AT&T CEO: Force Bundling DSL/Landline Is So LameForce bundling DSL/wireless is where it's at.... ( old news - 10:54AM Thursday Sep 13 2007) tags: dsl · business · Op/Ed · telco · consumers · AT&T MidwestOver the years, we've seen plenty of opinions from the telcos (and their employees posting to our forums) as to why they couldn't provide DSL and local service independently. Some, if you remember, claimed it was illegal to do so. Others spent considerable energy claiming it was technically impossible. Some execs insisted existing lines would oxidize and the network would fail should dry loop DSL be offered. As phone industry denials continued, complaints increased about DSL customers having their broadband service disconnected if they tried to move their local phone service to another provider. Then, in 2004, Qwest began offering naked DSL. And guess what? The world didn't end. Nobody was arrested. And last we checked, Qwest's lines are doing just fine. Yet, AT&T and Verizon still refused to offer it. There was still good money to be made in forcing customers to buy dubious fee-packed landline service if they wanted broadband. Now, apparently, the landline losses have gotten so bad that even these slow-moving giants feel it's time to adapt. They've waited so long, many of their college-age customers have never even used a copper landline. So, many years later, it's nice to see AT&T's new CEO Randall Stephenson jump on board, telling USAToday this week that sales "have jumped" now that the company has started offering 1.5Mbps dry loop DSL & 450 wireless minutes for $60 in seven markets as a trial run. People like it.  (Force bundling landline & DSL) is an old mind-set. We need to get over it. -AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson |
"We're freeing our broadband customers from having to buy an access line (regular phone service)," says new AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, who insists AT&T will "blow this out over our entire footprint." According to Stephenson, forced bundling "is an old mind-set. We need to get over it."So, uh, not to be a party pooper since we are making progress, but aren't you now essentially forcing customers to bundle wireless service? If AT&T really believes that it's time to shake off the old "telco think," they should soon start offering all of their speed tiers without forcing you to bundle local service or wireless -- right?
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bjl
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Newport Beach, CA | right . | |
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Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA
| Re: right So AT&T thinks $60 a month is a deal for 1.5mbit and crappy 450min wireless?
For a combined $62 a month I get:
5mbit cable modem service from Charter ($32/month)
500minutes, unlimited txts/data/pics, 7pm n&w, Sprint SERO ($30/month)
Keep trying Mr Deathstar! | |
| | | 
Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
 ·Site5.com
 ·AT&T Midwest
 ·Comcast
| Re: right said by Jerm  :So AT&T thinks $60 a month is a deal for 1.5mbit and crappy 450min wireless? For a combined $62 a month I get: 5mbit cable modem service from Charter ($32/month) 500minutes, unlimited txts/data/pics, 7pm n&w, Sprint SERO ($30/month) Keep trying Mr Deathstar! Lets compare apples to apples here. Your cable modem service price would go up if you didn't have basic cable through Charter. Either that or you wouldn't be able to get it at all. | |
| | | | fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| Re: right And, at least he was honest to admit he has a SERO account with Sprint which not everyone can get. Yea, he's comparing both ends of the spectrum.
I'm just shocked that someone would go to far as say that the $60 price tag is horrible when its not actually that bad.
The only thing I wish that AT&T would do is what Qwest does and stop playing games with the DSL.. why limit the service to only their 1.5 service?? Why not make anything available. All Qwest does is charges $5 more for the service. Additionally, Qwest won't wheel and deal on the stand-alone DSL service which I'm fine with too.
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"Complaining is the least path of resistance for the self-serving, the lazy, and I’m told it’s a woman’s prerogative..." | |
| | | | alisowski
join:2007-06-07
Muskego, WI
| said by Nightfall :said by Jerm :So AT&T thinks $60 a month is a deal for 1.5mbit and crappy 450min wireless? For a combined $62 a month I get: 5mbit cable modem service from Charter ($32/month) 500minutes, unlimited txts/data/pics, 7pm n&w, Sprint SERO ($30/month) Keep trying Mr Deathstar! Lets compare apples to apples here. Your cable modem service price would go up if you didn't have basic cable through Charter. Either that or you wouldn't be able to get it at all. Not necessarily. I get (It's a one year special, but still) a 15 megabit connection for time warner for $39.95 a month (Free installation and all mind you) and I do not have Basic cable or any type of Phone service with them. Compare that to the fact that I gave AT&T a try just for kicks thinking it would save me some money and I was paying $33.99 for a 3 megabit line and a basic land line phone service that I did not want. Installation was $50. My equipment arrived late. The service worked for 3 days out of an entire month. They told me it was probably the lines in the apartment I lived in and estimated the cost to me at $350.....but the landlord would probably pay me back. Furthermore, they refused to prorate my bill, claiming that they provided service to the apartment but the internal lines did not work and that isn't their fault. Why would I go through all that hassle to save a whopping $6 and get a vastly inferior product? | |
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Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA
| This *is* comparing "apples to apples". I don't have CATV. Never have. (use DTV, a whole 'nuther story)
And SERO - well anyone can get it if they know what they are doing.
