Covad's DSL still in the buff

High-speed Internet provider Covad on Monday assured several thousand of its "naked DSL" customers that they won't be affected by a recent Federal Communications Commission decision to suspend state rules forcing phone providers to offer DSL-only service. The ruling, made public Friday, lets the nation's four top digital subscriber line providers continue to require broadband customers buy a local phone line.

The controversial decision affects a large swatch of telephone customers, including the 20 million U.S. residents who don't have local phone lines, relying only on their cell phones. In the states where the naked-DSL rules were voided, customers may now have to get a local phone line to also get a DSL connection. The ruling could also trouble customers who'd rather cancel their local phone line and use voice over Internet Protocol software--which lets an Internet connection serve as a telephone line--over their broadband connection.

Ruling Flies in Face of Hon. Presidents Mandate.

My experience with verizon broadband (dsl)is that broadband provider has nothing to do with telephone company outside of billing.Verizon DSL also claims no connection to start up page provider. Well heck lets face it, isn't this ploy by fcc to financially profit from broadband cable, BY KEEPING COMPITION RATES HIGH? Isn't it funny cable isn't even regulated, yet thats where action is in monies? Instead of less cost, more is more.Slowing down our Honourable Presidents Mandate of easily affordable DSL by 2007..
SIGNED:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART VON DRASHEK M.D.