The Pennsylvania legislature recently enacted a new law instructing Verizon and other telephone companies to give their Pennsylvania customers an opportunity to complete a Bona Fide Retail Request (BFRR) for DSL service. This program may speed DSL deployment to your immediate area, but it also requires that you commit to purchase DSL service for a year. Under this program, if 50 customers or 25% of the customers in your nearby community, whichever is less, commit to purchase DSL for a minimum of one year, Verizon will deploy DSL in that area within 12 months. Verizon will make up to 40 BFRR deployments each year.

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Their prices are better than Clearview. The problem is getting enough people in a given area. Pass the word though!

The legislation is all well and good.  There are many technical reasons that DSL can’t be used by many people.  The biggest is that currently DSL is limited to 18,000 feet from the POP (the terminial building) - that is wire distance not “as the crow flies”.  Most DSL providers use a much lower limit because speed is directly propotional to distance from the POP.  Other factors include whether the are boosters on the voice lines, if there are DSL can’t pass a signal through.

I was in a similar situation where we used to live.  When asked when would be provided service, I was given the most honest answer I ever heard - Never, there are to many places of higher density[read profits] to be done first.  Here, I imagine that the situation is similar, we do have one advantage the area is growing so fast it may move us up the list.  So its a trade off - development brings technology.

I understand the technology very well. I am in IT and have dealt with telco issues for years. I have spoken with Verizon engineers about DSL in East Hopewell. There is a way around the distance issue… essentially another Central Office (CO).

They would have to build a CO somewhere in a central location in East Hopewell. This office would be connected with a high capacity fiber line to the CO in Stewartstown across from Saubels. From the new CO, they would have to run new lines connecting the homes in the area they want to serve.

They might have to do this eventually just to handle increased capacity for phones. I ran into this recently when trying to help my parents get phone service at their new home in Hopewell. Verizon came out and told us they did not have capacity out there. They had to go all the way back to the main line that came out there and add capacity.

When I lived in Manassas, VA (mid 90’s), I tried to get DSL. The CO near me (4K feet) was serving my ISDN. Problem was the CO was not wired for DSL. The nearest CO that had it was at the end of the 18K limit. I could only get IDSL which is basically ISDN but with all three channels bonded together to give you 144kbps. Better then ISDN (128kbps) and cheaper but not what you can get living closer to the CO.

The problem right now is Verizon does not see demand. They need to see demand to justify the cost of implementation. With curbs on development, we won’t see many large developments in EHT so those that are there are going to have to lobby for it. Hopewell stands a better chance due to higher density. Business growth in Stonebridge might help drive it as well.

What Verizon will do is put a DSL switch in a box somewhere closer to the area where the people are interested in it. This is one device by Cisco that I have used in the past that will accomplish this.  http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/si/6000/prodlit/c6015_ds.pdf
They will connect a high speed fiber ATM or copper line T1, T3 etc… to the device as a trunk and then your phone line is split with another device and connected to the DSL switch.  DONE DEAL, we then have DSL at whatever speed they want to give you.
I can’t take Satellite direcpc anymore and I will do anything to get off of this POS.  I hear that Clearview isn’t any better; I can’t imagine any worse then Satellite. 
I’ve signed up already…….

Brian

How bad is satellite? I was thinking of getting directway since I can’t get anything but dial up @ 50.6k where I live in Hopewell. Is Direcway worth the cost? Is it better than dial up? 

I understand the problem with satellite is the upload speeds, lag and weather(heavy clouds and rain), making delays dramatic at times, and totaly out at others.  I think I would rather have dial up for the consistancy.  I never felt the cost was worth the benefit when I was looking.

Toward the end of the year, Verizon is suppose to start deploying READSL & ADSL2+. READSL is suppose to go out to 21k ft. Not much of a difference, but at least I fall into that range. I don’t expect to see FIOS in our area ever. Verizon’s broadband over the cell phone towers may show up some day, but don’t expect much speed there.

If they don’t deploy something soon, I may go with the new satellite service that should start in our area this month, Wild Blue. http://www.wildblue.com I’ve read some good things about it. Of course, just starting up the network isn’t congested yet.

“I understand the technology very well. I am in IT and have dealt with telco issues for years. I have spoken with Verizon engineers about DSL in East Hopewell. There is a way around the distance issue… essentially another Central Office (CO). “

Don’t need a new CO, just an RT (Remote Terminal). 

Satelite isnt bad if that is the only option you have.  But be prepared to dig deep in your pocket.  Yes the upload speed is the pits.  No gaming ever!!!!! The only thing it is good for is web surfing, that is when direcpc’s proxy server is working…

In regards to the remote terminal… that sounds like a better option. Probably a typical Verizon engineer blowing smoke at me regarding a CO.

Of course, do we expect them to do it? My experience with the engineers in this area is that they are behind the times somewhat and not interested in spending any money.

[quote author=Alex]In regards to the remote terminal… that sounds like a better option. Probably a typical Verizon engineer blowing smoke at me regarding a CO.

Of course, do we expect them to do it? My experience with the engineers in this area is that they are behind the times somewhat and not interested in spending any money.

Even an RT cost a lot of money. I doubt they will put any in our area. Verizon is putting most of its efforts into FIOS, so areas not getting it, are being pushed aside. They were deploying one tech that would have solved a lot of problems for us; Go Digital. That can extend service out to 38k ft. But, it’s not working very well so they put a hold on further deployment. Thanks to our lovely politicians, Verizon has 10 years to get all of us 1.5 mb. By that time, it will seem like dialup compared to what everyone else will have.

[quote author=bfranz]Satelite isnt bad if that is the only option you have.  But be prepared to dig deep in your pocket.  Yes the upload speed is the pits.  No gaming ever!!!!! The only thing it is good for is web surfing, that is when direcpc’s proxy server is working…

Amen, Brother (or Sister)! I am still going into withdraws for not being able to play my online racing anymore.

I had to get satelite because of my work; dial-up just would not do for my files. It may be better than dial up, but not much so; certainly not to the tune of $100/month (when you include the cost of the equipment). Thank God I get a small subsidy from work…

regarding this new legislation, while I am against the govt telling a company what they can or must do no matter what the cost, I would still take advantage of this, if possible. How bets to stir up interest here in East Hopewell? My neighbor and I were thinking of putting up flyers at the Saubels, and maybe even at the polls next election…