People these days just don't know how to find a good deal. With Charter I simply told them Verizon DSL was $29 a month and they'd have to match to keep me as a customer.
With Sprint Sero, well fatwallet is your friend. I take advantage of deals anyone can find if they know where to look, just most people don't take the time. | |
| | | | | glparker4
join:2002-11-02
Richmond, BC
·Shaw
| Re: right said by Jerm :This *is* comparing "apples to apples". I don't have CATV. Never have. (use DTV, a whole 'nuther story) And SERO - well anyone can get it if they know what they are doing. Sure, there are ways to get SERO. You can also get other freebies from Sprint such as unlimited text and data usage if you can and harass the customer service reps enough. But that is not the quoted retail price of the package available to the general public.
My neighbor pays $60/month for Comcast internet without Cable TV. Comcast "forgot" to install a filter on his line so he receives basic cable for free. This does not mean that anyone can get cable & internet for $60 "if they know what they are doing."
I know that when I called Comcast to downgrade my package, they gave me 6 months of HBO for free as a way to keep me from downgrading. After the 6 months, they forgot to turn off HBO or start billing me for it. However, this is not the norm and not a fair comparison. | |
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Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA
| Re: right My SERO plan came with all the "freebies" you mentioned, I didn't have to bug Sprint one bit.
www.sprint.com/sero - just use savings@sprintemi.com for the email to "shop now"
Again, "not available to general public" is just a myth. If you are a deal seeker, there are deals to be had.
Just like the $10 AT&T DSL package that's unadvertised, just because it's not posted on every street corner doesn't mean it's not a deal.
$60/month for the services described in my opinion is a do-able deal, but as I pointed out a real deal seeker can do better - much better - and it proves AT&T really isn't doing any favors here. Now throw in 3mbit DSL & data on that phone and perhaps its more tempting, but still not what I have. | |
| 
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Force? Does this mean AT&T will terminate your DSL service if you cancel your AT&T wireless service?
If that isn't the case, then AT&T should be applauded for some forward thinking. Landlines are not as popular as they used to be, and they are no longer the cash cow that the telegraph company could always count on. Giving people incentives to bundle wireless and DSL and receive a discount on both in the process will ultimately benefit consumers.
--
Only SHATNER is Kirk. | |
| | 
Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
| Re: Force? said by pnh102 :Does this mean AT&T will terminate your DSL service if you cancel your AT&T wireless service? If that isn't the case, then AT&T should be applauded for some forward thinking. Landlines are not as popular as they used to be, and they are no longer the cash cow that the telegraph company could always count on. Giving people incentives to bundle wireless and DSL and receive a discount on both in the process will ultimately benefit consumers. They may not allow you to cancel your AT&T wireless service without canceling your DSL service. | |
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jamez818
please hold during the silence
join:2000-09-18
Sunland, CA | Re: Force? Most wireless plans are for a year or two so i guess the DSL would also be under those terms. | |
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Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY | They will double your DSL bill | |
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S_engineer
join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL
·Comcast
| Re: Force? Give me a break!
AT&t is fooling no one when they attempt to come across as a "friendlier carrier" as they trying here. Stephenson is full of shit, you know it and I know it!
At&t will tack on surcharges, recovery fees, etc., etc., to make up for perceived missed landline revenue. The network as a whole will survive...always could, always will!
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Burn a tire, but make sure you buy that carbon offset! | |
| | | viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| Re: Provisioning No tech dispatch is necessary for stand-alone DSL. You just don't have a dial tone, or the -48v dc battery. The DSL signal is in the millivolt range, so you may not know it's there, but your modem does. Just plug it in (no filters!) and it will sync up. | |
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jamez818
please hold during the silence
join:2000-09-18
Sunland, CA | Re: Provisioning Maybe they should give you a temp number just until you get your service established. Something like a 555-1212 number and then disconnect it. Just a thought. | |
| | | bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Here | AT&T is not doing it that way. You get a dialtone. It just can't dial out.
