Fusion subject to voice line taxes

[Discouraged]

The Sonic Fusion deal looked terrific - up to 20Mbps broadband for $40/month, a big speed boost over my current ATT "dry loop" (DSL only, no voice service).

I have no interest in the voice feature of "Fusion" as I'm very pleased with my low-cost VOIP provider.

Unfortunately, because you don't separate your voice and data offerings, your service is subject to the heavy tax burden imposed on landline voice - which adds an extra $10/month or so. $50/month for the speed boost is not so attractive.

I'll keep an eye out, hoping that at some point you'll offer a "Fission" service.

[dane]

My hope is that over time, Fusion voice will become more compelling to you than the low cost VoIP provider. To that end, we've begun adding free calling to international destinations, starting with Canada. Other countries will follow.

POTS landline is also useful in an emergency, and is more likely to be available and useful for e911 if that should be needed.

Providing voice also means we're able to take over existing copper that has had voice (and often DSL) service on it for years - this is generally tried and true copper - and if it's already hooked up in the home, we allow self-installation, saving the $75 technician install fee.

I'd also note that having dial tone on the loop helps a lot with not having the loop stolen by a technician in the field who thinks it's idle because there is no dial tone!

So - various reasons it's included - for more discussion on the topic, see: http://corp.sonic.net/ceo/2010/09/09/why-include-phone/

[Guest]

I know you're not providing bonded residental Fusion service anymore, however I have a suggestion.

If you ever do offer two line service again, you could send a steady tone down the line (to tell workers on the pole that the line is in use) without triggering the taxes and fees required of a real phone line.

As an aside, I know you ran the numbers and that many of the residences on two line service were unhappy with the performance of a single line (due to distance from CO) and so there was more churn on this option.

I'd suggest that in this kind analysis, households that were at the far edge of service were overrepresented, because they were more motivated to sign up for the service in spite of the extra line $10 fee.

I think there's a chance that without the fee for the second phone line, you'd get more regular, non-edge-of-reliability households trying out dual-line Fusion.

[virtualmike]

If you ever do offer two line service again, you could send a steady tone down the line (to tell workers on the pole that the line is in use) without triggering the taxes and fees required of a real phone line.

If the modem is on and sync'd , won't someone connecting to the pair with a butt set hear the DSL hiss?

I suppose there may be some people who turn off their DSL modems at times, but couldn't they be educated that with a dry loop, there's risk of the pair being hijacked if the modem isn't left connected?

[dane]

I don't know why they steal more pairs that do not have dialtone, but it is an issue.

[wa2ibm]

I don't know why they steal more pairs that do not have dialtone, but it is an issue.

Because they're lazy and don't want to look up the records.

[Discouraged]

At installation time, ATT told me the line does have dial tone and can be used for 911 voice calls only.

Again, I'd welcome a broadband offering at the "Fusion" price but without voice service and the taxes that accompanying voice.

[dane]

At installation time, ATT told me the line does have dial tone and can be used for 911 voice calls only.

Again, I'd welcome a broadband offering at the "Fusion" price but without voice service and the taxes that accompanying voice.

Are you referring to an AT&T dry "standalone" DSL service? They put 911-only dialtone on it?? THAT's interesting.

-Dane

[virtualmike]

Are you referring to an AT&T dry "standalone" DSL service? They put 911-only dialtone on it?? THAT's interesting.

I don't know about dry loop service, but in many areas, when someone moves from a home and disconnects landline service, the LEC doesn't shut the line off. Instead, it still provides dial tone.

Should someone plug in an phone, hear the dial tone, and try to dial any number but 9-1-1, the person gets a recorded intercept stating that the line is not active, with an offer to connect the person to the business office during business hours.

A call to 9-1-1 still gets routed to the appropriate PSAP, but the ANI/ALI information has an undialable number, the address, and no subscriber's name.

[dane]

Are you referring to an AT&T dry "standalone" DSL service? They put 911-only dialtone on it?? THAT's interesting.

I don't know about dry loop service, but in many areas, when someone moves from a home and disconnects landline service, the LEC doesn't shut the line off. Instead, it still provides dial tone.

This changed recently in California, with SB 1375, which basically limits "warm line" 911 service to 90 days after disconnection for non-payment. Details here:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bil ... _comm.html

This legislation allowed the ILECs to retire tons of warm lines, which had been replaced by cable dialtone, wireless, etc. This saved resources, power, and "phantom" 911 calls, where random clicking on a disconnected line might - now and then - happen to call 911.

Hopefully, no one has died as a result.