Codetel DSL problems

[franberu]

That's my qyestion?

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by franberu

That's my qyestion?

Read through the thread.
Tricom internet is spoken about in detail.

[blink56k]

Hi this is my first post at DR1. Instead of starting a new post i thought I would continue this one, since Codetel issues seem like such a common problem!

We got DSL from Moca around two years ago in the summer of 2006. It was the very basic 128US/384DS service. However it has been nothing but problems (poor synch or no synch at all) and we've had multiple visits by technicians who never did anything but poke around and leave without fixing the problem!

I tried almost everything: a different modem, different computers (windows xp, mac os x tiger, and linux), I checked with the inverter on and without regular electricity, filter, no filter...etc.

I went to the modem page and SNR was constantly low (6.0-8.0 on a good day) and attenuation is always 60-63. As I understand it, the higher the SNR the better, the lower the atten. the better. There would be days when it wouldn't synchronize at all or for hours. And whenever it did synch I had to restart the modem every 15-30 min because the internet would slow down badly.

I tried cancelling and going back to dial up, but the guy at customer service was incredibly rude (I went to Codetel personally) and when I told him about the constant outages, he even told me "what, do you need the internet 24/7 or something?". No I don't, but it's what one is paying for and the constant resets and outages are not worth it. In order to cancel the dsl "service" we had to pay them a termination fee because of the contract, so we left the office before the pique flamed up more.

After one big angry email (and one year of fighting), they finally got people here again and found damaged lines.

Ever since, the internet has been working better. SNR is around 10-16. I still have to reset every 20 minutes or so (because the SNR drops progressively). For some reason it works well at night where I can get longer usage (like now lol).

I think it could be a distance issue though of course they probably won't tell us because they want to keep milking money.

It sucks so much because there is no cable internet here and they're the only company my family can get internet from. We're not even asking for super speeds to do voip or anything like that, just basic 384k to do casual Youtube and e-mail (it's hard to do youtube but it's passable lol).

I don't know what to do with these people anymore.

Thanks for listening everyone and nice to join your community! (aunque sea para dar querrella LOL)

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by blink56k

Hi this is my first post at DR1. Instead of starting a new post i thought I would continue this one, since Codetel issues seem like such a common problem!

We got DSL from Moca around two years ago in the summer of 2006. It was the very basic 128US/384DS service. However it has been nothing but problems (poor synch or no synch at all) and we've had multiple visits by technicians who never did anything but poke around and leave without fixing the problem!

I tried almost everything: a different modem, different computers (windows xp, mac os x tiger, and linux), I checked with the inverter on and without regular electricity, filter, no filter...etc.

I went to the modem page and SNR was constantly low (6.0-8.0 on a good day) and attenuation is always 60-63. As I understand it, the higher the SNR the better, the lower the atten. the better. There would be days when it wouldn't synchronize at all or for hours. And whenever it did synch I had to restart the modem every 15-30 min because the internet would slow down badly.

I tried cancelling and going back to dial up, but the guy at customer service was incredibly rude (I went to Codetel personally) and when I told him about the constant outages, he even told me "what, do you need the internet 24/7 or something?". No I don't, but it's what one is paying for and the constant resets and outages are not worth it. In order to cancel the dsl "service" we had to pay them a termination fee because of the contract, so we left the office before the pique flamed up more.

After one big angry email (and one year of fighting), they finally got people here again and found damaged lines.

Ever since, the internet has been working better. SNR is around 10-16. I still have to reset every 20 minutes or so (because the SNR drops progressively). For some reason it works well at night where I can get longer usage (like now lol).

I think it could be a distance issue though of course they probably won't tell us because they want to keep milking money.

It sucks so much because there is no cable internet here and they're the only company my family can get internet from. We're not even asking for super speeds to do voip or anything like that, just basic 384k to do casual Youtube and e-mail (it's hard to do youtube but it's passable lol).

I don't know what to do with these people anymore.

Thanks for listening everyone and nice to join your community! (aunque sea para dar querrella LOL)

I feel your pain and there's basically nothing you can do.
When caught in a situation such as this, the only thing that can save you from letting it drive you stark raving mad, is attitude.
One has to accept the DR's shortcomings, in exchange for all the upsides.
Considering that 15 years ago, this country was still just coming out of the dark ages, and things like cellphones were as rare as getting a royal flush in poker, it's amazing that we have advanced this far in so little time.
Hopefully, that can help you accept the inconveniences Codetel causes you.
Perhaps one day soon, a competitor will arrive on the scene and give you the service that you pay for.

