair to me (to offset the cost of the new modem, time, etc.) even in a worst case scenario.
Businesses have to get a business account (guess that's obvious, eh?) but residential numbers are free to get either a residential plan or a business plan. The residential plans should make most everyone happy, and they're a fantastic value in my book. (Granted I've been paying for satellite for the last 6 years) But at the same time, I honestly had expected pricing for any broadband on the Island to be more along the lines of what the TDS business dsl plans are at. So, in my point of view, if a broadband connection is important to you and you want the highest level support from TDS these plans are very fair as well and not painful at all for what you get! So definitely call Brandon at 1(800) 233-5605 ext 3561 if you're a business or even if you're a residential number interested in their very best instead of the very good residential account, need more advanced support, etc. or have any questions about the "best of the best" on the table!
He did correct what I posted earlier on the forum here (which is for the residential packages in the original post of this thread) and said that business DSL accounts do get the even nicer actiontec 724 modem with wireless router built in and also the capability for remote diagnostics. (and I pointed out, it looks curvier and sleeker on your desk too.)
He also said that business customers get a priority tech support line, priority response to restore connectivity in "minutes or hours" if something ever goes wrong, equipment gets hit by lightning, etc. and access to him as an account rep to streamline the setup and help with any issues or questions as well as a number of other benefits that were minor to me but might very well be interesting to you (e.g. antivirus software for 5 computers, hosting, office max savings, etc., etc.) Call him for many more details.
I'm always a bit cautious and had actually thought I'd go for the residential to start and run wireless and dsl side by side in the spring (I'm used to satellite which has a binding contract no matter what), so I asked what happens if I sign a 2-year contract and for whatever reason the business account isn't working out for me? He said there is a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, and after that the termination fee for a business account is $150 but they would certainly work with anyone who is not satisfied for whatever reason to see what they could do to make them completely satisfied. That sounds pretty darn fair to me (to offset the cost of the new modem, time, etc.) even in a worst case scenario.
Businesses have to get a business account (guess that's obvious, eh?) but residential numbers are free to get either a residential plan or a business plan. The residential plans should make most everyone happy, and they're a fantastic value in my book. (Granted I've been paying for satellite for the last 6 years) But at the same time, I honestly had expected pricing for any broadband on the Island to be more along the lines of what the TDS business dsl plans are at. So, in my point of view, if a broadband connection is important to you and you want the highest level support from TDS these plans are very fair as well and not painful at all for what you get! So definitely call Brandon at 1(800) 233-5605 ext 3561 if you're a business or even if you're a residential number interested in their very best instead of the very good residential account, need more advanced support, etc. or have any questions about the "best of the best" on the table!
Last edited by Jeff on Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DSL On The Island
I'm sorry I didn't respond to your questions sooner. I have not reviewed the forum in some time.
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that we are close to a launch of DSL. I hoped to have it available around the 15th. However, things always seem to take longer than expected. Within a few days it should be ready and I'll make sure to post the information on this forum. In addition, TDS will have some local advertising, direct mail and information in your current bill notifying you of the DSL launch.
Someone had posted a couple of questions regarding DSL. I've answered the questions below. Should anyone have additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly. My phone number is 920.420.1459 and my e-mail is chad.mix@tdsmetro.com.
1. Q: What is the timeline for offering DSL on the rest of the Island? A: I wish I could provide a timeline. Unfortunately, one has not been established. As you know, the launch of DSL has been a long time coming. I tried to get the entire Island equipped with DSL. However, I was only able to get approval for the current launch. I will continue to fight for capital to expand our DSL coverage and will keep you informed. Please keep in-mind, TDS has an initiative to provide DSL in 100% of our markets. We are over 90% to our goal. Obviously, the last 10% are the very small markets. We are in the process of outfitting all remaining markets. However, an exact date for the rest of the Island is not set at this time.
2. Q: Can TDS offer a lower speed/price introductory DSL package.
A: Unfortunately, remote locations have many challenges in equipping the central office and DSA's with DSL equipment. It really comes down to return on investment. Not to say everything revolves around making a profit. However, we are a public company. Our investors have some expectations as they should. The model doesn't allow of a lower speed/price product at this time. Although, I will monitor the take rate of DSL on the Island. Should a lower speed/price become viable, TDS will review and consider making it available.
