Review of DSL EXTREMEAll reviews of |  about |
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UPDATE I called dslextreme and they tell me another Isp has taken back the line well duh because they was not supposed to have the circuit anyways now my line is in limbo and now I have to change my number to apply for whole new circuit, Dslextreme thought they where cute and send me a modem that cost almost $18.00 shipping for 3 pounds!!! I for one ship things and even if it was fedex to me it would have only cost $8.00. So i am awaiting AT@T to take back there circuit and provision my service while these people laugh it up all the way to the bank with my $50 plus dollars and a whole lot of downtime nice unethical company! Followup comments:
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incident #1 : The Modem died 3 years ago, the phone technician confirmed it and they still wanted to send someone else to confirm the modem was dead. We were without connection for 2 weeks. incident #2 : I have called them a few time for higher speed, they kept saying ATT is the problem and they can't go any higher. Well, I just got a new line from ATT, and I am running 1.5M. ATT sent 4 tech to work on the line. For DSLX to send someone would have costed me big bucks. incident #4 : I called them 2 months to reset my passwd, and set up a second DSL line, I was put on hold for more than 1 hr. That is indeed great support. incident #5 : for 384K connection, I am paying $22, that is more than what ATT is charging. incident #6 : I still have 5 months in my contract. They want to charge me $250 to get out. That really sucks. Don't be fooled by 'free modem', 'great support'. You can easily get a modem for less than $50 (ATT's $79.99 modem has $50 rebate). The modem is NOT free, you will need to return it, at your own cost, when you end your contract. I am sitting on the contract for it to end. In one sentence, this company sucks, consider shooting youselves on the head before consider using them. Followup comments:
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I went back to DSL Extreme for one simple reason - they don't traffic shape and they don't block your ports, if you don't want them to. They block some ports by default for security - SMTP, windows file sharing. They have a really nice web interface where you can modify the DSLExtreme firewall for your connection. Also, their static IP plans are reasonably priced (but not cheap). Over the years I've had to call dslextreme tech support a few times, and the techs I've spoken with had a skill range from high to mediocre - but at least I've never gotten a major idiot on the line (typical with most companies). Even better, my problem has always been resolved after the first phone call. Unfortunately AT&T is a very evil company and is the owner of my local CO. For all I know the NSA is listening to my traffic because of AT&T. AT&T also does not provide dry loops to 3rd parties so I have to pay $12-13/mo for a phone line which doesn't have a phone. I was previously a customer of Cox Communications but I dumped them like nuclear waste when I discovered they block port 80 inbound. They do not allow you to unblock your port unless you sign up for a "business package" which costs 2x as much. As someone who cares about having a static IP, I'd love to have dslextreme rollout IPv6 - but like most ISPs they are still several years away. Followup comments:
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The DSL move was pretty painless and was done in a week with just the modem to reconfigure the day SBC switched the connection at the CO. The good things is that their network is fast with good peering and their email support is pretty responsive (1/2 day to resolution). The few bad things are that they do not have unix shell access to their hosting account so it is harder to tweak their spamassin configuration for spam filter. And I only needed domain name hosting only for email and they cannot do that on your main account and require separate hosting subscription which around $10 more per month. [upate] Since I wrote this review, dslextreme moved their email to a gmail base and their spam filter is great. Followup comments:
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I have been using DSL and other broadband options since I was in the original market for cable modems in the 90's (@Home's text market - remember them?) I have lived at my most recent apartment for three years in Campbell, CA (95008). I recently purchased a home in San Jose (95125) which requires me to move my service. Since I don't use my land line, and since I want to keep my costs down (don't we all?), I an opting against a voice line and I'll just use my cellular phone for my calls (and Skype too, I guess). I first called AT&T. Besides the generic (and slightly slower) DSL they offer, they also have their fiber packages. I am able to get 10Mbit down and 1.5Mbit up for about $55/month (I think). Not too bad, but it requires that I also get some sort of TV service, and I think that's unfair. Well, I called DSL Extreme