Is self-installation stalling?

Self-install has been touted as the savior of broadband growth. Instead of service providers sending a truck to a subscriber's address, the customer picks up a CD, installs the software, and voila - instant broadband.

By Drew Robb
Network World, 02/12/01

"We maintain an 82% rate for self-installation," says Brett Kindness, general manager of Time Warner Cable's Green Bay Division.

While self-install is undoubtedly easing the strain, it is something of a misnomer. Far from eliminating truck rolls, a technician still has to be present to handle wiring. In many cases, troubleshooting turns out to be needed, even for the computer literate.

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"It's hard for even geeky PC users to know how to set up broadband," says Justin Beech, CEO of DSLReports.com. He lists an array of possible glitches: incorrect DNS server data, Universal Serial Bus driver problems, faulty filters or splitters, bad pairs, lack of RAM, too slow a PC, lines not ready, synch difficulties, CD install hassles and no DSL access multiplexer nearby, to name a few.

The self-install proved easy at Trade Press Services until it came to interfacing the hardware and software. "Verizon technicians seemed to have virtually no knowledge regarding the configuring of Ethernet IP addresses for DSL when a server is involved," says Hal Knilans, CTO of TPS, an editorial consulting firm in Thousands Oaks, Calif. Several truck rolls followed before resolution.

But if IT managers can usually fumble through and achieve success, the average consumer faces a rough ride. Only 10% to 15% are willing to perform self-installation. "Consumers don't want self-install," says Michael Goodman, a senior analyst with The Yankee Group. "They'd rather have a technician come in and take care of everything."

Disappointing quarterly numbers indicate that DSL is beginning to run out of early adopters for self-install. Figures from investment bank Robertson Stephens show DSL quarterly subscription growth slowing from 60% to 37%.

Self-install specialist Qwest had 39,000 new subscribers in the second quarter last year, dropping to 38,000 and 37,000 in succeeding quarters. That rate of drop off is a sign that early adopters are in short supply.

However, Murray Smith, Qwest's vice president of DSL development, notes that actual subscription totals in fourth quarter were 42,000. He says the company has "mom-proofed" self installation through a combination of color coding and ease-of-use features, as well as a toll-free support line that walks people through DSL installation.

Even if self-install gets over the early-adopter hump, it's

likely that more and more troubleshooting will be required. DSL Reports' Beech says there are some cases of consumers ordering DSL who didn't even have a PC.

"There are some installation elements that still require a technician, so the first truck roll may be here to stay," says Jim Crow, CTO of BroadJump.

But that may not be such a bad thing. More people working in technology and telecommunications is good for everybody, says Matt Feshbach, CEO of FatPipeU in Irvine, Calif.