SBC Yahoo DSL now $29.95/month, 1 yr contract

[tk149]

Anyone else read the fine print?

*Offer requires a one-year term agreement. After the expiration of this term agreement, the then-current month-to-month or applicable term price will apply. The regular monthly price for the service, modem charge and activation fee of $50.00 will appear on the first bill along with any corresponding and offsetting credits. Offer is available for a limited period of time and is subject to change without notice. Early termination fee of $200 applies if service is cancelled before expiration of term.
(Boldface added)

I interpret this to mean that after one year, they automatically bill you this $50 Activation fee, and then start billing you at the current rate (which is $50/month right now). This is a dealkiller for me, since this looks like a pretty shady billing practice.

 

[Tommyboy8]

Originally posted by: tk149
Anyone else read the fine print?

*Offer requires a one-year term agreement. After the expiration of this term agreement, the then-current month-to-month or applicable term price will apply. The regular monthly price for the service, modem charge and activation fee of $50.00 will appear on the first bill along with any corresponding and offsetting credits. Offer is available for a limited period of time and is subject to change without notice. Early termination fee of $200 applies if service is cancelled before expiration of term.
(Boldface added)

I interpret this to mean that after one year, they automatically bill you this $50 Activation fee, and then start billing you at the current rate (which is $50/month right now). This is a dealkiller for me, since this looks like a pretty shady billing practice.

It's not shady. By contract, it's 1 year term agreement, after that the contract is up in the air. It should be you who should remember that the contract is expiring and re-negotiating whatever contract you might want to switch. Same goes with a lot of the cell phone companies... you sign 1 year term, then after they can do whatever, but since they need your business, they'll keep your current rates but will go month to month. In this case, the fine print just states that after the contract they can do whatever is written down.

so all in all, just remember to cancel or change your service in a year.

 

[MikeyPutsOut]

You couldn't have told me, 8 days ago

 

[Tommyboy8]

Originally posted by: MikeyPutsOut
You couldn't have told me, 8 days ago

ya, I feel ya... I ordered it last Tues May 27th, was set to be activated on Thurs June 5th. Called in today, they wont give me for $29.95, stuck at $34.95... oh well, it's still cheap.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: sat4fun

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: aperry A few things here from my past experiences (I had SBC Yahoo DSL and moved to an area where it is not available yet):

1. If you are running XP, you do not need their glut of software that loads. Just go to here for instructions.
2. If you are not running XP, you need to use their software to install (I think). Then, delete all of the extraneous garbage except for DSL Connection Manager.
3. If you are a Usenet junkie like me, and want to use your own reader to read Usenet, their server blows. They are missing many groups. They claim that the reason for this is that they don't carry groups that appear to be duplicates. They will add a group for you if you ask (and can convince them that it has unique content), but I found it to be severely lacking.
4. If you already have a Yahoo mail account (this includes @rocketmail.com and others too), DO NOT combine your accounts. If you do, and later drop SBC Yahoo, you will have to pay a monthly access charge to read your previously free email account. I believe the charge is $9.95 per month.

Even with all this said, $29.95 is a good price, and if it were available at my house, I would probably do it. Cox charges me $39.95 per month, plus I have to have their minimum package ($15.95 plus tax) which I do not even use, so I am paying nearly $60 a month for cable-modem access... :disgust:

Heck with software...just head over to the Belkin thread and pick up a cheap router.

You must be a cable user. Please advise how I can connect to DSL without the connection manager or by using the instructions posted by aperry?

????? I've been using DSL for two years now. Nearly every router supports PPPoE. You just put in your username and password in the setup screen, plug your DSL modem into the WAN port, your PC into a switch port, and off you go.

 

[Tung]

nice.. too bad i'm already using time warner cable.

 

[SOSTrooper]

Damn nice... I think it's time for me to switch, finally.

 

[Almighty1]

The answer is if you're using XP or not is to not use the SBC supplied software or Windows built in PPPoE as both of them will set the MTU at 1500 bytes and you need to set it at 1484. The best one to use is RASPPPoE from http://www.raspppoe.com/

 

[montag]

Thanks people!!! Just called 1-877-870-9582 and got switched to 1500 down. Funny thing is my one year contract at $29.99 was supposed to expire 4/30 but didn't. So now I double my dl speed for the same rate. And, no sbc-yahoo crap. I'm still ameritech.net all the way!

