[nycbug-talk] Verizon Woes got you down?

[csnyder]

On 12/19/05, Isaac Levy <ike at lesmuug.org> wrote:
> Hey All,
>
> Not a *BSD topic per-se, but just wanted to shout out on this one
> because:
>
> 1) It's a common conversation for us to swap sob stories about
> Verizon problems
>
> 2) I found a nifty service/solution
>
> After some insane service problems with verizon, (yet another
> client's T1 with regular outages), I was luckily cold-called by a
> TowerStream representative, selling 'Pre-WiMax' internet service.
>
> http://towerstream.com
>
> Basically, after doing my homework, it goes like this:
> WiMax, (802.16) is a wireless spec that has not been ratified by
> standards bodies yet.
>
> With that, hardware vendors and service providers are chomping at the
> bit to provide service, and are doing so.  Here's what's cool about
> WiMax:
>
> - 30 mile range for line-of-sight networks (yikes!)
> - up to 100mbit synchronous
> - Very robust radio band, weather doesn't hurt it etc...
>
> --
> With that, I sadly replaced T1 service for this client with a
> TowerStream line, for no matter which T1 service provider we went
> with, Verizon created massive problems in keeping us (and our
> neighbors!!!) online.  We got a package which costs $40 more than
> your average T1, same 99.9% uptime SLA, and can burst to 5mbit...
> (they sell up to 100mbit pipes, but that's pricey for our needs...).
>
> Anyhow, I'll be hammering this line, as will everyone in the offiice-
> but so far, so good- though I'm sad not to use one our the local T1
> providers, (lots of providers on this list have promoted and
> participated in NYC*BUG activities).
> But no Verizon holding our pipes here...  I can't express my relief
> in words here :)
>
> --
> Next thought, anyone seen any PCI or MiniPCI cards for doing 802.16
> wireless?  (something like the Sangoma cards for Soekris...)  ;)
> NYC*BUG all-burroughs IPV6 lan anyone? (no throwing rotten fruit at
> me for that one...)
>
> Rocket-
> .ike
>


Oooh boy, I have a big fat sob story pegged to TowerStream. The
service was great when it worked... and then there were the other
days.

In theory it's a great replacement for the landline, and could give
you the geographically diverse, redundant connection you've been
dreaming of. But based on nine months of experience with them (over
two different midtown transmitters and a series of receivers), I have
to caution against using them for anything other than a backup, unless
you can afford to be off the air (or flapping) for a few hours now and
then.

They were really nice about cancelling our contract, though. Nicer
than Verizon would be, that's for sure.