about my options at the new address. DSL Extreme cannot provide service to the new address if there is no voice line, so that's out of the question. So I asked to terminate my current account. The DSL Extreme operator told me that, since I'm in a contract until June 2009, I'll be responsible for all of those payments because I am not opting to move my service when I occupy the new address. Or I could terminate the service and pay a $250 disconnection fee. (BULLS**T!!) Paying my bill for the remaining months is cheaper than the $250, so I asked her if I could please reduce my service, since it will be paid and unusable for the next 6 months. She said she would be happy to do that, and the payment would be reduced to about $18/month, but that it requires a new contract of 12 months. And all this for a connection at a house that DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE LINE!!! DSL EXTREME CANNOT EVEN GIVE ME SERVICE AT THE NEW ADDRESS! BULLS**T!!! So AT&T is screwing me with their bundle, but DSL Extreme is screwing me with their subscriptions. I'm hosed no matter who I pick. I NEVER thought DSL Extreme would convince me to go with AT&T. I have always liked their service and speeds. But the AT&T package is faster and DSL Extreme's subscription tactics are just plain unfair. AT&T is one of the bad guys, but they are screwing me less, so they win. DSL Extreme - you should be ASHAMED of yourselves. Your actions are pathetic. Truly. --------------------S Followup comments:
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Great Job DSLExtreme! Good job DSLX!!!!!!! Keep the quality coming Followup comments:
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I ordered on 10-13. My DSLX activation (lineshare) was Friday, 10-22. Free Westell modem lease. I had sync, but couldn't log on, as of 8 p.m. Friday. A call to DSLX Tech Support (about a three minute wait) resulted in a tech immediately contacting SBC to determine that they hadn't set me up correctly. Tech committed to calling me back on Sunday to see if the problem was resolved. However, as of noon Saturday, problem solved. And should I mention that the tech was easy to understand, and knew what "router," "SP2," and "firewire" were? I had heard their tech support was superb, and my first experience with them confirmed this. Dialup is $5/month extra, but I never used it when I had EL anyways, so I don't think I'll miss it. The Westell Wirespeed modem provided on a free lease is kinda big, but I think I'll just use one of my Speedstreams instead-- I think it will work. 11-7-04 Update. My speeds have been steady at about 2.2 meg, and my max download was set at 2.5. I IM'd the DSLX tech in their Broadband Reports forum, who said they would check into getting my max raised to 3 meg. Sure enough, less than 2 hours later, I get a call from a tech who says I am set at 3 meg. On a Sunday, no less!! Pinch me--I must be dreaming!! 5-19-05 Update: After six months, I'm still very pleased with DSLX. There was a minor issue a couple of weeks ago with a DL speed problem that affected me and some others in the local area, but it was resolved quickly. The support through George in the DSLX forum here has been outstanding, and I can't complain about the help I got when I had to call in early in my install. These guys rock!! If they service your area, they're your best choice for DSL! 8-11-05 Update Still great service from DSLX. Line has been rock-solid, and I consistently hit max speeds for my connection. Pings are about 80ms to the east coast, 8-9ms to my first hop. I still visit the EL forum here every now and then, to make others aware that changing DSL providers can be a good--no, GREAT--thing. 9-8-2006 Another year with DSLX, and still no complainst. Renewed for another year at the 3-6 meg D/L package. I don't come here very often anymore, as my DSL has been rock-solid for almost two years. 11-4-2008: Still a happy camper, even after change of DSLX ownership and swith to Google for mail. Service is consistently good, no downtime. So good in fact I rarely visit BBR anymore!! Followup comments:
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Well after my year was up with DSL Extreme they have shown themselves as the shmucks they are. Rude tech support, Frequent disconnects, poor signal. They state I am too far away from the CO and have turned my 1.5Mbps connection down to 650kbps!! They threaten you with the $35 an hour charge for sending a tech out to deal with their problem, and I am still having disconnect issues no it's not inside wiring as I have a dedicated line to the box outside and no inside wiring). I was happy with them for a year .. not anymore. The also raise your rates on you after the first year. And watch it because they don't send you an account update notice until AFTER they hit your bank account with a month to month fee (about 3x what you were paying). 