 

[vortix]

Does this require phone service also? I would really like to use my cell phone as my only phone, and drop local phone service in my house.

 

[Tommyboy8]

Originally posted by: vortix
Does this require phone service also? I would really like to use my cell phone as my only phone, and drop local phone service in my house.

no it doesn't require phone service, at least for me it didn't.

 

[fr]

Originally posted by: Tommyboy8

Originally posted by: vortix
Does this require phone service also? I would really like to use my cell phone as my only phone, and drop local phone service in my house.

no it doesn't require phone service, at least for me it didn't.

I have been using SBC DSL for 3 years. I've been off contract for 2 years already, but now paying $50/month.

1st try: I called billing support. The CSR was very polite and explained to me a couple times that it was for new subscribers only even though I know other people have renewed with the new price. They wouldn't budge.

2nd try: I called the number that was for new subscriptions. The CSR said I had to sign up for a Cingular wireless plan AND sign up for SBC long distance to get the $29.95 DSL rate. It would have been some nice commission for her, but no thanks.

I'll keep trying.

 

[Almighty1]

Originally posted by: vortix
Does this require phone service also? I would really like to use my cell phone as my only phone, and drop local phone service in my house.

Yes it does since unless you have local phone service from SBC, they will not add DSL to it. Same issue is if you had local phone service from AT&T, MCI or Sprint, you have to switch it back to SBC before it'll work. Atleast that's how it is in SBC California - formerly known as PacBell territory.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: sat4fun

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: aperry A few things here from my past experiences (I had SBC Yahoo DSL and moved to an area where it is not available yet):

1. If you are running XP, you do not need their glut of software that loads. Just go to here for instructions.
2. If you are not running XP, you need to use their software to install (I think). Then, delete all of the extraneous garbage except for DSL Connection Manager.
3. If you are a Usenet junkie like me, and want to use your own reader to read Usenet, their server blows. They are missing many groups. They claim that the reason for this is that they don't carry groups that appear to be duplicates. They will add a group for you if you ask (and can convince them that it has unique content), but I found it to be severely lacking.
4. If you already have a Yahoo mail account (this includes @rocketmail.com and others too), DO NOT combine your accounts. If you do, and later drop SBC Yahoo, you will have to pay a monthly access charge to read your previously free email account. I believe the charge is $9.95 per month.

Even with all this said, $29.95 is a good price, and if it were available at my house, I would probably do it. Cox charges me $39.95 per month, plus I have to have their minimum package ($15.95 plus tax) which I do not even use, so I am paying nearly $60 a month for cable-modem access... :disgust:

Heck with software...just head over to the Belkin thread and pick up a cheap router.

You must be a cable user. Please advise how I can connect to DSL without the connection manager or by using the instructions posted by aperry?

????? I've been using DSL for two years now. Nearly every router supports PPPoE. You just put in your username and password in the setup screen, plug your DSL modem into the WAN port, your PC into a switch port, and off you go.

Im a cable user, I dont understand the whole username and password thing. how does that work?

 

[rectifire]

Originally posted by: Johnbear007


Im a cable user, I dont understand the whole username and password thing. how does that work?

Most consumer grade DSL services use a type of connection called PPPOE (Point to Point Protocol Over Ethernet). This basically is a way for ISP's to reuse their system of authentication, login, and dynamic IP assignment that they use for standard dial-up connections. Hence the need for both a username and password, just as in dialup access. FYI: Standard Dialup access is called PPP (Point to Point Protocol), so you can see how the two are related.

Just as in standard PPP dialup, you enter your name and password in the PPPOE client program (Enternet or Winpoet are common PPPOE client programs, but are by no means the best.) You are then authenticated by the system and assigned a dynamic IP address. You are then ready to surf. One drawback to this system is that you may be logged off after an extended period of time with no internet activity (just like in dial-up). Some PPPOE client programs allow the client to send packets every once in a while in order to keep the connection alive perpetually. Another drawback is the overhead that the PPPOE tunnel generates. Say for example you have a 1500 Kbps connection. With PPPOE, you will be lucky to get over 1350 Kbps in actual throughput, partly because of the PPPOE overhead.

