Residential High Speed FAQ
- When
will the Sentex High Speed service be available in my area?
- I
live in an area where the Residential High Speed service is
available. Why can't I get it?
- Do
I need another telephone line?
- Will
I be able to use the voice processing module of my computer
fax modem with the residential phone line? At present, I use
my computer as an answering machine, and would like to continue
doing so. Will my fax machine work?
- Is
the ADSL modem a fax modem? Can I send or receive faxes with
it?
- What
happens when I bring my computer to the cottage? Do I have to
bring the modem too?
- How
long will it take before my Residential High Speed service is
activated?
- Does
the Residential High Speed service include e-mail? What if I
need more e-mail addresses? How much storage do I have with
each e-mail address?
- Does
the Residential High Speed service provide Personal Webspace
capabilities?
- What
is the Enternet software, and do I have to install it?
- Does
the Residential High Speed service offer any protection against
viruses or hacking?
- Is
there anything I should read before starting to use the Residential
High Speed service?
- I
would like to know about the Terms and Conditions before I sign
up. Where can I find them?
- What
are the highlights of the Terms and Conditions?
- I
am already a Sentex member. I understand that if I subscribe
to the Residential High Speed service I can get up to thirty-fold
the speed I get with my 28kbs modem. What else will be different?
- I
have a home-based business. Can I get the Residential High Speed
service installed on my business telephone line?
- What
kind of speed can I expect?
- Can
I charge people to use my Residential High Speed service or
my bandwidth?
- What
are my installation options?
- How
easy is it to install myself?
- What
does the support technician do?
- If
I have my own ethernet card, will the technician still install
the Residential High Speed service Start-Up Kit?
- What
kind of support can I expect from the Residential High Speed
service?
- Can
I buy the ADSL modem instead of renting it, and therefore avoid
its monthly rental charge?
- If
I go to another ISP that is offering similar high speed service,
can I use the ADSL modem that I currently lease from the Residential
High Speed service?
- What
happens if I move? Can I bring the modem with me? Is there an
activation charge at my new home?
- Can
I access my Sentex account from a different location, where
I don't have High Speed Service?
- Cable
vs DSL ?
See also
the Glossary
1.
When will the Sentex High Speed service be available in my area?
To see if the
Sentex Residential High Speed service is available in your area,
click here. The Residential High
Speed service will only be available in areas where the Bell Central
Offices can provide their DSL and Gateway Access Services.
2.
I live in an area where the Residential High Speed service is
available. Why can't I get it?
There are several
reasons that prevent us from providing service to customers:
- Too far. Telephone lines
don't follow a straight line to a house. It may not look far,
but lines follow paths that may add quite some length to the
wire. It is the actual measurement of the wire that determines
if a customer is within or outside the distance of availability.
The range for the Residential High Speed service is within a
loop length of 4.5 km from the Bell Central Office
- There is a second line in the house, and both lines share
the same physical copper wire. The technology used in that case
is called Added Main Line (AML) and is not compatible with the
Residential High Speed service.
- The Bell Canada Central Office to which you are connected
is not equipped with the technology needed for the Residential
High Speed service. Although this technology is
already available to more than 2 million households in Ontario
and Quebec, not all Central Offices in the serving areas are
equipped.
- Your telephone line is connected to the Central Office
through a "remote" office. This technology has been
used to provide telephone service to developing areas. Unfortunately,
the "remote" does not use copper wire therefore is
not compatible for the Residential High Speed service.
- The telephone network was developed in stages, over the
years, as demand increased in expanding geographic areas. Different
distribution patterns were used at different times to get the
telephone service to neighbourhoods. This evolution may sometimes
result in line conditions that are not compatible with the Residential
High Speed service.
3.
Do I need another telephone line?
What are filters?
No. The Residential
High Speed service uses technology which enables simultaneous
transmission of voice and data over your existing phone line.
You can surf the Internet and call a friend at the same time.
Or, you can surf the net and use your fax (send or receive) at
the same time. You will need a filter for each phone (or
fax or answering machine or alarm system) that uses the same line.
Depending on the modem it may come with a jack that is already
filtered. You do not need and you should not use a filter
between the modem and the wall. If you already have two
or more phone lines choose the line with the fewest devices on
it.
4.
Will I be able to use the voice processing module of my computer
fax modem with the residential phone line? At present, I use my
computer as an answering machine, and would like to continue doing
so. Will my fax machine work?
Anything that
you can normally do on your phone line can still be done while
connected to the Residential High Speed service, since
it does not interfere with any calling services or normal voice/data
communications.
5.
Is the ADSL modem a fax modem? Can I send or receive faxes with
it?
The ADSL modem
is not equipped with faxing capabilities. You will need to use
your regular dial up fax modem for sending or receiving faxes.
6.
What happens when I bring my computer to the cottage? Do I have
to bring the modem too?
The Residential
High Speed service is a line related service. That means that
the service works only on a line that has been programmed accordingly
and to which the Nortel Networks 1-Meg Modem is connected. The
two components must be present for the service to work. The Nortel
Networks 1-Meg Modem does not provide dial up capability and therefore
is not portable outside your home. However, if you have a regular
modem, you can use this to dial up to the Internet when you are
away from home. Your Sentex High Speed Service includes 15
hours of regular dialup access.
