Naked DSL, (DSL without the requirement to have a landline), will be available nationwide by the end of the year, according to statement made by AT&T to the Wall Street Journal.

AT&T Inc., the nation’s largest phone company, isn’t fighting the consumer shift, partly because its cellphone unit, which launched Apple Inc.’s iPhone this summer, is benefiting from the trend. Ralph de la Vega, AT&T’s group president for regional telecommunications and entertainment, said in some parts of the country, the company is no longer requiring customers to buy land-line voice service in order to get a discounted rate on high-speed Internet access. He says: “Our point of view is, if you don’t want it, we won’t force you to buy it.” The plan will be available nationwide by the end of the year.

AT&T is required to offer naked DSL as part of concessions made to the FCC in order to acquire BellSouth (and take control of Cingular), so this was expected. However, it is nice to hear they won’t be burying naked DSL under untold layers of bullsh*t designed to keep customers from accessing it.

Companies Try to Teach Old Phones New Tricks (subscription) [WSJ] (Thanks, Steven!)
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