DSL Availability / Issues
How do I sign up for ShawneeLink Internet service?
Is DSL offered in my area? If not, why?
What is Naked DSL? Is it available in my area?
What speeds can I get with DSL?
Is Wireless service offered in my area?
Is my DSL speed guaranteed?
My neighbor has DSL, but my phone line doesn't qualify. Why?
What does my computer need to be able to get DSL?
How long does it take to get DSL service?
I am a DSL customer. Do I need to put a filter on all of my phone lines?
How does DSL impact or change my other telephone services?
Do I need to be home for my DSL to be completed?
Will I get busy signals with DSL?
Can I talk on the phone and use DSL Service at the same time?
Can I connect more than one computer to the DSL?
I am moving and wish to move my DSL to my new home. What do I need to do to move my service?
Is there a penalty for canceling my DSL before the contract is up?
Why do I still have to pay for Internet service if my computer or modem is not working?
Are there any limitations on this service?
How does DSL compare to cable Internet access?
How do I sign up for ShawneeLink Internet service?
Customers can be signed up by making an office visit or by calling us at 1-800-461-3956, Monday –Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Is DSL offered in my area? If not, why?
DSL availability can be tricky. Those who have local telephone service provided by Shawnee Telephone and Crossville Communications can get DSL. Since Shawnee Telephone and Crossville Communications have their own service areas, they use equipment and take actions to provide services that go above and beyond services provided by other local service providers.
For customers who do not have their local service provided by Shawnee Telephone, DSL is limited to those customers who live within 3 miles of the local provider’s central office. Unfortunately, DSL will not be available to those living outside the 3-mile central office range until the local providers make the necessary upgrades.
What is Naked DSL? Is it available in my area?
Naked DSL is basically traditional DSL without the customer having home telephone service. Naked DSL is currently available in all non-Shawnee Telephone and non-Crossville Telephone service areas that qualify for DSL service.
What speeds can I get with DSL?
Customers that qualify for DSL service may face speed limitations determined by their telephone lines. Shawnee Telephone and Crossville Telephone customers get the maximum speed we can offer, up to a 3M download/768K upload. Non-Shawnee Telephone customers may have a choice of speeds; our basic speed is up to a 768K download/128K upload and our premium speed is up to 3M download/768K upload.
Is Wireless service offered in my area?
“Wireless” is a term that gets thrown around a lot. ShawneeLink is currently providing wireless Internet access in Golconda, which is a 1.5 M download/256K upload service. Our wireless service acts much like satellite television service. A receiver is attached to the customer’s home that is aimed at transmitters, which are strategically placed in highly visible locations in Golconda.
All DSL customers that have a ShawneeLink provided external modem will have wireless access in that they can connect to the modem’s wireless router and have short-range laptop connectivity.
Is my DSL speed guaranteed?
Due to factors such as the length and condition of the telephone wires connecting your house to your central office and general conditions on the Internet at any given time, ShawneeLink cannot guarantee DSL speeds. As such, we offer a "best effort" service, which means we don't offer any throughput guarantees, but we will always do our best to provide you with the fastest connection your specific conditions will allow.
My neighbor has DSL, but my phone line doesn't qualify. Why?
This will only be an issue in non-Shawnee Telephone/Crossville areas. DSL is a distance-sensitive technology that works solely over copper phone lines. At this time, DSL is only available to customers residing within 3 "wire-run" miles (up to 15,000 feet) from their Internet service provider’s office. Eventually, there will be a point where one house can receive DSL and the next house won’t. Even though you may not qualify for DSL today, it is a very real possibility that you will be able to receive it in the near future as technology grows and the expansion of existing equipment is made.
What does my computer need to be able to get DSL?
A Network Interface Card (NIC) is standard equipment on newer desktop computers and is the only hardware requirement to get DSL. In the event that an older computer is in need of an upgrade or an existing NIC fails to operate, replacement cards can be purchased, typically for under $30. Laptop owners whose computer contains a wireless card may take advantage of the modem’s internal wireless router.
ShawneeLink can offer technical support for Windows XP and newer as well as Mac OS X and higher. It is entirely possible that older operating systems will work with ShawneeLink DSL; however, we cannot offer technical support for them.
How long does it take to get DSL service?
We strive to complete a new DSL service order within 7-10 days although sometimes there are forces beyond our control that can adversely affect activation time. Naked DSL can take between 2-6 weeks; however, we typically have service completed in 2.5 weeks. Install time for Naked DSL is longer since there is no existing telephone service at the Naked DSL service location; therefore, an entirely new connection must be made from the central office equipment all the way to the service location.
I am a DSL customer. Do I need to put a filter on all of my phone lines?
If you have home telephone service and your DSL uses an external modem, you will certainly need to use filters in order to sustain proper use of your home telephone service.
How does DSL impact or change my other telephone services?
With properly used filters, your telephone features will continue to work as they did before you received DSL service.
Do I need to be home for my DSL to be completed?
The only instance when customers would need to be home for their DSL to be completed would be if the customer resides in a Shawnee Telephone exchange and their DSL doesn’t work with an external modem. In that circumstance, a technician would need access inside the home in order to make the DSL work at a specific telephone jack.
Will I get busy signals with DSL?
You will never get busy signals with DSL because there is no dialing involved. Instead, you are directly connected to the Internet via a dedicated connection that is used only by you.
Can I talk on the phone and use DSL Service at the same time?
Properly filtered DSL will allow customers to use their telephone services as if there were no DSL service attached to their line. Telephones, fax machines and satellite receivers can all work as normal.
Can I connect more than one computer to the DSL?
Yes! ShawneeLink-provided external modems can provide access to up to four desktop computers. In addition, laptop users may take advantage of the external modem’s wireless router. The wireless access is pass key protected, thus keeping any other unwanted users from using your service.
I am moving and wish to move my DSL to my new home. What do I need to do to move my service?
You should contact us as soon as possible to let us know about your move so that we can see what options are available. It is possible that your new address will not qualify for service.
Is there a penalty for canceling my DSL before the contract is up?
Yes. When service is terminated on a signed contract, the customer is billed the remainder of the contract.
(Example: If service is cancelled in the 9th month of a 12-month contract, the customer will be billed for the remaining 2 months.)
Why do I still have to pay for Internet service if my computer or modem is not working?
Think of our services like a utility such as water or electricity. Whether you use it or not, it is still there and you pay for it unless you want it disconnected. Likewise, with your Internet account, you may not be actively using the service, but providing customer’s signal is not a free task. It is the customers’ responsibility to seek the appropriate help if their computer and/or hardware fail to work. It is each user’s responsibility to report any connection problems in a timely order since we have no way to know if individual customers are having problems or not.
Are there any limitations on this service?
Usage limitations are documented in our Acceptable Use Policy.
Physical limitations for DSL are based on the distance from your service location to the telephone company's Central Office where your service is being routed. The greater your distance from the Central Office, the lower the maximum speed we will be able to offer you. If your service location is past a certain distance from the equipment, DSL service will not be available.
How does DSL compare to cable Internet access?
With a cable Internet connection, your bandwidth is shared with other cable Internet customers in your area. In instances where there are a lot of cable subscribers online, the overall connection speed will drop, especially if the users are performing high bandwidth applications, such as downloading movies or music. With a DSL connection, you benefit from an unshared connection from your service location all the way back to the central office equipment, so that you are the only one using the bandwidth allocated to that line. DSL will provide you consistent speeds and more reliable connections.
