How fast is FastWeb?

This morning a tecnico (technician) for FastWeb called me and said that he'd been trying to call me for days. I told him that it's highly impossible since my cell phone is always on and I didn't see any missed calls. He told me that he had some time today to install the kit, which consists of the modem and wireless phone, so we set a time for us to meet at the apartment.

As has been the case lately, everyone seems to be on time. He told me that he'd come at 4:30PM, but arrived before 4:15PM. Luckily, I arrived early to turn on the air conditioner in the apartment and to put my name on the campanello (doorbell) outside.

I have learned my lesson with people arriving early because just the other day a tecnico came at 8:15AM to fix the lavapiatti (dishwasher). He wasn't supposed to arrive until after 8:30AM, so when he came, I had to greet him in my pajamas. And then the next day an idraulico (plumber) came to fix a leak in the caldaia (hot water heater) at 8:45AM instead of 9AM. But, that time I was prepared: I was dressed by 8:30AM and already working on my computer.

I talked to the tecnico today while he was setting up the modem about the velocità (speed) of my Internet connection. He said that it would probably be about 2MB, which is 1/3 of the speed I have now. When I talked to the Telecom Italia guy last week, he said that it was FastWeb's fault that my connection isn't faster. But, the FastWeb guy said that it's their fault because their impianti (installations) are almost 40 years old.

He told me that because I have three months of free Internet as a offerta speciale (special offer), he said that I could cancel my contract with FastWeb and try Telecom Italia afterwards.

As I contemplated my low Internet speed, I wondered if it would be worth it to cancel and try Telecom Italia. I keep getting conflicting reports between the two, so I might have to find someone who uses Alice, the Internet program at Telecom Italia, to find out what the speed difference really is.

He then asked me if I wanted to transfer my existing phone number and I had to explain that my current FastWeb account isn't mine, and that I need a new number. Because his cell phone battery ran out, he had to use mine. Seeing as that it was 5PM, he had to call a few numbers before finally finding someone who could give me a new number and assign it to my new phone line.

The new telephone number worked immediately, but now I have to drag my PowerBook to the new apartment to make sure the modem works properly and to check the Internet speed. The guy told me to install something from a CD onto my computer, but I'm pretty sure that my computer doesn't need it since I already have FastWeb here at my existing apartment and didn't install anything. And in this heat, I'm not too thrilled about fighting my way through the crowds with my computer in tow.

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