Wait! People DON'T want $10 DSL ???

[EVPohovich]

http://techdirt.com/articles/20070801/154117.shtml

Remember the story back in June about how AT&T had extremely quietly started offering $10 DSL as was required in its deal to buy BellSouth? The company was promoting many other, more expensive, DSL options, but the only way you could get the required $10 version was if you specifically knew to ask about it. Broadband Reports points to an interview from an Atlanta newspaper with AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson where he's asked about the $10 DSL. The interviewer points out that no story about AT&T resulted in a more irate response from AT&T customers as its story about the hidden offer for $10 DSL, suggesting that this was a huge issue for AT&T customers. Stephenson's response? First he denies that the company made it hard to find, and then he says that they're not promoting it because customers don't want it. This, despite the clear response from customers to the very newspaper who was conducting the interview. Then, he basically admits that the $10 DSL doesn't work very well, saying that they don't promote it because they don't want to give customers a product that sucks. Of course, he says that as if it's not his company that has quite a bit of control over whether or not the product sucks. Yes, that's right. AT&T actually thinks you'll believe that they're hiding their cheap broadband offering because, seriously, who wants cheap broadband when more expensive broadband is available? Of course, this isn't a new strategy from AT&T. Back when it was SBC and refused to offer naked DSL, the claim was that customers didn't want naked DSL either, despite the success many other companies were having with it, and numerous articles with people clamoring for it. It appears that AT&T has figured out that when there's really no competition, you get to decide what it is your customers really do or do not want.

I realize you get what you pay for and blah, blah, blah...! The cost is not that great compared to what they are charging...

[jAQUAN]

Reminds of the electric car. The makers couldn't get an infrastructure built due to being out lobbied by big oil. No re-charge stations, no sales. So they got the emissions council to agree that if the makers could prove there was no demand, they didn't have to make any.

[TallGuyLittleCar]

Reminds of the electric car. The makers couldn't get an infrastructure built due to being out lobbied by big oil. No re-charge stations, no sales. So they got the emissions council to agree that if the makers could prove there was no demand, they didn't have to make any.

not a big fan of engineering and automobiles are you.

[gerbick]

offer it to me. see what happens.

[silverx2]

gerbick would you like $10 dsl?

[gerbick]

*purchased*

[yasunobu13]

it's also a pain in the butt to actually get it.

[Frets]

Some people are scared (yes scared) of cheap broadband,

The stripped 750kbps that they offer is obviously a huge jump for dialup users.
I survived rather well with the stripped service (less att/sbc crap) on my machine for several years.
On the other hand people who have enjoyed cable and adsl2 won't bother with adsl1


A few years back our county commisioner wanted a free wifi county.
Here is the package he offered.
The tower usage would be offered free of charge to wifi providers. In return the providers could charge businesses for wifi but allow access to residentual users.

Businesses were chomping at the bit to pay for county wide wi-fi because hotspots were currently few, far between and high priced (imagine paying $200 a month for wifi and not being able to use it in many of the area's you needed) Wifi providers were lining up to secure contracts with the county.

SBC slammed a lawsuit on the county for proposing it. and then went to the state house of reps to pass a bill insuring that it would never happen again.

[pooon]

A few years back our county commisioner wanted a free wifi county.
Here is the package he offered.
The tower usage would be offered free of charge to wifi providers. In return the providers could charge businesses for wifi but allow access to residentual users.

My hometown, Fredericton, New Brunswick was one of the first cities in North America (the first in Canada) to introduce free city wide WIFI. Its amazing being able to do your work anywhere, in a park, by the river, etc...

[random25]

hehe...
that mad me laugh.

What speeds are they offering for ten dollars?
I just upgraded to the "elite speed" DSL, and it is $35 per month for around a 6MB connection.

[gerbick]

Sad that your county/state allowed that go through. BellSouth tried that here, and got laughed at.

[random25]

My only alternative here is cable for around $10 more.

[gerbick]

My only alternative here is cable for around $10 more.

I was responding to Frets... sorry about that Random.

[random25]

I was responding to Frets... sorry about that Random.

Oh... I thought maybe i was getting ripped off.

[jAQUAN]

not a big fan of engineering and automobiles are you.

I knew that'd bring you out. You know I'm paraphrasing a documentary, not my own research.

[gerbick]

I knew that'd bring you out. You know I'm paraphrasing a documentary, not my own research.

damn. I've been duped by a documentary.

[TallGuyLittleCar]

I knew that'd bring you out. You know I'm paraphrasing a documentary, not my own research.

and i must destroy that documentary.. like an ev1 in a GM metal crusher.