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If the wires are in my basement, shouldn't I get DSL?

Apparently this "Why can't I have DSL?" question is a common complaint. I'm one of those people in a duplex whose neighbor gets Verizon DSL, but Verizon is saying I can't have it. The DSL line enters the house on our side and runs through my basement before it gets to the neighbors. Doesn't that mean we're "closer" to the Central Office than our neighbors, at least as far as "copper wire miles?"

We figured out the DSL lines ran through our unit when our neighbors' DSL needed to be serviced and the technician had to come into our apartment to check out the lines.

This is maddening and is costing me an additional $40/month for internet.

Comments

gs0b

Depending on what services you have and what services are available in your area, Verizon may not be willing to turn on new DSL lines.

What company provides your current phone service? If it's Verizon, is it over copper wires?

What company provides your current internet?

Good Luck.

Duplex123

We don't have landline phone service, but when we did it was through Verizon. I'm sorry I don't know enough to answer whether the phone would be over copper wires. I just know we can get a traditional landline through Verizon, and have in the past.

We get our current internet through Comcast.

I guess it's just sad that the line that divides "our area" runs down the middle of our duplex, a building no bigger than many single family homes.

Thanks for the response and good wishes!

gs0b

@Duplex123 wrote:
We don't have landline phone service, but when we did it was through Verizon. I'm sorry I don't know enough to answer whether the phone would be over copper wires. I just know we can get a traditional landline through Verizon, and have in the past.

I'm guessing that FiOS is available in your area. If so, that explains everything.

Verizon de-commissions unused copper lines when FiOS is available. If FiOS is available, your old land line was removed from service sometime after you disconnected it. Verizon will not turn it back on, as it has been removed from maintenance and has been left in place to corrode and decay.

Even if you still had land line service, it's unlikely Verizon would have been willing to do a new DSL install when FiOS is available. They are trying to shut down as much of the old copper infrastructure as they can.

Good Luck.

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