Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

talosian

Jul 25, 2004, 11:46 AM

Post #1 of 17 (3258 views)

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I just found out something very interesting here.

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I finally got my dial-up which isn't the worst in the World even though it's at 33. I also found that I get disconnected often but rather than showing it to me and asking if I want to reconnect, it reconnects automatically. Now at this rate, I will have used up my 100 "free" local calls in a week or two and then everything will be at an additional rate. Hmmmm, wonder if Telmex will give me credit for the disconnects.

Anyone else with dial up find this to be the case?

Spock
"When all logical explanations have failed, we must look to the illogical for the answer.

johanson / Moderator

Jul 25, 2004, 12:53 PM

Post #2 of 17 (3242 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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No Telmex won't give you credit. Someone set up your dialup settings for you, he or she chose the option to have it automatically redial. You can always unclick that option if you wish. I hope that this person also changed your modem settings thereby decreasing the number of cut-0ffs. You know, go to your control panel and work your way into the modem advanced settings and perhaps change the "Extra initialization commands" to for example s36=66.

If all of the above seems like a strange language to you, don't try it yourself; get help. :)

gpk

Jul 25, 2004, 5:55 PM

Post #3 of 17 (3196 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Telmex is very clever this way--Telmex owns Prodigy-Mexico and yet they charge for local calls over 100. I use the internet for business so I sign on 3-5 times a day. I just switched to a TV cable, full time connection that doesn't tie up my phone. The extra cost is no more than I was paying Telmex for the terrible Prodigy service.

talosian

Jul 25, 2004, 10:36 PM

Post #4 of 17 (3157 views)

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Re: [gpk] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Please tell me a little more, maybe I can get it though I don't think I have a lot of choice in Vista del Lago. What about satellite internet? I heard one of the operations, Dish or Sky has it.

Thanks.
"When all logical explanations have failed, we must look to the illogical for the answer.

gpk

Jul 26, 2004, 7:26 AM

Post #5 of 17 (3113 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Mine is through the TV cable company--and I didn't have to use their TV services to get the internet. Check with your local cable provider--it seems to be fairly common around Mexico for cable companies to offer internet also. I have Sky for TV, but I don't think Sky offers internet here in the state of Guanajuato.

johanson / Moderator

Jul 26, 2004, 9:02 AM

Post #6 of 17 (3101 views)

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Re: [gpk] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Telecable, in the greater Ajijic-Chapala area does not offer internet. They have been studying the possiblility of doing so for several years, but as of three weeks ago had not made a decision. So don't hold your breath. Your two most popular choices are fixed WiFi and ADSL. There are a few who use one and two way satellite internet for access.

Marlene

Jul 26, 2004, 2:24 PM

Post #7 of 17 (3070 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Telmex will leave you connected to the internet for a period of 8 hours at a time if you have your settings adjusted accordingly. Don't count on disconnect credits, unless you have lots of time on your hands, like maybe an eternity. (They have us convinced that our dial up difficulties are a software conflict and we are tired of arguing). I think we will be switching to their DSL shortly, since other Mazatlan users are finding it quite reliable. This way I don't lose my email address and will free up my phone line.

Rolly

Jul 27, 2004, 8:47 AM

Post #8 of 17 (3025 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Last night and again this morning my computer did what Talosian described -- i.e. reconnected automatically. This is something new for me too -- my computer has never done this before. I checked the settings and they are still as they have always been.

In the past I have had problems with my computer being re-booted by something coming in on the line, but this is a new, unwelcome development.

Rolly Pirate

Esteban

Jul 27, 2004, 8:50 AM

Post #9 of 17 (3025 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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I found that Telmex will definitely NOT give you credit for your disconnections. They are not bound by any contract other than to give you adequate telephone service...ie using the phone to talk with others. I also found that, after going through the 100 free calls, the amount of re-dials that I had to pay for, cost more than broadband cable. So there was no choice, I signed up with megacable. If ADSL is available in your area, that's probably the way to go. With broadband you can also use the various VOIP services making calling north, very cheap.

talosian

Jul 27, 2004, 9:12 AM

Post #10 of 17 (3020 views)

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Re: [Esteban] I just found out something very interesting here.

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How much is each local call over the alloted 100?

I finally got dial up and have to admit, it is decent enough except for large downloads.

