 
CO_Chris
Premium
join:2001-08-28
Broomfield, CO | Hmmmmmmmmm they are nuts 17.95 for 56K WTF are they Thinking?? And they call that DSL what a joke | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: Hmmmmmmmmm they are nuts I changed it to avoid confusion. | |
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CO_Chris
Premium
join:2001-08-28
Broomfield, CO | Oh Ok i read it fast sorry..For people on AOl this might get them to change them | |
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| MASantangelo
Premium
join:2004-07-19
Pittstown, NJ
| I'd take it solely for the always on status.
I hated 56k, disconnects ever 24 hours to get a new IP from the Dial-Up server.
Plus it works decent for those using a router since it'll be simple to network their PC's now (as opposed to ICS or something else, maybe a 56k router [do those even exist?]). Granted that'll be slow but hey, it's a good way to introduce people to digital connections.
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Don't Let Them Take Your Rights! | |
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| lonewolf1061
join:2004-06-13
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| For 17.95 a month they are nuts. I have their DSL lite sevice bundled with their answers plan and I am paying 23.95 a month. I had MSN dial up and paid 21.95 on a 3 year contact (thank God it's done) with lousy connections, slow speed, typical of dial up. I am paying only $2 more a month and have line speeds of 210/108 25kbs and very stable connections. It may not be as fast as their regular or extreme service, but compared to dial up, it blows it out of the water. Why would anyone want to pay 17.95 a month for a dedicated dial up line? You really don't gain anything. I guess if you create a market for something, someone will buy it. | |
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| blubberbutt
join:2003-11-20
Mize, MS
| I say they (Bell) quit monkeying around with new tiers of service (whether it be slower or faster) & actually upgrade all of their remote terminals so that ALL of their customers can actually have the option of DSL (despite which flavor that it may be)!!! | |
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jaa
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Vonage
| Dial-up alternative Looks like an offering that has a market.
Modem (56k) speed, but is always on and does not use your phone line.
The alternative is a comparably priced dial-up ISP and a phone line.
For the low-end, extremely price-conscious market that won't move off dial-up, this could do it.
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NOTHING justifies terrorism. We don't negotiate with terrorists. Those that support terrorists are terrorists. | |
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ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| There is a market for this. Imagine the headaches of analog dialup. First, the maximum you are going to get is around 53-Kbps provided you have a nice hardware modem and clean phone line. I doublt many are getting this, especially on average.
Now, imagine a 56-64 Kbps digital solution much like an ISDN line with the SLA, AND the ability to try much higher speeds from time to time.
Its like selling cigarettes to kids, and crack to ... crack addicts. And yes, broadband IS addictive and I am a broadband addict.  Its a means to get rid of analog, and a means to encourage market growth in full broadband. | |
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Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium,VIP
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL
clubs:
 ·Embarq
| Re: There is a market for this. I've been supporting something like this for quite some time. A low-cost, low-speed, internet connection via DSL or cable technology to offer those who only use the internet a little but still don't want to tie up their phone lines. I hope these trials prove fruitful.
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"Affluence separates people. Poverty knits 'em together. You got some sugar and I don't; I borrow some of yours. Next month you might not have any flour; well, I'll give you some of mine." - Ray Charleshttp://www.cafepress.com/maxolasersquad | |
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| ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| Can you imagine if Ford did this with the Focus. Let's say it has a supercharger, but you could only use it three times before it quit working unless you went to a Ford service department and paid $300 for another three uses?
I'm just surprised it took this industry so long to apply that kind of marketing by addiction. And whatever mechanism they are using, it would be equally interesting to apply it to DSL Ultra with enticements into Extreme. | |
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| | achuchma
join:2001-04-11
Tampa, FL
| Re: There is a market for this. said by ParanoiaInc  :
Can you imagine if Ford did this with the Focus. Let's say it has a supercharger, but you could only use it three times before it quit working unless you went to a Ford service department and paid $300 for another three uses?
