 Review by BellBoy 
UPDATED: 157 days ago
member for 7.7 years, 2674 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Los Angeles,Los Angeles,CA
 $39 per month (12 month contract)
 about 14 days
 AT&T
 "When it's on you're on solid"
 "Nothing to speak of so far..."
 "AT&T is a solid performer for me."
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(ratings above consensus)
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I ordered the basic DSL package (I AM an employee, to set the record straight).
Honestly, the order process was a hassle because I was told I couldn't get it because I had too much bridge tap or was too far from the CO (or both, the story changed). I was able to do some digging internally (I'm sorry that our customers can't do that) and found that I could get it. After lodging some complaints with the appropriate people I was able to get DSL ordered (keep in mind this was 1.5 years ago and things have improved greatly!). After that, things went very smoothly. I had DSL installed about three weeks later.
Technically I installed it myself, but a tech was present (nobody touches my computer). I connected immediately and haven't had a major problem since. My speed has improved since the initial install from around 400 kbps to over 1.1 Mbps. I've had a couple of outages--mainly email, but never for long enough to get bent out of shape over.
UNSOLICITED DSL EDITORIAL: As a telecommunications worker (and not just as an SBC person) I would stress to any of the uninformed folks reading this, that DSL has been given the stigma of becoming the "LASIK" (because of its widespread acceptance and nonchalant use) of the telecommunications sector. Just as LASIK is a serious surgical procedure with certain requirements, DSL is a technology that has certain requirements for both the customer's phone line and computer. I keep reading posts here that people seem to expect DSL like one would pick up a phone and expect to hear a dialtone. I'm getting off my soapbox, but all I would say is give ALL the DSL providers a bit of a break as I'm sure they're doing the best that they can (well I can say that about my company anyway).
UPDATE: I moved from Dallas to Los Angeles, CA. in February of 2003. I ordered a disconnect from my old residence on 2/20 and they were able to provide a due date of 2/28 after I was able to have my new line installed on 2/14. I might have been able to get the DSL up sooner, but since I was arranging all of this long distance I chose to play it safe so I could be there when it was turned up.
I ordered the 1.5/256 package (SBC employee rate) and due to my distance from the CO, the only alternative was using a RT--which I was more than happy to do. SBC informed me that I was ok'd up to 6 Mbps! I requested CSI and my kit arrived on the 24th. Because of a snafu at work, I didn't get the kit until the 26th.
I brought the kit home, installed it, and I already had sync! Did a speed test and had 1.2/248 without any tweaking. The only hassle was getting email set up. In TX, I hadn't converted to SBC/Yahoo! DSL yet, so getting the mail to work took a little time. I chose to kill my old email account in favor of a new SBC/Y! account--I was more than happy to leave all of the spam I had accumulated behind! I got tech support on the phone, little or no hold time. They set my account up and validated it for me. They also showed me how the online registration normally works since they had already done it for me. I was told about the privacy issues and how I could make sure everything was turned off--which I REALLY appreciated.
It's been almost a month since I've had the service and I have had no problems at all with it. I was told that I should be able to get 1.5 down and I haven't been able to get that--only to about 1.3. I'd certainly like to squeeze out all I can get, but 1.3/249 is pretty darn respectable. I'll call tech support to see if they can help me. SBC, for all of the knocks it takes in the media, puts out a good product. Granted this is an employee talking, but most people that know me here know that I tell it like it is regarding my company. 
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Pacific Bell - SBC
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