DSL in Boston area dropping frequently for anyone else?

[RiZaJJ]

my DSL connection has been steady for the past 5 years I've had it. Then, sometime around April/May, I noticed my connection would drop intermittently. After trying to troubleshoot the issue myself (I work in IT), I gave up and talked to VZ customer service. They sent out a new modem to me (since the one I had was from 2007). 

New modem seemed to work great for a day...but then the connection issues came right back. Same exact thing as others seemed to have been posting in this forum--connection keeps dropping, then comes back up, etc. Only thing I have not noticed is anyone else in my area (Boston) reporting this issue (though it does appear to be plenty of East Coast folks with the problem).

It seems to be worse at night, but I'm also using it more at night, so it's hard to really say if time of day is an issue. I do notice that sometimes the PPPoE connection fails, but more often its the actual Internet connection to the provider that fails. I also notice that when I am connected, I often am connected at speeds slower than my service agreement. 

I just had another support "chat" with VZ, and was told that they are going to run a "24-hour diagnostic line test". Does anyone know exactly what this is? 

Interestingly enough, I feel like this all started happening just after VZ announced that they would no longer offer DSL-only service to customers--you had to "bundle" with TV and/or phone (I believe this started May 1, 2012). I am "grandfathered" in with my DSL only account, so I can keep it that way. 

I find it incredible that I could have almost 5 years of no problems and now such issues arise. If FIOS was available in my town (Somerville) I'd go for it, but it's not and it doens't appear to be coming anytime soon.

I'm not really interested in Comcast or RCN, but if I have to switch over, I will. It's frustrating that it appears that DSL accounts on the East Coast are all having similar issues, and yet no one at VZ is addressing it.

[bullrust]

I just posted this morning as well with the same issue in VA. It dropped out intermittently and then yesterday punked out completely. Hope your issue and mine get solved quickly!

[RiZaJJ]

Have you been having the intermittent issues for a couple months now? I have. It's frustrating because some days it 's fine for 48 hours and somedays it's completely unavailable for an hour straight. 

I suppose it could be weather/heat releated, but for the past 5 years, weather has never been an issue for me. 

[bullrust]

Yes. At least a month we have been having dropped internet connections. Starting yesterday it went out altogether.

[not4ewe]

I can say that here in Central Virginia, I am experiencing the exact same thing you are.  In fact your write up could be my write up if I just swap out Boston With Central Virginia.  I hope that an answer is forthcoming, but I'm not holding my breath.  I only have two options for high speed internet and I dread thinking of switching to Comcast.

[geogem]

Greetings from Lowell.

We're 26 miles from Boston and are experiencing the same problem as yours, almost word for word.  Am now on the 3rd modem (latest one received this past Tuesday, 08/28) and had to restart it this evening!  And every service tech I've spent time with on the phone has a "absolute solution" to my problem, yet they never work.

It has been this way for months, after having no problem at all for over three years.  Don't understand it but they keep shipping out replacement modems. It never seems to be Verizon's problem and you are right; they refuse to send out anyone to check the line in (perhaps because they know its a problem they have with their DSL network?)

Going to Fios is not an option for me, as it has yet to be installed here in Lowell, and even if it were, I don't think I'd opt for yet another set of Verizon headaches.  I'm so disgusted by this experience that I'm ready to return to Xfinity.

[rwVZ12]

This has been happening to me as well.

I wouldn't hold your breath on it getting better. Verizon doesn't care much about their DSL customers anymore. Their new practice of forcing any future upgrades to tack on, unnecessarily, home phone is purely a racket. It's truly a scam. On the phone I was told that they could easily upgrade my internet services, that my lines were ready, but that I had to add home phone for them to do it. The Verizon employee apologized for this and explained she would do it if she could, and that many have inquired. They want us all to go to FIOS or they could care less if we switch to Comcast. It's only a matter of time before the DSL gets ignored completely and phased out.

[rwVZ12]

And I should add I'd consider FIOS...if it were available in my area...

[VickieTee1]

I'm so frustrated with my Verizon DSL. I've been experiencing the identical thing to many of you. Right now I am on my neighbor's internet connection becasue mine has been gone all morning long and most of last night. It's the same problem day in and day out. We get internet here in Watertown for an hour or so then its gone then its back then its gone. I'm just about ready to switch back to RCN.

[BobDeP]

Well, as the old saying goes:"misery seeks company." For over two months I have had my DLS lose coonection with the ineternet. Can't tell you how many times I have been in touch with tech "support" to no avail. I am located in southern New Jersey so I think this is very widespread.

Good luck. At the end of this month I am going over to Comcast; Verizon is absolutely useless.