Most high-speed Internet service providers are building their online packages with the expectation that customers want a variety of services with the greatest comfort. Or, at the very least, they see your desire to move to a faster Internet connection as an opportunity to get you to subscribe to every service they offer.
Some people, for example, switch all telephone communications to their mobile phones. They no longer see the need to own a landline (that is, the usual old telephone service, sometimes abbreviated as POTS). Or they can be confident that their voice phone needs can be met using Internet-based phone services such as Skype. (Collectively, telephone services over the Internet are called VOIP, to transmit voice over an IP address.) If they are not going to use a “regular” telephone service, these people are at risk, why pay for it?
If you chose cable television as the best choice for your Internet service, none of this presents a problem. A cable company may try to sell you the benefits of its voice service, but a simple “No thanks” is usually enough.
However, users who choose DSL services instead of a high-speed cable-based Internet connection require a bit more difficulty: by default, the telephone company, which is probably the main provider of DSL, expects to use or install a regular telephone line. They will happily assume that you want POTS along with an internet connection; in fact, they should set at least the minimum amount of such a service for a DSL connection. Keyword is minimal. The telephone company is ready to charge for voice service, but it is very difficult to spend money on a service that you are sure you will not use.
Fortunately, these expenses can be avoided in most parts of North America. But don't expect it to be easy.
DSL All By The Lonesome
When you call your DSL provider for a price quote for a service, the magic query term is “standalone DSL” (also called “bare DSL” and less often “dry DSL”). Technically speaking, standard DSL is a DSL connection without analog telephony service - which most people would describe as “without a beep.”
Autonomous DSL service is available in some geographic regions and with some telephone companies for at least several years. But some users report to the online discussion board that their phone companies made the price difference meaningless, for example, charging only for a dollar for a DSL service, and not for a DSL-plus phone.
Today, you can count on the fact that this option will be available more broadly thanks to a reliable recent agreement that AT & T made (reluctantly) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency that controls the US telecommunications industry. As part of the negotiations that the FCC would approve the acquisition of AT & T BellSouth, AT & T was required to begin offering naked DSL.
As a result, if you live in an area served by these companies, you should get a standard AT & T DSL service from $ 14.95 to $ 34.99 per month without having to buy any other AT & T service, including a phone.
Your local phone company may already offer the standard DSL option, but don't expect it to be the obvious choice on your website. A standalone DSL may be a convenience for you, but it is not necessarily a convenience for them. Most of the “follow the bouncing ball” menus do not even give you opportunities without telephone service. Actually, if this is something important to you, you may need to pick up the phone and talk to a sales agent.
Should it matter to you? If you are not sure when you use your landline phone to call, it is worth considering. Providing a POTS service means that you probably will not be listed in the telephone directory or phone book, but for many people who are not difficulties. In addition, depending on your geography, 911 calls cannot be sent to the most local dispatcher. In addition, having an open DSL line means no dial tone to the station — so if something goes wrong with your line, it will be more difficult to determine if your service has been interrupted.
It is up to you whether the cost savings of these inconveniences are worth it, assuming that the cost savings are significant enough for your particular situation.
Most people do not need a standard DSL for Internet service; they also need a regular phone. However, for those who have a unique requirement, it is very important to pay for what you need ... and no more.
