[mdlug] The DSL and MagicJack thread

[Peter Bart]

On Fri, 2009-04-17 at 23:30 -0400, Drew wrote:
> 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.)

	I have mine with POTS, because I want a fax line. But the taxes and
service charges should be similar. Here they are, FWIW:

Monthly Service - Mar 25 thru Apr 24
Call Plan 50 13.63
Federal Access Charge 5.37
Total Monthly Service 19.00
Surcharges and Other Fees
9-1-1 Emergency System
Billing for more than one city/counties .21
Emergency 9-1-1 Operational Assessment
Billing for more than one city/counties .34
Michigan State E911 .19
Federal Universal Service Fee .51
Total Surcharges and Other Fees 1.25
Taxes
Federal at 3% .58
State at 6% 1.18
Total Taxes 1.76
Total Plans and Services 22.01

 For Services on 2 -01 03-17
AT&T HSI ELITE 35.00
<snip>
Service Date: 03/16/09-04/15/09
<snip>
Total AT&T Internet Services 35.00  

> 
>      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've had ATT DSL for several years now, very few problems. None that
weren't taken care of in short order. I currently have the Elite level
service, downstream 6.0 Mbps upstream 768 Kbps. What I'm getting is very
close to the advertised speed, according to various speed tests and my
router. We stream movies through a Roku Netflix player and have several
people surfing at the same time with no problems. They still do have
offshore help desk operators, but they will connect you if you insist.
An interesting side note, anyone connected to my lan or wireless can get
into my modem and cause all sorts of mischief. To really screw things up
or to change any passwords you are required to enter the modem code on
the bottom of the modem itself. But still..... 

> 
>      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...

	It occurs to me, because I've been thinking the same thing. Why not go
with a pay as you go cell phone? No long term contract, pay only as much
as you use, no need for a notebook, etc. All the big cell carriers now
have them. Of course you don't get the latest sexy handset, but it
doesn't sound like that's a problem.

Best Regards,
-- 
Peter Bart <peter at petertheplumber.net>
Peter The Plumber