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?"

Comments

(Sigh)

[McNally]

I've long maintained that learning how to ask questions properly is a big part of getting a useful response.

Apropos of which, positing a question that is highly location-specific in a global forum and then not specifying one's location is an excellent way to get no useful responses whatsoever.

cox

[threecolorable]

I used to have COX cable internet, no TV or phone required.

Move?

[Eunuchswear]

100 mb/s internet = 21,90 EUR/month
100 mb/s internet + unlimited telephone (France + EU + US + Canada + Israel) = 19,90 EUR a month

Negative pork?

http://numericable.fr/

You're Welcome

[TheNinjaroach]

As a paying broadband subscriber who intentionally leaves my AP unsecured, I say you're welcome. I'm too worried about getting a good wireless signal to borrow my neighbors connection, but as long as they aren't greedy with bandwidth I don't mind sharing my own. Sure there are risks involved and I do have to boot a MAC address every now and then for abuse, but I genuinely don't mind sharing my connection with as many neighbors as I can reach.

The more people I can help without noticing a big hit in performance, the better. So internet service is free, in my neighborhood anyways.

Yes, you can borrow a cup of sugar, too.

Re:You're Welcome

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm glad to see another example of someone being generous to their fellow human beings "just because". While it's not as extreme, it's the same generosity that keeps soup kitchens, Salvation Army, and other organizations going because people just help a little as they can. But I have to question if you're not putting yourself in a bad spot. Aren't you concerned someone using your AP for drive-by hacking, so the MAC/IPs tie to you rather than them? Illegal porn? Copyrighted material?

Hell, maybe you're hedging your bets by allowing so many people on the AP, you might have a defense if you're caught doing something naughty...

Re:AT&T and DSL without local phone

[Eunuchswear]

it's hard to complain too loudly, because it is clear that it isn't worth it to them, but that is what those stupid gub'mint fees are for...

Is this why Americans are always whining that government is usless? Because they just lay there while they're being raped thinking of liberteria?

I'ts hard to complain about getting poor service from a monopoly supplier 'cos I've already paid for it,

Grow some balls.

Re:Yeah, there are

[The End Of Days]

So when you buy multiple services from them, they offer a discount? My word, the nerve, trying to make money like that.

Re:Yeah, there are

[poopdeville]

Virtually every shared system in the history of the known universe has been over-subscribed. They sell more of it than they have, safe in the knowledge that everybody doesn't use all they can at once. This happens with water, electricity, gas, phone lines, bandwidth - everything.

What you're describing isn't "over-subscription", but capacity planning. A utility isn't "over-subscribed" until actual demand for its service (which can be defined a number of ways) exceeds its maximum capacity. ISPs have done a much worse job of this than the other utilities, and have been advertising "unlimited internet". That lead to over-subscription.

None of the other utilities you mentioned promise unlimited access anyway. You pay for what you use.