Why can't I go above 18Mbps?

[jrock]

I'm a current AT&T customer who would love to switch to Sonic, but you seem to show the same limitation I have with AT&T. I currently have 18Mbps, which AT&T claims is the fastest available to my address. The reason I am confused by this is that there is a brand-new (well, 2-3 years) AT&T cabinet on the sidewalk literally outside my living room window. My understanding is that this delivers FTTN. Since I am literally 50 feet from the node, shouldn't this give me access to 50Mbps service? Utilities come from overhead lines on 15th St, cabinet is on 15th at Dolores.

The frustrating thing is that every time I call AT&T to ask, they give me a different answer, so at this point I don't believe anything they tell me. Please, Sonic, save me!

[pockyken007]

The cabinet might be full / overloaded and simply they have no more slots to fit new customers ( although I was under the impression that ATT was upgrading their cabinets last year ? )

[dane]

Another possibility is that your lines don't go to that cabinet, but to one thousands of feet away. Maybe you're the last house on the line, for the prior cabinet.

But do ring Sonic sales, at 707-522-1000, and they can do a qualification and look at the "why" - by looking at actual distance from the cabinet or central office facility that you'd be served out of. Is it 2500ft away, or 150ft away? That sort of thing.

Oh, one other comment: all cabinets are not the same. Some are simply "serving area interconnect" (SAI) cabinets, which are just cross-connect point. Others have actual powered equipment, batteries and AC systems, and these "video-ready access device" (VRAD) cabinets are the ones that deliver next-gen xDSL services at 18-75Mbps.

SAI, on the left, and VRAD, on the right:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _creek.png

[jrock]

Dane thank you so much for responding. I will definitely call Sonic to see if they can give me clearer answers than AT&T has been able to.

Thanks for the image, too. I am now even more convinced that I'm talking about the correct thing. Here is a photo of the box I'm referring to, taken from my living room window. I'm certain it is a VRAD. There is another box on the other side of the street that must be the SAI.

https://imgur.com/a/Y0mas

As for there possibly being no more slots available, that would be extremely frustrating if it's true. This VRAD has only been in place for 2 or 3 years, during which time I have called every few months to ask about higher connection speeds.

[dane]

Sorry to say, that is not a VRAD. That's an older powered equipment box. The VRADs are beige, not green, and look newer. This may be a remote terminal (RT), which may have an older IP-DSLAM that does ADSL2+ which they deliver at up to 18Mbps, which might be the reason for that max speed.

[jrock]

Hrmmm. Very interesting, albeit disappointing. It's only been there 2 years and the flyer that AT&T posted before installation advertised "modern, fast internet and TV" or something like that, so I was sure it was a VRAD. Also, it's been repainted so many times due to graffiti, I have no idea what the original color was.

But I trust you to know your business better than I do!

Still doesn't explain why address verification for my next door neighbor says that 50 Mbps service is available for them...

[dane]

Hrmmm. Very interesting, albeit disappointing. It's only been there 2 years and the flyer that AT&T posted before installation advertised "modern, fast internet and TV" or something like that, so I was sure it was a VRAD. Also, it's been repainted so many times due to graffiti, I have no idea what the original color was.

But I trust you to know your business better than I do!

Still doesn't explain why address verification for my next door neighbor says that 50 Mbps service is available for them...

Well, re-paint is a possibility. The VRADs all have a heat exchanger & sealed AC system, with a perforated section on them. This one looks entirely solid. Is the back a cooling unit, below the angle of your photo?

-Dane

[jrock]

Yes, the street-facing side has a perforated section:

https://imgur.com/a/DxmDY

--Jon

[dane]

Yes, the street-facing side has a perforated section:

https://imgur.com/a/DxmDY

--Jon

It's not the typical configuration I've seen, as it has a lot less cooling on it. The normal config has a huge AC system built into the outside of one of the doors. Sorry I can't be definitive here! But sales can give you loop length from facilities, that'll tell you more. Or, next time you see an AT&T tech working on that box, run down and quiz them!

[jrock]

Haha, I'll get my creeper binocs out and wait for a tech.

Or if you guys installed fiber on 15th St, all this would be moot... :)

--Jon