What to expect with DSL

This article tells you what to expect when you sign up for DSL service at NCF.

Activation

Upon signing up

Within three business days of signing up for DSL, you should receive an email listing the expected activation date of your DSL service (the date Bell says they will be able to start DSL service on your line).

Typically it takes five business days for DSL service to be activated on your line by Bell.

If you made a request in your comments while placing your DSL order and have not received a response from the NCF office after three business days, perhaps it got lost. If so then please accept our apologies. You may need to re-send your comment. See How to contact the NCF office below.

If you ordered a modem from NCF to be picked up by you at the NCF office, we will phone you when it is ready for pick-up. Do not drop by the office early, as it may not be ready to go yet.

Before the Activation Date

If you signed up for Dry DSL, Bell recommends that someone be home between 8am-5pm on the activation date. If that is not possible, contact NCF by email or by phone as soon as you get your activation date to arrange a better date. Dry DSL activations happen only on weekdays, always between 8am-5pm.

It helps the installation technician test the line if you install filters on all your phones before the DSL signal is applied to the phone line. If you need line filters, drop by the NCF office to purchase them.

On the Activation Date

For regular (not dry) DSL, activation is done from the Bell central office, with no need for anyone to visit your location. Activation typically occurs from 8 am to 12 am (noon).

For Dry DSL, Bell recommends that someone be home between 8 am and 5 pm on the activation date. If that is not possible, contact NCF by email or by phone as soon as you get your activation date to arrange a better date. Dry DSL activations happen only on weekdays, always between 8 am and 5 pm.

If all goes well, on the day after your Activation Date, your modem should see a DSL signal.

After the Activation Date

If after the activation date your DSL modem cannot see the DSL signal (see About DSL modem lights), please check the following:

• Check that the phone line is fully plugged in (clicks when plugged into the modem and into the wall).
• Turn your modem off and then turn it back on (to be sure it is looking for the DSL signal).
• If you still do not have a signal, try taking your modem to different working jacks at your location. Finally, if you can, try to plug in the modem at the demarcation point (where the telephone wires come into the house). Note: Some demarcation points do not have an actual phone jack where you can test your modem. Also, perhaps you are not sure where the demarcation point is. On most homes the demarcation point is located in teh basement or near the main electrical circuit breaker panel.
• Having checked different jacks in the house, please contact NCF and we will ask Bell to check your line.

How to contact the NCF office

The best way to contact the NCF office is to log into the NCF StartPage (using your NCF account ID, which is two letter followed by three numbers, eg., ab123) at:

• start.ncf.ca

and click on Your NCF account at the bottom-left of the page. Or just go directly to:

• Your office messages page

Using this Office Message system ensures that your message will reach the office (you can track it, from Office Messages on your StartPage). Otherwise, you can try reaching the office by phone, at (613) 721-1773.