DSL Providers, Broadband Reviews

Verizon tweaks DSL Pricing

2009-01-07T20:28:00.005-05:00

With a horrible economy and consumers tightening their household budgets Verizon is offering a new DSL product offer. It's called DSL Internet pricing for life.

Although the concept is not new as this package was offered back in 2007, Verizon is once again introducing this to the public.

It's available to customers who sign up for a 2 year contract. As long as you keep the dsl service, your price will never go up.

Verizon has been focused on marketing Fios as of late and has lost market share over the last quarter for this reason and the economic downturn. DSL customers have also been unhappy with the slow speeds that have come with their dsl offerings.

To counter this Verizon DSL has upgraded entry level upload and download speeds and is promoting double and triple play high-speed internet service bundles at reduced costs.

Best T1 Provider?

2008-04-17T00:10:00.000-04:00

Every bandwidth company has their strength and weakness. Some have products that they specialize in and stomp the competition.

As far as T1 Providers go, Telnes Broadband which provides not only t1 services, but adsl, sdsl, has to be the one I recommend most to my clients. Great service, prices, and most of all they care!

I recently had a customer who had their connection not working for several hours and telnes dispatched a team of technicians to fix the problem almost immediately!

No one is perfect, but what matters most is a company who understands their customers needs and concerns and is willing to go the extra mile!

Way to go telnes, not only have you earned my respect but my valued clients as well!

Commission River Launch

2008-02-18T00:58:00.002-05:00

A word of congratulations to commission river and the new launch of riveroffers, a website dedicated to offering customers a one stop shop to telecommunication products at deep discounts.

Some of the products offered are T1 Dedicated, Metro Ethernet, PBX Phone Systems, Local Phone Service, Long Distance Plans, 1-800 Toll Free, Conference Calling, Calling Cards, Dial-around, Cellular Phone Plans, Prepaid Cellular Accessories, Cell Phone Handsets, Residential VoIP, Credit Cards and High Speed Internet service and many more products for residential and business customers.

Providers include: AccuConference (AccuConference), AT&T DSL (AT&T Residential DSL), InPhonic (CellPhone River), Cannon Satellite (DIRECTV), VMC Satellite (Dish Network), Pioneer Telephone, VoIP.com (VoIP.com), letstalk.com (Cell Phones).

Visit: www.riveroffers.com for more details!

AT&T raises dsl prices

2008-02-10T00:55:00.000-05:00

With slowing broadband growth and blaming a weak economy, at&t is raising it's subscription costs for dsl service by 5 dollars a month.

According to CNET the changes are as follows:

These charges are if you have bundled service:

Basic (768Kbps): will go from $14.99 to $19.95

Express service (1.5Mbps): jumps from $19.99 to $25.00

Pro (3Mbps): price changes from $24.99 to $30 dollars monthly

Elite (6Mbps): no pricing change here $34.99

These price hikes are not in every state. To read more on areas affected go to the full story.

If you would like to compare prices for these dsl services in your location, go here: DSL

Internet Service Availability

2008-01-26T00:22:00.000-05:00

I you are looking to get Internet Service there are many choices available.

The cheapest option that is available is DSL if your in need of broadband. Some providers offer packages starting at $12.99 such as Verizon, although at this price your Internet speed might not make you so happy (up to 768 Kbps), and this is usually an introductory price. If your not a heavy user, this should be enough for you to surf the net. You can also upgrade to 3mbps if your more than a casual user, which will bring your monthly costs up.

You can also get high-speed internet from your cable company and even choose to include voip phone service and cable tv in a bundled package. Prices normally start at $29.99 with self install, but again costs go up after six months after the introductory period. Your better off with a package which will save you money. Cable Internet is faster than DSL and is more reliable.

Satellite broadband is usually your last option because it's very costly. If you live in an area where dsl or cable internet is not available, this may be your only option. Wildblue and HughesNet formally known as Direcway are the two major providers of satellite internet and prices start at $59.99 but comes with added costs of equipment and installation charges. Although rebates are available.

How much does Business DSL cost?

2008-01-23T23:37:00.000-05:00

Unlike a T1 Line, business dsl prices are much lower if your bandwidth needs are not demanding or you would like to try DSL for your business to start off with instead.

There are several options you can choose from, DSL, ADSL, DDSL, DSLAM and SDSL.

Typical pricing can run from 49.00 per month for ADSL (768k x 128k) to 289.95 monthly cost for SDSL (1.5M x 1.5M).

DSL Service price may vary as speeds increase as high-end Business Internet may reach t1 line type cost.

If you start with DDSL, IDSL or the other options I just spoke about you can always upgrade to more speed if your needs increase.

