DSL works through phone lines, so yes, you have to have a home phone line if you want DSL service.

DSL works through phone lines, so yes, you have to have a home phone line if you want DSL service.

I think Darkside can confirm, he is the expert in all things telecomm.

Are you saying that he's laid a lot of cable in his day?

Where is the confusion?

DSL requires a phone line, aka land line, aka wires running from a telephone pole to the roof of your house...and therefore phone service.

Where is the confusion?

DSL requires a phone line, aka land line, aka wires running from a telephone pole to the roof of your house...and therefore phone service.

Naked AT&T DSL Expands
Though AT&T still doesn't tell anyone about it...
10:52AM Wednesday Nov 28 2007 by Karl
tags: dsl · prices · business · AT&T DSL Service

In order to gain government approval for its acquisition of BellSouth, AT&T was allowed to conveniently author their own merger conditions (pdf), which the FCC boldly stated they probably wouldn't enforce anyway. Among them was the promise that they'd offer $10 DSL and "naked" (aka standalone, no landline) DSL service territory-wide.

AT&T began offering $10 768kbps DSL to comply, though they neither announced or advertised the price point in the hopes that nobody would notice. AT&T's new CEO informed the press that AT&T didn't advertise the tier because nobody wants it.

As for naked DSL, the company had twelve months from the date of merger approval to offer stand alone 768kbps DSL service for no more than $20. This has yet to be offered to consumers. The company is offering a variety of new naked DSL options, but they aren't consistent across markets.

It is offered in California to comply with conditions of the SBC acquisition of AT&T, though for a dollar more than the DSL & landline bundle. AT&T at the time said setting that price was "a way to let customers know that buying several services at the same time is always the best value."

(Force bundling landline & DSL) is an old mind-set. We need to get over it.

-AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson
In August, BellSouth users on Ultra or faster tiers discovered they could get naked DSL if they called up and asked for "bundle 96." In September, our users in Connecticut noticed they could get 1.5Mbps naked DSL for $23.99, or 3Mbps naked DSL for $28.99. Most users were confused until an AT&T insider finally leaked the exact order process:
•Call the AT&T Dry Loop department directly at 888-800-4095
•Ask to switch to "DSL direct"
•If they give you a hassle, say it's a retention offer
At the time, this appeared to only work in a certain number of markets. CNET is now claiming you can order it in the following states: AL, AR, CA, CT, FL, GA, IN, IL, KY, LA, MI, MO, OH, NC NV, SC, TN, TX. We'd be interested to hear your order success or failure stories in the comment section below.

they all look the same to RW. big, black, and thick...

I'm not sure this is right. I think AT&T is offering a new package for DSL only without the home phone service. (You have to have the house wired BUT they do not need to provide local phone service.)

I think Darkside can confirm, he is the expert in all things telecomm.

Why would DSL be tied to actual phone service? I have a phone jack wired for DSL only. I don't ever dial out (duh). Why would phone service be required?

Can you have cable internet without cable tv?

I must've missed that post. RW, have you been spying on me in the shower again?

Its a little expensive, but Speakeasy.net is the best internet service available and it can run without a phone line. Its also never down, unlike the cheap stuff you get from AT&T.

Why would DSL be tied to actual phone service? I have a phone jack wired for DSL only. I don't ever dial out (duh). Why would phone service be required?

Can you have cable internet without cable tv?

DSL rides over copper pairs traditionally reserved for POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines. Both services work at the same time because the operate at much different frequencies, DSL's frequency being much higher. That's why you might put a filter on a non DSL jack, so as to remove what some people hear as a high pitched squeal (many people can't hear it by the way).
Being that they are operating on serpeate equipment and on seperate frequencies, they may be mutually exclusive, however, traditionally offered as a bundle. At the time it made sense, everybody was a phone subscriber, here's the copper coming into your house, use it! Now, less and less folks have POTS lines, so in order to continue to compete in this ever cheaper high speed internet climate, they are beginning to be offered as stand alone products.
Brett Favre is a pussy.

Was your post above meant to be a joke? I'd say $279/mo. is a bit more than "a little expensive".

I have AT&T DSL and have found it to be very reliable.

Brett Favre is a pussy.

DSL rides over copper pairs traditionally reserved for POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines. Both services work at the same time because the operate at much different frequencies, DSL's frequency being much higher. That's why you might put a filter on a non DSL jack, so as to remove what some people hear as a high pitched squeal (many people can't hear it by the way).
Being that they are operating on serpeate equipment and on seperate frequencies, they may be mutually exclusive, however, traditionally offered as a bundle. At the time it made sense, everybody was a phone subscriber, here's the copper coming into your house, use it! Now, less and less folks have POTS lines, so in order to continue to compete in this ever cheaper high speed internet climate, they are beginning to be offered as stand alone products.
Brett Favre is a pussy.

Whoa. Where the hell did that last line come from?

My latent anger problem.

Are you sure it is latent?