Day 60 Without Home Internet: A Revelation
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Some of you may have seen my previous post, concerning multiple hassles of trying to get high speed internet at my home. That post is here:
I write to you today from beautiful Spanish Fort, Alabama via my only lifeline to the internet: Verizon LTE Tethering via iPad. It was 60 days ago that I moved into the house, starry-eyed and hopeful of the promise of new surroundings. Sure, both Air Conditioners were broke when we moved in but we would not be put off given the promise before us. Surely this new, less - rural professionally-targeted neighborhood would provide opportunities such as u-Verse or FioS. Data opportunities galore!!
or... not.
Since my last post, Mediacom continues to fail to provide me status updates. They did lay a new piece of cable and managed to cut my neighbor's gas line in the process. When I call 1-855-MEDIACOM looking for status updates, they have me renew my contract (4 x now) and send out an installer, 8 of them to date. The niinth contractor-installer is scheduled for Friday. That new cable remains, unterminated, portruding from the ground as if to taunt me. I had a slight breakthrough in that I discovered the unlisted number for the local engineering office through some searching. I get to annoy a person every other day or so, which is mildly rewarding.
The other provider in my 'hood is At&t. They invested boo-koodles of cash to put some fiber down the main thoroughfare with intention to provide u-Verse goodness to the 'hood in 2011. The City of Spanish Fort, evidently denied At&t a Video franchise.
No u-Verse for me.
What of DSL? The word from At&t was "No free Ports". Word from inside At&t is that there are in fact, actual ports but the location is "capped." Some policy within At&t so the system nazis can do whatever it is they do, to the back hauls.
I've been pushing really hard, pulling every possible trick I can think of to try to get that loop uncapped or to get my address force-qualified.
Today, we had a revelation.
A Veteran's Memorial Cemetery is being built down the road from my home. They ran into a similar situation and At&t refused to "uncap" the DSL in order to provide their offices internet service, leading them to the installation of a $60k fiber line.
Thanks At&t, for letting policy stand in way of doing the right thing for the VA's Memorial Cemetery. If you do get me a port -- give it to them.