You can find information and explanations on the different types of service here

Pay for what you use high-speed Internet

2008-01-18T17:45:00.000-05:00

You might be surprised when you get your Internet Service bill from Time Warner. Well maybe not exactly just yet, as the company is running a pilot program based on how much data a customer downloads. So if your constantly on Limewire or uploading huge amounts of data, your bill will cost you much higher than if your just a casual user.

The trial run is only in Beaumont, Texas for now, so if you live outside the city your not affected by this. Time Warner is doing this to test network performance and to make it costlier for heavy users to download large amounts of data which can slow down their network. The company says that 5% of Internet users can clog up almost 50 percent of network capacity. It is not known when or if this new billing system will be rolled out nationally. This all depends on how the pilot program works out.

The end of flat rates for broadband? Stay tuned.

Dude where is my internet speed?

2008-01-04T00:05:00.000-05:00

Soon providers of broadband i.e. dsl, cable internet, will have to ensure that advertised speeds of bandwidth are ensured. No longer will they be able to get away with exaggerated advertising of "we have the fastest internet in town" claims without backing it up with real performance according to recent reports. They can start with my connection, although my verizon fios service is pretty darn fast!

Best DSL Providers

2007-09-22T22:49:00.000-04:00

1- Verizon

2- Qwest

3- Bellsouth

Depending on your location DSL may not be available. I prefer cable internet, it is much faster and install times are quick.

Compulsory migration process for DSL providers starts on 14th February

2007-03-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

Migrating between broadband providers in the last year has become more complex due to a number of issues which included disputes between wholesale providers and their resellers, new broadband products such as shared unbundling, fully unbundled lines and a number of broadband service providers not signing up to Ofcom's voluntary code of practice that previously existed.

In December 2006, Ofcom issued a new set of rules that make support for the Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) that facilitates migrations on DSL platforms compulsory with effect from 14 February 2007. These rules do not affect cable, wireless or satellite broadband providers. The MAC process currently applies to migrations both from and to IPStream, Datastream and shared LLU products. For fully unbundled products the rules do not apply at this time, but as suitable processes become available providers are expected to comply. It is also worth pointing out that the new rules do not apply for home moves, or where the broadband connection is not live.

The key points of the new compulsory General Condition 22 are shown below. The full statement on migrations can be read on the Ofcom website.

* Broadband Service Providers must supply a MAC on request within 5 working days
* Providers must accept a MAC where a customer provides a valid one. This does not prevent a provider from refusing to supply a service to a customer for other business reasons (e.g. credit worthiness, etc.)
* The provider is not allowed to charge for issuing a Migration Authorisation Code
* Compulsory issuing of a MAC only applies to connections for consumers or small businesses (with less than 10 employees)
* The provider cannot withhold a MAC for the purposes of debt collection, or for contractual reasons
* Where a customer requests a MAC inside their minimum contract period the customer will still be liable for any contractual obligations (e.g. charges for any minimum contract periods, etc.)
* If a MAC cannot be issued, the provider will explain why
* Providers should offer the customer reasonable assistance in migrating from/to another provider
* Wholesale providers must issue a MAC to their resellers (not end users) and cannot withhold it even if there are contractual disputes
* The provider must not disconnect a customers service if a MAC is requested
* The retail broadband provider must provide two different ways to obtain a MAC (e.g. by phone, by post, by website form)
* When a MAC is issued the provider will also provide its expiry date
* A provider must re-issue a MAC on subsequent requests if the previous MAC has expired

Ofcom does have the power to investigate and take enforcement action if a broadband provider is found to be in breach of the new regulations. Broadband Service Providers have had two months notice of the changes, so hopefully most will be ready to comply but a period of confusion is likely to follow for a few weeks as both customers and customer service teams become used to new processes. Any Ofcom investigations relating to a provider due to complaints from customers or the industry should take no longer than four months to complete whilst any it instigates itself should be completed within six months.

One option available to Ofcom if the compulsory process does not work satisfactorily is to empower a third party method to be able to issue Migration Authorisation Codes. Further consultation by Ofcom will take place if this is deemed necessary. It is worth noting that Ofcom is likely to take a soft approach in the first two months of implementation with providers whose processes have not yet been brought entirely into line with the new requirements, although we hope this will not result in a simple two month delay.

