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Broadband: Can I cancel my basic phone service?
Can I cancel my basic phone service?
by exmusicbuyer - 1/30/06 12:46 PMHere's the background info:
I have the basic Verizon telephone package and now have Verizon DSL. I had problems getting it working, so a Verizon tech came out and diagnosed the problem as being the filters. He ran a dedicated phone wire that the modem now goes to. I believe the wiring goes directly to the phone box and is not part of the "regular" phone wiring. Everything works fine. The setup does not use filters, so I assume this is because it's not going through the regular telephone line and that the line the tech ran was a copper line.
I have no speed or access issues.
I have a cell phone and the contract is month-to-month now.
Here's the issue: After looking at my bills and usage, I'm certain it would save me money to take the next logical step and drop my land line service in favor of a decent cellular package. I wouldn't remove the line, but I would cancel the service.
However, Verizon says I must keep the basic telephone service in order to keep getting DSL. This doesn't make sense to me since the DSL line goes on its own to the phone box and I never signed up for any DSL/basic phone service package.
Is this correct? Do I have to keep my basic service and phone line while I've got a dedicated copper line?
Maybe later I will explore VOIP, but right now I'd like to keep it simple: keep my DSL and use the cell phone as my house phone.
The verizon here is a no.
by R. Proffitt
- 1/30/06 12:54 PM
In reply to: Can I cancel my basic phone service? by exmusicbuyer
DSL is only if you have a land line. You can go with cable, cut verizon and get the internet.
Bob
I'm hearing otherwise
by exmusicbuyer - 1/30/06 1:29 PM In reply to: The verizon here is a no. by R. Proffitt
The story behind my post is that I'm trying to simplify. I don't want to pay an installation fee for cable, sign a contract, get basic cable, or take on another payment.
As I pointed out, there's a dedicated copper wire going directly between the telephone box and the telephone junction box. The junction box is affixed to my baseboard that the DSL modem plugs into. I've heard that the only thing needed to get DSL is the copper wire going to the phone box; basic telephone service isn't needed.
The big question is whether or not I will still get my DSL signal to the modem if I have my basic telephone service cut off, but keep my DSL service active.
Why ask here?
by R. Proffitt - 1/30/06 2:39 PM
In reply to: I'm hearing otherwise by exmusicbuyer
Seriously. If you want to do this, you call in and make it happen. No one here can tell you the definitive answer but the last time it came up, you could not do without dialtone and keep DSL.
Bob
No baiting, please
by exmusicbuyer - 1/31/06 3:39 PM In reply to: Why ask here? by R. Proffitt
The fact is that the corporate answers aren't matching up with logic. It's possible that they're not matching up with engineering, either.
One one hand you've got living, breathing field technicians saying it can be done. On the other, salespeople who are trained to keep the dollars flowing and the customer buffaloed are saying it can't be done. Who's right? The customers would like to know.
After all, why should anyone have to pay for basic telephone service they don't use when they're already paying for a DSL plan and DSL might just need a single copper wire going to the phone box to function? This is compounded by the duplication of fees assessed when Furthermore, why should anyone have to pay "required" fees on each product they have (their phone plan, DSL and for cellular)? The phone companies will keep skirting the law by packaging products in ways to keep the consumers paying the fees, plus the charges.
In fact, the representative just told me over the phone --as she's going over a fee schedule different (higher) than what's published on line-- that they won't publish all their fees because "there's too much competition." She just admitted that they're violating the law AND duping their customers!!
It's becoming very clear that that all of this nonsense about requiring a dial tone might just be double talk to keep money pouring into the phone company's coffers.
Too many people and companies think that consumers don't care about where their money goes, and that they don't care when a couple dollars here and there are rounded off. I do and I think there are many more like me who do, too. We're the type of people who don't intend to grow old appearing to be wealthy. We intend to grow old while BEING wealthy.
