DAML/coil removal - is it possible?

[rc_co...@my-deja.com]

LEC: PacBell
Region: Los Angeles

hi~

I just moved into a house (rental) that has a DAML apparantly because
COVAD just cancelled my order (for loading coils as well, but I figured
I start here, atleast get analog modem performance up) for it.

I hear things about getting them removed, that they have to/will do
it. How hard is it to get them to do it? I don't need the extra line.

How difficult is it to get PacBell (or anyone for that matter) to
remove the loading coil (I'm only 4000 feet from the CO!).

thanks!

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[Eric Vey]

They can be removed.
I dunno about PacBell, I have Sprint for my local service. Probably depends on
how badly they want to sell digital services.

When I got my ISDN about 18 months ago, I made a big (and I mean big) stink
about unecessary (defined as on a pair shorter than 18,000 feet that has
sufficient volume without help) load coils. I yanked the chain of every
engineer, supervisor and manager right on up the line to the president's office.
I spent over 40 hours, over three weeks, bitching and whining and finally got my
way. My situation turned on a contract dispute as to when I ordered the service
and when they changed a policy.

Turned out there was a clean pair out here anyway, but the installers were
quietly removing coils from other pairs while they were in the hole cleaning up
a different pair and not writing it down since it was unauthorized work.

Six months ago, when they rolled out DSL here, a reporter called me (I am the
local technogeek in my tiny burg) and I made sure to get my licks in again. The
article made a nice contrast between me and the marketing guy.

Then I sent a copy of the article to all those people whose chain I yanked a
year before telling them that they might want to tone down the marketing
campaign since about 50% of the lines less than 18,000 feet around here had
coils.

Two months later, I noticed a bunch of work to our local copper. I stopped and
asked why (I do that). Contract labor removing coils. They knocked about 15% of
our service out because they reconnected the wires either wrong or badly, so the
repair guys were following them around.

Was it my complaining that did it? Or was it the telco doing the right thing?
Who knows? I sure don't.

[Marilyn and Bob]

My suggestion: Order your DSL from PACBell. For their own service, they probably will move the DAML to another line (hopefully someone else's voice only line). A few years ago, BA put a DAML on my second (modem) line in order to give someone else phone service. Limited my modem speed to 26.4kbs. I screamed and yelled and had them out here 7 times before they finally agreed to put my main line on the DAML and give me a copper pair for the modem line.

Then I went to get DSL (on the main, voice line of course). Installer came in and without saying a word, just switched the DAML to another (not my) line so that the DSL would work. No discussion necessary. No approval from his supervisor necessary. Seems like SOP, at least here. I'm sure that it would not be the same if I were using a CLEC for the DSL.
--
BobJ

"Eric Vey" <ju...@ericvey.com> wrote in message news:93hlk...@news1.newsguy.com...

[rc_co...@my-deja.com]

thanks for your story. I have contacted PacBell about the removal of
the DAML and have yet another horrible customer service story to report
about these people - STAY AWAY, WHEREVER YOU CAN, FROM PACBELL.

I called main customer service and was so typically routed around from
department to department for 45 minutes and eventually landed at
Repair, where they seem to know what I wanted. They where ready to
remove the DAML, schedule it that week in fact, for $45/half-hour.
Just about got the order in when I MISTAKENLY MENTIONED THE WORD DSL
and COVAD to the rep. These people are trained that if someone is
using a CLEC for DSL to make it as hard as possible to get it
installed. This is no joke. After she figured out the real reason I
wanted the DAML removed (for COVAD RADSL), she told me that the DAML
removal was a DSL issue, and that the order for the DAML removal has to
come from COVAD (which is a lie of course - what if I wanted it removed
to boost analog modem performance?!).

I was promptly put and hold, then transfered to DSL sales where I was
disconnected by the rep there.

I spoke with Speakeasy about this and tried to see if COVAD could
submit the DAML removal as part of the loop prep - Speakeasy said that
it may now be near impossible to get DSL installed on that line since I
mentioned the word DSL - that my records are now forever marked.

I am thinking that I may order DSL through PacBell, have the service
started, the line prep'd, and so on, then cancel it and have
COVAD/Speakeasy take over. I guess this is my only option here.

This is unconscionable behavior on the part of PacBell - however I am
not surprised. These people's track record for service is horrible
everywhere they practice. Do what you can to avoid them wherever
possible.

In article <93hlk...@news1.newsguy.com>,

[Albert Hennesy]

<rc_co...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> Just about got the order in when I MISTAKENLY
> MENTIONED THE WORD DSL and COVAD to the rep.
> These people are trained that if someone is
> using a CLEC for DSL to make it as hard as possible
> to get it installed. This is no joke. After she figured
> out the real reason I wanted the DAML removed
> (for COVAD RADSL), she told me that the DAML
> removal was a DSL issue, and that the order for the
> DAML removal has to come from COVAD (which is
> a lie of course - what if I wanted it removed
> to boost analog modem performance?!).
>
> I was promptly put and hold, then transfered to

> DSL sales where I was disconnected by the rep there...

This happened for me, and my DSL provider is ASI,
a PacBell spinoff. As soon as I said "DSL", all conver-
sation stopped and I was told to call ASI. I was told
by Earthlink that the reason is that PacBell is forbidden
by contract with its DSL providers to speak to an ISP's
customers. The reason is that there have been incidents
in the past of PacBell steering people to its own ISP,
PacBell Internet.

Al_Hennesy