Fundamental ADSL/ISP question

Hi,

In another thread it has been suggested that once you sign up with a
particular ISP for ADSL that your line is associated with just that isp.

Is this true or is it the case that an ADSL line is an ADSL line and it is
the username and password only that decides which ISP you connect in to?


Cheers,

Bob.

--
Bob Latham
Stourbridge, West Midlands

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Bob latham <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> In another thread it has been suggested that once you sign up with a
> particular ISP for ADSL that your line is associated with just that
> isp.
>
> Is this true

YES

or is it the case that an ADSL line is an ADSL line and
> it is the username and password only that decides which ISP you
> connect in to?

NO

Bear in mind that ADSL is not a dial-up connection - so there is no
mechanism for specifying which ISP to connect to - it is, in effect,
permanently patched through to the ISP with which you have your contract.

AIUI, if you want to access a different ISP, you need to cancel your current
contract and take out a new one. Your line then has to be re-patched.

--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

> In another thread it has been suggested that once you sign up with a
> particular ISP for ADSL that your line is associated with just that isp.
>
> Is this true or is it the case that an ADSL line is an ADSL line and it is
> the username and password only that decides which ISP you connect in to?

Specific to ISP.

> Is this true or is it the case that an ADSL line is an ADSL line and it is
> the username and password only that decides which ISP you connect in to?

If it was that easy, migrating from one ISP to another wouldn't be such a
headache.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 15:44:43 -0000, "DB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> Is this true or is it the case that an ADSL line is an ADSL line and it is
>> the username and password only that decides which ISP you connect in to?
>
>If it was that easy, migrating from one ISP to another wouldn't be such a
>headache.

Umm. Perhaps we ought to clear a couple of things up here as some of
you have the right idea for the wrong reasons :-)

BT use a process called Selective Service Barring (SSB). This is
essentially a "lookup table" which details which "services" (eg ISPs)
your circuit is permitted to use and when it can use them.

It is technically possible for you to have a "work connection" where
your login connects you directly to your company (via the same
infrastructure) between 9-5 Mon-Fri. That login could be setup to only
permit you to login to that service during those hours - think
teleworkers here. You could also have your own login (to your chosen
ISP) which would work outside those hours.

There are quite frankly loads of possibilities but BT don't support
them. The reason they don't probably has more to do with their
management systems rather than anything else.

Oh and as far as migration goes - it's simply a matter of the BOU
tearing down your existing session and changing the "lookup table". It
takes literally seconds to do. The delays are caused by ISPs (both old
and new) and the BT order management system.

There were (and probably still are) quite a few circuits from the
early days that probably aren't properly entered into the system which
means you can login to any ADSL ISP (provided of course an ADSL
account exists). My circuit was like that before I migrated from
Nildram to AAISP - some of you "oldies" may remember the "Newnet
fudge" a couple of years ago?

HTH.
--
John Naismith