[TriLUG] Sprint DSL

[Scott Chilcote]

Greg Brown wrote:

> Does anyone use Sprint DSL?  Do they block any ports?  Is the service good?
> 
> Greg

I've had it for over two years as well.  I'm generally happy with it.  I 
have a brief interruption in service (in Cary) every couple of months. 
It typically lasts less than 20 minutes.

One thing I've learned the hard way is not to bother calling them.  In 
the first year I would call and often get a net-savvy tech support 
person who was willing to accept that I'm able to tie my own shoes.  One 
guy actually helped me find a misconfigured backbone server on another 
network that was keeping me from reaching my company's VPN server.

Since then the tech support has gone way downhill, but I almost never 
need it.  They typically ask within the first two questions whether 
you're using their software.  If not, they tell you to hang up, install 
it, and call them back.  Alternately they will ask if you're using an 
Internet router.  If you say "yes", they tell you to disconnect it, 
connect your computer directly to the Internet, and call them back.

This burns me because the only reason I'll bother calling them is if my 
DSL modem's DSL indicator has gone out - and I don't need their $#%@!! 
software to notice that!  One can, of course, lie, but I've never used 
or even seen their software.  Perhaps I ought to look at it someday so I 
can at least get past this part of their script.

The one thing that keeps me with them is that they provide a static IP 
for $15/mo.  This is a requirement for my work-at-home situation.

Luck,

     Scott C.