08/08 I canned them, they were unwilling to fix the real problem with my service, they lied to me on the dslreports dslextreme forums about what they say is in my trouble reports and what I was actually told by the techs that visited my house (dsl not available at my address, distance too far away from CO location) , they had their moderator delete my response posts from the forums when I agreed on issues others were having with either their customer service or connections stating I was hijacking the posts. It isn't a true dsl reports user forum as you cannot really say anything other than your direct issue in your own post.. well unless you have something to say that they like to hear. It's more or less DSL Extremes Forum, not DSL Reports. 10/08 The GM will lie to you, I was told by ATT that I was to far from the CO and that is the cause of my connection problems with DSL Extreme.. The GM tried to tell me a different story and everything was working fine as he states ATT says. I refused to pay them until I had a good connection, months went by with no word from dsl extreme after I gave up on endless complaining and having my posts deleted by the lovely moderator on dsl extremes forum here.. Today I received a bill from dsl extreme in the mail for $420 !!!!! They will do anything to discredit you from leaving the contract because of a tech issue on your line that keeps you from an internet connection. Followup comments:
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The initial contract is 12 months. I knew the price would increase after that. Then I read several people complaining they jacked it up 3X and put them on month to month at the end of the 12 months. Being somewhat concerned I checked the contract and lo and behold! it says they do that UNLESS you contact them in advance for another 12 month contract. So shortly before my year was up they sent me an e-mail saying they were putting me on month to month but at the 12 month price ($3 more). Can't beat that, I was expecting that price for a 12 month contract. The order and install was no problem, in fact it was up the day before the promised date. During the first year I had maybe 3 occasions where the speed would slow waaaaaaaay down for a few hours. Never figured out if it was them or me. The 3rd time I e-mailed Customer Service. After a while they responded that all was well on their end. My speed came back up so no problem. But then the shocker, later that day a tech called ME to see if everything was OK. After all the things I read about Level 1, Level 2 and hours on hold I thought that was pretty great. So after a year I started learning about modems, hardware firewalls, whole house dsl filters and CAT5 cable. I have old inside phone wire so I installed a whole house filter-splitter, ran CAT5 cable to the computer, upgraded the modem, got rid of the plug-in filters, tweaked etc. So now I have had no dsl problems for months. I did get static on the phone line. Had this problem with my other phone line a few years ago and after several rounds with SBC (now AT&T) got a smart tech who figured out there was water in the lines underground in the J-box across the street (they NEVER believe it's not my fault). He switched to a different wire pair and no more problem. So I waited until I saw the AT&T truck in the neighborhood, explained the problem and he took care of it before leaving. (Is that direct to Level 5?) The modem they supplied was a Westell 2110, a basic stripped down model. It's easy to find modems with built-in firewalls on ebay so that's how I upgraded later. For about the same (delivered) price as their "self-install" kit you can do better on ebay. I don't use the dslextreme e-mail system. It comes with one default address which I maintain. Recently they outsourced the e-mail to gmail. Their helpful instructions for making necessary changes to various settings wasn't done very well but I think I did it right (time will tell). I use my own e-mail system through my webhosting service. First thing you discover is you can't send any e-mail because it has to go through DSLX and they have port 25 blocked. So once you get that taken care of then the e-mail goes both directions. It's one of those little details they somehow missed in the FAQ and voluminous set-up instructions. Bottom line you have to be willing to do a little work in exchange for the cheap rate. I give them 4.8 stars overall. Final thought: I want to thank all the people who have written reviews in the past. It was because of many of those I was able to go into this with eyes at least half open. I have avoided many unnecessary surprises. Thanks again! Followup comments:
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DSL EXTREME
(32)
(33)
(64)
Escondido,San Diego,CA
$34 per month
about 4 days
"Well there at least trying to help me"
"speeds erratic"
"Why should I even pay if I do not get??"
This company should go out business to provide releif to rthe internet.After 7 month with no service and contact with the rude tech group, the only answer you get is the trouble is leaving here fine.In cancelling this no service contract you get to pay for the full contract price. Don't take a chance on this non functioning company.
AT&T
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Re: What Speed?