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<NOBR>U S WEST.net</NOBR>
Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can get answers to frequently asked questions about service features, transport and platforms, and the U S WEST.net product line.


Product Line

Available Products

Service Availability

Pricing Summary

How to Order



Service Features

E-mail

Web Hosting

IP Addresses

Roaming



Transport and Platforms

Analog Dial

ISDN

DSL MegaBit Services

Platforms (POPs)

Domain Name Services (DNS)


If you are already a member of U S WEST.net and have a technical question about your existing service, contact us and we'll be glad to help you. If you are new to U S WEST.net or need more information about the U S WEST.net product line our Customer Support Representatives can assist you and get you the answers you need.

Product Line

Available Products

  • What products are currently available from U S WEST.net? Internet Access, OfficeWorks, and OfficeWorks LAN

  • What features and access capabilities do I get with the three U S WEST.net products of Internet Access, OfficeWorks, and OfficeWorks LAN?
    Internet Access*
  • Unlimited Interactive Internet access over Analog Dial, ISDN, or RADSL
  • Newsgroups
  • Access to Premium Content (e.g., local and national news)
  • 2 E-mail Boxes (With @uswest.net Domain)
  • 2 MB Storage Space for Your Personal Home Page
  • Dynamically Assigned IP Address
  • Netscape Communicator 4.0 Software on CD-ROM
  • Free Technical Support 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
  • U S WEST Internet User Guide and Desktop Reference Card
  • One Consolidated U S WEST Bill

  • OfficeWorks*
  • Unlimited Interactive Internet access over Analog Dial, ISDN, or RADSL
  • Newsgroups
  • Access to Premium Content (e.g., local and national news)
  • 5 E-mail Boxes (With Support for Vanity / Virtual Domains)
  • 5 MB Storage Space for Your Personal or Business Home Page
  • Dynamically Assigned IP Address(es)
  • Netscape Communicator 4.0 Software on CD-ROM
  • Facilitation of Domain Name Registration with the InterNIC**
  • Search Engine Registration of Domain Name
  • DNS Support for 1 Registered Domain Name
  • Free Technical Support 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
  • U S WEST Internet User Guide and Desktop Reference Card
  • One Consolidated U S WEST Bill

  • OfficeWorks LAN*
  • Everything provided with OfficeWorks plus a total of 25 e-mail boxes.

  • * See Service Plans and Pricing information for details and restrictions.
    ** Domain name registration and maintenance charges may apply.

  • What transport options are available with U S WEST.net? U S WEST.net supports analog modems (K56flex), ISDN, and RADSL (MegaBit Services).

  • Are all three products available across all of the transport options? No - See the following table:

    U S WEST.net Products Analog Dial

    Up to 56 kbps
    ISDN

    Up to 128 kbps
    MegaBit Services

    RADSL -
    Up to 7 Mbps
    Internet Access X X X
    OfficeWorks X X X
    OfficeWorks LAN not available X X

Service Availability

  • Where is U S WEST.net available and which transport services are supported in those locations?
  • Analog Dial and ISDN services currently available in the following locations to anyone within the free calling area. Individuals outside the free calling areas can still get the service, however, you will incur long distance charges when accessing the Internet.

  • DSL service via MegaBit Services has limited availability in designated areas.


U S WEST.net Availability Analog Dial
Up to 56 kbps
ISDN
Up to 128 Kbps
MegaBit Services
RADSL - Up to 7 Mbps
Arizona
Phoenix X X X
Tucson X X X
Colorado
Boulder X X X
Colorado Springs X X X
Denver X X X
Ft. Collins X X X
Greeley X X X
Idaho
Boise X X X
Iowa
Ames X X X
Cedar Rapids X    
Council Bluffs X X X
Des Moines X X X
Minnesota
Duluth X X  
Minneapolis/
St. Paul
X X X
Rochester X X X
St. Cloud X X X
Montana
Billings X    
Helena X X X
Missoula X X  
Nebraska
Omaha X X X
New Mexico
Albuquerque X    
North Dakota
Bismarck X X  
Fargo X X X
Oregon
Eugene X X  
Medford X X  
Portland X X  
Salem X X  
South Dakota
Sioux Falls X X X
Utah
Ogden X X  
Orem X X X
Park City X    
Provo X X X
Salt Lake City X X X
Tooele X    
Washington
Auburn X    
Bellevue X X X
Bellingham X X X
Olympia X X X
Seattle X X X
Spokane X X X
Vancouver X X  
Wyoming
Cheyenne X    