There are four situations where a broadband provider can refuse to issue a MAC:

1. When a Broadband Service Provider is unable to verify the identity of the person requesting the MAC
2. Where the broadband service contract has already been terminated
3. An existing valid MAC has already been issued; it is expected that the provider will simply remind the customer of the existing MAC code
4. When a provider has already issued a cease order, and the provider is now unable to obtain a MAC for the line

One issue which has created many problems for customers is shared unbundled lines (where broadband is unbundled, but the telephone service is still via BT or Wholesale line rental provider). On 21st December 2006 a new service called 'Provide with MAC' came into operation that provided for consumers wanting to migrate from a shared unbundled service (SMPF) to an IPstream or Datastream product. Obviously consumers cannot be expected to understand the nuances of broadband provision, so it is up to the old and new Broadband Service Providers to help guide customers through the processes.

If a customer finds themselves in the situation of not being able to get a Migration Authorisation Code they should talk to the provider they wish to move to as they should be able to advise. One tool that will help providers is the 'Online Visibility Checker' that is available to broadband providers which lets them see who holds the tag on a line and whether there are any orders or ceases pending. In theory this should help in situations where a retail broadband provider has ceased to trade or not contactable. If it turns out a cease order is in place on a line, for example when moving into a property that previously had broadband, there is a process called 'provide with cease' available to broadband providers that allows a new broadband order to be entered into the system, rather than having to wait for the cease to complete as in the past. This will not speed things up at present, but it will save customers time in chasing a provider to ensure the order for their new service has been placed.

It is impossible to predict what will happen as the new rules take effect but we hope that these changes will make things better for the broadband customer and promote a healthy competitive market where customers unhappy with a service can change providers without being held to ransom, thus encouraging broadband providers to try and meet customers expectations.

American DSL Providers Add 1,179,000 New Subscribers

2006-11-11T00:22:00.000-05:00

U.S. telecom providers have had yet another good three months in the broadband internet market, adding a combined total of 1,179,000 new DSL customers in the third quarter. That represents a 17% increase in subscriber growth, compared to Q2.

Ken Twist, the vices president of technology consulting at Ovum-RHK, said that these results were “encouraging” for the big Bell companies. He noted, however, that “the telcos could use a little momentum, because it also appears that the [cable companies] may have [had] a good quarter, based on the Comcast results.”

America’s top cable provider, Comcast, added 536,000 new high-speed internet customers in the third quarter, as its heavy marketing and bundling efforts continue to attract a strong stream of new customers. The cable giant’s digital phone service is also proving popular, adding an impressive 483,000 new subscribers in the most recent three-month period.

Service Providers' Challenges and Expectations Regarding Fixed WiMAX

2006-11-11T00:21:00.000-05:00

The primary challenge all operators face is satisfying the growing expectations of users for ever more capable, easier-to-use and more universally available communications and broadband services. Whether the customer is a corporation or an individual user, the challenge is to make capital-intensive buying decisions to deploy wireless networks that will meet not just current demand cost-effectively but the needs of targeted customers for a reasonable return on investment.

DSL operators need to provide increased bandwidth, coverage and packaging of services including wireless mobility. Although a subset of customers will be satisfied with the features of basic DSL combined with regular phone service, increasingly users are migrating to mobile service as their primary or only phone service. DSL providers can package cellular phone service, but since this is a profit-share with the wireless carriers, it delivers lower profits and is subject to migration to competitive broadband services. The definition of what makes up a competitive broadband offering is shifting: a still small subset of broadband users require higher bandwidths than DSL typically can offer. This usage pattern is expected to grow as DVB, IPTV and multi-cast video services become increasingly popular. A DSL operator faces the challenge of providing service to outlying areas that can be cost prohibitive for DSL extension.

Operators face increased competition from wireless mobile broadband. WiMAX and cellular broadband provide a pathway to "personal broadband." The ultimate vision is for the ability to always be connected with a sufficient level of broadband service and simplified billing. Deploying and managing diverse wireless networks that deliver increased numbers of media and other services is complex. Both corporate and individual users have shown a willingness to pay for simplicity over more complex or multiple services. Several well understood factors fit into this equation, including ease of use and productivity: less time spent dealing with buying, paying for and learning how to use services and devices results in greater commercial benefits and user satisfaction.

Multiple-service packaging and user satisfaction are the goals of providers because it is relatively easy to switch broadband services from DSL, cable or wireless broadband. When services include common interfaces and simplified billing, their "stickiness" increases. Customer turnover helps determine profitability of all communications services today. A provider does not realize profitability from new customers until they have stayed with a service for more than a year.

Implications for WiMAX

WiMAX ushers in the opportunity for DSL, cable, and cellular operators to provide a single, extensible IP/SIP platform for delivery of wireless communications that include triple play IPTV, Internet access, and VoIP phone service. As WiMAX evolves to full 4G mobility, it will be capable of providing a full set of services when combined with local area DSL, cable, or fiber optics.

