Converting from ISDN to ADSL

Leverz

There is no problem what so ever they only have to change the Terminal in the house and the end of the line in the exchange. No matter what others tell you, there is no problem with it, the costs will be the same as if you are changing from an analogue system.

Dustaz

another point in favor of isdn. Cheers leverz

Kix

Thanks Leverz. I do remember reading about a year and a half ago in a DSL faq that they were totally incompatible. I'd imagine it'a a commonly held belief. I'm inclined believe your explaination - same exchange & same copper after all.

Joe22

not saying your wrong or anything, but it what you say is ture then why were bt having so much trouble with it then

TwoShedsJackson

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Joe22:
not saying your wrong or anything</font>

You are saying he's wrong.

Joe22

no im not, im just asking why bt had and is still having so much trouble with it, if you can do it as easy as he says.

maybe its just bt *****ing around, maybe it has nothing to do with isdn compatability with adsl, i dont know, thats why i asked the question

[This message has been edited by Joe22 (edited 12-05-2001).]

Skeptic1

ISDN does interfere with most forms of xDSL which means that if they did connect your ISDN line up to xDSL equipment at the exchange, you would not be able to use both at the same time. This because there is an overlap in frequencies used by both systems. Voice uses such a limited set of frequenies so it is possible to run xDSL at the same time.

Of course, since most people use ISDN simply to access the Internet, it is unlikely that people will want to keep renting an ISDN line which costs more than twice that of an ordinary line.

You will probably be required to downgrade the line to POTS as in the UK. Unfortunately there is a charge of £99 (same as getting a new line) for this job.

Personally, despite the £99 ripoff, I would still go for ADSL because it makes more sense for pure Internet access.

BTW, I've recently ordered an ISDN line. Such is my faith that we'll have ADSL soon

[This message has been edited by Skeptic1 (edited 12-05-2001).]

chernobyl

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Leverz:
There is no problem what so ever they only have to change the Terminal in the house and the end of the line in the exchange. No matter what others tell you, there is no problem with it, the costs will be the same as if you are changing from an analogue system.</font>

ISDN and ADSL are almost 100% incompatible.They are connected to completely different terminals at the local exchange although a slower clone of ADSL can be used on an ISDN line.

Skeptic1

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by chernobyl:
ISDN and ADSL are almost 100% incompatible.They are connected to completely different terminals at the local exchange although a slower clone of ADSL can be used on an ISDN line.
</font>

Yes. And there are more reasons why it would be difficult.
In theory, it would be possible to design xDSL equipment that would detect an ISDN call and divert it through to the ISDN point on the exchange. I doubt, though, that there would be a market for this. As Levers said, the Eircom installed equipment (where it allows voice phones to be plugged in) would also have to be changed for this to work because ADSL requires direct electrical contact with the wire.

When (if) ADSL comes along, I expect a lot of people will want to switch to it. The only technical problem will be if people want both ADSL and ISDN on the same line.

I think the original question was about switching from one to the other. This should be no problem.

dahamsta

I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure that I saw information on either the ADSL Forum or the Alcatel site that ADSL is now possible over ISDN lines without degradation. I know Eicom demonstrated it somewhere, I believe it was CEBIT.

Just on a point of interest too, I'll be keeping my ISDN lines when I switch to ADSL or another broadband solution. That's because I run a business from here, but I reckon I'm not the only one.

Skeptic1

I'm just being pessimistic here but...

My hope is that you won't need a POTS line to order adsl. I mean there will probably be a lead time of several months for adsl.

Since an engineer needs to call to install the ADSL splitter and other equipment, it would not be a big job to combine this with removing the ISDN splitter. Similarly, at the exchange end, your line needs to be connected up to the ADSL equipment and fed through to the exchange so disconnecting the ISDN should not be a big deal.

What I'm saying is that converting from ISDN to ADSL should be done as a single job in order to avoid the several months wait whilst on 56K.

po0k

BT will charge you to remove ISDN then charge you ADSL.
Its not just in the house either is it? stuff needs to be done to ur connection to the exchange too. It will take the engineer a good whil to do that stuff, so it would be expensive anyeways.

dahamsta

> BT will charge you to remove ISDN then
> charge you ADSL.
>
That was kind of my point - if the technology is available now to run ADSL over ISDN lines without degradation, Eircom won't be in the same position as BT, and you won't need to downgrade to POTS before you can install ADSL. Although knowing Eircom...

> Its not just in the house either is it?
> stuff needs to be done to ur connection to
> the exchange too.
>
It's the exchange is the important part. All they do in your house is install a TA (Terminal Adaptor).

Skeptic1

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by dahamsta:
> BT will charge you to remove ISDN then
Although knowing Eircom...</font>

This is the important bit

It is possible with persistance to talk to senior people involved with DSL in Eircom. It's best to go through the head office. A while back I talked to a DSL project manager - a Dutch guy - about the question of switching from ISDN to ADSL. This was about a year ago and most of the decicisions had not yet been made. Anyway, he seemed to know what he was talking about. At the time, nobody in Eircom seemed to know what ADSL was - I was even referred to NTL at one stage - until I got through to this guy. He seemed a bit frustrated This was around the time Eircom were promising a DSL product for September, 2000.

Leverz

As what has been pointed out, its a matter of downgrading. It is not the actual line into the house as the physical carrier is the same, its the technology on their end that is the problem. This has been solved, I know a lot of people who have migrated from ISDN to ADSL. Still you say that it cannot be done?
Pull the other one.

Stonemason

As you say the copper wire hasnt changed it simply means you have to change your box at the house and at the exchange much like you do when you upgrade from anolog the isdn.There only problem is they get more money from isdn users i wonder if this has anything to do with it being impossible.

Stone

Leverz

yeah
It really is only a problem to them, for the simple reason that they are going to loose a cash cow. Tough titty for eircom I say.