Isn't that what happens now anyway? 
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Playing the Tuba isn't an art, it's an adventure! http://www.lakesidepride.org | |
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MadDog3057
Ex Astris, Scientia
Premium
join:2002-02-26
Miami, FL
| Sounds familiar... This reminds me of the days of winfire. They used to have a button on their toolbar called BOD (Bandwidth on Demand) and you would purchase it in chunks and it would up your speed to 1.5 Mbps for the time you had purchased.
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"The only thing that’s worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
| For those who can't afford "Real DSL".. This is a great alternative choice at an affordable price. Sure, they get "dialup speeds", but they are 1) giving up a free line and 2) have a constant connection to the Internet. Not to mention that they get "boosts" when they need it (ie. download a large file, etc).
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It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways. | |
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DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey | 56k is a bit too slow` Granted this is marketed at the non power users. But i think a more realistic speed would be 128k down, 56k up
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Go back to HS, just start a political discussion. It will be just like you were a kid! | |
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| ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| Re: 56k is a bit too slow` This would probably interfer with DSL Lite, no? And this is why I think its not meant necessarily as a slower DSL offering, but as a migration of analog to digital with similar performance, and the ability to instant-upgrade to the existing three tiers of service currently offered. | |
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technick
Premium
join:2000-12-16
Loganville, GA
| Milking... I don't know if I am the only person that see's it this way, but to me, it seems like they are just milking a dead horse. Why are we coming out with slower speed packages when we should be moving up and lowering the price of the current packages to that price. I think if the telco's and bells invested as much time as expanded as they do in milking the dead horse, we would all have faster access instead of slow 3 meg connections  | |
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| ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| Re: Milking... Maybe because costs for increase speed return a much smaller margin than migrating analog (dialup) users over to digital (near-broadband) users. How about the idea is to grow & market non-DSL users to getting faster DSL once migrated?
Personally, I would love to see the end of analog in telecommuications. | |
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| wuduck
join:2004-05-19
Decatur, TN | You're calling a 3Mb connection slow?
What would you call fast?
How many web sites/hosting companies are set up to send data to you at 3Mb, and can afford to send it to you that fast.
Microsoft is probably one of the few. | |
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JPCass
join:2001-01-23
Denver, CO
| Why just a "boost"? My guess is that most dialup users don't use that much total bandwidth, anyway - I can't imagine that someone with 56k would likely download even as much as 1 mByte per month. Why not just have a tier of speed around 1 mbs, and cap it at 1 Mbit total per month with a surcharge for more? Is it somehow easier to do the tracking and billing for the "boosts"? | |
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| attsbcisgay
join:2003-03-18
Beverly Hills, CA | Re: Why just a "boost"? Why not just lower their prices for lite to 14.95-19.95...
ultra = 24.95-29.95
extreme= 34.95-39.95?
Just a 10 dollar difference can really make everyeone happier!!! | |
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| | JPCass
join:2001-01-23
Denver, CO
| Re: Why just a "boost"? said by attsbcisgay :
Why not just lower their prices
Well, knocking $5 or $10 off the price of each tier does reduce their revenue a lot! Competition and efficiency will ultimately result in some downward price pressure, though.
I think it does make sense to have an introductory tier for dial-up users who need a bit more, but not a lot. Also, this presumably applies to those using dial-up on their voice line - and who really can't be using that much bandwidth - as anyone who has a dedicated dial-up line can already save some money switching to a DSL solution that allows them to stop paying for an extra line.
