Broadband forum: Can I cancel my basic phone service?

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.

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.

You can opt for satillite internet service. I don't know what they charge, but, it's worth calling anyways.

The 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.

You 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.

Attached 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...

FUSF (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

This reminds me of the guy that went in the cafe and ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and was told it was not on the menu, so he ordered a ham and cheese asked that it be grilled and said hold the ham. Some Telcos offer what they refer to in the industry as Nakid DSL. DSL without a local phone line. The larger telcos do not. They do not want to and do not have to. One reason is that your local telephone number is your account number, that is how they bill you in the system. If you cancel your phone, you cancel your account number, thus, no way to bill you for DSL. In some areas where the telephone company is not the A LEC, the billing system is different and a different method of billing was devised. For instance a new competitive carrier like Verizon offering service in an non Bell area. They use non telepone number as a billing number thus can bill seperately.

DSL is on your phone number. If you really have 2 lines into your house, it is only 2 to your closest phone post. And saves you having to install filters on all your phone connections. SBC runs only one line into a house and installs a filter on each telephone jack. The filter has a phone and a modem connection. Sorry the only way to get rid of your basic phone connection is Cable high speed.

As a couple of people have previously mentioned, your request is definitely possible. I have the service through a provider that simply resells the Verizon line (with a few extra services and a markup, mind you). Check out: http://www.speakeasy.net/home/onelink/

It's not what you are looking for, but I just wanted to clear up the misinformation people are spreading saying you can't do it. I am currently using the service from the link typing this reply.

I can't see any motivation for Verizon to sell that product until competition gets extremely fierce. Extra line = extra $$. That seems to be the bottom line.

Your basic telephone is the only telephone that will work during a power failure hence the only one that you will be able to dial 911 on during such an event.

thats right boys and girls. i could go into a history lession, back when mabell broke-up but im shore it would bore the h_ll out of ya. so lets just say, give the devil his do. if you want to dance to the music you must pay the fiddler. and dont forget to write your congr-assman, i mean you never know? thay did it once, right!

I use my cellphone for all of my voice calls. I used to have 3rd party DSL on a voice line registered to a roommate. When he moved out in July of 2003(?) I had to switch to cable modem. That was not a problem since I was already subscribing to cable.

October (2003?) the FCC ruled that phone companies in certain areas (mine included) had to allow 3rd party DSL on an untarrifed pair for a $10 monthly charge that would pass through the DSL provider to the customer. (This sounds fair to me since the maintenance of the physical plant is covered by voice service.) This happend too late to help me.

Summer of 2005 the FCC decided to no longer require that local phone providers allow unbundled DSL or even allow the 3rd party to sell DSL at all.

Unbundled DSL is not a technical problem. It is an accounting problem. To a customer service person anything that does not have a price code is impossible.

Cable modem Pros:
Faster inbound that is normal for DSL (4-6mb common)
Lower latency makes everything feel snappy.

DSL Pros:
Dedicated outbound channel makes sending email with attatchments and sending files much faster.

Here's what I did: I went to the box on my house, opened it and disconnected the wires. I left the single line connected that the technician installed. Everything else got taken off the posts, numbered them, and taped them together nice and neat. I mapped how they were connected just in case I have to put them back.

I went back in and picked up the phone and there was no dial tone. I then went to my computer, fired it up and went online. I tried switching to different Web sites. Everything worked fine. It's still working fine as of this post.

Just in case, I dropped my phone service to the cheapest possible service to get the dial tone even though it doesn't actually work in my house. This was just to cover my bases in case the phone company ever tries to accuse me of stealing services.

My services consist of this:
Basic (downright primal) telephone service.
The DSL package.
No long distance.

I unplugged the regular landline phones and threw them in the trash. I now use my cell phone for all calls. If the power goes out, I've got a power socket on the APU I hooked up for my basement sump pump. I can plug the phone into that to recharge it or I can run it off my car's socket.