Pricing Summary

  Analog Dial Transport ISDN Transport MegaBit Services (Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line) Transport
Transport Speed 56 kbps 128 kbps 256 kbps 512 kbps 768 kbps 1 Mbps 4/1 Mbps 7/1 Mbps
Transport Charges Varies By State* Varies By State* $40 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
~$65 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
~$80 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
~$125 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
~$550 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
~$875 Monthly*
+
$110.00 Setup
Your total monthly cost will include the above transport costs plus the U S WEST.net costs below.
U S WEST.net Internet Access $19.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$49.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$19.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$39.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$49.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$99.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$119.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$139.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
U S WEST.net OfficeWorks $34.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$64.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$34.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$54.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$64.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$114.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$134.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
$154.95 Monthly
+
$25.00 Setup
U S WEST.net OfficeWorks LAN not available $99.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$79.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$99.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$109.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$159.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$179.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup
$199.95 Monthly
+
$50.00 Setup

* Contact a U S WEST Customer Support Representative for exact pricing.

Be sure to check out our special deals to learn about additional offers and savings.

How to Order

  • How do I order this service? You can order the service online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using our ordernow* system or you can place your order via telephone through a Customer Support Representative.

    *Note: Only Internet Access Analog Dial and OfficeWorks Analog Dial are available through the ordernow system at this time. Other U S WEST.net products should be ordered through a Customer Support Representative.

  • How long does it take to get the service? Once you call your Customer Support representative, you will receive a CD-ROM, installation instructions, and an Internet tutorial within seven business days. Once you insert the CD-ROM, you will have access to the Internet within minutes.

Service Features

E-mail

  • What e-mail services or protocols does U S WEST.net support? We support POP3 and SMTP. We DO NOT currently support IMAP4.

  • Can I retrieve my e-mail from any Internet terminal from anywhere? Yes - As long as you have a POP3 e-mail client. You have to retrieve your e-mail by knowing the proper e-mail server address and your user name and password. Once you have retrieved your e-mail you can then send e-mail to any Internet address.

  • Does U S WEST.net support vanity or virtual e-mail addresses, i.e., jdoe@mycompany.com? Yes, with OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN only and you must have a registered domain name.

  • Does U S WEST.net support e-mail alias accounts, i.e., forwarding multiple e-mail addresses with different names to the same e-mail account. No - not currently.

  • Can I get more than 2 e-mail boxes with Internet Access or more than 5 e-mail boxes with OfficeWorks? Beginning in July, 1998 U S WEST.net began offering incremental e-mail boxes to all customers. Normal '@uswest.net' accounts cost $3.95 per month plus a one-time setup fee of $10.00. Vanity or virtual e-mail account for OfficeWorks and OfficeWorks LAN customers cost $5.95 per month plus a one-time setup fee of $10.00.

Web Hosting

  • How much Web hosting storage space do I get with U S WEST.net? You get 2 MB of Web storage with Internet Access and 5 MB with OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN.

  • Does U S WEST.net support CGI Scripts, Pearl Scripts or other backend programming on U S WEST.net Web hosting servers? Not currently - mainly due to the significant security issues these items present.

  • Can I get more than 5 MB of Web hosting space with U S WEST.net? Not currently. If you require more space we recommend you check out our business class Web Hosting services.

