Travel Technology - Internet without a Phone Line or Cable Connection

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Some areas of the country have Clearwire (http://www.clearwire.com).

Otherwise, you could sign up for a mobile broadband access card through a wireless provider.

You can get DSL over a phone line, without actually having to order phone service. If you call AT&T and ask for a "dry loop" or "naked DSL".

Internet access without phone lines means cable (which you have), fiber (often referred to as FTTP or FTTU - fiber to the premises or user), satellite (DirecTV, WildBlue, etc.), or wireless (Clearwire, Xanadoo). Only fiber will offer the speeds you've become accustomed to with cable, and it's likely to cost as much.

Fiber installations ususally are neighborhood by neighborhood with new construction areas getting it first, as it's easiest to lay fiber in new construction areas. Urban areas (apartments, downtown structures) also go in before older residential areas.

Satellite (stick a dish on your house or in your backyard) are usually more costly to install, and can be problematic in windy areas. Wireless installations use either an external antenna or an internal one (often incorporated into a modem/router box) that must sit in a window to get clear view of a tower. Both satellite and wireless installations typically run considerably slower than standard DSL, often achieving only 500-600 kbps down and 128k up. While far better than dialup, these rates will seem like molassas in winter for someone used to cable.

Also, you aren't likely to save that much. Xanadoo offers rates that seem cheap, but they are for very slow connection speeds. To get halfway decent rates, you could easily exceed the $55/mo you now pay.

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Excuse my ignorance, but to set up naked DSL, do you just run a cable (like a phone line) from the outlet jack to the wireless router, and presto you are are on the internet? If it matters, I would use a macbook to access the internet and, accordingly, would like get Apple's airport base station or whatever it is called.

Close. It would go:

Wall -> DSL modem -> wireless router -> Presto.
There are some DSL modems that include wireless routers, so you may be able to have one box. That depends on your preference of cost versus simplicity.


Perhaps my reference to cable was unclear. I have cable TV, but no internet at all. I want to ditch the cable TV and replace it with internet service, hopefully at a cheaper price. What I would most certainly prefer to not have is some sort of "bundled" cable tv/phone/internet package, unless the cost (savings) simply require it.

My guess (I didn't notice where you live, but assuming US city) is that your cable company will offer the best rates for Internet plus basic cable. The other options are either meant primarily for rural users (satellite), or those who want speed and are willing to pay for it (fiber).

Perhaps my reference to cable was unclear. I have cable TV, but no internet at all. I want to ditch the cable TV and replace it with internet service, hopefully at a cheaper price. What I would most certainly prefer to not have is some sort of "bundled" cable tv/phone/internet package, unless the cost (savings) simply require it.

FWIW, and just as a reference, I'm get a bundle from Comcast with unlimited phone service, Digital Plus TV and Internet (I get 25mbit down/3 up), all for $99/month.

If you are in the market for TV/Internet/Phone, try calling them and see what kind of deals they have. Sadly you won't get any cheaper than the $55 you are already paying, especially if you want TV and Internet.

Surprisingly, Comcast charges more for TV/Internet than for their three-in-one bundle...

but to set up naked DSL, do you just run a cable (like a phone line) from the outlet jack to the wireless router, and presto you are are on the internet? If it matters, I would use a macbook to access the internet and, accordingly, would like get Apple's airport base station or whatever it is called.
The way I understand it, landlines and DSL use the same phone lines/wires. When you have DSL, it's the data being transmitted thru the phone lines, instead of voice.

I assume you are in TX and ATT serves your area. You can check it out and see if ATT DSL is available in your area here (https://swot.sbc.com/swot/canIOrderOnline.do?do=processDSL). Depending on the speed of DSL you order, you may save more money to order online. ATT offers free modem after mail-in-rebate. Bundled with home phone may cost you even less. If you switch from cable, I think ATT also have some cash promo going on. IF you want the TV bundle, the price is much higher I think. I only have phone/basic DSL bundle and it doesn't cost me $55. You should check them out online first:

http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=6431

Back in summer, jfe had a similiar thread (switch from cable to ATT in TX), you may find some useful info there:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=839542

My guess (I didn't notice where you live, but assuming US city) is that your cable company will offer the best rates for Internet plus basic cable. The other options are either meant primarily for rural users (satellite), or those who want speed and are willing to pay for it (fiber).

I have Charter and it's cheaper to have cable internet and basic TV (70 channels) than to have internet only . . .

I have considered dropping down to no internet, no TV, and using my tethered modem capability only (included with cell phone data plan). Then again, flyertalk is the closest to a broadband need I have online.

If it is just you who needs internet and depending on your location have you considered just going with a cellular modem on a 3G network?

FWIW, and just as a reference, I'm get a bundle from Comcast with unlimited phone service, Digital Plus TV and Internet (I get 25mbit down/3 up), all for $99/month.

If you are in the market for TV/Internet/Phone, try calling them and see what kind of deals they have. Sadly you won't get any cheaper than the $55 you are already paying, especially if you want TV and Internet.

Surprisingly, Comcast charges more for TV/Internet than for their three-in-one bundle...