User satisfaction and evolving usage factors compel the industry to consider deployment of networks that can evolve over several years. Increasingly, the decisions for 4G wireless broadband come down in favor of the mix, if not the exact prescription of platforms based on MIMO-OFDMA. WiMAX is the first major effort to develop a framework for the long-term evolution of 4G technologies.

DSL usage patterns have hit a level of saturation: the easier deployments have been reached and packaging of services now becomes increasingly an issue in the marketing and provisioning of service. Although higher bandwidths have been achieved in areas with good conditions for transmission, DSL has been unable to reach into outlying areas or provide a degree of mobility beyond that provided by Wi-Fi. DSL sales are being affected by migration to wireless cellular and will increasingly be impacted by higher bandwidth requirements that favor cable and fiber optics.

WiMAX operators providing DSL replacement will face the same challenges as current ISPs providing broadband Internet access. It is therefore important to review the kind of usage pattern that is eating up operators' bandwidth. Users don't care about the technology; they care that the application runs smoothly and provides a satisfying online experience - whether as a productivity tool or for entertainment. Each operator has a different set of customers, either business or residential/SOHO. Therefore, WiMAX must offer a tier of services to satisfy multiple classes of users.

Continued

From This Report Learn Why Digital Subscriber Line Technology (DSL) Will Continue To Be Provided and the Main Companies Who Will Be Providing It

2006-09-26T23:49:00.000-04:00

his report looks at the state of the DSL market from two distinct perspectives. First, it deals with general issues confronting the industry by considering data demand drivers, the case for and against specific business models, the DSL economic case, Voice over DSL, and forecasts for the market. Second, the report profiles 12 CLEC-certified, pureplay DSL providers and the DSL operations of the five RBOC holding companies.

While the report does include a list of voice CLECs providing DSL, it does not profile these operations. As a result of this coverage, the reader should expect to come away with a better sense of why DSL will continue to be provided, who will be providing it, and how these providers will likely be organized.

Key Chapters Covered Include:

Chapter 1: Executive Summary.
Chapter 2: Data Demand Drivers.
Chapter 3: DSL Business Models.
Chapter 4: The DSL Economic Case.
Chapter 5: Voice over DSL.
Chapter 6: DSL Market Forecasts.
Chapter 7: Death By DSL - Where are they Now?
Chapter 8: DLEC and RBOC Profiles.
Chapter 9: CLECs Providing DSL in the U.S. and Canada by
State/Province and City.
Chapter 10: DSL Services Glossary.

Companies Mentioned Include:

DLECs
- @Link
- Bridgeband Communications, Inc.
- Broadslate Networks, Inc.
- Covad Communications Company
- DSL.net, Inc.
- IP Communications Corp.
- Network Access Solutions, Inc.
- New Edge Networks, Inc.
- ProSpeed.Net
- Reach Communications
- Rhythms Netconnections, Inc.
- Vitts Corporations d/b/a Vitts Networks Inc.

RBOCs
- BellSouth Corporation
- Broadwing Inc. (Cincinnati Bell)
- Qwest Communications (US West)
- SBC Communications, Inc.
- Verizon Communications Inc.

Source: www.home.businesswire.com

Find the Fastest ISP

2006-08-08T21:09:00.000-04:00

Broadband, shmroadband. Surfing the Web is still sometimes more like wading against the current. Images crawl up the screen, chunks of text appear . . . slllowwwly . . . at your favorite portal. What if Web browsing were much faster? What if the entire page popped up instantly? In this scenario, you'd probably get your browsing done faster, visit more pages, find time for friends and family, even leave your house on occasion.

Faster browsing is certainly possible, but there's a wide gap between theoretical broadband speed—the one your Internet service provider lists on your bill, such as 3 megabits per second (Mbps)—and actual browsing speed, which might be more like 200 kilobits per second (Kbps). Two critical factors cause these dramatic slowdowns while browsing the Web. One is the fact that Web pages are made up of lots of little elements—including the underlying HTML code and text, plus all the images, embedded Flash, and other content—and downloading in this way is just less efficient than grabbing a single object. But another big factor is that, despite claims that often sound alike, not all ISPs are equal: Some simply run faster than others.

The question is, which is the fastest? There's never been a bulletproof, scientific method to test actual surfing throughput. Sites such as BroadbandReports.com, PC Pitstop, and Testmy.net send one large file to and from your PC to test upload and download bandwidth. These can be good tests if you often transfer large files, but they don't do a good job of measuring the browsing experience, which is the dominant Internet activity for most of us.