What can and should happen may not be what does happen
by GraysonBuzz - 2/9/06 3:06 AM In reply to: No baiting, please by exmusicbuyerYou make valid points about what can be done technically. I have heard that there are locations around the country (former SBC/AT&T???) that have begun to offer naked DSL. However, the reality is that whether or not it can technically be done, Verizon, BellSouth, AT&T, etc. are under obligation to offer such a packaging of their services. So they are allowed to require a phone line with the DSL service. I would consider getting rid of my landline and going VOIP over my DSL if I could, but I cannot and there is not much I can do about it at this time. What will begin to make the landline phone companies consider this issue will be customers leaving them over this and going to cable and, at some point perhaps, wireless broadband.
Phone company dilema
by rlunderhill - 2/13/06 2:11 PM In reply to: No baiting, please by exmusicbuyerYou can opt for satillite internet service. I don't know what they charge, but, it's worth calling anyways.
Telco can do it but won't
by fnash - 2/9/06 4:02 AM In reply to: I'm hearing otherwise by exmusicbuyerThe answer to your message is Yes. The phone company can indeed cancel your phone service and you can continue to have your DSL. Whether it's across the same line or a different line doesn't matter at all. When it gets back to some point that could be as close as the phone box on the outside of your house they join again most likely. Having DSL without the phone service is called an unbundled loop.
Now comes the part you won't like. Just because they can doesn't mean they will. Most phone companies will not do this and will deny they can to the average customer. My brother-in-law runs an ISP and does contract negotiations with telcos to let the ISP use the telco's lines to run the ISPs DSL service. Kind of like when you subsribe to an AOL or Yahoo DSL service. AOL and Yahoo don't run the phone lines, they just have an agreement with the phone company to provide the line to your house, and they pay some set portion of the line cost to the telco. Anyway, my brother-in-law has arranged to provide unbundled loops to some areas they re-sell the DSL services, and in other areas the Telco flatly refuses to do it and have even tried to tell him it's not possible, at least until they find out who he is and what he knows.
Someone else here said to drop DSL and go to cable. Many, if not most Cable carriers will charge some additional fee if you don't already have at least basic cable service or may even require you to have at least basic cable service. This extra fee is usually close to what the basic cable service rate is anyway.
Hope that helps answer your question.
CABLE broadband
by drwho - 7/24/06 12:17 PM In reply to: Telco can do it but won't by fnashThe reason most Cable Companies USED TO charge an extra fee for Broadband WITHOUT TV service was because in the beginning they discovered that people were canceling the TV service only but still getting the TV signal along with their broadband so in-effect they were paying for the broadband and getting the previously-paid-for TV service for free!
Nowdaze, they are actually able to split the signals so if you order Broadband only, that's all you will get. The cavet here is that you generally DO NOT have a choice of providers; if the local cable company sucks, yer SOL.
I had CHARTER CABLE for about a year or so before giving them THE BOOT cause they would SHUT DOWN the system "for routine maintenance" on random days, usually in the evenings. Complaints to Tech Support & Customer Service fall on deaf ears since every cable company has a monopoly and really does not have to give good service.
As for Satelite Broadband, you STILL need a landline to send outbound signals since yer 10" dish is designed to RECEIVE, not Transmit.
The answer is "Yes, sort of..."
by exmusicbuyer - 1/30/06 1:53 PM In reply to: Can I cancel my basic phone service? by exmusicbuyerI found out that I only have to pay $5.92 for dial tone service, plus applicable state, local, and federal taxes. Verizon would bill me at a flat rate of 10 cents per call, which I guess is okay since I'd only use it to call 911.
That's a $21 a month (excluding taxes) baseline for dial tone service and DSL. Time to start looking for a decent cell phone plan... I'll post how it goes after I crunch the numbers.
Also, a Verizon field installer I was referred to (Thanks, Ron!) by a friend said that the $5.92 literally pays for the privilege of having a wire run to the phone company's box and it's always connected and in an "on" state. He said when you activate your service, you're really just activating your billing account.
A little information. . .
by Coryphaeus - 1/30/06 5:26 PM In reply to: Can I cancel my basic phone service? by exmusicbuyerYou still have a filter, it's now outside. You now have a dedicated run to the PC. This is called the "Home Run" method. The filter splits the DSL from the voice outside the house.
