Broadband / DSL recommendations?

[Matt Graham]

After a long battle with technology, Micah DesJardins wrote:
> I don't need an ISP for email, hosting or any other "service" other
> than the connection itself.  It looks like FastQ will cost me more
> than the data only option from Qwest. What's the benefit that I'm
> missing on going with FastQ over Qwest if they're using the same line?

This is a good question.  "Data only" plans from wire carriers sound like 
something they'd want to keep *very* quiet, since the services ISPs offer are 
a lot less useful now that everyone has @webmail_providers and 
@webhosting_providers.  ISTR reading something a while back about "Internet 
dial-tone", but it was either content-free or a *long* time ago since I can't 
remember any details.  It'd be very interesting to see cable networks get 
more open--telco networks have been made more open, after all.  I wonder how 
much money the cable companies will spend fighting that.

FWIW, I'm using Qwest as the wire carrier and Deru as the ISP.  No problems at 
all with Deru; they're good people.  Qwest has had 3 wire problems in the 
last 5 months.  I think my experience there is atypical.  (Or the revenue 
enhancement devices they recently put in at the nearby large intersection 
screwed up various telco things.)

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