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Broadband Access Without the Pork?
An anonymous reader writes "Like many consumers nowadays, I find more of my time spent on the internet and various wireless devices (e.g. mobile phone). This has gotten to the point where I basically do not use a landline or cable television anymore, and they are essentially pork on my broadband bill, which further subjects the consumer to all sorts of clandestine fees that aren't disclosed until the first bill arrives and add a non-trivial sum (in my case, nearly 100%) to the monthly rate. However, it seems that all broadband access providers have this stipulation, that an internet customer must first have a basic phone or cable TV service in order to sign on for the internet service. Are there any ISPs that can get around this and still deliver broadband internet service at a competitive rate?"
Speakeasy provides me with naked DSL.
I have Verizon Fios 10Mbps up / 2 Mbps down with no other services from them. They also do DSL without phone lines and the only thing you miss out on cost wise is that you start paying the "normal" price right away instead of a 6 month promo price that is then raised to the "normal" price. Of course, if you don't live in Verizon territory, this is completely meaningless.
In my area and within the past two years, AT&T has decided to begin offering DSL without local phone service. Their highest speed plan is about $10 more than if you get it with local phone service, but even still it is only $45. Two years ago when I looked at Comcast in my area, it would've been $54 at least for me to have internet service alone.
If your area is served by AT&T, ask for a dry-loop DSL line.
it's the same thing, just no dial-tone on the line.
I just got the Elite (up to 6Mbps down/ 768Kbps up) for 35.00 a month.
... offers Dry-Loop DSL for $30 per month, plus the cost of the copper line at around $9.00 a month.
I know that both Verizon and Comcast offer no-strings-attached DSL/cable (at least in my area), although Comcast has a surcharge for TV-less internet that slightly exceeds the cost of their $15/month basic cable package, making it slightly absurd.
However this is all a bit pointless as we have no idea where you are and therefore have no idea what ISPs you can subscribe to. Seriously, wtf? There are no global ISPs. If you're being typically US-centric (nothing really wrong with that here) there still are no national US ISPs. So the question is stupid.
If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
AT&T offers the same for DSL, though they don't really advertise it:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071231-att-offers-20-naked-dsl-if-you-know-where-to-look.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070618-att-launches-10-dsl-it-hopes-no-one-signs-up-for.html
As always, Google is your friend.
I have broadband internet from Earthlink through Time Warner Cable in New York City. No cable TV or phone. I'm happy with it, moderately cheap, run web/email servers, IP technically dynamic but it hasn't changed in a year, etc.
However, don't get Earthlink digital phone. That sucks fucking shit, horrible service, no one can fix anything. They even *lost* our phone number! (Lot of stories about that online if you search.)
We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
No Comcast does not...
They offer the service, but they tack an additional fee for those who do not subscribe to cable TV that is $2 less than getting basic cable service.
...right up until the promotion period ends after 6 months, and $30 a month turns into $60 a month
AT&T offers the same for DSL, though they don't really advertise it:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071231-att-offers-20-naked-dsl-if-you-know-where-to-look.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070618-att-launches-10-dsl-it-hopes-no-one-signs-up-for.html
From the linked article:
Customers must also order phone service to get the budget-priced DSL service; those looking for cheap, naked DSL should look elsewhere.
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I think that's true in many cases. Like I said in reply to the parent, that's why I think the Netshare program my ISP (Speakeasy) runs is cool. The only problems are that a) Speakeasy isn't cheap and b) you then have to get your neighbors interested/convince them it's not some kind of scam.
"You call it a new way of thinking; I call it regression to ignorance!" -- Operation Ivy
If your local Cable provider is Time-Warner, you can order Road Runner by itself. I can state this authoritatively, because Road Runner is my current ISP. I pay $45/month (though this is going up to $50 next month) and no additional taxes or fees. I am not paying for cable TV because I am not buying cable TV. This has been my arrangement since 2001.
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I use Time Warner cable internet (I guess they bought Roadrunner or something). 10Mb down, 1Mb up, $45/month. I don't pay for cable or phone through them or anyone else.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
The problem isn't that they give you a discount when you order multiple services, it's that the base 'advertised' price is the one you get when you have multiple services. They charge 'extra' when you only get one service. They say High speed internet is only $39.99/month. Then they say, oh yeah, that's only if you already have cable. Otherwise its $49.99/month. The bill shows up as: $39.99 High speed internet $10.00 Fee
I live in Arkansas and have the Direct Elite 6Mbps service and my bills are EXACTLY $45.00. http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=11523
It's worth noting that a significant portion of most land-line phone bills is various fees and taxes that will go away when you give up the dialtone -- Qwest charges extra for their "naked" line as well, and when you first look at it the price difference is not significant. But tack on the Universal Access Fee, e911 fee, and all the other sundry fees and taxes on dialtone service and it's actually quite a bit cheaper to drop the phone service.
I don't know that AT&T would be cheaper without a dialtone, I'm just saying it's important to note the non-trivial "other charges" section of the bill when you're comparing the price.