ADSL without a circuit ID or sealing current is an invitation to problems down the line | |
| | | | | | | rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| Re: Actually... That would mean they give a shit about customer service. Years ago when I had SBC, they disconnected my line by accident. You would think they would fix it right away. Nope. Took a couple days before I had dial tone.
Call me cynical but I see self serving reason for the recording.
They probably play the recording to eliminate liability from a party that doesn't know it's only a data line. Otherwise they might try dialing 911 and sue the phone company for not completing the call. It's a lawyer's dream case. Little Mary dies because the baby sitter said she heard a dial tone and kept trying and trying to dial 911 but nothing happened. Unlike the typical hard-to-believe consumer story "I hit the break but the car accelerated through the garage", the lawyer doesn't need to prove anything. It's a data only line and it doesn't dial.
Now he goes to work and says, "With all of their billions in profit, had they spent a few thousand to put a recording on the line, Mary would be with us today." As if rehearsed, Mom sobs even louder as Dad helps her out of the courtroom.
Of course if it really won't complete a 911 call (probably does, right?), if they give a dial tone, they probably should let it complete an emergency call or even allow someone to dial 0 and get an operator. | |
| | | | | rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT
| Re: Actually... You may not realize it but you can dial 911 on any line, with dialtone or not. As long as the wire is still hooked up to the system the 911 rules require that the carrier pass the signal to the 911 call center, the same is true of cell phones, even ones that are disconnected. Dialtone isn't required in the days of digital switches, it's mainly there for historical reasons, that and so the telco can charge you for it. | |
| | | | | | rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO | Re: Actually... So these "dry DSL" lines can dial 911? | |
| | | | | | | viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25 | Re: Actually... Not with Qwest. They only connect the cable pair to the Dslam, without making the connection to the switch, so no dt, no high tone, no battery, nothing but dsl. Seems to work well. | |
| | | | Fraidman
join:2007-08-09
Aurora, CO | Qwest does the same | |
| | 
Buttset
join:2001-11-12
Ladson, SC | In Charleston, SC we make every effort to test a provisioned line at the NID, no matter the speed requested. "Naked" DSL wouldn't change that requirement for us. | |
| 
CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | Naked DSL is not new either... Back when I got DSL in 2000/2001 it was the ONLY way to get DSL and I still have it. | |
| dogo88
join:2001-09-24
Old Bridge, NJ | same lame comment Same lame comment as cable who claims in their ads that "their entire network is fiber". Not the drops to the houses in my area. Just a delay tactic. | |
| 
Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs: 
1 edit | Some Ct. residents are reporting that they are getting dry loop 1.5Mb dsl for 23.99..without this wireless tie in apparently.
Assuming that's what's happening..it's good to see AT&T making a move on this. And, it's really something they can capitalize on I think. While they're losing landlines left and right, these fees can serve to be a replacement for that.
And, these lower tier speeds for lower prices are still very much in demand by many who don't want to pay the higher prices that comcast charges. If there's one big failure within comcast, it's their refusal to come down and compete at these lower tier levels as well.
They do have a 384k tier for 24.95 here in my market, but can anyone say Big whoop about that?
Other than that.it's right off to the mid 40.00 level.
Cox, to their credit..and other cable co's don't do that.
It's time for Comcast to wake up to the fact that not everyone wants to pay this much for a connection, nor needs the associated speeds.
In the meantime..it's a real opportunity for AT&T I think.
If they drop the landline requirement, they could pick up quite a few customers I think.
Anyways..I don't think this 60.00 issue is cast in stone..judging by the Ct. AT&T forum.
Those who just want dry DSL should maybe call and see if you can get the same as Ct. people are reporting they're getting which is dry 1.5Mb DSL for 23.99 and dry 3.0 service for 28.99.
»[info] Dry Loop Express DSL 1.5mb for $23.99?? | |
| | 
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Some Ct. residents are reporting AT&T's refusal to compete on the high end (+6Mbps) market is similar to Comcasts refusal to compete on the lower priced items.
AT&T has tougher job... as it CAN'T compete on the higher end, while Comcast 'can', I don't think they want to (BMW vs. Hyundai).