  • How do I get my Web page uploaded onto U S WEST.net's Web hosting servers? Once you are a U S WEST.net subscriber, we provide in depth directions on how to upload your Web site using the publish feature found in most Web page (HTML) editors.

IP Addresses

  • Do I get a dynamically assigned IP address or a statically assigned IP address with U S WEST.net? With all transports and the three different products you will always get a globally unique, dynamically assigned IP address. We recommend using Network Address Translation whenever possible to preserve IP addresses as well as provide security at the subscriber end.

  • Can I get a statically assigned IP address with U S WEST.net? Yes - With OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN over ISDN or RADSL you can lease a single block of 8 static IP addresses. Depending upon the equipment you are using (routing vs. bridging) you will have 5 (bridging) or 6 (routing) user assignable addresses.

  • How much does this block of static addresses cost and how do I get them? Once you are an active OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN subscriber, you can provision a block of 8 addresses through the U S WEST.net Web site. The price is $14.95 per month plus a one-time setup fee of $25.00 when you provision them.

Roaming

  • Does U S WEST.net provide a roaming capability? Yes - U S WEST.net now offers two types of roaming capabilities. Basic roaming can be used when you are traveling within the U S WEST 14 state region and are in a city where U S WEST.net is offered. You can make a local call and connect to the U S WEST.net platform. WorldWide roaming allows you to dial a local number when you are traveling outside of U S WEST.net territory. WorldWide roaming is available for an additional fee.

Transport and Platforms

Analog Dial

  • Which 56 kbps protocol does U S WEST.net support? Currently we support the K56flex standard. We DO NOT support the x2 standard from U S Robotics/3Com.

  • Will I always connect at 56 kbps to the U S WEST.net platform? No. Analog modem speed varies due to your phone line quality, interference on your phone line, distance from your Central Office, number of analog to digital conversions, and various other factors. For instance, if you have very old wiring in your home you may only connect at 33.6 kbps or below.

  • What is the maximum connect speed if I have an x2 modem? Customers that have an x2 modem will typically connect to the U S WEST.net platform at speeds ranging from 26.4 kbps to 33.6 kbps.

  • Will U S WEST.net support the new ITU V.90 standard for 56 kbps modems? Yes - We will be upgrading the U S WEST.net platforms to the V.90 standard as soon as it is "officially" released and supported.

ISDN

  • How can I find out if I qualify for ISDN service? You can see if you qualify for ISDN service by talking with a Customer Support Representative in the U S WEST Home Office at 1-800-898-WORK.

  • Can I use an analog modem with my U S WEST.net ISDN account? Yes - This works especially well if you are traveling and want to call back to your local platform to retrieve e-mail.

  • Does U S WEST.net support Always On Dynamic ISDN (AODI)? No - Not currently. We are testing this capability.

  • What do I get if I order the OnePak Classic? You'll get the following:
    • Internet Access from U S WEST.net
    • ISDN Single Line Service from U S WEST
    • 3Com Impact IQ ISDN Terminal Adapter/Modem
    Our detailed Service Plans and Pricing information will give you more information about our ISDN products.

  • Which products support ISDN Terminal Adapters or Modems, and which ones support ISDN Routers? You can use an ISDN Terminal Adapter or Modem with all three products - Internet Access, Office and OfficeWorks LAN. You can only use OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN with an ISDN Router, and your default configuration must be using Network Address Translation (NAT). If after setting up the account with an ISDN Router, you need Static IP Addresses and a routing profile configured, you can lease a block of 8 addresses through the U S WEST.net Web site.

DSL MegaBit Services

  • How can I find out if I qualify for the new MegaBit Service? You can see if you qualify for DSL MegaBit Service by talking with a Customer Support Representative at 1-888-MEGA-USW.

  • Do I get an Analog Dial account bundled with my U S WEST.net RADSL account? No - Not currently. The cost of providing an analog dial account and a RADSL account together would change the current pricing structure for U S WEST.net over MegaBit Services. U S WEST.net is currently looking at providing a dial account with a RADSL account for an additional fee.

  • If I qualify for MegaOffice speed at 512 kbps, am I guaranteed that speed or bandwidth? No. Your actual speed or bandwidth will vary for a number of reasons:
    1. RADSL, stands for Rate Adaptive, and is just that - based on the amount of noise or interference on your line you may see a slower data rate.
    2. MegaBit Services aggregates all MegaSubscribers onto one connection called a MegaCentral and hands them off to the U S WEST.net platform (POP). This MegaCentral will be oversubscribed, meaning we will have lots of users sharing that connection.
    3. The dual backbone connections from the U S WEST.net platform to the Internet may also be oversubscribed.
    4. The Internet is inherently slow - 100 kbps to 300 kbps data rates are the norm for dedicated connections.
    5. Servers connected to the Internet that you are retrieving information from may be slow due to many hits or a high traffic load.

  • What equipment do I get with the MegaBit Service? When you order U S WEST.net Internet access over MegaBit Services you will receive a NetSpeed SpeedRunner 202/204 external DSL modem and a 10/100BaseT 3Com Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) (if you need one).

  • Does the NetSpeed SpeedRunner 202/204 support multiple PCs? Yes - The SpeedRunner device has a 10/100BaseT Ethernet LAN port that can be connected to an Ethernet hub and shared among multiple PCs, or connected directly to one PC.

  • If I have a LAN connected to the SpeedRunner 202/204, will each PC on the LAN get an IP address? Yes - Each PC's TCP/IP stack will need to be configured to get an IP address automatically or dynamically from the U S WEST.net platform. Each PC, when turned on, will send out a DHCP request for an IP address and be dynamically assigned one for Internet connectivity.

  • Does U S WEST.net support the SpeedRunner PCI card? No - Not currently. We plan on supporting this internal PCI-based RADSL card in the future.

  • What do I get if I order the MegaPak? You'll get the following:
    • Internet Access from U S WEST.net
    • MegaLine transport at 256 kbps from MegaBit Services
    • External DSL Modem (SpeedRunner 204) and a 3Com Network Interface Card (NIC)
    • Complete hardware and software installation and configuration from PC Partner
    Our detailed Service Plans and Pricing information will give you more information about our DSL products.

  • What do I get if I order the MegaPak Office? You'll get the following:
    • OfficeWorks from U S WEST.net
    • MegaOffice transport at 512 kbps from MegaBit Services
    • External DSL Modem (SpeedRunner 204) and a 3Com Network Interface Card (NIC)
    • Complete hardware and software installation and configuration from PC Partner
    Our detailed Service Plans and Pricing information will give you more information about our DSL products.

Platforms (POPs)

  • What makes U S WEST.net more reliable than some other Internet Service Providers? We engineer our platforms with the most reliable servers, software and network equipment available. We also provide dual backbone connections to the Internet from each platform for redundancy.

  • Will I get less busy signals when connecting to a U S WEST.net platform? Typically yes. We provide a lower user to modem ratio than some of the larger Internet Server Providers.

Domain Name Services (DNS)

  • Can I register a new domain name with the U S WEST.net service? Yes - We have provided the capability within the U S WEST.net Web site to register a new domain name with the InterNIC. You must be an OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN customer and you will be billed separately by the InterNIC.

  • Can I move my domain name from another ISP to U S WEST.net? Yes - We have provided the capability within the U S WEST.net Web site to move your previously registered domain name from another ISP to U S WEST.net. You must be an OfficeWorks or OfficeWorks LAN customer.

  • If I have a registered domain name and I have leased Static IP Addresses, will U S WEST.net provide forward and reverse DNS? Yes - We have provided the capability within the U S WEST.net Web site to assign a domain name to a static IP address. Note - We provide DNS for only one domain name.

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