I have been using a cell phone as my main phone with cable tv and cable modem for about the past 8 months. Now I want to go back to Directv for Sunday Ticket but Charter wants to hike my rates $20 more if I don't subscibe to both services. Is there any viable alternative to $40 a month for just internet? I really can't do without it or just use it at work, but I also would love to find a way not pay another penny to the bastards over at Charter Communications.

Just DSL from your phone company I think, can't tell you how much it'd cost.

Just DSL from your phone company I think, can't tell you how much it'd cost.

Yeah, I am sure the DSL without a phone number is at least $40 if not more. Thanks for the reply. No start-up companies that anyone knows about, eh?

There is wireless springing up here and there, and broadband over power lines is just around the corner. Not sure on pricing and availibility though.

I was under the impression that you need a land line to get DSL, is that not correct?

One of the few companies I've heard of that does DSL without phone line is Speakeasy (http://www.speakeasy.net/) with their One Link (http://www.speakeasy.net/home/onelink/) package.

I think DSL around my area from Verizon is $30 a month or so.

it probably won't help you much since I'm in Quebec and my provider only services Quebec and Ontario, but I do use a wireless high-speed access coming through micro-waves to an antenna on the top of our house.

http://www.look.ca/page.asp?intNodeID=58&mlink=29

While they are also our digital TV service provider, we could also decide to only take their wireless highspeed internet for 38 $cdn per month...

I'm just mentionning in case such a service may exist in the States...

FM

So, let me get this straight:



You live in an area where your cell phone coverage is good enough to warrant not having a land line.
You live in an area where you can get cable broadband.
You live in an area where you can get DSL broadband.
None of this makes you happy enough? Sheesh... I'd do cartwheels if I had ONE of those three options... not to mention all of them.

So, let me get this straight:



You live in an area where your cell phone coverage is good enough to warrant not having a land line.
You live in an area where you can get cable broadband.
You live in an area where you can get DSL broadband.
None of this makes you happy enough? Sheesh... I'd do cartwheels if I had ONE of those three options... not to mention all of them.


I think its an interesting dilemma worth discussing, though I don't think there's a good option. We went through this when we moved in January. Cell phones and no land lines, check. Direct TV(with Sunday Ticket, rarrrrr!), check. Charter Cable with $15/mo extra being charged b/c we don't get Cable TV. Check!

It's disappointing b/c you think you're going to be saving so much money by simply dropping your phone line and only using your cell phone, then you do the research and find you're going to get screwed no matter how you set it up. In Atlanta, Charter was a much cheaper option than any sort of DSL, or Comcast.

So, let me get this straight:



You live in an area where your cell phone coverage is good enough to warrant not having a land line.
You live in an area where you can get cable broadband.
You live in an area where you can get DSL broadband.
None of this makes you happy enough? Sheesh... I'd do cartwheels if I had ONE of those three options... not to mention all of them.

You have a point, but I just think the cable internet is very unreasonably priced and was shopping for alternatives. I am not a big beleiver in feeding the monster that is Charter Communications unless I absolutely have to.

Well, you could always go with DirecWay satellite internet, I suppose - but I doubt it's any cheaper for you, and it's not as good as DSL or cable.

I think its an interesting dilemma worth discussing, though I don't think there's a good option. We went through this when we moved in January. Cell phones and no land lines, check. Direct TV(with Sunday Ticket, rarrrrr!), check. Charter Cable with $15/mo extra being charged b/c we don't get Cable TV. Check!Sigh, we are considering doing EXACTLY that. I knew the Cable Broadband without Cable TV thing was going to bite me but I didn't think it'd be that bad. Feh.

Still, I think not paying Verizon $50 per for a phone I almost never use (other than for dialing up) will be worth it. Just because I despise them. Of course, it's almost funny (in that wonderful ironic way) that we intend to switch to Verizon Wireless to accomplish this (not paying Verizon).

We use our verizon cell phones to connect to the internet -- it just uses our minutes, no extra fees at all. And since we have free nights and weekends on our cell phones it's totally free to use it then.