SouthWorst Bell

Seems every time the sky even looks like rain, good ol' Southwestern Bell's lines take a dump. Lost service yesterday about 6pm, and it's still out now. Some good old fashioned "going up the chain" with the phoney company's service department has me on today's repair list, instead of Wednesday's.

I'll be one coldly furious customer if, when I get home from work, the line's still down.

Comments

[Rivrdog]

If you're any sort of modern guy, Jim, you have a cell phone. If it's one that's been made in the last 4 years, it probably can take a data cable plug, usually on the base. These cost from $30-60, and have a USB connector on them that goes right into your computer. The phone then acts as a data modem. Not fast, between 14.4 and 19.2K (some very modern phones on modern networks are much faster). You use cell minutes, but if you have an evenings-free plan, you can upload and download all night for nothing.

When you buy the data cable, try to get one first from your phone manufacturer. Radio Shack and some computer stores also sell them, but for my Qualcomm, the cheapest was the Qualcomm store. You also get the software free. I had some installation difficulty, but the techie at *611 for Verizon straightened me out and now it works fine.

You might also try to see if there is hi-speed wireless available down on the bay. If so, a $50 card for your computer will put you in business at almost 60mbaud (plus the subscription cost of the wireless).

If you have a double-dish satellite TV setup, you can get high speed internet for about $40/month more over that.

Lots of ways to ditch the old wire if you just look around.

[Jim]

Dawg, I've looked at the cel phone link for emergencies, it's not a bad idea. Just slower than Al Gore's speech cadence.

Cable & DSL are out, given where these docks are. Sattelite? Damned expensive when I add it all up.

Ma bell ran a new wire about 900' for me today. Let's see how that one works.

Thanks much for the input, sir!

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX