What exaclty IS the central office?

[sirix]

I have ordered DSL from DSL inc. (http://www.dsl.ca) and I live in a pretty small town (30,000 peeps). Where would this central office be? Is it really an office or is that just a term?
On the street off of mine there is a hugh upright box that many times i have seen Bell operating on. Inside it looks like it connects all of the phonelines together. Would this be some sort of CO? Is this a good thing to be close to one of these boxes or are they regular and all over the place

thanks

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If anyone has any spare 10Tlan cards around i'd pay shipping? :)

[glc1]

Originally posted by sirix:
Where would this central office be? You will have to ask your phone co.

A CO is a building owned by your phone co. that houses the local switching equipment.

[sirix]

so what then are those big boxes?
lol tough to explain i guess

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If anyone has any spare 10Tlan cards around i'd pay shipping? :)

[JL Sparks]

hi sirix.

Check out http://www.dslreports.com/prequal/distance for a fairly accurate report on how far you are from your CO. The distance from you to the CO will partially determine the quality of your connection, and the types and speed packages of DSL that will be available to you.

Hope that helps!

[glc1]

Originally posted by sirix:
so what then are those big boxes?
What big boxes?

[Kip Patterson]

Those big boxes:

In a central office today, the first thing that happens to your phone calls is that they get converted to a 64kbit digital channel. That data stream is then connected via the phone comany network to a digital to analog converter at the destination, which converts it back to the standard telephone analog signals.

Those big boxes hold cards that do the remote A-D-A conversion. From those boxes the connections go to the central office via some kind of digital circuit, ranging from a T-1 in the very smallest to an OC-3 or OC-12.

Whether at the CO or at the remote box DSL requires the use of a different kind of card. It's called a DSLAM when it is in a CO, and a DLC (I think) when it is remotely located.

[@home cable man]

CO is the central office not the big boxes
in the dsl world there has to be a modem at both ends the co is a building not a box .the building has the switches is it. in the switch they put a modem card in your phone slot and poof your dsl is ready ..you have to be around 12000 feet from a co for them to put in dsl but i have been told they have installed it farther out but with no guantaree..

[spaceman]

The CENTRAL OFFICE is where you are taken to be interagated for asking questions about the
"big boxes" !!!

Don't let them catch you. http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

spaceman

[glc1]

Most telcos and CLECs will go far beyond 12,000ft now.

[sirix]

lol spaceman!
so i guess theres no advantage to being closer to the box huh? theyre all over the pace im assuming.
also i cant check my distance to the CO because im canadian. damn you americans and your taking over the internet!

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If anyone has any spare 10Tlan cards around i'd pay shipping? :)

[Kip Patterson]

We invented it. We invented the loony, too.

Sincerely,

Al Gore