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FC NOW: The Fast Company Weblog

June 1, 2005

Delivering DSL

SBC is now offering DSL for $14.95 per month. The company's COO Randall Stephenson is quoted as wishing to increase the reach of broadband. And that is good. And SBC's move will force competitors to lower prices. Others may offer new features. This competition could breed true innovation.

While the rise of broadband has made a huge difference, hi quality video over the internet for instance, there is always this nagging need to appeal to the lowest denominator. That may not be the case with increased proliferation. Perhaps websites will evolve further and video and audio will become the norm and not special features. Web designers and programmers could aim for the stars.

How would you like to see websites and web technology evolve?

Posted by Kevin Ohannessian at June 1, 2005 10:24 AM | Category: internet + web | 3 Comments

3 COMMENTS

Posted by: Steve Portigal at June 1, 2005 11:03 AM

I don't know the specifics of this deal, but as an SBC DSL customer, my assumption is that with this deal, like the one I signed up for, you get a pretty good price for a few months, and then it goes up. Way up.

Maybe if the intro price is being lowered, the steady-state price is being lowered as well. It's pretty hard, in my mind, to jump providers with DSL (say in contrast to a cell phone) especially when you don't really know if it'll work until the day they try to hook it up, etc. so they're pretty much gonna lock you in.

I'd like to see the overall price per month fall for everyone; why isn't my monthly DSL bill going down?

Posted by: Steve Portigal at June 1, 2005 11:32 AM

Hmm - Techdirt is saying what I said (only better, of course)
http://techdirt.com/articles/20050601/0231238_F.shtml

Posted by: Steve at June 1, 2005 9:13 PM

I think this is a great thing! I have Comcast, the biggest monoply during this day and age, and hate it. Comcast doesn't care about anyone but themselves with their pricing structure as they "bait and switch." Have this low dsl like price for 6 mo and then we're jacking it up. Why are there DSL choices for providers but not cable choices. Don't the cable companies have to lease their lines out as the phones companies are forced to? Can't beat the $14.95 for 1.5 speed. Even the 3.0 speed is just $29.99.