I just rented a new apartment, and while arranging the utilities hookups, I discovered that it's not certified for DSL availability! I wouldn't have rented this apartment if I had known I couldn't get DSL, I guess I should have checked it out in advance. But it never occurred to me that such a common service would be unavailable in the middle of a metropolitan area.
QWest says the apartment might be OK for DSL, but they won't know for sure until they send a lineman to hook up the phones and check the lines. So I might be stuck with a cable modem, which could make it impossible to run this server properly. I might have to migrate the server contents to a professional hosting service, which would not be cheap since there aren't many affordable hosts for QuickTime Streaming Server, one of the key features of this site.
I expect the server to go offline temporarily within the next week, while I move the CPU to my new apartment. There is a possibility that this server may be offline longer than expected, or resume service with some high-bandwidth features disabled. Stay tuned for more developments.
Update August 2, 2005: QWest officially says DSL is not available at my location because I am too far from their switching facility, so they did not even bother to send a lineman to test my lines. However, there are multiple reports from QWest customers on the same block as my apartment that DO have DSL. There is even one report that QWest installed a new DSLAM only 8 blocks from my apartment, so I am definitely not too far away to get service. Everyone says QWest DSL is available, except QWest. I'm still trying to get QWest to recognize that they built new facilities specifically to expand service in my area, but they just don't believe me. The problem is, the QWest offices are in Seattle and Denver, they know nothing about the local network here in Iowa.
Update August 3, 2005: I called QWest DSL tech support under my old account, to see if they could do anything for me. The techs said they can look up my new location in their "circuit database" and it shows my apartment is qualified for DSL, and there is an available "pair" (copper wires) ready to install the service, IF I can get a QWest lineman to go out and check the line quality and give the approval. And they're sure it would work, IF we can just get the "line conditioning" work done. But he also says that the QWest sales database will NOT show the location as OK for DSL, so they won't even send out a lineman to check it out, and on top of that, QWest Sales says they won't do line conditioning anymore. I am at an impasse. QWest CAN sell me DSL, but they WON'T. This is ridiculous.
QWest says the apartment might be OK for DSL, but they won't know for sure until they send a lineman to hook up the phones and check the lines. So I might be stuck with a cable modem, which could make it impossible to run this server properly. I might have to migrate the server contents to a professional hosting service, which would not be cheap since there aren't many affordable hosts for QuickTime Streaming Server, one of the key features of this site.
I expect the server to go offline temporarily within the next week, while I move the CPU to my new apartment. There is a possibility that this server may be offline longer than expected, or resume service with some high-bandwidth features disabled. Stay tuned for more developments.
Update August 2, 2005: QWest officially says DSL is not available at my location because I am too far from their switching facility, so they did not even bother to send a lineman to test my lines. However, there are multiple reports from QWest customers on the same block as my apartment that DO have DSL. There is even one report that QWest installed a new DSLAM only 8 blocks from my apartment, so I am definitely not too far away to get service. Everyone says QWest DSL is available, except QWest. I'm still trying to get QWest to recognize that they built new facilities specifically to expand service in my area, but they just don't believe me. The problem is, the QWest offices are in Seattle and Denver, they know nothing about the local network here in Iowa.
Update August 3, 2005: I called QWest DSL tech support under my old account, to see if they could do anything for me. The techs said they can look up my new location in their "circuit database" and it shows my apartment is qualified for DSL, and there is an available "pair" (copper wires) ready to install the service, IF I can get a QWest lineman to go out and check the line quality and give the approval. And they're sure it would work, IF we can just get the "line conditioning" work done. But he also says that the QWest sales database will NOT show the location as OK for DSL, so they won't even send out a lineman to check it out, and on top of that, QWest Sales says they won't do line conditioning anymore. I am at an impasse. QWest CAN sell me DSL, but they WON'T. This is ridiculous.
Ok, this is a little sneaky, but....
Call quest with a complaint on the voice quality on your new line. Tell them it is scratchy and low level intermittently. Make sure you're there when the tech comes out. If the tech seems friendly, see if you can get him to measure the loop length and take out the load coils (or get a work order to take out the load coils.) Better yet, they may be able to switch you over to a new clean pair.
This approach requires a bit of luck, and some human engineering skills.