Does DSL require phone service?

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
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I haven't been able to find an answer to this. When we moved last year, we decided since we both have Internet access at our jobs, we could do without at home. We also decided to scrap the landline at home altogether because my wife was begging for a cell phone, and we always used my cell phone for long distance, anyway, so we ditched phone service altogether. Now that my wife has the summer off, she's jonesing for home Internet service. :rolleyes:

She was intrigued by SBC's one year DSL plan at "$15/month" but what I don't know is do we also need activated phone service to have DSL, or can we get it without additional landline phone service? We have a phone line, it just doesn't have service on it.
 
Hmm, interesting question. All of the DSL offers I've ever seen or heard require you to already have existing phone service.

Makes you wonder if there's a way to enable only the portion of the phone line that uses DSL. I'm sure it's possible but can you get your phone company to do it? Interesting...:confused:
 
Technically speaking it is possible, it is just sending data over the lines. As long as you have a phone line installed it should be no problem, whether the phone company would allow it is another question. Most of the time it is a package deal where you get phone service and DSL service for whatever price.

Another point to consider with DSL is that the service is very sensitive to your distance from the nearest CO. If you are too far you will get poor or no connectivity. I would check very carefully to make sure that you will be getting service at a level that is acceptable to you for the price you pay. I have a friend who signed up for DSL with the phone company, and they failed to tell him that he was right at the edge of the acceptable distance.

If you have cable TV already you might want to consider cable service too.
 
DSL is a special land-line phone service. The service usually replaces an ordinary voice line going into your house. In general it can support multiple phones and data communication at the same time. First you need DSL phone service (which costs more than regular phone service) then you need a DSL internet service. The SBC deal may include both in one package price or might give you internet service, but no incoming phone numbers. The deal may assume that you are upgrading from a plain old telephone service and they are deducting something like $30.00 for that service in their estimate of the DSL price. You may need special wiring to your home to support DSL. I can't even get DSL in my remote suburban area. We are too far from the phone company central office and my local phone company (Qwest) has not upgraded the neighborhood wiring. I have to use cable modem service through Adelphia.

You need to check with SBC to see if you can get it, what you get, and how much it costs.
 
We don't have cable. We use digital satellite because it's WAY more affordable in our area than cable, so cable modem is out. I guess I'll have to call SBC (that should be fun) to get some answers. Thanks!
 
Does DSL require voice service? Technically no. DSL can run independent of voice service.

However, telephone companies are not always allowed to do what is technically possible. The state Utilities Commission (or some such body) has to approve each service they offer, each "tariff." If there isn't an approved tariff for DSL sans voice line, then they can't offer it.

Getting a tariff approved costs the telephone company money, lawyers are involved... and politicians too. So, if the telephone company doesn't perceive a substantial market for a certain service, they won't bother getting a tariff approved for it.
 
I was able to get a separate DSL only "Data" pair separate from existing phone line. Distance restriction may still apply. My particular problem was the pair was either getting borrowed for testing, or given to other customers,or there where poor punch down connections at any place between me a the phone co. Verizon was sh!tty about fixing problems too since they had resposibility for the pair (Always blaming the DSL provider) They once had a technician watch as the line went bad during a signal test and STILL claimed it was the DSL company.

I switch to "cable" internet, much better
 
I've got a friend who got a satelite internet connection. It worked well for him. There is a lag in the comunication link then, blam the screen updates. He is in a remote area where a land line would be real expensive. He has a high-powered cell phone base station for the house and a directional antenna pointed at the nearest cell tower. He only uses that for voice communication.
 
I'm almost positive Chiro that you will have to at least have the basic phone line - service , to get DSL.
Thought about cable ?
 
The quick answer is, yes. You must have a billing mechanism. And right now, the easiest one most Telco's can use for home service is a phone number. It really doesn't matter what level of service is on that number, be it voice only or DSL.
 
Yes, I'm pretty sure you need phone service. And I think you need to live within two miles of the phone switching station (or whatever it's called).

-Bob
 
verizon will be rolling out "naked DSL" service in parts of NY NJ by Christmas. there are no public dates for other areas. i think it will become common by late 2006 in most built up areas in the country.

But i've been wrong before :)
 
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