Does Internet provider really need to physically access my line connection to upgrade connection speed?

Question

I already have internet with my provider, want to keep the same internet technology (ADSL) and simply want to upgrade from 10-1 Mbps Download-Upload to 15-10 Mbps.

My internet service provider want to charge me and book an appointment for a technician to come to my home to do modifications on the physical internet connection.

I suspect it is a practice for charging more for the service.

Is it really necessary to have a physical intervention on the line by a technician to upgrade my internet connection speed?

Answer 1

This depends on the equipment you have. If you have had the internet connection for a long time then its likely the equipment you have is either not capable of the specific speeds you want or that there are security flaws with the device. I would ask why they need a tech sent out and ask them exactly what they will be doing before agreeing to the tech. If its just a modem replacement then you might be able to do that without the tech and save some money.

Answer 2

This is pretty common practice here for an ISP or CLEC to want to check the inside wiring before upgrading the connection speed.

From their perspective it's good practice to stop truck roll-outs, and excessive "speed troubleshooting calls". Alot of homes have exsisting wiring from the 1960's - 1980's.

Why? When Digital subscriber lines first hit the market, they had sub megabit speeds. (Here in PA it was about 75Kbps down and around 35 up) And could easily be transmitted over straight pair phone lines.(CAT-3)

With the progression of ADSL&VDSL and different compression techniques, and better frequency multiplexing. These technologies can now compete with other ISP connection technologies on the residential market.

As you push higher Mbps on the same CAT-3 lines. The same problems are introduced that became an issue when Ethernet moved past 10Mbps. The frequency, and data rates are just too high for cat-3. Cross-talk becomes an issue, and cat-3 IS NOT a balanced cabling system, which means it's highly susceptible to electro-magnetic interference. (Cat-3 too close to power etc).

So while it seems like a scam maneuver from your ISP, it's in your best interest to upgrade the old telephone lines to the very least CAT-5 UTP. You can always run your own inside wiring if their technician charge is too expensive.