[BF1]

I have to disagree with Rocky, 9 years ago I got a perfect functioning 1.5/768 DSL in Santo Domingo for about 70 USD a month from the "canadian Codetel" and in many countries in europe it wasn't yet avalaible! Fact is that the service has been gettig worse with Verizon due to lack of competitors and then, much worse with Carlos Slim.....

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by BF1

I have to disagree with Rocky, 9 years ago I got a perfect functioning 1.5/768 DSL in Santo Domingo for about 70 USD a month from the "canadian Codetel" and in many countries in europe it wasn't yet avalaible! Fact is that the service has been gettig worse with Verizon due to lack of competitors and then, much worse with Carlos Slim.....

You may have had some special deal down there in the South, but I can tell you for a fact, that 7 years ago, when I first got DSL/Flash 256 kbps service, cost the equivalent of $80 US/month.
There was no such thing as a Canadian Codetel around here, but Verizon of the US certainly owned the company, up until recently.
I wonder if you are remembering the amount in pesos that you spent for that 1.5/768 service, and converting it at today's rates.
PS: That was $80 US/month for the internet, plus taxes, plus phone service.

[Robert]

Let's not split hairs about a few US$, at the end of the day DSL service is very expensive here for what you get. I wish I was in the US and inline to test Comcasts new 160 Megabit service

Slashdot | Comcast Promising Ultra-Fast Internet

I think the "canadian Codetel" was a little bit of sarcasm.
Might be to do with Verizon looking for a tax loop hole when selling to "Slim".

If anyone cares, DR1 was the 4th DSL customer in the DR, Juan Luis Guerra was #5

Go OneMax!!!!

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by Robert

Let's not split hairs about a few US$, at the end of the day DSL service is very expensive here for what you get. I wish I was in the US and inline to test Comcasts new 160 Megabit service

Slashdot | Comcast Promising Ultra-Fast Internet

I think the "canadian Codetel" was a little bit of sarcasm.
Might be to do with Verizon looking for a tax loop hole when selling to "Slim".

If anyone cares, DR1 was the 4th DSL customer in the DR, Juan Luis Guerra was #5

Go OneMax!!!!

You know that I've been out of America for so long that I'm not aware of prices there, but I thought that the $35 US/month, tax included that I pay for my DSL was pretty reasonable.
Is it that much cheaper in the US or Canada?

[BF1]

It was RD$ 1,000 and I think it was 14x1US back then....
By the way Robert, they told me I was ADSL custumer number 60

My brother in Italy has 8mb download/384 upload for 20€ (less then 30USD)

[BF1]

Originally Posted by Rocky

You may have had some special deal down there in the South, but I can tell you for a fact, that 7 years ago, when I first got DSL/Flash 256 kbps service, cost the equivalent of $80 US/month.
There was no such thing as a Canadian Codetel around here, but Verizon of the US certainly owned the company, up until recently.
I wonder if you are remembering the amount in pesos that you spent for that 1.5/768 service, and converting it at today's rates.
PS: That was $80 US/month for the internet, plus taxes, plus phone service.

from wikipedia:
CODETEL History

CODETEL began telephone service in the Dominican Republic during the 1940s as a subsidiary of the US firm General Telephone and Electronics (GTE), and held a de facto monopoly until the mid 1990s. After the Dominican government passed Law 153 in 1998 providing for effective liberalization and improved pro-competition regulation, new entrants had eroded CODETEL's predominant position with the incumbent capturing only 50% of the international traffic to the United States (accounting for 70% of the total international traffic).[1] In 2000 Verizon was formed after a merger by Bell Atlantic and GTE, with CODETEL continuing operations as a subsidiary of the new company. During November 2003 CODETEL selected Nortel Networks (NYSE/TSX: NT) to provide voice over IP (Internet Protocol) network intended to converge voice and data traffic, help drive lower operating costs, and provide advanced services throughout the country.

Until 2000 Codetel was indeed a subsidiary of GTE Canada and they avoid to pay taxes, when they sold the company to Carlos Slim, because of that. Actually they said that Verizon Dominicana was a Canadian company too.....now, if somebody could prove they were american, the prize is about 500 million dollars