To find out whether our suspicions about slow browsing speeds are true and to report which ISP provides the best surfing bandwidth, PC Magazine created SurfSpeed (go.pcmag.com/surfspeed), a free utility that tests actual page download speeds for ten of the most popular sites on the Web. From mid-May to mid-June, more than 10,000 readers downloaded the utility from PCMag.com. SurfSpeed uploads performance data to a central database, so users can easily compare their lines' performance to that of others in their area and to their ISP's performance in other areas. (The utility spells out what data is collected.)

Clear Winners (and Losers)

Before we dive into the details, though, we should let you know which ISP scored the highest overall in Web browsing speed and report on some other general findings. See the results chart.

A few ISPs are beginning to roll out fiber-to-the-premises services, promising much faster speeds than cable or DSL. Fiber optics transmit data using hair-thin glass tubes. Verizon's FiOS (which stands for Fiber Optic Services) is by far the largest fiber-based broadband service, but it's available only in select areas of 16 states. Still, we had more than 200 SurfSpeed users who report that they're already using fiber. At an average of 271 kilobits per second, fiber was 35 percent faster than cable and more than 60 percent faster than DSL. (By default, SurfSpeed reports results in kilobytes, which is equal to 8 kilobits, but the industry standard is to report in kilobits.)

Verizon was the only fiber service with sufficient responses for us to analyze its results, which, at 293 Kbps, were even faster than the average fiber number. If you can get FiOS, you'd be crazy not to go for it. Verizon currently charges $44.95 a month for an advertised 15 Mbps download rate—about the same as you're probably paying for cable and perhaps slightly more than DSL. Quadruple that price to jump up to a 30 Mbps plan.

Even if you can't get fiber to your house, the closer the fiber comes to your residence, the faster your connection is likely to be, because you're connecting to the Internet backbone with fewer hand-offs. The New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area has a heavy concentration of fiber optic lines. Optimum Online, the broadband service from Cablevision, which serves many parts of the tristate region, averaged 235 Kbps on the SurfSpeed test, giving it a 12 percent speed advantage over Cox Cable, the second-place cable-modem finisher, and is 40 Kbps faster than AT&T Yahoo! (formerly SBC Yahoo!), the fastest DSL provider. These speeds have helped

Continued

Cable and DSL Providers Continue to Make Strong Gains in Broadband

2006-07-30T01:16:00.000-04:00

America’s top broadband providers had another three months of healthy growth in the quarter that ended on March 31, adding a total of 3.06 million subscribers, according to a recent newsletter from the Leichtman Research Group.

DSL providers such as Verizon and AT&T added 1.66 million net customers in the quarter, bringing their combined broadband user base to 20.2 million. Cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner, meanwhile, added 1.4 million subscribers, bringing their combined total to nearly 25.8 million as of March 31.

This confirms a previously reported trend that DSL providers are singing up new customers noticeably faster than their cable counterparts. This is largely due to the slightly higher price of cable internet plans, which is failing the huge influx of price-conscious dialup converts.

Source: www.teleclick.ca

DSL Service Providers

2006-07-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

AT&T prepares to one-up broadband and cable TV providers with fiber services

AT&T is planning to roll out television and internet services through Fiber to the Node soon to compete with the likes of not only Verizon's FiOS services, but also with satellite and cable TV/Internet providers and DSL providers. The service is a two-part package: the first part is a modem for high speed internet, and the second part is a DVR service for IPTV.

The broadband internet service is a bit subdued, with three tiers: the Express package with a downstream bandwidth up to 1.5Mbps, a Pro package which features 3Mbps down, and the Elite option capable of 6Mbps downlink. All tiers have a 1Mbps upload speed and are each targeted at various types of users. Unfortunately when compared to the 20+ Mbps from FiOS or the experimental markets for 20Mbps Comcast HSI, 6Mbps seems sorely inadequate.

The television service will come packaged with broadband internet and will also come in 3 different packages. The U200+Internet package will start at $69/month and will feature 100+ channels, up to 3 receivers with 1 being a DVR model, 18 digital music channels, and the video-on-demand feature.

The U300+Internet package will feature 150+ channels, up to 3 receivers with 1 DVR, the 18 music channels and video-on-demand, as well as the movie package which contains 30+ premium channels including Starz, Encore, Showtime, The Movie Channel, and FLIX starting at around $89/month.

The top tier, U400+Internet will feature all of the options in the U300 package plus 25+ more channels, 9 HBO channels, 9 Cinemax channels, and the Sports Package which will include various channels with sports programming and will cost customers at least $114/month. An optional fourth receiver can also be added to each package along with a Spanish channel package.

