| For far too long home phone and high speed | | | | but equal idea and bundles were born. |
| internet have worked against each other when in | | | | Bundle Blunders |
| fact they should really be considered | | | | After all, as technology advanced |
| complimentary telecommunication services. It's | | | | telecommunication providers were able to figure |
| understandable considering that you used to have | | | | out how to provide both home phone service and |
| to choose one over the other. | | | | high speed internet access together. This simplified |
| The Dialup Debacle | | | | the billing and support process and generally made |
| In the early days of the internet, when you'd | | | | things easier once again. The only problem though |
| more than occasionally receive CD ROMs from | | | | is that some providers offered bundled services |
| AOL and the sound announcing that you had mail | | | | before their networks were able to support the |
| was a novelty there was essentially no choice. | | | | services simultaneously. I formerly got both high |
| Modems were all dialup. We sifted through lists of | | | | speed internet and home phone service through a |
| ISP phone numbers, waited with clenched teeth | | | | cable provider, and while I could surf the internet |
| as the modem connected and through our hands | | | | or talk on the phone while watching TV, I noticed |
| up in frustration every time we got knocked off | | | | that every time we got a phone call I would lose |
| by someone else trying to use the line to make a | | | | internet connectivity for the duration of the call. I |
| call. To be fair, most of us spent a considerably | | | | couldn't believe it. The pendulum had swung back |
| smaller amount of time online that we do today, | | | | and I was faced with the same problems I had |
| there simply wasn't that much to do. But if | | | | with Dialup! |
| internet providers had not found a way to | | | | DSL to the Rescue. |
| disentangle home phone and internet access, | | | | Not only do DSL providers have the infrastructure |
| many people would have simply given up in | | | | to be able to provide you with fast internet |
| frustration. | | | | access and home phone service, but they do so |
| Separate but Equally Expensive | | | | with a number of extras and compatibility so you |
| So we found better ways to get both internet | | | | no longer have to choose between checking your |
| and home phone service. At least, comparatively | | | | email and talking on the phone. You can find deals |
| better. Some people opted for secondary phone | | | | that include unlimited local calling, cool calling |
| lines that they could dedicate to their dialup | | | | features like three way calling and call forwarding |
| connection. Then direct subscriber line, or DSL, | | | | and cheap or unlimited nationwide long distance. |
| and cable modems came around and it was | | | | You can also benefit from data backup, 2GB of |
| possible to get faster speeds and more | | | | online storage, security suites and technical |
| broadband through coaxial cables. This seemed to | | | | support as well as access to WiFi both at home |
| do the trick for a while. But soon people began | | | | and when you are out and about. And in some |
| complaining about having to deal with two | | | | areas you can even get VoIP, which is the |
| separate providers, contact two separate tech | | | | culmination of everything dialup wished it could be, |
| support lines, and pay two separate monthly bills. | | | | but couldn't. |
| So providers started reconsidering the separate | | | | |