LUCKY YOU! Here in the RDU area, the fastest internet is 10mbit down and a miserable 512 kb up!

I can't friggin wait for fiber!!!

You can get DSL over a phone line, without actually having to order phone service. If you call AT&T and ask for a "dry loop" or "naked DSL".

Depends. There are state tariffs involved that vary based on where you are. There is no guarantee that whomever owns the copper (the ILEC) has to offer the unbundled element, nor is there a guarantee that whomever services the DSL will either know how or be willing to do it on someone else's UNE.

AT&T won't even do it in all the states where they serve as the incumbent LEC.

I am a big fan of the mobile broadband cards in this scenario. The satellite latency sucks with DSS service.

AT&T won't even do it in all the states where they serve as the incumbent LEC.
That was my impression as well.

When I tried to order DSL from AT&T, I recalled one of the requirements (for either the promo or bundled rates) was being a subscriber to AT&T home phone (which I was). Since I did/do need the home phone, I didn't explore further whether a naked DSL is possible.

FWIW, and just as a reference, I'm get a bundle from Comcast with unlimited phone service, Digital Plus TV and Internet (I get 25mbit down/3 up), all for $99/month.

If you are in the market for TV/Internet/Phone, try calling them and see what kind of deals they have. Sadly you won't get any cheaper than the $55 you are already paying, especially if you want TV and Internet.

Surprisingly, Comcast charges more for TV/Internet than for their three-in-one bundle...

I got a "deal" from Comcast (after calling to cancel and use AT&T UVerse) of $69 (plus taxes) for basic+extended cable plus internet that's guaranteed for 6mbit down and I don't recall the promised uplink. What I actually get is anywhere from 12-20mbit up and about 1.5mb down. The one advantage (and disadvantage) of cable is that the rates are not individually limited as they are with DSK. So, one can get faster or slower actual throughput based on usage in the area.

Cheers.

I have a dry loop DSL service in Arkansas from AT&T. It's a 6Mbps down, 768K up, $45 service. By bundling it with my AT&T cellular service, I save $10/month, for a final cost of $35. I run a VOIP phone over it so I don' t need a landline phone. My son in Kansas has the same service and pricing from AT&T. There are cheaper and slower products down to a basic DSL of $19.95/month.

I just did a search on att.com using a Dallas zipcode, and it appears that the same pricing is available in the Texas market (http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=11523).

Your Internet needs should determine the speed you purchase. If you browse the Internet and send and receive email, I have many clients who are content with 1.5 Mbps download speeds (assuming 1-2 users). On the other hand, if you are doing data transfer over the Internet - downloading music and videos or doing offsite data backup, you will want a much higher speed.

If you are checking e-mail for a few people, 768k both ways is fine. It's when/if you want to start streaming audio or video that > DS-1 speed (1.5) is probably warranted. I lived on a crappy 768k DSL line in Scotland for a few years without my head exploding.....

The one advantage (and disadvantage) of cable is that the rates are not individually limited as they are with DSK. So, one can get faster or slower actual throughput based on usage in the area.

Cheers.

I'm on DSL now, but when I had Time Warner's cable internet, the time of day performance differences were huge. I work from home, and during business hours it was great, but in the evening when people were home, it went way downhill.

I'm on DSL now, but when I had Time Warner's cable internet, the time of day performance differences were huge. I work from home, and during business hours it was great, but in the evening when people were home, it went way downhill.

Gee, that sounds like the crappy Qwest I have now & am desperate to get rid of. It's fine @ 6am; any other time of day, forget it; can go hours @ a time w/o being able to do anything.

I am investigating getting an aircard (which would also give me the ability to bypass hotel internet charges which also annoy me). The dry-loop AT&T DSL sounds intriguing, & certainly the price seems right, but when I check for service on their website, it keeps saying not available; does it matter for the dry loop? Is that something that requires talking to a human directly?

I am investigating getting an aircard (which would also give me the ability to bypass hotel internet charges which also annoy me). The dry-loop AT&T DSL sounds intriguing, & certainly the price seems right, but when I check for service on their website, it keeps saying not available; does it matter for the dry loop? Is that something that requires talking to a human directly?

If the website says DSL is not available at your address, then DSL is not available at your address.

I have AT&T dry loop DSL and it works well...$35/month for 5 Mb down; 1 Mb up. It's slower than I used to have, but it works.

Aircards are great if you're in a 3G coverage area and don't need to do any heavy downloads since even the "unlimited" plans have a 5 GB/month cap in the T&C's.

I'm typing this on my AT&T laptop dongle...though up here on the 32nd floor in Chicago I only get EDGE service, not 3G.

I'm typing this on my AT&T laptop dongle...though up here on the 32nd floor in Chicago I only get EDGE service, not 3G.

So, how bad/slow is the actual experience on EDGE? We just got an AT&T dongle, and that's one of my concerns (along with international access without having to sign up for the $140/month plan for a year). I'm sure the 3G is pretty reasonable, so it comes down to a question of how bad the worst-case EDGE will be.

Cheers.