AT&T Incorporated has started offering a broadband Internet service for $10 a month, cheaper than any advertised plan. The DSL plan introduced Saturday is part of the concessions made by AT&T to the Federal Communications Commission to get its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corporation approved last December. The $10 offer is available to customers in the 22-state AT&T service region, which includes former BellSouth areas, who have never had AT&T or BellSouth broadband, confirmed spokesman Michael Coe. Local phone service and a one-year contract are required. The modem is free.
On the AT&T Web site, a page describing DSL options doesn't mention it, but clicking a link for "Term contract plans" reveals the new offer. It's also presented to customers who go into the application process, Coe said. The service provides download speeds of up to 768 kilobits per second and upload speeds of up to 128 kbps, matching the speeds of the cheapest advertised AT&T plan. The agreement with the FCC required the company to offer the plan for at least 2 1/2 years. Another concession to the FCC is yet to come: a plan for DSL that doesn't require local phone service. AT&T has another six months to introduce that option, which should cost at most $19.95 per month.
News source: MSNBC
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