Most routers today contain a PPPOE client, along with a connection keep alive setup, thereby obviating the need for a PPPOE client on your computer. This also makes the Broadband connection completely transparent to the end user of the computer, since no login is necessary. You enter your name and password once in the router setup, and then the router takes care of the rest.

So you can see from above that PPPOE was brought about in order to save the ISP's money (and supposedly make DSL cheaper). They don't have to have any new authentication system, and they don't have to assign you a precious static IP address. Hope this helps.

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: rectifire

Originally posted by: Johnbear007


Im a cable user, I dont understand the whole username and password thing. how does that work?

Most consumer grade DSL services use a type of connection called PPPOE (Point to Point Protocol Over Ethernet). This basically is a way for ISP's to reuse their system of authentication, login, and dynamic IP assignment that they use for standard dial-up connections. Hence the need for both a username and password, just as in dialup access. FYI: Standard Dialup access is called PPP (Point to Point Protocol), so you can see how the two are related.

Just as in standard PPP dialup, you enter your name and password in the PPPOE client program (Enternet or Winpoet are common PPPOE client programs, but are by no means the best.) You are then authenticated by the system and assigned a dynamic IP address. You are then ready to surf. One drawback to this system is that you may be logged off after an extended period of time with no internet activity (just like in dial-up). Some PPPOE client programs allow the client to send packets every once in a while in order to keep the connection alive perpetually. Another drawback is the overhead that the PPPOE tunnel generates. Say for example you have a 1500 Kbps connection. With PPPOE, you will be lucky to get over 1350 Kbps in actual throughput, partly because of the PPPOE overhead.

Most routers today contain a PPPOE client, along with a connection keep alive setup, thereby obviating the need for a PPPOE client on your computer. This also makes the Broadband connection completely transparent to the end user of the computer, since no login is necessary. You enter your name and password once in the router setup, and then the router takes care of the rest.

So you can see from above that PPPOE was brought about in order to save the ISP's money (and supposedly make DSL cheaper). They don't have to have any new authentication system, and they don't have to assign you a precious static IP address. Hope this helps.

Thank you very much. That was a well written explanation and I now fully understand. I now only need to verify that my router has this feature.

This is a great deal for me. Right now I pay 24.95 a month for 192kps cable. I average 19 - 24 kps download speeds, which is terrible, but better than dialup.

384 - 1.5 will be a dream come true for me.

 

[localfinesse]

Does anybody else have this service in So Cal? I really want to get this but I don't know for sure.

 

[localfinesse]

And do they have a 30 money back guarantee

 

[Johnbear007]

Everyone beware. There is no 30 trial period. I just spoke with them, and if you sign for a year, your in for a year unless they can't service your line for some reason.

So, if your unhappy with the service, your just screwed.

 

[ybingo]

Yeah I was on hold for 30 minutes and the answer is" there is nothing I can do about it", which translates to my dictionary as "yeah well you are fxxxed"
by the way I am in Los Angeles, California. Only had their modem for 2 days and I am already paying $60 dollars more per year than people who sign up now. well what the hell.

 

[duuuma]

is 3024ft really far for distance from the box? I just checked it for my place in Houston, Tx

 

[Johnbear007]

Well, mine comes up as 17,900 feet, which is too far for ADSL service. However SBC assures me that they can service my home. That means that it must be much closer. I wouldnt put any stock in the distance locators that you can find online. They are often wrong.

 

[fr]

3rd try: Got the $29.95 rate!

 

[Tommyboy8]

Originally posted by: ybingo
Yeah I was on hold for 30 minutes and the answer is" there is nothing I can do about it", which translates to my dictionary as "yeah well you are fxxxed"
by the way I am in Los Angeles, California. Only had their modem for 2 days and I am already paying $60 dollars more per year than people who sign up now. well what the hell.

exactly what happen to me, but I'm in Irvine, OC

 

[AlphaTeam]

I had to hook this up for a client.
THey had no PC easily accessable to install the software for setup.
( I was putting in a linksys router)
So I used my laptop.
The setup installed 13 different applications.
I've got a p4 1.6 Ghz laptop. And man did it slow down.
Took forever to uninstall all that crap.
13 apps just to connect to a figgin dsl modem..

geez.

Alpha