In article <telecom23.530.3@telecom-digest.org>, Markus Dehmann
<markus.cl@gmx.de> wrote:
> Is it possible to get high-speed internet access without a
> phone/landline at home (in Maryland/U.S.)?
> I only have a cell phone, but internet at home would be good, too. I
> don't need a landline, though because the cell phone is enough.
> Thanks!
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, it is not only possible, but
> for many folks more desirable. You get your high speed internet from
> the cable company there in Maryland and otherwise use your cell phone
> for voice calls. That's essentially what many folks do, or they have
> a very inexpensive landline phone from a CLEC as a backup only. PAT]
If you order _SDSL_ service, it always comes on a separate pair.
*ordering* can be an 'interesting time' (in the sense of Chinese
_curse_ :), but it can be done.
Depending on locale -- and I have _NOT_ researched the specific case
of Maryland -- ADSL on it's own pair *may* also be available; where
available it is typically $5-10/mo more than 'shared' ADSL
(piggy-backed on a POTS line). 'dry pair' ADSL is becoming more
common than it was a year or two ago.
Visiting the 'dslreports.com' website, and using a next-door
neighbor's phone number, _will_ get you a list of providers and
service options that are available at your location.
When actually ordering, the order usually has to go up the food-chain
*several* layers, between the DSL provider and the ILEC. The
situation I ran into, the DSL provider's computer system would -not-
accept the order _without_ some sort of a 'phone number' for location,
while the _phone_company_ (ILEC) computer would not accept the order
*with* a phone number (it -knew- there was no phone service at that
location). *PEOPLE* had to actually get involved from the DSL
provider, in placing _their_ order with the phone company.
When the install was actually done, the DSL 'field technician' was
_really_ puzzled, cuz his paperwork showed a 'site phone number' of
"000-0000".
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What you say is all well and good, but
why should someone have to go to all that trouble of arguing and
pleading with telco to get them to sell you service when you could
just go to your cable company and have them turn it on the same day?
And regardless of what you say about SDSL service, Southwestern Bell
Telephone (now known as SBC) **will not** sell it to you without
taking 'regular' phone service as well. I think it is against their
religion or something. They do it only in California where a court
ordered them to do so. Forget it elsewhere from SBC. People who want
high speed internet up and running in a hurry just go to their cable
company. PAT]
Robert Bonomi (bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com)