The bean counters job is to mull over the numbers and attempt to get the most profit with the most customers at the least cost.
These companies know what they're doing... AT&T appeals to those that are hooked on old POTS, or just want relatively cheap service. People that want a low cost service may end up on AT&T. AT&T has a tough sell in many upscale markets.
Comcast and others are selling a more expensive product...(lower $/Kbps overall). People that want a higher end product (more HD, more kbps/cost, etc) will end up on cable. Comcast has a tough sale in lower end markets.
--
Canada = Hollywood North | |
| | |
Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs:
1 edit | Re: Some Ct. residents are reporting AT&T doesn't compete on the high end because they have no way to.
PERIOD.
Comcast, on the other hand, at the flick of a new slower speed config file..could compete with ANYTHING AT&T has.
I guess they like their slowsky commercials to much to do so however. | |
| | | |
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: Some Ct. residents are reporting Yup... Comcast 'could' but I highly doubt they will (its better to spend a little to convince on a better product than have to erode the bottom line). AT&T greenfield can do better... I wish it did.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
| | | Claybraker
join:2002-04-13
none
| said by en102 :AT&T's refusal to compete on the high end (+6Mbps) market is similar to Comcasts refusal to compete on the lower priced items. AT&T has tougher job... as it CAN'T compete on the higher end, while Comcast 'can', Huh? Comcast is offering OC-192's now?
Or did you mean the higher end of the lower market? | |
| nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
| morals of big business this is certainly no surprise, but just one more example that big business will say anything (and sometimes do anything) if it lets them continue to make more money than they otherwise would.
Normally, I would expect them to say "we don't want to offer dry DSL, we aren't required to offer it, so we're not going to do it", but for a long time it was politically expedient to pretend that "people don't want it" or "the lines will rot" or the other excuses they have trotted out.
all to keep from admitting there isn't any significant competition and they don't have to respond to customer demand. It appears the reason they are relenting now is that so many younger people, that only use cell for phone, are now coming into the market (graduating, getting their own place) that they run the risk of alienating a significant number of their future demographic. | |
| |
See 6 replies to this post | |
CConverse
join:2006-01-31
Syracuse, NY
| You can't turn the Titanic on a dime It's a step in the right direction, at least. It's a pretty reasonable price for what you get, and given people are dropping their landlines to go with cellphones in droves, it's a good alternative to offer customers who are dropping all their services to go with a cellphone and the cable company. Yes, it's still forced bundling, but it will probably work a lot better for at&t than the landline/dsl bundling is now.
--
UNLESS Someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to change...
It's not
-The Once-ler
From The Lorax by Dr. Seuss | |
| Cyber2lz
join:2001-11-15
Odessa, FL
| The only way..... that you can get these id10t's attention is through their pocket book. The only thing they understand is revenue.
Sadly, most of corporate America is just like this.
And now we are suupose to trust the DeathStar?????
Yea, Okay !!!
--
The Light Pipe is the Right Pipe !!! | |
| | 
jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:
| Re: The only way..... i dropped att because of thier tactics and i choose cable at my new place because i didnt want to deal with the deathstar. Time Warner charges me 6 bucks a month because i dont bundle but cheaper than having to activate a phone, pay a tech for it, and pay the monthly service for something i dont even want. 1.5 mb is too slow anyways. how about their 6 mbps tier. or cray try what the competitors are doing maybe 7mbps or 15 in my area . it is cheaper to get 15mpbs internet here through cable without any other services than 6mpbs dry loop. att is way more expensive when you add in their fees, service charge, equipment, activation, etc. i voted with my pocketbook and you should too. oh and cox does charge higher internet access without their cable tv but it is not that much higher. 5 or 10 bucks.
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»www.LakeSemaJ.com
Help me get free trades.3 free if you sign up, $7 after. PM Me
Underground T-mobile News »www.t-mobilesignal.com/forum/f8/···955.html | |
| 
AustinTX78759
@rr.com | They do offer naked DSL in Austin, Texas I just got an offer for naked DSL here in Austin about two weeks ago. If I remember correctly, the offer was only good for Austin, Texas and one other city not in Texas. | |
|
anoinoy
@swbell.net
|  b1tch b1tch b1tch
"They don't offer naked DSL"
"They charge more for naked DSL"
"They give people who buy multiple products a discount"
Why is this so surprising to all of you that AT&T would give a discount if you buy more than one product? | |
| |
See 7 replies to this post | |
| |
jackoffjill
@bls.com
| Re: AT&T "dry" DSL isn't really "dry" They put sealing current on the line for a good reason,to avoid galvanic corrosion of metallic (copper) pairs to keep from getting high Resistance open's and other troubles in splice module's.And yes over time you will have trouble in splice's that used dry module's. | |
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calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| Re: AT&T "dry" DSL isn't really "dry" I just can't buy this. For years (decades, really) the Bells just disconnected unused pairs--no dial tone, nothing. It's only been since the advent of (relatively) cheap electronic switches that they leave every pair connected and just electronically block the line.