7. How long will it take before my Residential High Speed
service is activated?
It will take
approximately 5 business days to activate your Residential High
Speed service. There may be delays if there is a discrepancy with
the name you have provided and the name on your Bell phone bill,
or if Bell runs out of line cards at their Central Office nearest
you. We will notify you if there are any delays.
8.
Does the Residential High Speed service include e-mail? What if
I need more e-mail addresses? How much storage do I have with
each e-mail address?
The Residential
High Speed service includes one e-mail account with 10 MB of storage
space. Multiple e-mail account capability is currently under development.
9.
Does the Residential High Speed service provide Personal Webspace
capabilities?
Yes, as a subscriber
you are entitled to 10 MB of Personal Webspace. Your Webspace
remains empty until you put a Web page in it.
10.
What is the Enternet software, and do I have to install it?
Enternet is
the client log-on software which is part of the standard software
installation for the Residential High Speed service. Through
the Enternet Preferences, members have the ability to set up and
manage their personal profile - how they would like to access
the Internet (always on or time expiration), password protection
for e-mail, the ability to set up PPP connections to different
destination networks one at a time, etc. When you subscribe to
the Residential High Speed service, you will be sent the current
version of Enternet. As new versions become available, you will
be able to download them from the Downloads
section.
11.
Does the Residential High Speed service offer any protection against
viruses or hacking?
It is your responsibility
to safeguard your system through appropriate means (i.e. using
commercially available software) from theft, unauthorized use
or system corruption. The Residential High Speed service only
provides access to the Internet and has no responsibility towards
file content that you may download from the Internet or receive
in your e-mail.
The Enternet
software enables you to disconnect from the network without shutting
down your computer. This can decrease your exposure to the Internet
by limiting the possibility of unauthorized access or malicious
attacks on your computer.
To increase
security while you are connected, you may choose to use a firewall,
or an FTP program to restrict or limit users to your computer
or directory.
12.
Is there anything I should read before starting to use the Residential
High Speed service?
Yes. You should
read the Terms and Conditions and Acceptable
Use Policy that come with your Start-Up Kit, as they clearly
define what the service includes and its limitations, and what
your responsibilities are towards the use of the Residential High
Speed service.
13.
I would like to know about the Terms and Conditions before I sign
up. Where can I find them?
The Terms
and Conditions are available online on our Web site. You may
read the Terms and Conditions without submitting an order.
They are also
enclosed in every Start-Up Kit, for reference.
14.
What are the highlights of the Terms and Conditions?
The Service
Agreement of the Residential High Speed service states that this
service is for personal residential use only. As such, you cannot
resell the bandwidth or provide high-speed access to anyone else.
The service cannot be connected to a business line.
In terms of
technical support, Sentex Customer Services will support:
- the Enternet software that we provide
- the ADSL modem we provide
- the connection from the jack to the modem and from the
modem to one computer
- PC Ethernet card installation and configuration, for the
ethernet card included in the Start-Up Kit( if applicable).
15.
I am already a Sentex member. I understand that if I subscribe
to the Residential High Speed service I can get up to thirty-fold
the speed I get with my 28kbs modem. What else will be different?
With the Residential
High Speed service you will be able to download in seconds, and
you can access the Internet for as long and as much as you like.
You will also be able to receive faxes or use the phone while
you're surfing. You will also receive better quality video and
audio, while using the Residential High Speed service. As an existing
Sentex member, your personal information (user id, e-mail
id, etc.) will be transferred from Sentex Dial Up service
to the Residential High Speed service.
16.
I have a home-based business. Can I get the Residential High Speed
service installed on my business telephone line?
The Residential
High Speed service is a consumer service that can only be installed
on a Bell residential line. All business inquiries including design
and support of remote access to VPN's and LAN's are provided by
Sentex Solutions. Information on our Small Business High Speed
Service is available here.
17.
What kind of speed can I expect?
The Residential
High Speed service will provide you with up to 960 kbs downstream
and up to 120 kbs upstream. Upstream refers to data from your
computer. Downstream refers to data to your computer. For most
Surfers, the amount of data upstream is much smaller than the
amount downstream. This is why your Residential High Speed service
- with its capacity of 960 kbs downstream - will let you surf
at speeds up to 30 times the speed of a 28 kbs modem.
Of course, the
speed performance that you will experience at any time is dependent
on other Internet factors such as Web site congestion, especially
for those very popular, very busy sites.
18.
Can I charge people to use my Residential High Speed service or
my bandwidth?
The
Residential High Speed service is an Internet access service for
individual residential use only. Resale of bandwidth, or any other
part of the Residential High Speed service provided by Sentex
Communications, for any purpose is strictly prohibited. Failure
to comply with this condition will result in immediate cancellation
of the service and of your Sentex account.
19.
What are my installation options?
Full Installation
The Sentex Technical Support Department will install the hardware
and software at our offices Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m. You can arrange an appointment to bring your computer
in, and then leave it here for the day.
