Verizon Delays Naked DSL Even More

from the kicking-and-screaming dept

While Qwest jumped on the naked DSL train pretty quickly, Verizon, SBC and BellSouth have all been holding back as long as possible. BellSouth has been the most resistant. Verizon had run some tests, and while they had indicated they would start letting people get DSL without local phone service, now they're delaying that offering, claiming that it's not ready to go. What they really mean is that their VoIP offering isn't ready for prime time. While the Bells don't want to give up their voice minutes, sooner or later they need to realize that by denying people the ability to sign up for DSL without having local phone service, they're simply driving customers to the cable providers instead. However, those Bells are hoping that maybe they'll be able to recoup some of that revenue by offering VoIP. While Verizon does have a VoIP play, the delay in naked DSL planning suggests they realize it's not ready for prime time. If it were ready, then they'd be pushing that alongside DSL as an alternative to their traditional phone lines.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  1. identicon
    Bob, 13 Dec 2004 @ 4:26am

    Bell will be out of business. Verizon goes Fiber

    Bell is going to be out of business because they have stuck their head in the sand and have not gotten prepared for the change in telecommunications.
    Verizon has plans to put Fiber Optic cable in neighborhoods in the next couple years. They already exist in Washington D.C. To find out more type "FIOS" in google and look for the verizon link.
    Verizon's decision to not offer "naked" DSL is what drove me to Comcast. Their overpriced cable internet with Vonage VOIP is cheaper than DSL and Verizon's overpriced phone bill. I totally agree that the reason Verizon hasn't released it's "naked" DSL is because they are waiting for their VOIP to be ready. Hopefully they'll get on the ball and see there is a huge market for non-traditional phonelines, and they are just losing customers/business/revenue by not putting VOIP on the forefront.
    By the way of changing technology, isn't it time someone combatted Comcast's ridiculously expensive cable and cable internet prices? Let's see some ala carte pricing! I hate paying for all these crap chanels!!!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 13 Dec 2004 @ 6:52am

    Re: Bell will be out of business. Verizon goes Fib

    is cable any better though? In my area, none of the local cable companies will give you cable internet without cable television......

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Chuck, 13 Dec 2004 @ 9:13am

    Re: Bell will be out of business. Verizon goes Fib


    I get my broadband with basic cable which is $8.95/month. Kind of a deal for the more than 13 channels you sometimes get. All I miss is Speed and Comedy Central, can't see paying an extra $50/month for those two channels.

    I imagine all major ILECs have plans to lay fiber to the premises to compete with cable companies and basicly survive. Both cable and ILECs will or are providing video, voice, and internet services. Should everyone move to fiber? :-)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    Mike (profile), 13 Dec 2004 @ 9:28am

    Re: Bell will be out of business. Verizon goes Fib

    It would be great, if true, but it's not. So far, Verizon says they're going FTTP, but there are some questions about how serious they are. SBC and BellSouth are simply doing fiber to the node, and some upgrade of DSL from the node to the premise...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    Derek Kerton (profile), 13 Dec 2004 @ 11:47am

    Comcast Offers Naked Service...some deal

    I'm a naked broadband subscriber for Comcast cable. I don't get any TV channels, and just use them for Internet. Cost after taxes? $62/mo. What the heck kind of a price is that???? I love reading that the US average is $34...that wasn't an option for me: I'm too far from the CO for DSL.
    Anyway, the kicker is that Comcast offers a discount plan where I could get basic cable and Internet for $62/mo! Great. I get naked broadband, but I don't see any savings.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Bellsouth slave, 4 Jan 2005 @ 8:26am

    Bellsouth has the most expensive DSL Plan

    Qwest, Verizon and SBC all offer $26 to $30 for 1.5 mb DSL service. Only Bellsouth still maintained their $40 price. If you want to get lower price, you have to get their rip off long distance plan. Who need long distance plan these days if you have cell phone. For $30 you can 256k DSL from Bellsouth. But with 56k dial up plus accelerator you get 200k speed. The DSL lite is a pure disgrace for the term of broadband. And the New Bellsouth Commercial about $9.95 a month for DSL service is a pure fraud. It is for six month only, at the speed of 256k and you have to get the long distance plan. Bellsouth is worst Bell sister. At least, they should match the price of DSL of other Bells with similar speed.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Mar 2005 @ 10:35am

    No Subject Given

    I get my broadband with basic cable which is $8.95/month. Kind of a deal for the more than 13 channels you sometimes get. All I miss is Speed and Comedy Central, can't see paying an extra $50/month for those two channels.

    I imagine all major ILECs have plans to lay fiber to the premises to compete with cable companies and basicly survive. Both cable and ILECs will or are providing video, voice, and internet services. Should everyone move to fiber? :-)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    verizonBS, 9 Jun 2005 @ 8:24am

    Re: Bell will be out of business. Verizon goes Fib

    I read an article from MultiChannel News from May 25, 2005 that Verizon is already offering "naked" DSL to most of its customer base. I'm not sure where MultiChannel News is getting their information but Verizon's website clearly states the following:
    "Yes, you will be required to keep your DSL telephone line. Benefits of keeping your existing telephone line include:
    Access to traditional 911 emergency service
    Guaranteed phone service in a power outage
    Having an extra phone line
    Plus, you can always forward calls from your DSL phone number to your VoiceWing phone.

    When you complete your combined order for VoiceWing and DSL, you can call your local Verizon business office to change or remove any calling features or packages from your current phone line. This will help you maximize the benefits of having both a VoIP service with a traditional phone line." This is some serious BS!! Why would anyone want to pay for DSL - a traditional phone line - and VoIP??? Talk about "Fleecing of America"....when will it end??

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    jean, 1 Oct 2008 @ 9:45pm

    naked line

    I would really like Verizon to offer the naked line. I have hear from people who have it and absolutely say that this is the best way to go. They just love it. It is priced under $20 dollars and is doable in today's hard economic times.

    link to this | view in thread ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.