CNet has an interesting article on "naked DSL". Basically, there are two camps here - the consumer camp which wants the ability to unbundle DSL from phone service, and then the phone companies/DSL providers which want to force you to pay for phone service in order to get DSL. The FCC is stuck in the middle determining which way to go, evaluating consumer interest and competition against a corporation's "right" to offer products and services it wishes. Of course, the FCC has a say in all telecom matters, so phone companies don't have as many rights as your typical corporation.
I personally cut my landline years ago when I switched to a VoIP service provider, namely Vonage. I have a cellphone as my home backup in case my broadband connection goes down, so I have no need for a landline. I went with cable broadband and not DSL, but if I had chosen DSL, I certainly wouldn't need 3 phone services (Vonage, cellphone, landline). I'd be pretty peeved if SBC forced me to pay for a landline phone service that I never used just to get DSL broadband access. If I didn't have cable broadband in my area and had to get DSL instead (& forced to use their landline phone service), I probably would not have gone with Vonage as my phone provider, since I would have had to pay for a landline anyway.
Let's hope the FCC rules in favor of forcing the phone companies to unbundle DSL broadband from phone services. It seems to be the most logical and fairest decision to ensure that the phone companies don't hold consumers ransom to their phone offerings. According to CNet, it does indeed appear that the FCC will be ruling in favor of unbundling DSL very shortly. See the full CNet story here:
http://news.com.com/Source+FCC+to+dress+naked+DSL/2100-1037_3-5627726.html
android apple asterisk at&t blackberry cell phone cisco dell digium e911 facebook fcc google google talk gps im ip-pbx ipad iphone ipod itexpo ITEXPO lync microsoft mobile phone open source outage phone review sip skype sony unified communications verizon video video conferencing voip vonage wireless xbox 360
- Apple (280)
- Bittorrent (2)
- Call Center and CRM (48)
- Computer Hardware (183)
- Computer Software (71)
- Gadgets (650)
- Google (225)
- Home Entertainment (263)
- Internet (173)
- Linux (111)
- Microsoft (376)
- MovableType (48)
- News (187)
- Personal and Humor (118)
- Politics (9)
- Reviews (246)
- Security (2)
- Social Networking (42)
- Sports/Outdoor Technology (9)
- Tablets (32)
- Technology and Science (355)
- Unified Communications (471)
- VoIP (2285)
- Wireless (584)
- p2p (20)
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004
Featured Videos