Steven, thanks for your input. There are a number of possible scenarios, and you describe one of the earlier ones.
The line tech will always need to visit the home, to check the signal quality from the box (outside the house) back to the central office. Typically a splitter is put on the line at that junction.
The second line that typically exists unused in most homes can be used separately for DSL, as you describe. A more common scenario is that the line currently being used for voice becomes both DSL and voice.
In the latter case, the DSL modem is plugged into any phone jack in the house. Phones require a simple in-line filter, to provide baseband filtering from DC to 3 kHz. The user can do this easily, without the tech.
The new WSTL USB modem does not require a NIC, and there is no need to open the computer. The user just connects from the modem to the USB port, installs the software, and is done.
Hence, in the 'best case' scenario, the line tech does not need to enter the house, and the user just puts in-line filters at the input to their phones, plugs the DSL modem into any line, connects the modem to the computer, runs a setup disk, and is done.
Now, many older homes may have poor wiring inside, requiring the tech to come in when the homeowner is present. But this is no longer always necessary, and that was my point.
Thanks again for your input. The earlier installations were often quite troublesome, and required many man-hours of technical support onsite. Hopefully this can continue to be reduced, so only a single visit is necessary. |