AT&T's IPTV service will utilize a receiver with a built-in DVR from Tatung which will allow 80 hours of recordings on the 80GB hard drive. The service will also support video-on-demand similar to Comcast's On-Demand feature bundled with their cable TV service. However, AT&T claims there will also be options to configure the DVR from the internet, remotely as well as other neat options (PDF) that haven't been incorporated into Windows MCE or TiVo yet. Specifically, and perhaps the largest advantage in our opinion, is the ability for the Tatung DVR to broadcast IPTV to other devices on the network -- a feature TiVo and Comcast are working on, but haven't quite perfected yet. Unfortunately, the Tatung DVR is also completely outclassed when it comes to high fidelity outputs. The device has no HDMI or DVI capabilities.

Users will still have the option to add any of the premium programming to the first two tiers but they will, of course, pay a premium price. There is no word of high-definition programming on the official website but sources around the internet are saying AT&T will be updating the receivers and services to support high definition programming in the future.

U-verse is starting to roll out in several areas, although the largest test market is currently San Antonio, Texas.

How do I find DSL Providers?

2006-06-19T22:13:00.000-04:00

In addition to limiting your search a broker will also help you identify important facts about your new service. Remember to look at the extra charges like equipment and installation. Sometimes these charges are waived and sometimes they are not. Also be careful to note the commitment. Is it 1 year or two years that you're committing to? Many companies will offer bigger discounts but lock you in to a longer contract. Don't get caught! Make sure you know what you're getting into by going to a broker and comparing DSL Providers side by side.

A DSL Speed Test is a great way to find out what kind of speed you're really getting. Is your connection really slow or is it just the fast that you're working with an old, slow, or over tasked computer? Simply find the DSL Speed Test by performing a search on Google and you'll quickly be on your way to finding out what you're really getting. You'll have to shut down your programs that are accessing the net and then perform the test which takes 30 seconds or so. It's very important to shut down programs accessing the net because these will impair the test and will cause your connection to appear slower than it actually is since some of it is being used.

One last "gotcha" is the introductory price. DSL Providers may claim to give you service for $20 or $25 per month but it's likely an introductory price that lasts only a few months. If you're willing to sign on for the term, just make sure you know what you're paying when the introduction ends.

DSL Providers ?

2006-06-16T22:31:00.000-04:00

Baby Bells Match Cable in Q1 Broadband Gains

2006-06-03T15:10:00.000-04:00

Starting off 2006 with another rousing performance, cable operators and phone companies scored record quarterly gains in broadband subscribers during Q1, boosting the total number of residential high-speed data customers to nearly 44 million in the U.S. and over 50 million including Canada.

With both industries going full steam, North American broadband providers collectively added 2.97 million high-speed data customers in Q1, according to the latest research compiled by Cable Digital News. This total breaks the old quarterly record of 2.84 million just set by the cable and phone industries in the final quarter of 2005. It also nudges the continent's residential broadband penetration rate over the 43% mark and the U.S. broadband penetration rate over the 41% mark.

In an interesting twist this time, cable modem and DSL providers split the broadband customer gains just about neatly in half, with the phone companies enjoying a very slight 22,000-customer edge in the U.S. and the cable companies enjoying an almost equally slight 28,000-subscriber advantage in Canada. With the two countries' broadband totals combined, cable operators ended up edging out the telcos by a scant 6,000 subscribers overall.

Thanks in large part to the growing deployment of their new voice-over-IP (VoIP) products and even newer "triple-play" bundles, U.S. and Canadian MSOs produced unusually strong broadband gains during the winter months. Cable operators netted nearly 1.49 million cable modem subscribers, up markedly from 1.30 million customers in the fall and 1.1 million in the year-ago period.

But U.S. and Canadian DSL providers, who have been outpacing their cable rivals for most of the past two years, pretty much matched the strong MSO subscriber increases. The phone companies signed up 1.48 million residential high-speed data subscribers in Q1, just a bit off their record haul of 1.53 million new customers in the

Story Continued

DSL Service Providers

DSL beats cable in new subscribers

2006-06-03T15:08:00.000-04:00

US DSL service providers signed up 200,000 more new subscribers in the last 12 months than cable operators, but the effort came at the expense of revenues, a market research firm said on Thursday.

Over the last four quarters, DSL providers averaged 1.4 million new subscribers while their broadband rivals averaged 1.2 million, Parks Associates said. The findings reversed the trend from the previous four quarters, which saw cable operators leading in new-subscriber growth by the same margin of 200,000.

The DSL comeback, however, had its costs. In the first quarter of this year, the average revenue per user for DSL services was US$34, compared with US$41 for cable modem services, Parks Associates said. The widest difference was US$18 between the DSL service provider with the lowest ARPU and the cable operator with the highest.