calvoiper
--
VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
| | | cpal
join:2002-07-10
Herndon, VA
| Explain then, how radio broadcasters for over 60 years used "dry pairs" for audio transmission from remote sites, as Studio-Transmitter links, etc. with low noise requirements that even DSL pairs don't have to meet. Or perhaps you are saying that after 10 years or so there might be a problem? I'd guess that would be about 5 years longer than the life of the average DSL line due to churn or just change in or upgrade to the broadband service. I believe the biggest problem in DSL lines, other than loading coils which must be removed if DSL is to work, are stubs--wires connected in parallel with existing cable pairs so that one pair from a CO can service more than one location (not at the same time) without a truck roll. At the frequencies used by DSL, those stubs can "tune" a loop and make it unusable until removed. The OP was correct: the database to track what were then called "special services" loops was pretty primitive compared to what was available for use with dial tone lines, but there were a lot of "dry pairs" in use way before DSL existed. | |
| travelguy
join:1999-09-03
Santa Fe, NM
| Get Real... Folks, it was never a technical issue, it was a cost recovery issue. Those copper lines for the most part were installed and maintained under a regulated tariff.
You want dry loop DSL? Fine. All those cost allocation, billing and accounting systems need to be reworked. The cost of billing and maintaining those lines needs to be portioned out so that naked subscribers pay their share of the infrastructure costs. And the cost of making all those accounting changes needs to be recovered.
Now, you look at just the service side of the business. Your naked DSL line goes out, so you call a service number. Who pays for the person answering the call? Dial tone subscribers or DSL subscribers? Or do you incur the cost of running two separate service desks?
Now the tech rolls. He traces the problem to a broken wire half way between the CO and your house. Who pays for the tech time? Is it a naked DSL problem or a dial tone problem?
None of these problems are insurmountable, but they all take time to resolve and come up with a reasonable way to allocate costs.
I know conspiracy theories are fun, but get real... | |
|
DSL Tech
@sbc.com | yawn In Northern Calif ATT(SBC) has had Dry Loop Dsl for years and it has no Dialtone and no battery.... and yes its a pain to work on... | |
| | | 
roztaylor
join:2000-10-21
Madison, AL
·AT&T Yahoo
| Re: Still forcing customers... said by djrobx : The difference here is that AT&T Wireless + Dry DSL is a far more useful combination for some people who exclusively use their wireless phones and have no need for a landline. I moved 5 years ago and wanted a security system installed in our home. We were going to go with cell phones only, but were told by "all" the main home security system vendors that a landline was necessary for the system to operate.
So we got the cheapest landline option (the fees & taxes total more than the cost of the line) available at the time. Now that some cell phone companies are offering $9.99 add-on lines, are any home security systems able to use a dedicated cell phone, and more importantly, would that be feasible?
Thanks!
--
Choose to make it a good day... don't wait for something good to happen! | |
| | | cmarin
join:2004-01-13
Boynton Beach, FL
| Re: Still forcing customers... said by roztaylor :said by djrobx : The difference here is that AT&T Wireless + Dry DSL is a far more useful combination for some people who exclusively use their wireless phones and have no need for a landline. I moved 5 years ago and wanted a security system installed in our home. We were going to go with cell phones only, but were told by "all" the main home security system vendors that a landline was necessary for the system to operate. So we got the cheapest landline option (the fees & taxes total more than the cost of the line) available at the time. Now that some cell phone companies are offering $9.99 add-on lines, are any home security systems able to use a dedicated cell phone, and more importantly, would that be feasible? Thanks! I've had VoIP for 3 years and an alarm system that uses no landline for that period of time. My alarm is hooked up to a cell transmitter (AlarmNET) and is monitored. I fail to understand why anyone would use a landline to monitor their alarm system... first thing thieves do is cut the phone line to the house. My cell transmitter is mounted in the attic and transmits alarms immediately. It is also battery protected... I paid about $250 for the unit. Highly recommend it! | |
| | | |
roztaylor
join:2000-10-21
Madison, AL
·AT&T Yahoo
| Re: Still forcing customers... said by cmarin : I've had VoIP for 3 years and an alarm system that uses no landline for that period of time. My alarm is hooked up to a cell transmitter (AlarmNET) and is monitored. [snip] My cell transmitter is mounted in the attic and transmits alarms immediately. It is also battery protected... I paid about $250 for the unit. Highly recommend it! Thanks! I'll look into this.
