AT&T quietly introduces $10 DSL plan
Here's something that Kuma found and I couldn't help sharing. Think I'll be calling to change my pricing today... :)
Offer is part of merger concessions.
By Peter Svensson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
NEW YORK — Without any fanfare, AT&T Inc. has started offering a broadband Internet service for $10 a month, cheaper than any advertised plan.
The DSL, or digital subscriber line, plan introduced Saturday is among the concessions made by San Antonio-based AT&T to the Federal Communications Commission to get its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. approved in December.
The $10 offer is available to customers in the 22-state AT&T service region, which includes former BellSouth areas, who have never had AT&T or BellSouth broadband service, spokesman Michael Coe said Monday. Local phone service and a one-year contract are required. The modem is free.
The plan was not mentioned in a Friday news release about AT&T's DSL plans. On the AT&T Web site, a page describing DSL options doesn't mention the plan, but clicking a link for "Term contract plans" reveals it. The plan is also presented to customers who go into the application process, Coe said.
The service provides download speeds of up to 768 kilobits per second and upload speeds of up to 128 kilobits per second, matching the speeds of the cheapest advertised AT&T plan, which costs $19.95 per month in the nine-state former BellSouth area and $14.99 per month in the 13 states that were covered by AT&T before the acquisition.
BellSouth generally had higher prices for DSL before it was acquired, and the price difference persists, although AT&T cut the price of the cheapest advertised plan in the Southeast region from $24.95 on Saturday.
The agreement with the FCC required the company to offer the plan for at least 2 1/2 years. Coe said he could not comment on future advertising plans for the offer.
The introduction of the plan, slightly before the deadline at the end of June, was first reported by The Tennessean in Nashville.
Another concession to the FCC is yet to come: a plan for DSL that doesn't require local phone service. AT&T has another six months to introduce that option, which should cost at most $19.95 per month.
Consumer advocates have fought for a so-called "naked DSL plan" because DSL can carry Internet-based phone calls for less than the price of local phone service.
However, at 768 kilobits per second, the download speed may be too low to appeal to customers who use the Internet for phone calls.
Offer is part of merger concessions.
By Peter Svensson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
NEW YORK — Without any fanfare, AT&T Inc. has started offering a broadband Internet service for $10 a month, cheaper than any advertised plan.
The DSL, or digital subscriber line, plan introduced Saturday is among the concessions made by San Antonio-based AT&T to the Federal Communications Commission to get its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. approved in December.
The $10 offer is available to customers in the 22-state AT&T service region, which includes former BellSouth areas, who have never had AT&T or BellSouth broadband service, spokesman Michael Coe said Monday. Local phone service and a one-year contract are required. The modem is free.
The plan was not mentioned in a Friday news release about AT&T's DSL plans. On the AT&T Web site, a page describing DSL options doesn't mention the plan, but clicking a link for "Term contract plans" reveals it. The plan is also presented to customers who go into the application process, Coe said.
The service provides download speeds of up to 768 kilobits per second and upload speeds of up to 128 kilobits per second, matching the speeds of the cheapest advertised AT&T plan, which costs $19.95 per month in the nine-state former BellSouth area and $14.99 per month in the 13 states that were covered by AT&T before the acquisition.
BellSouth generally had higher prices for DSL before it was acquired, and the price difference persists, although AT&T cut the price of the cheapest advertised plan in the Southeast region from $24.95 on Saturday.
The agreement with the FCC required the company to offer the plan for at least 2 1/2 years. Coe said he could not comment on future advertising plans for the offer.
The introduction of the plan, slightly before the deadline at the end of June, was first reported by The Tennessean in Nashville.
Another concession to the FCC is yet to come: a plan for DSL that doesn't require local phone service. AT&T has another six months to introduce that option, which should cost at most $19.95 per month.
Consumer advocates have fought for a so-called "naked DSL plan" because DSL can carry Internet-based phone calls for less than the price of local phone service.
However, at 768 kilobits per second, the download speed may be too low to appeal to customers who use the Internet for phone calls.
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