For the next few quarters, DSL service providers are expected to outpace cable operators in new-subscriber growth, the firm said. Consumer surveys found that among people intending to subscribe to broadband, 48 percent preferred DSL and only 18 percent chose cable.

Nevertheless, DSL providers will eventually have to boost ARPU through service bundles, Parks Associates said.

"Cable operators have leveraged their bundling strategies to conceal broadband price differentials and maintain strong subscriber growth

Continued

DSL Providers

DGAP-News: QSC: Strong growth in all segments

2006-06-02T15:15:00.000-04:00

Cologne, May 30, 2006. QSC AG has published its quarterly report for the first quarter of 2006. There were no material deviations from the preliminary results that were published on May 15, 2006.

QSC grew its revenues by 31 percent in the first quarter of 2006 to EUR 54.4 million, as opposed to EUR 41.5 million for the same quarter the year before. All four segments contributed to this revenue growth. Revenues with business customers rose by 43 percent in the first quarter of 2006 to EUR 17.5 million. At EUR 14.4 million, revenues with large accounts were up 14 percent over the first quarter of 2005. Unusually high, non-recurring service revenues in connection with new projects during the first quarter 2005 partially obscured the company's progress in its underlying business during the first quarter of 2006. Revenues with resellers in the Wholesale/Resellers segment rose by 49 percent to EUR 7.6 million in the first quarter of 2006. "QSC continues to grow strongly in all strategic lines of business," notes QSC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bernd Schlobohm.

With revenues rising by 31 percent, QSC succeeded in sustaining its disproportionate growth in profitability during the first quarter of 2006: Gross profit rose by 52 percent to EUR 16.4 million, while EBITDA increased by a strong 85 percent to EUR 2.4 million. During the first quarter of 2006, the company also made progress in its segment results: Its EBITDA margin, the crucial performance indicator in gauging profitability, stood at over 50 percent in the three strategic segments of Large Accounts, Business Customers and Wholesale/Resellers.

As a result of the targeted expansion and upgrade of its network, capital expenditures rose to EUR 7.3 million for the first quarter of 2006, as opposed to EUR 4.7 million in the same quarter the year before. During the coming quarters, as well, QSC will continue the demand-driven connection of further cities to its DSL network and the upgrade of this network with ADSL2+ technology. Overall, the company is planning on capital expenditures totaling between EUR 20 and 25 million for the current fiscal year.

During the first quarter of 2006, the company's workforce rose to 465 people; this increase of around 75 employees over the year before was essentially attributable to the acquisition of Bonn-based DSL service provider celox with a workforce of nearly 60 people.

Given the very good development of its operating business in the first quarter of 2006, QSC is reiterating its forecasts for the full fiscal year: The company anticipates revenues of over EUR 240 million and an EBITDA of between EUR 15 and 20 million. QSC plans to cross the profitability threshold and move from a net loss to a net income position by year-end. "QSC got off to a good start in 2006," says Chief Executive Officer Dr. Schlobohm. "In particular, the strong growth in our strategic lines of business will again lead to corresponding revenue and even stronger profitability growth in the coming quarters."

In millions of euros (EUR) Q1 2006 Q1 2005 Change Revenues 54.4 41.5 +31% Network expenses 38.0 30.7 +24% Gross profit +16.4 +10.8 +52% Other operating expenses 14.0 9.5 +47% EBITDA +2.4 +1.3 +85% Net loss -3.0 -5.1 +41% Capital expenditures 7.3 4.7 +55% Liquid assets as of March 31 43.1 31.3 +38% Workforce as of March 31 465 389 +20%

The complete 3-months report is available at http://www.qsc.de/en/investor_relations/index.html

Queries to: QSC AG Arne Thull Investor Relations T: +49(0)221-6698-724 F: +49(0)221-6698-009 E: invest@qsc.de

Notes: This corporate news contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the US "Private Securities Litigation Act" of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and forecasts of future events by the management of QSC AG. Due to risks or mistaken assumptions, actual results may deviate substantially from those made in such forward-looking statements. The assumptions that may involve material deviations due to unforeseeable developments include, but are not limited to, the demand for our products and services, the competitive situation, the development, dissemination and technical performance of DSL technology

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DSLPROVIDER
DSLPROVIDERS

US broadband providers add more than 3 mln customers in Q1

2006-05-22T00:06:00.000-04:00

The twenty largest cable and DSL providers in the US, representing about 94 percent of the market, acquired a record 3.06 million net additional subscribers in the first quarter, according to Leichtman Research Group. The top broadband providers now account for nearly 46 million high-speed internet subscribers, with cable having nearly 25.8 million broadband subscribers and DSL having about 20.2 million subscribers. The top DSL providers added a record 1.66 million subscribers, representing 54 percent of the net broadband additions for the quarter versus cable. The top cable providers also had a record quarter with over 1.4 million subscribers added. DSL providers have added more broadband subscribers than cable providers in each of the last six quarters, acquiring over 1.1 million more subscribers than cable during this period, but the top cable broadband providers maintain a 5.6 million subscriber advantage over DSL and have a 56 percent share

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DSL Providers Top 20

2006-05-07T00:14:00.000-04:00

The DSL providers Top 20 review brings you the pick of the best and most popular DSL service providers online today.

