[Hidden-tech] A technical question about DSL

[Jan Werner]

I have been using a Verizon phone services and DSL bundle since 2004. 
Last December, I signed up for a year at a new and slightly lower bundle 
price that raised my maximum DSL speed from 1.5 Mbs to 5.0 Mbs, which 
they assured me my line would support.

Since then, I have had sporadic problems with the DSL service.  One is 
disconnects. My router (D-Link) and the Verizon supplied modem appear to 
be remain connected, but I there is no service until I perform a manual 
disconnect and reconnect. This happens irregularly and I usually go for 
weeks without a disconnect, but there have been a few periods during 
which I have had to reconnect several times a day.

Mostly, my d/l speed has been about 2.8 to 3.0 Mbs, but last month, I 
started to experience speeds as low as 50 kbs for extended periods. 
After checking and eliminating any of my own devices and connection as 
the cause, I placed a service call to Verizon.

The technician verified that my problems originated with Verizon and not 
my hookup and went off to investigate further.  He called back later and 
said that I was about 2000 feet too far away to handle 5.0 Mbs, but that 
my circuit would support 3.0 Mbs. He said the problems I had been having 
came from their compensation circuitry trying to adapt to 5.0 Mbs and 
that if my service were changed to 3.0 Mbs, the DSL should work much 
more reliably.

Verizon, however, refuses to downgrade my service from 5.0 Mbs to 3.0 
Mbs unless I either sign up for an additional 12 months or pay a $120 
early termination fee and forfeit bundle pricing.

Before I take this any further, I would like to know if what the 
technician told me about compensation circuitry makes any sense to the 
DSL experts here. I'm not sure I completely believe it, but I'm not an 
EE and he was wearing a nice red shirt with a big V on it.

Jan Werner