56k Dial Access

[Robert Dinse <nanook@eskimo.com>]

     Before reporting slow connects and/or cutoffs please be sure you have the
most recent modem firmware and/or drivers if it is an HSP modem.

     The new numbers support only v.90 protocol, k56flex is not supported.  If
you have early firmware that supports only k56flex or has a buggy v.90
implimentation then you may not be able to connect at v.90 speeds.

     Before reporting cutoff's, if using Windows-95, please be sure to upgrade
to at least dial-up networking version 1.3, earlier versions are prone to
buffer overrun problems that results in cutoffs.

     Those of you who are experiencing dial access problems please e-mail
support@eskimo.com.  I can't forward info to people who need to look at this
readily from a news group postings and it's much easier to save and pattern the
e-mailed reports.

     Please include:

	1) The symptoms, slow connect speed, cutoffs, authentication, etc.

	2) The called number.

	3) The number you are calling from.

	4) The time(s) of failed calls.

	5) The type of modem you have.

     Please e-mail the reports to us, do not just post to lobby.  MegaPOP
people do not have access to lobby; we can forward e-mail to their tech support
folks and it makes it easier for us to track.  Stuff posted to lobby will be
gone in a month and difficult to track.

     I don't think this is a chipset issue; I have seen problems with USR,
Zoom, Supra, and others, which would touch both USR and Rockwell based modems.
Furthermore, for every modem I've seen problems with there seems to be other
people with the same modems getting as good or faster connects.  Still, I would
like to collect additional data.

     I do know there are at least some telco trunking issues because some
people who are getting a bad connection to the Seattle number get a fast
connect to Bellevue, etc, and these all go to the same POP, you just go over
different telco trunks getting to them.  The originating number and terminating
number are necessary to pattern these problems, please be sure to include them
with your report.

     If there are other current numbers local to you, for example, if you are
in Seattle, then Bellevue, Renton, Kent, and Auburn are all local, try them,
and if they get better connect speeds feel free to use them but report the
problem to us so we can get someone working to resolve the problems. 

     As of November 29, 2000, the old Western Washington 56k numbers will
be de-activated.

     It is therefore imperative that you switch to the new 56k access
numbers immediately.  If there are any technical issues that need to be
resolved please contact us right away.

     The new Western Washington access numbers are:

	Auburn		253-793-0155
	Battle Ground	360-342-3200
	Bellevue	425-484-0155
	Camas		360-334-3200
	Everett		425-645-0155
	Graham		253-559-0155
	Issaquah	425-642-0155
	Kent		253-270-0155
	Maple Valley	425-660-0155
	Puyallup	253-799-0155
	Renton		425-663-0155
	Roy		253-645-0155
	Seattle		206-299-0155
	Sumner		253-648-0155
	Tacoma		253-650-0155
	Vancounver	360-314-2119

     If you have any problems with these new numbers, please contact
customer support:

		E-mail:		support@eskimo.com
		Voice Phone:	206-812-0051
		Toll Free:	800-246-6874
		Fax:		206-812-0054

	Snail Mail:

		Eskimo North
		P.O. Box 55816
		Shoreline, WA  98155