DSl Dry Loop
djones0526
Newbie

I live in an area where DSL, FIOS, Cable, etc etc internet options aren't available.  I want to know what DSL Dry Loop is and if it's available.  Also how can I use my Blackberry to tether to my computer or to a wireless router.  I have places in my home where i get service and places where i don't so i'd like to have a wireless router to "blanket" my home with internet access.  Is 2 gig of download a month a lot or a little, example-using a Roku to watch netflix movies every night.  how quickly could i hit the 2 gig limit.

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Re: DSl Dry Loop
jmw1950
Specialist - Level 2

If DSL is not available, it would be very surprising if Dry Loop DSL service is available. From a Verizon Perspective, it takes the same equipment in the CO to support DSL  whether you have phone service or not. So if they aren't offereing it with phone service, there probably is a reason. The most likely reasons are

a). Not enough potential customers

b). Distance from Central Office

Dry Loop doesn't alter that.

If you are watching movies, 2gb doesn't go very far. Depending upon compression and whether the movies are SD or HD, you could blow through 2gb in as little as 15 minutes, but I admit a few hours is more likely. The point is that watching a movie a night will blow through your 2gb in at best, a few days.

I have episodes of Californication I bought from iTunes in SD as MP4's IIRC. Each episode is about 400mb for about 28 minutes.  if your Netflix movies are of similar quality, you will go through 2gb in just  about 2 hours.

That also works out to about  about 2mbps, which is hard to get over long periods of time even over a 3G network. It gets worse for HD.

Here is the unpleasant math:.

The Verizon HD-DVR has a 160gb hd. 20 hours of HDTV will fill it, so that is 8gb/hour, but is probably uncompressed at about 18 million bits per second (and you ARE NOT going to get that data rate over a 3G network, period).

The reality is it is pretty hard to get past about 800kbps long term on a wireless 3G network, which is probably barely acceptable video on a real TV or 19 inch computer display.

The reality is decent quality video chews up a whole lot of bandwidth, I wouldn't advise doing it over the wireless telephone network unless you have an unlimited data plan or very deep pockets to pay the horrendous bills...

Also you better have your Blackberry® connected to the charger if you want to do this, the battery won't last long at very high data rates.