To make finding the right DSL access package for you easy and convenient, this review brings you a summary of the leading providers in the United States on a single page, so you have a one-stop reference to compare the best offers in the DSL market today.

Selection of the DSL provider that suits you best will probably be a combination of a number of factors, and the following checklist of account features that are available in the DSL market today are likely to figure uppermost in the final selection.

Price: Now that the DSL market has matured the entry price has become quite attractive, with the increased access speed of this technology now available at less of a premium to dial-up. At times some of the leading providers offer special deals too, which can be a very good incentive to move up to the speed of DSL while they are available.

Dependability and Service: Providers who have been in the business for some time are generally those who have got their system right and can offer the most trouble-free services. That said, it is still worthwhile looking for good support behind any DSL service, so if you ever do have a problem it can be resolved quickly. Some DSL providers offer 24/7 support both online and by phone, which can be quite important for peace of mind.

DSL Hardware: A DSL modem is required and the prices of these can vary quite substantially. Some of the leading providers will supply one at no cost when you join. As well as the saving in cost if you get one as part of the package this ensures you are getting a modem they recommend and support with their service.

Email Accounts: Email features are becoming increasingly important, both from the point of view of the number of accounts provided and the features they offer. Some DSL accounts come with advanced email features like tools for limiting spam, generating email aliases, setting up your own email forwarding and the ability to use auto-responders while you are away. When you consider your DSL internet access account will more than likely be with you for some time this is an area where it is probably best to get the best featured account you can.

Web Site Features: Some DSL packages include Web space and the ability to run a Web site. Features here can be important too, with some accounts coming with online web building tools so you don't need additional software to get a Web site up and running.

Networking: If you are likely to want to connect more than one computer to your DSL connection (either now or at some stage in the future) then then the networking features of an account are important. Some DSL providers include networking capabilities at no extra cost.

Because your DSL connection will likely be with you for some time it is worth choosing a plan which not only gives you what you need today, but can also grow with you. This is especially true in the areas of networking and email features. For that reason I would recommend you run with the plan that gives you the most flexibility and room for future growth.

All these organizations in the DSL providers

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DSL Providers

DSL starts approaching cable for raw speed

2006-04-30T23:37:00.000-04:00

While you can debate the advantages of Cable over DSL or vice versa for hours, one thing is for certain, and that is that Cable has always been able to hold the “speed king” crown for home broadband for quite some time. That's starting to change as DSL technology improves and can be brought to more areas, and now AT&T is offering DSL lines that truly equal and perhaps surpass residential cable connections in terms of speed. Offering a line of up to 6mbps / 768kbps down/up, and at a price point vastly lower than most cable providers, that's going to be something anyone looking for high bandwidth will love. A mere $17.99 nets 3mbps down, and while I don't want to sound like an advertisement, dollar per megabit has come down drastically. AT&T is expanding their Internet services in general, but if this level of cost/speed for DSL carries to other providers

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Broadband providers need to improve

2006-04-27T22:45:00.000-04:00

Local broadband uptake will improve if service providers deliver better pricing and more advanced services, according to analysts at IDC.

Despite these concerns, 13.8 per cent of Australians had a broadband connection by December 2005 -- a significant rise from 7.7 per cent a year earlier.

This equated to 2.9 million broadband subscribers generating $1.9 billion in revenues. IDC predicts 5.9 million subscribers by 2010, with revenues hitting $4 billion.

"Although we are out of the broadband backwater there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of coverage, offerings and pricing," IDC telecommunications analyst, Shing Quah, said. The lack of advanced services, she said, could be attributed to large telcos Telstra and Optus being slow to launch VoIP, IPTV and video-on-demand (VoD) services.

This was mainly due to a need to protect existing PSTN revenues.

Advanced offerings were being driven largely by smaller competitors such as iiNet and Primus, which had rolled out ADSL2+ DSLAMs. "They have been able to offer subscribers within the range of the enabled exchanges downstream speeds of up to 24Mbps as well

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