I also changed computers and have not had disconnect problems since and I have been on for up to two-hours at a time.

Spock
"When all logical explanations have failed, we must look to the illogical for the answer.

johanson / Moderator

Jul 27, 2004, 9:31 AM

Post #11 of 17 (3017 views)

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Re: [talosian] I just found out something very interesting here.

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I'm going by memory here, but once you add in the 15% IVA that many of us forget, the cost is 1.70 pesos per call. or if you had to make 100 extra calls to stay on line that's 170 pesos per month. So often the added monthly cost for a broadband connection once you factor in all of the extra phone calls, is almost nothing.

And let me tell you, once you have had broadband, you never want to go back.

I'm up here in WA for another 7 weeks in the country where broadband is not available and I am stuck using a dialup connection. God I hate it, even though my download speeds here are usually about 50% faster than they are in Mexico.

I even tried Satellite internet, only to learn that any satellites I could point to are behind big mountains. Well that will all change, once Star Choice's latest satellite that was just launched reaches 111.1 degrees West, and WildBlue, a US company starts providing two-way satellite coverage to the US and (Canada?)

I will of course check to see what the footprint in Ajijic is once I get back.

esperanza

Jul 27, 2004, 9:47 AM

Post #12 of 17 (3016 views)

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Re: [Esteban] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Interesting, Esteban. I found out just the opposite. Telmex keeps a log of all calls that you make, and to what telephone numbers. If they see on your call log that your computer is frequently calling your ISP and that each connection lasts less than one minute, they will report those calls to Aclaraciones and you will be given a confirmation number. The cost of all those calls will be deducted from your telephone bill. You have to call them to get the deductions, however.

During the one month several years ago that I had connection problems with Prodigy, I did this and they took about 115 calls off my bill.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

johanson / Moderator

Jul 27, 2004, 10:43 AM

Post #13 of 17 (3012 views)

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Re: [esperanza] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Hey Esperanza, I see another reason to learn good Spanish and to learn the ways of Mexico. I always incorrectly thought that TelMex would never give you credit for calls. And that is what every Gringo I have talked to has ever told me. I'm glad to learn otherwise.

I'm getting better with my Spanish every day, but I stlll have a long ways to go.

esperanza

Jul 27, 2004, 10:47 AM

Post #14 of 17 (3011 views)

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Re: [johanson] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Yep, not speaking the language can cost you money. A couple of months ago there were three long distance calls on my bill which I didn't make--including a long one to Spain!--and I called Telmex and the calls were deducted immediately.

Of course not speaking the language can cost you far more than money. Lack of ability to understand the language also limits one's ability to understand one's surroundings: conversation, culture, politics, etc. But that's a thread for a different forum.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Esteban

Jul 27, 2004, 5:51 PM

Post #15 of 17 (2987 views)

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Re: [esperanza] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Maybe the calls less than a minute are deductible but I was finding that I'd be disconnected after 5, 10 or a little more and they wouldn't give a cent back. No language barrier either especially when I was talking face to face at the Telmex office. And the usual situation....every office has a different policy.

esperanza

Jul 27, 2004, 8:12 PM

Post #16 of 17 (2973 views)

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Re: [Esteban] I just found out something very interesting here.

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No one at a Telmex office (as far as I know) is authorized to give any kind of deduction. It all has to be done through the aclaraciones number that's listed on the telephone bill itself. The aclaraciones office is located in the DF, as is the Prodigy office, etc. The aclaraciones people take care of the deducting, give you a confirmation number that it's been done, and instruct you to go pay the bill at your local office. When you get there, they have the deduction right there on the computer. If for some reason it's not there, you ring up aclaraciones again and give them the confirmation number. Bingo, it's taken care of.

That has been my experience with Telmex and Prodigy: professional treatment 95% of the time, with a flaw or two here and there. YMMV.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Esteban

Jul 27, 2004, 10:36 PM

Post #17 of 17 (2963 views)

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Re: [esperanza] I just found out something very interesting here.

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Ofcourse it's a moot point now that I have Cable Internet but I have to admit, I have never read the fine print on the telephone bill. I did have a charge for Prodigy show up AFTER I quit the service and with that problem, the folks at the Telmex office took care of the deduction. That was almost 4 years ago and I know the whole system is improving by leaps and bounds. The use of the aclaraciones number definitely seems like the way to go.