--
Choose to make it a good day... don't wait for something good to happen! | |
| |
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | I agree... T-Mobile should hook up with a satellite provider
DirecTv + WiFi/Cell (UMA) would be a good deal.
--
Canada = Hollywood North | |
| ATHF
join:2004-12-20
00000 | IF google wins if google wins the spectrum action and offers 6-3Mbps for free
how will ATT compete
Uverse limit is 6Mbps lol
there whole business plan falls they in trouble they better go FTTH or spend alot $$$ to bride the FCC | |
| |
rnine
@pacbell.net | Re: IF google wins 6 Mbps is not the technical limit of Uverse (VDSL)
it can go at least 3-4 times that | |
| | | rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT | Re: IF google wins Yes it can go to 3-4 times that, if you ditch the TV aspect or eliminate HD. Neither of those propositions will grow the business. | |
|
Cysco24
| But ummmm..... i don't want their wireless service. Already have one. What now?
Will stick to comcast | |
| | | Dreven
join:2006-11-05
Keller, TX
| Every single time There's a news story about AT&T or Uverse...........
You know most of you idiots always thumb your arrogant noses at 6Mb/s not even taking into consideration that 1.5Mb/s is MORE than enough for the average consumer to do what they need to do. Most people only surf the net, check email, chat and may watch the occasional online video. Even playing an online game like EQ2 or WoW would only take a tiny fraction of a 1.5Mb/s connection.
All of us are in the extreme minority as far as broadband bandwith consumption goes yet you all act like everyone needs or wants more than 6Mb/s.
You guys would run a company into the ground.
I see broadband snobby people - they're everywhere and they don't even know they're snobby.  | |
|
NOYGDB
@comcast.net
| Forced bundling... "Hello? AT&T? Yes, I'd like to get the Express DSL package."
"Ok, sir. You do know that you'll have to get a landline to carry your signal, correct?"
"No, I wasn't aware of that... in fact, I know for a fact that DSL doesn't need a landline... other companies do it."
"Well, with us, you'll have to."
{sigh} "Ok... sign us up for the cheapest line you've got, then... no long-distance, no 900 numbers, no collect calls,etc."
"No problem, sir. We'll ship your DSL modem to you right away... it should arrive in two to three days."
{WAITS A WEEK}
"Hello? AT&T? Yes, I was wondering where my DSL modem is, that you were supposed to ship to me days ago?"
"Oh, we're sorry, we can't provide DSL in your area... do you still want to keep the landline?"
"Well... no, considering that we didn't really need it in the first place except to get DSL."
"Ok, we'll just remove the order to connect your landline, and we'll remove your order for DSL, as well... we're sorry for the inconvenience. So, your charge will be..."
"Wait... WHAT charge?"
"The charge for disconnecting your phone line and breaking your contract."
"Well, considering that you never hooked my phone line up in the first place, let alone provide me with any phone service or DSL service... I don't think there is going to be any charges whatsoever."
{5 minutes of arguing}
"Ok, sir... we'll remove the orders for the phone line and DSL, and there will be no charge."
"Thank you, goodbye."
"Hello, Comcast?"
{Ah... but that's a long story for another time...} | |
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John Smiff
@bellsouth.net
| I Have "Nekkid" DSL In Po-Dunk TN I have 3mb through Bellsouth with no land line service in small town TN. Had not had a land line in 7 years until the local cable monopoly learned they weren't actually the only option. When I first did the switch to Dish and DSL 4 months ago Bellsouth insisted that it was impossible to have one without the other. But 4 months of BS phone service being randomly turned off with no explanation why I told them to pull the plug completely. Lo and behold magically I COULD now have the DSL connection without the forced land line, and now I do.
BTW we never actually got a cord type phone, the sat receiver would let us know no dial tone was present. | |
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Provisioning
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