Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, March 20, 2006

As a result of their mergers with SBC and MCI respectively, AT&T and Verizon must provide standalone, sometimes called naked, DSL. The unbundling of DSL broadband service from traditional phone service has long been an issue for consumer advocates who say the packages have kept bills high and prevented customers from trying new Internet phone services like Vonage.

"We have been pushing for the unbundling of different services that the dominant carriers are offering because the bundling of different aspects is an easy to way to inflate prices and force consumers to buy services they wouldn't otherwise need," said Janine Kenney, spokeswoman for Consumers Union, publishers of Consumer Reports. "To not have to buy phone service means you can save a lot of money."

AT&T said it will begin offering naked DSL to California customers in the next few months. Under the terms of the merger, AT&T and Verizon must offer it to new and existing customers for at least two years. AT&T, however, has not provided details about how it will let customers know about the option and other changes that might result from offering standalone broadband.

Complete article @ SF Chronicle