Xbox 360, multiple issues

I am currently having two major issues with Mass Effect 3.

The first is that I cannot connect to the EA servers, thus making much of the game impossible to access. I haven't even started a game at all. I have tried multiple solutions I found on the internet, including plugging the console directly into the router. No matter what I do, it always says "The mass effect 3 servers are currently unavailable at this time. Please try again later." This has gone on for days.

The second is that my game is incapable of getting past "Checking downloadable content". The solution of disconnecting myself from the internet, going in and changing a certain automatic checking of DLC option doesn't work because... the option isn't there. Seemingly, changing the options and signing into my gamertag works, but if I try to start the game without doing it it gets stuck again. The only two options I see are the one that automatically connects to the EA servers and the one that uploads game data to EA.

This is making it very difficult to do anything and making me much less likely to reccommend this game, or for that matter any EA product in the future, nevermind the fact that I was so ecstatic to purchase another online pass after learning only one account per console can have it.. I had no such problems with Mass Effect 2.