[mdlug] The DSL and MagicJack thread

[Drew]

     I may have occasion to make a recommendation on phone service, 
and have been hearing
rumors that I would like to check out regarding these two services. 
Does anybody on this list
have either, and what can you tell me about them?

     According to ATT's website, it is supposed to be possible now to 
have a DSL line *without*
POTS phone service for $19/month (basic, 786k-down) or $25/month 
(faster, 1.5M-down). And
the MagicJack of course is something like $40 for the first year, and 
$20 for additional years.

     Specifically on the DSL: Is the amount on the check that you 
write each month the same as
quoted on their website? If different, by how much? I'm particularly 
interested, again, in DSL
*without* a land line. (The MagicJack is to serve in its stead if I 
make such recommendation.)

     Specifically on the MagicJack: How recent, expensive, and|or 
power-consuming must the
hardware be for this to work? I know that it needs a USB port; but 
will USB 1.1 do? I also know
that at least XP is required, which I can handle if necessary. But if 
anyone has managed to get
this thing to work on a Linux machine (in spite of a simple NO to the 
question on MagicJack's
website), I am interested in hearing about it.

     I'm also interested in hearing anything and everything about 
either service that people think
is worth knowing.

     I'm thinking of possibly picking up a DSL modem from Value 
World, or else getting one from
someone I know who's managed to collect two or three of them; and the 
oldest/cheapest
laptop I can find (to minimize power consumption)  that's in good 
enough shape to do both
services. Or maybe just getting the Jack and trying it out from a 
Panera or other existing
wireless...

----

   - Drew.