Thank you
Chad Mix
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that we are close to a launch of DSL. I hoped to have it available around the 15th. However, things always seem to take longer than expected. Within a few days it should be ready and I'll make sure to post the information on this forum. In addition, TDS will have some local advertising, direct mail and information in your current bill notifying you of the DSL launch.
Someone had posted a couple of questions regarding DSL. I've answered the questions below. Should anyone have additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly. My phone number is 920.420.1459 and my e-mail is chad.mix@tdsmetro.com.
1. Q: What is the timeline for offering DSL on the rest of the Island? A: I wish I could provide a timeline. Unfortunately, one has not been established. As you know, the launch of DSL has been a long time coming. I tried to get the entire Island equipped with DSL. However, I was only able to get approval for the current launch. I will continue to fight for capital to expand our DSL coverage and will keep you informed. Please keep in-mind, TDS has an initiative to provide DSL in 100% of our markets. We are over 90% to our goal. Obviously, the last 10% are the very small markets. We are in the process of outfitting all remaining markets. However, an exact date for the rest of the Island is not set at this time.
2. Q: Can TDS offer a lower speed/price introductory DSL package.
A: Unfortunately, remote locations have many challenges in equipping the central office and DSA's with DSL equipment. It really comes down to return on investment. Not to say everything revolves around making a profit. However, we are a public company. Our investors have some expectations as they should. The model doesn't allow of a lower speed/price product at this time. Although, I will monitor the take rate of DSL on the Island. Should a lower speed/price become viable, TDS will review and consider making it available.
Thank you
Chad Mix
CMIX
Re: thoughts on speeds and business DSL accounts
To the devil I'd have to quote the French -- il y a meillieur, mais plus cher. (There's better, but it costs more.)
Effective download and upload are both highly dependent on the details of ISP network architecture and target web sites. Having a faster connection speed may not mean anything. It almost certainly won't mean you get a throughput speedup directly proportional to the increase in connection speed.
Service providers use oversubscription as a way to provide better value, so the quality you can get from the edge into their network depends on what everyone else on the way into or out of the distribution points is doing. They don't actually provide enough bandwidth so that everyone can operate at top speed at the same time. They also provision edge bandwidth proportional to typical use patterns, which has a lot more download than upload... so, there may be other internal assumptions hidden behind your modem that affect your experience that you won't be able to see.
And, the quality of the interaction from there depends on lots of important details within the Internet between you and the target that aren't under the control of the service provider that gives you your local access.
The biggest factor may well be how much bandwidth is *available* on the connection from your ISP to the mainland (probably negotiated on a per-ISP basis), which is probably the weak link in any of these solutions.
In any case, again, I've had good luck with TDS, so happy days!
Doug
Effective download and upload are both highly dependent on the details of ISP network architecture and target web sites. Having a faster connection speed may not mean anything. It almost certainly won't mean you get a throughput speedup directly proportional to the increase in connection speed.
Service providers use oversubscription as a way to provide better value, so the quality you can get from the edge into their network depends on what everyone else on the way into or out of the distribution points is doing. They don't actually provide enough bandwidth so that everyone can operate at top speed at the same time. They also provision edge bandwidth proportional to typical use patterns, which has a lot more download than upload... so, there may be other internal assumptions hidden behind your modem that affect your experience that you won't be able to see.
And, the quality of the interaction from there depends on lots of important details within the Internet between you and the target that aren't under the control of the service provider that gives you your local access.
The biggest factor may well be how much bandwidth is *available* on the connection from your ISP to the mainland (probably negotiated on a per-ISP basis), which is probably the weak link in any of these solutions.
In any case, again, I've had good luck with TDS, so happy days!
Doug
Jeff wrote:Yes, but to play devil's advocate, did you ever send a file or upload a group of images on your TDS 768k upload plan and say to yourself "I just wish this took 33% longerIn Ann Arbor with TDS I had the 768k symmetric and it was totally fine for anything I could figure out to do with it.
Overall though I agree 100% with you -- I think everyone will be very very very happy with these plans.
I do think the higher level central solutions wireless plan has a slight edge in having 2x the upload speed of the highest current TDS Island-DSL offering (because when I'm sending or uploading I'm typically waiting for it to finish and want it to go through ASAP), but at the same time the TDS plan offers 3x the download speed of the maximum central solutions plan (and for residential customers, 3x the download speed at half the price!) which is a substantial gain (and most everyone does download far more than they upload, even if some of it is in the background.) I tend to be skeptical until I see it for myself, but so far these offerings look excellent for the Island.