Self Installation
Many customers choose to do the installation themselves. Your
modem will be available for pickup at the Sentex offices, upon
arrangement with one of our sales representatives.
20.
How easy is it to install myself?
Most of our
customers have opted to install the service themselves. Our Residential
High Speed service software has an install wizard to make your
life easier. Opening up your computer and installing the Ethernet
card may, by many, be considered the most difficult part. If you
have experience in card installation in computers, you should
not have any problem. If you choose self installation and then
change your mind, you can arrange an appointment to drop off your
computer at our offices for installation.
21.
What does the support technician do?
The technician
will provide, install and configure the ADSL modem, the Ethernet
card, and the Enternet software. Once the installation has been
completed, the technician will perform tests to ensure connectivity
to the Internet.
Note: you must
have your Windows 95 / Windows 98 or Macintosh system CD-ROMS,
as these may be required to complete the installation.
22.
If I have my own ethernet card, will the technician still install
the Residential High Speed service Start-Up Kit?
If you are using
another ethernet card than the one we supply for PC, you will
have to ensure that the card is installed before you bring your
computer to the Sentex offices. The technician will install the
ADSL modem and the Enternet software. (The technician will also
configure your existing Ethernet card with the correct settings
and perform end-to-end connectivity tests.)
Please remember
that we will only support the ethernet card that is provided in
the Start-Up Kit.
23.
What kind of support can I expect from the Residential High Speed
service?
The Residential
High Speed service offers technical support for installations
on stand-alone computers running Windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP Operating
Systems and Macintosh OS 7.6.1 or higher.
Sentex Customer
Support offers technical support for:
- The Enternet software, provided in your Residential High
Speed service Start-Up Kit
- The ADSL modem we provide
- The connection from the telephone line jack to the ADSL
modem and from the ADSL modem to one computer in a stand-alone
configuration.
- Ethernet card installation and configuration support,
for the ethernet card included in the Start-Up Kit (if applicable).
Sentex Customer
Support
does not offer technical support for:
- 3rd party plugins for Netscape™ Communicator or Microsoft™
Internet Explorer.
- Network card configurations if the Network card is not
properly recognized by the operating system.
- System conflicts, hardware/software (e.g. IRQ, video card).
- Software applications provided by third parties (e.g.
ICQ).
- Home networks.
- Personal servers, e.g.: Web
servers, FTP servers, gateway
servers, etc.
24.
Can I buy the ADSL Modem, instead of renting it, and therefore
avoid its monthly rental charge?
Yes. Ask a salesperson for the current price or check the
residential signup form.
25.
If I go to another ISP that is offering similar high speed service,
can I use the ADSL modem that I currently lease from the Residential
High Speed service?
No. The ADSL
modem is available on a monthly rental only from the Residential
High Speed service. It is not available for purchase and the lease
cannot be transferred to another Internet Service Provider.
26.
What happens if I move? Can I bring the modem with me? Is there
an activation charge at my new home?
If you are moving,
please call (519) 651-3400 as soon as you know your new address,
postal code and telephone number. If service is available in your
new area, a Sentex customer service representative will
issue a request to move your service. Activation and/or diconnection
charges may apply for cancellations, moving or reactivation. If you are
moving to an area where the Residential High Speed service is
not available, the rental modem must be returned. We require 30
days notice for an account cancellation.
27.
Can I access my Sentex account from a different location (i.e.
from work), where I don't have High Speed service?
With your
Sentex High Speed Service, you also get 15 hours of regular dialup
access. You'll need a regular analog modem for this (e.g. 33.6k
or 56k modem). This enables you to access your Sentex account
from locations other than where you have the High Speed service
and modem installed.
28.
Cable vs. DSL ?
Cable modems are typically faster for downloads than most if
not all DSL lines, when the cable infrastructure is new or well
maintained. However, cable has a few disadvantages to DSL.
The first disadvantage is that cable is an RF network -- this
means that it is vulnerable to transient problems "within the
network" from RF interference. Since cable is a shared media,
there is a possibility that performance may degrade over time
as additional households plug in, connect additional devices (videos,
game machines) to the TV lines.
A cable company may react slowly to decreases in performance,
as they never sell access by speed, or promise consistent speed
or latency.
One of the largest disadvantages of cable over DSL is the upstream
(return path). Cable companies are using a very narrow band for
return signaling, below all the space allocated for TV channels.
This band is prone to RF interference and is very limited in capacity.
Upstream transmissions may therefore compete with others in the
area, get delayed (suffer high latency) due to noise fighting
techniques, and cable Terms Of Service typically prohibit any
kind of constant upstream use. Internet use is shifting away from
central servers broadcasting to many individuals and some interesting
peer to peer applications are appearing (games, voice and video
applications, communal libraries). These applications need a strong
upstream channel.
In summary, cable modems are currently good value and strong competition
for residential casual use. However, DSL is probably the more
future-proof system, offering digital direct from the internet
infrastructure. Your performance in either direction will not
be different from peak hour to early morning, and DSL lines are
available for a wide variety of purposes, both business and residential.
