Bellsouth: Provide DSL even if no Telephone Service
Loses battle in Georgia, at least for now
Bellsouth has been ordered to provide its DSL service to consumers in Georgia, even if they aren't customers of regular telephone service. The state's Public Service Commission decided in a 3-2 vote that forcing prospective DSL customers to be voice telephone consumers violated state law. According to the Georgia attorney general's office, BellSouth is fighting similar state rulings in Florida and Louisiana. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has additional detail.
10-22-2003 PSC ruled that BellSouth's practice of offering its popular high-speed Internet service only to its own voice telephone customers violates state law.
BellSouth must make its high-speed Internet service available to Georgia consumers whether they're BellSouth voice telephone customers or not, the state Public Service Commission ruled Tuesday.
Of BellSouth's claim that high-speed access is just another phone package feature, "that's a bit of a stretch," Kaplan said.
The fight isn't likely over, as was clear from some of the muttering from (BellSouth) lobbyists following Tuesday's ruling.
"Well, more work for the federal courts," one said, shrugging.
BellSouth is fighting similar state rulings in Florida and Louisiana, according to the Georgia attorney general's office.
"I think that's great," said Paige Seibert of Roswell, who tried to switch to MCI two years ago, then switched back to BellSouth after realizing she'd lost her high-speed service with EarthLink, which used BellSouth's lines for that service.
She said she later realized BellSouth had switched her to its own DSL Internet provider when she came back, at a cost of $200. The company later refunded the money, she said, but not without a fight.
Seibert said she's stayed with BellSouth since, but only for fear of losing high-speed Internet access.
"We feel stuck," she said. "We're not fans. This means we won't be stuck with BellSouth. Now it seems like you're going to have some choices."
Loses battle in Georgia, at least for now
Bellsouth has been ordered to provide its DSL service to consumers in Georgia, even if they aren't customers of regular telephone service. The state's Public Service Commission decided in a 3-2 vote that forcing prospective DSL customers to be voice telephone consumers violated state law. According to the Georgia attorney general's office, BellSouth is fighting similar state rulings in Florida and Louisiana. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has additional detail.
10-22-2003 PSC ruled that BellSouth's practice of offering its popular high-speed Internet service only to its own voice telephone customers violates state law.
BellSouth must make its high-speed Internet service available to Georgia consumers whether they're BellSouth voice telephone customers or not, the state Public Service Commission ruled Tuesday.
Of BellSouth's claim that high-speed access is just another phone package feature, "that's a bit of a stretch," Kaplan said.
The fight isn't likely over, as was clear from some of the muttering from (BellSouth) lobbyists following Tuesday's ruling.
"Well, more work for the federal courts," one said, shrugging.
BellSouth is fighting similar state rulings in Florida and Louisiana, according to the Georgia attorney general's office.
"I think that's great," said Paige Seibert of Roswell, who tried to switch to MCI two years ago, then switched back to BellSouth after realizing she'd lost her high-speed service with EarthLink, which used BellSouth's lines for that service.
She said she later realized BellSouth had switched her to its own DSL Internet provider when she came back, at a cost of $200. The company later refunded the money, she said, but not without a fight.
Seibert said she's stayed with BellSouth since, but only for fear of losing high-speed Internet access.
"We feel stuck," she said. "We're not fans. This means we won't be stuck with BellSouth. Now it seems like you're going to have some choices."
I can't stand the fact that I can't just get a DSL line. We hardly ever use our phone as my wife and I mainly use cells - but we still have a $20+ phone bill everymonth just because I have DSL. I've been wanting to switch to Cable but they don't allow servers
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