Time to get cable and phone installed

[RossMD2006]

Hi

I was just wondering how long does it take to get cable and a phone line activated (if it's not available in the apt already)?

Mitch, did you recommend that we get a phone? Also, in terms of alarm clock, you said we should get a battery powered clock (if I can remember correctly). Why not the average alarm clock that can be plugged into a transformer?

Thanks!

[medic105]

You would need a battery powered one because the electricity tends to go out often.

[MitchDC]

The length of time it takes to get your phone installed depends on if a student just left that apartment you move into. If that is the case, phone setup can happen immediately. If you are moving into a brand new place, it MAY take longer if they phone isn't already wired in. Cable TV is already in at a lot of places, but that can take up to a few weeks if its not already there. You can imagine that they get REALLY busy when students start getting here.

Yeah, I recommend getting a REAL land line. Some students don't like to pay the deposit and thus only get a cell phone. But the reception is only so-so if you are off campus or anywhere but downtown. I let my cell phone expire a few months after I signed up for it.

YOU MUST HAVE A BATTERY POWERED ALARM CLOCK. DO NOT bring a plug in clock. While most plug in clocks have a bettery back up the frequency of power outages IS NOT THE ISSUE. The issue is the fact that Dominica runs on 50hz power while we in the States run on 60Hz. In the states the alarm clocks keep their time (60 seconds per minute) by matching the Hertz cycle from the electricity. If you use an plug-in alarm clock here, as you can deduce, it will run SLOW. While the transformers change the voltaged (220-->110) they do not change the HZ.

Hope this helps!

MitchDC

[remROM]

I just came back from Cable&Wireless in downtown Portsmouth. I was surprised to hear that their cable modem slots are all full and there is a 200 person waiting list. So my only option if I want internet@home is to connect through a landline (the $69EC/mo unlimited plan is my only realistic option. I'll blow through the next highest (60hrs/mo) easy.)

That said, as long as I have to have a landline, I don't see why I should put out for a cellphone too. I didn't sign for anything and just took the blank forms home to think about it.

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"You're so far away. Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore..."
- Carole King

[medic105]

MitchDC,
What does that mean that there cable modem slots are filled?
Joe

[RossMD2006]

Hi

I think what remrom means is that Cable and Wireless has a limit to the number of cable modems that are distributed. It is full and thus, there is a waiting list. The number of ppl on the waiting list is 200!

Remrom, did you ask how long it would take for you to get a cable modem if you are the 201st person on the waiting list? You talk about cable modems...how about dsl? They are different and the dsl service requires a landline connection also.

Also, remrom, did you ask how much is it for unlimited hours for the dial in internet service?

Thanks for the update.

[MitchDC]

Since there are only about 15 new students on campus, I find it tough to believe Cable and Wireless when they say that there are 200 people on a waiting list there. I think remROM is referring to the ADSL service, since Cable and Wireless doesn't have a Cable Modem service. I would call or go by every few days to check. They always play this game either saying they are full or that they don't have any modems available. It usually opens up rather quickly. GET YOUR NAME ON THAT LIST!!!

BE CAUTIOUS OF THE Unlimited Plan - you will pay $0.25 connection fee each time you dial-up. If you get the limited hours plan you don't pay that. It is confusing, but that's the way it works.

Good luck!

MitchDC

[Ganja Magic]

What is the relative/approximate price difference between (1) getting a cell phone plan only or (2) getting a landline, plus DSL/dialup?

The reason I'm asking is if I was to use my laptop in the campus laptop lounge exclusively for Internet and calling back home, would I be able to save money by only using a cell phone and not having a landline and DSL at my apartment?

[MitchDC]

I'll let others who have dealth with things more recently answer your questions. However, as I've said before, you CAN NOT use the school's computers to call home. The internet provider has included such a clause the in the contract with the school. -MitchDC

[remROM]

After being on the ADSL waiting list for over a month, I went down to C&W's portsmouth office today and canceled. Since some guy had already come buy to turn on the line, I lost the $150EC setup fee. But I'm supposed to get my $200EC deposit back after a 2 months waiting period. A week before August 4, I am to go down there, remind them the send the check there. Then a week after that come back down to pick it up.

With internet access readily available on campus, I don't need any incentive to go home except to sleep and shower. Besides, I don't feel like paying $600EC for a modem and $100EC/mo usage anymore.
Especially since you can't access the prof's files from off campus anyway.

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"Home is where I log in."

[oc23]

I've been on the ADSL waiting list for a month! The people at C&W wouldn't even give us an approximate waiting period. They've also been claiming to have 200 people on the waiting list for the last couple of months now. Does that mean there's no progress at all and the list is not moving? :?

The best way is to get dial-up connection while waiting for ADSL.

I would really rather have ADSL here at home because I find it inconvenient to depend on the computer labs in school--they're almost always full when you need them. The laptop lounge doesn't open until 4pm and you're only allowed 2 hrs/day and they can't be consecutive hours! :shock:

[bevo]

same here about the waiting list.

I was told by CW that they are expanding the number of ports on the ross campus to provide more connections for dsl service.

who knows with them though.

[ross guy]

I don't know why you would wiat for DSL and not use dial up while you are waiting. I am also on the waiting list for DSL, but have dial up in the mean time. I honestly can't say for sure I will make the switch to DSL as I am very happy with dial up. The dial up service provided by Cable and Wireless is excelelnt. I have never been disconected, and never had a bussy signal. The technical support people at Cable and Wireless are helpful when called. Yes, there is a charge to dial up, but it is less than $0.25 EC. I usually only log in twice a day, at teh most, so a liberal estimate for "dial up" charges is less than $15 EC plus the cost of the unlimited plan.

To all of you waiting for DSL, just go with dial up, at lest for the time being and you will be fine. If you are on the waiting list, you will probably be there at least until the end of the semester, probably longer. Most of the people who have DSL are in the secon demester or beyond, and no one whith DSL is likely to leave until the end of the semester. Also, not everyone who leaves will have had DSL, so you will be waiting at least one semester, maybee two or even longer. When you factor in the cost of the modem, ask yourself it is really worth it for one or two semesters of DSL. Also keep in mind that very few locals have DSL service, and those who do are very unlikely to be discontinuing service anytime soon. And remember that outgoing students can transfer their DSL service to another student, so the wait for DSL service will be long.

I would strongly suggest using dial up. The service here is actually better than the service I had back in the United States.

[oc23]

I'm confused! :? .... Is the 25-cent fee for logging on for ADSL or for dial-up? I'm on dial-up right now and signed up for the $69EC/mo unlimited plan. I thought the unlimited plan with the 25-cent dial-up fee was for dial-up at first, but then we got our C&W bill and they only took $25EC out of the deposit for the first month's bill. So then I thought maybe that unlimited plan is for ADSL and hasn't actually started yet. ....Mitch said it was for DSL but ross guy said it's for dial-up--which is it? I couldn't figure out my bill! :oops: