Plethora of Providers Leads to Price War.EVER heard of Malibu Online? 101 Freeway? Surfcity Networks? They're they're Contraction of they are. they're be part of a growing wave of DSL DSL in full Digital Subscriber Line Broadband digital communications connection that operates over standard copper telephone wires. It requires a DSL modem, which splits transmissions into two frequency bands: the lower frequencies for voice (ordinary providers that are looking to make a splash in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, with lower rates and big advertising campaigns. Many of the big-name providers, like Pacific Bell and GTE GTE General Telephone & Electronics GTE Génie Thermique et Énergie (French) GTE Gas Turbine Engine GTE Global Tropospheric Experiment GTE Geothermal Energy GTE Gas Turbine Efficiency plc (Sweden & USA) , weren't offering DSL as recently as three years ago. But times have changed, and now the giants and the newcomers have launched a pricing war to sign up customers. "There's not a lot of money in DSL," said Lynn Hoover, vice president of AmericanDSL in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . "Everyone is dropping their prices and a lot of smaller resellers have dropped out. The GTEs and Pacific Bells of this world offer it at cost or below cost because they have to get into this game, because this is the future of the telephone and the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the ." The price to install DSL service and set up the required equipment runs the gamut See color gamut. gamut - The gamut of a monitor is the set of colours it can display. There are some colours which can't be made up of a mixture of red, green and blue phosphor emissions and so can't be displayed by any monitor. . Usually when consumers order DSL, they need a specific modem, a "splitter" that carries the service into the home or office, and a network card so the computer can interpret the DSL line. The price for all this starts at about $200. Above and beyond that, many Internet service providers Internet service provider (ISP) Company that provides Internet connections and services to individuals and organizations. For a monthly fee, ISPs provide computer users with a connection to their site (see data transmission), as well as a log-in name and password. charge one-time installation fees that can add several hundred dollars more to the total. Monthly service fees are determined by the rate of speed that information can be downloaded and uploaded through the DSL line. For the basic 384K-per-second download/128K upload See download. upload - /uhp'lohd/ To transfer programs or data over a digital communications link from a smaller or peripheral "client" system to a larger or central "host" one. Opposite: download. , prices start at about $49 each month at EarthLink Sprint. For superfast speed in the range of 1,560K download/1,560K upload, the price jumps to $289 from Flashcom. But some companies are offering incentives to sway customers in their direction that can seriously reduce the price. Several local firms, like AmericanDSL, are offering rebates on DSL modems ADSL modem or DSL modem is a device used to connect a single computer or router to a DSL phone line, in order to use an ADSL service. The acronym NTBBA (network termination broad band adapter, network termination broad band access) is also common in various countries. , while others, like GTE, Pacific Bell and EarthLink, are waiving their installation fees. There are countless Web sites that provide information on which service providers offer the best deals. At dslreports.com, considered the most reputable rep·u·ta·ble adj. Having a good reputation; honorable. rep  u·ta·bil review site for the industry, a list is frequently
updated showing what DSL companies have the lowest fees for installation
and equipment, as well as the lowest monthly charges. Interested
customers can then click through to customer reviews of those companies.To compete with the heavyweights, some of the smaller providers spend a huge amount of money on advertising. For example, the fresh-faced girl whose picture graces the backs of countless Los Angeles-area buses is the spokesmodel for Los Angeles-based DSL company Zyan Communications. "As an industry, DSL is still kind of in its infancy infancy, stage of human development lasting from birth to approximately two years of age. The hallmarks of infancy are physical growth, motor development, vocal development, and cognitive and social development. ," said Terry Lee, Zyan's chief executive. "There's going to be a month-to-month month-to-month adj. referring to a tenancy in which the tenant pays monthly rent and has no lease, and the tenancy can be terminated by the landlord at any time on thirty-days notice. (See: tenancy, landlord and tenant) change in who has the better service, who has the best product, who is actually going to be able to get the lines installed, and who has the best promotion." Still, name recognition has its advantages. David Sternlight, an economist who lives in West Los Angeles
"I trust EarthLink a lot more for technical support," he said. "They have a small army of people who all know about DSL. I think their pricing is killer, with the free modem installation and one-year contract period."
How Local DSL Companies Stack Up
Basic account
Company name Basic speed
AmericanDSL Solo DSL 384K download/128K upload
Concentric Network HomeOffice 384K download/128K upload
EarthLink Sprint EarthLink Sprint DSL Between 384K and
1,500K download/128K upload
FlashCom SoloSurfer 384K download/128K upload
GTE Bronze Plus 768K download/256K upload
Pacific Bell/SBC Basic DSL Internet 384K to 1,500K download/
Communications Inc. Package 128K upload
Zyan Communications/ HomeDSL 384K download/128K upload
Internet Express Network
Equipment/ Monthly
Company installation price service fee
AmericanDSL $648 $59.95
Concentric Network $524 $69.00
EarthLink Sprint $198 [1] $49.95
FlashCom $0 $49.95
GTE $390 $49.95
Pacific Bell/SBC $198 [1] $49.00
Communications Inc.
Zyan Communications/ $495 $59.95
Internet Express Network
Company Services included Signing bonus
AmericanDSL one e-mail address, $100 rebate on DSL modem
10Mb of Web space
Concentric Network five e-mail addresses, None
6Mb of Web space
EarthLink Sprint two e-mail addresses, Free Installation
6Mb of Web space
FlashCom one e-mail address None
GTE one e-mail address and Free equipment and
2Mb of Web space installation [2]
Pacific Bell/SBC one e-mail address and Free installation
Communications Inc. 3Mb of Web space
Zyan Communications/ one e-mail address and None
Internet Express Network 10 Mb of Web space
(1.)For equipment
(2.)Offer expires Dec. 31
Sources: dslreports.com and individual companies
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