RE: ADSL for me!

["Chris McGookin" <chris@xxxxxxx>]

Graham,

=20

Not sure if you could use distinctive ring instead of MSN=85 I=92m sure BT
offer this on analogue lines now but not sure how many nos.

=20

Chris

=20

-----Original Message-----
From: Graham Howe [mailto:graham@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 02 September 2003 08:50
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] ADSL for me!

=20

This wonderful message is now on the BT site for my exchange:

"Good news - Your exchange will have broadband ADSL by 5th November=20
2003, and our initial test indicates that it should be possible to=20
provide broadband ADSL on this telephone line.

Our initial test on your line suggests that you should be able to=20
have a broadband ADSL service that provides up to 2Mbps download=20
speed."

But, now that I stopped jumping around the office, I am starting to=20
think about how the corresponding loss of ISDN could affect me.

I have a full ISDN2e service in the house (not HH or BH) which gives=20
me 2 lines and, using MSN, 4 numbers. I have a router and software=20
that can interpret Caller ID and pass it around my network (including=20
going to the Tivo via xPL). I have a home phone number, business=20
phone number, fax number and 'control' number. A terminal adapter=20
takes the digital signal and converts it to POTS. I take the home=20
POTS port and route it through Comfort and then through Krone blocks=20
to 5 ordinary phones. I take the business POTS port and route it=20
through Krone blocks to 5 ordinary phones. I can pick up and transfer=20
calls between the home and business phones and I can call the home=20
line from the business line and vice versa as an intercom (no=20
external call required). My home phone answer machine is handled by=20
Comfort, my business answer machine and fax is handled by software=20
running on my HA server.

As I understand it, the normal 'upgrade' process is to rip out ISDN=20
and go back to analogue for BB. If that is the case I immediately=20
lose all 4 of my numbers. I can do without the 'control' number as I=20
will have an always on route into my home network, but I am really=20
loathe to lose my home, business and fax numbers as many people have=20
them. I don't really want to buy a fax machine, but I have no=20
analogue modem so how would I retain my ability to send and receive=20
faxes. How do I retain the ability to recognise and distribute caller=20
ID around the network, do I have to buy a Meteor box too?

I know that one option is to get adsl as an additional service, but=20
that would really be overkill as I would only save the =A315 per month=20
on my current fixed rate dial up and the BB monthly charge would=20
exceed that.

Has anyone gone through a similar process, if so then what did you=20
decide upon and how did you retain your pre-BB functionality?