As far as geting DSL without voice, it's strictly up to Verizon. Probably not.
A lot of people are opting to kill their voice line and go cell. I guess it's ok, but what if the cell phone dies and you have an emergency? I have the same reservations about VoIP. I can think of no good reason to kill the most reliable device of the last two centuries.
Wayne
Quis mos non iuguolo vos planto vos validus.
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Quis mos non iuguolo vos planto vos validus.
SBC will start to
by Ed Mead - 1/30/06 7:03 PM
In reply to: A little information. . . by Coryphaeus
let this happen in the near future, but as far as I know, not at this time.
Latest update: It's available in "Certain geographic areas"
by exmusicbuyer - 1/31/06 3:19 PM In reply to: A little information. . . by CoryphaeusAttached is the response from Verizon's eCenter. Apparently, having DSL without basic telephone service is available in "certain geographic areas." I've asked Verizon to specify which of these areas it whether or not one of these geographic areas is Washington, D.C.
The telephone number is apparently for something called the "Verizon Encore Support Center."
Here's what I got back:
"Dear Verizon Customer,
"Thank you for contacting the Verizon eCenter. My name is Tracy, and I will be handling your request today.
"This message is in response to your email dated January 30. You inquired about the availability of Verizon Online DSL service without local service.
"You may be able to get DSL without having local service, but this option is only available in certain geographic areas.
"To find out if this option is available for you, please contact us directly at (800) 688-2880. A customer service representative will be happy to assist you.
"The department to which we have referred you will be able to assist you. If you have any additional questions, please let us know. We look forward to serving you.
"Thank you for using Verizon. We appreciate your business.
"Sincerely,
"(Jane Doe)
"Verizon eCenter"
I've decided to call the number since I'm getting the runaround.
Running dialog starts now:
I'm literally on the phone right now with Verizon's "Encore Support Center" and the technician said it's something called "dry loop DSL," which will cost $37.95 a month and includes the dial tone. Now she's pitching me on "FIO," which I assume is sales-speak for fiber optic. That's $29.95 for the first year and $39.95 after that (I guess they're pulling up short of asking for the kidney).
Still typing as they talk... Boy, these people sure do talk fast!
Running dialog ends.
So, what they're telling me is that they've covered their bases and are going to great lengths to ensure that customers must have some sort of dial tone if they've got anything but fiber optic. I figure that this is because they want to keep the "Federal Universal Service Charge," which they say is not a tax, but they're required by the FCC to charge it (Hmmm....Looks like a tax. Smells like a tax. MUST BE A TAX!).
Anyway, I ended up dropping the overpriced calling plan we had and took the $22 basic service and pay-as-you-go long distance until I can figure out all the true costs in a spreadsheet.
By the way, I'm now eyeballing the phone box and the wire the technician installed. There doesn't appear to be a filter anywhere on it. I'm sure the guy didn't do anything else because I watched him install it and I saw him go right to his van and leave. I've already tried to see if there was a dial tone coming out of the little tan telephone connector box on the wall; there is no dial tone. I think I'm going to go disconnect the phone wires and leave the copper wire in. Let's see if the DSL works without the basic service at all.
Stay tuned...
? and the outcome is ?
by only2sunshines - 2/5/06 12:56 AM In reply to: Latest update: It's available in "Certain geographic areas" by exmusicbuyerI'm interested in knowing what happened. I am looking for options to eliminate the high dollar phone line "not used" in my home. Why would you need a calling plan for a dsl connection? Why isn't a basic landline phone service enough to receive the dsl service that you PAY for.
For comic relief.
by chuckieu - 2/5/06 9:13 AM In reply to: ? and the outcome is ? by only2sunshinesFUSF (Federal Universal Service whatever) is a joke. It
was instituted during the Spanish/American War (Remember the Maine). It is still being collected even though ruled
outdated and illegal by the courts. They just won't stop
collecting it. Hope this cheers you up. chuck
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