Presumably the providers are hoping that some dial-up users will ultimately come want, and use, quite a bit more bandwidth. So it would seem like a better lead-in to higher service tiers, to offer a low bandwidth cap with a surcharge, than an cumbersome "boost" system. So I'd ask again, are there compelling technical or marketing reasons for the "boost" approach over just a very low introductory tier? | |
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| | | attsbcisgay
join:2003-03-18
Beverly Hills, CA
| Re: Why just a "boost"? i'd would stick with dialup if its about the same speed plus cost twice as much still so this ain't going to work... maybe a few user who is fooled by their marketing but the rest of us know better what is broadband and what isn't. | |
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Gramalkin
join:2004-03-22
Augusta, GA
| DSL They are lowering the price of the Ultra Package to 42.95 a month from the 49.95 package. I think that was effective today. They also have a new promotional offer of 15 bucks off a month for the first six months. Never liked the intro programs though, by the time the six months is up I have gotten used to the price and sometimes wonder where the sudden jump comes from. | |
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| bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus | Re: DSL Their website doesn't show the price drop on the Ultra package yet... It would be cool if the price is dropping...
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Victory Not Vengeance
Viva La Fee' Verte! | |
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| TercelChick
join:2002-08-13
| said by Gramalkin :
They are lowering the price of the Ultra Package to 42.95 a month from the 49.95 package.
That's only in Georgia | |
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wuduck
join:2004-05-19
Decatur, TN | sounds great to me As a tech in a semi-rural area. I meet lots of people who just don't use the net enough to warrant paying full price for DSL, or Cable. But they don't like their dial-up connection.
This would be a great alternative. | |
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MTC_Wes
join:2004-04-22
Fergus, ON
| Re: sounds great to me This sounds like a good idea, migrate all the existing Dialup users from slow dial up to ultra Lite 56K... this would make windows updates more transparent.. but I see a problem.
What about the Tariffs that the ILECS's charge the DSL reseller, their alot more than $18/mth.. so basically unless things change only the telephone company is going to be able to offer this service. | |
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calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| Typical Bellhead marketing.... This sounds like typical, HUA Bellhead marketing schemes.
Here's why I think this:
Bell companies often deliberately degrade their capabilities for no good reason other than to excuse charging more for the "more advanced" (i.e., undegraded) product. Here, it looks like they will go to all of the trouble to install DSL (probably actually paying MORE for the ability to throttle the connection most of the time) yet deliberately degrade it and charge less, just to support the price of a different tier. In a truly competitive market, they'd be offering all they could at the appropriate price in order to gain whatever market share they could.
A similar HUA pricing strategy accompanied the introduction of Touch-Tone (SM) by the Bell System. Although there was no incremental cost to tone dialing following its inclusion as a standard feature upon switch replacement, most Bells continued to charge for this "new" feature. The separate price structure ended in many places when regulators started realizing that by taking longer, rotary/pulse dialing actually cost the phone company more (albeit it a VERY small amount more) than tone.
The ability to artificially institute pricing tiers by artificially restricting output is one indication of the existence of a monopoly or duopoly.
Calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
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| Gramalkin
join:2004-03-22
Augusta, GA
| Re: Typical Bellhead marketing.... In another vein you could like at this as a way for the bells to get broadband into these houses where it is not cost effective for some to pay upwards of fifty bucks a month, not to mention give the bell a large broadband footprint when and if they roll out Voice over IP to those same masses that have the pre-existing broadband in the home at low prices. | |
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| | jojodancer
join:2003-07-22
Burlington, VT
| Re: Typical Bellhead marketing.... I read all the posts and many seem to say that DSL and Cable are digital connections. As far as I am aware the only digital conenction is from the modem to your PC or Router NIC.
After that it's all analog until it hits the CO, at least for DSL.
Am I Wrong? | |
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| | | JimmySask
join:2004-06-24
Regina, SK | Re: Typical Bellhead marketing.... I'm not an expert, but I think you are wrong. Otherwise, how is it that they can offer DSL TV, in all digital signal? | |
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kfsutops
Premium
join:2002-08-19
Brandon, FL
clubs:  | I think this is complete crap. It doesn't matter to the people that don't qualify for their service now.
The problem with the Bells is a lot of people just don't qualify... | |
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BellSouth's 'Tinkerbell'
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