The original high speed internet access, DSL, was once heralded as the greatest thing since sliced bread. In the days of dial up, the always on, super fast internet access was a quantum leap forward. However, in the ensuing years, DSL has been replaced by cable internet access as the primary choice for residential users. Lured by even faster speeds, ubiquitous availability, and bundled services, cable is now by far the dominant technology in the home.
DSL still has a place in the small business environment, but even that has been eroded recently by business cable, lower T1 prices, fiber optics, and even wireless. Well, don't put that final nail in the DSL coffin just yet. Embarq, a regional telecom provider formerly owned by Sprint, launched a 10-Mbps DSL offering across much of its footprint this week, after completing a four-month trial of the new service in Las Vegas. This may not be enough to entice cable users to switch, but satellite tv users and the 20 or 30 people who have not yet made the jump to broadband could consider it. It should also keep many small businesses on the DSL platform for a while longer.
The new 10-Mbps service, which also offers 896-kbps upload speeds and is based on ADSL2+ technology, is selling for $65 per month. A $10 monthly discount is available to all Embarq DSL customers who also order the company's $30 per month basic home phone service.
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