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I’ve got to say, “Wow.” Speakeasy, the service provider I’ve been using for the past few years for my ADSL service, is now offering a combination of packages that is incredibly attractive.

I’ve always been happy with their service, and especially their very forgiving use policies and support for technical individuals like myself, like fully endorsing connection sharing and multiple computers (services most DSL providers charge extra for, or prohibit entirely). They even offer technical support for Linux users!

Recently they released a service called OneLink that lets you have DSL without a voice phone line! Until now, you needed a regular phone line in order to have DSL, but with people using cell phones more often, they often wish they could do without the 30$ a month it costs to maintain a regular local line. OneLink lets you have DSL without phone service, through some incredible technical trickery and a clever installation technique. Gotta love it!

Plus, and perhaps more exciting, they just today released a service called Speakeasy Voice which is a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) service. Instead of using an analog phone line to carry a digital signal, as is the current method, your digital line (installed as part of the OneLink service), can now carry a phone signal. Why is this different from your regular phone? Well, instead of going through the regular phone switches, your call is routed through Speakeasy’s networks until it reaches its destination, and then the call is transferred into the regular phone dispatch system, meaning every call is a local call!

Speakeasy’s voice system includes a telephone adapter that connects to your existing DSL modem, and plugs into your current analog phone. Because of number portability laws, you keep your existing phone number. Your phone dials in and out the same way that it did before, but because the voice information is now digitized and routed through the Speakeasy network, you get unlimited long distance anywhere in the country, and low rates on international long distance (because the call can be internet routed to the part of the country with the cheapest international rates before being connected to the regular phone system). How about that? Thats the beauty of digital. The bits are already there, so it doesn’t cost any more to leave them all zeros than it does to make them carry voice data. Use it once or use it every day, and the load on the system is the same.

Their system claims to give high packet priority to voice data, which theoretically means your voice calls will be as instantaneous and clear as regular telephone calls (or clearer). Downloading or browsing on the internet connection also shouldn’t affect quality of calling, because the voice data will take the higher priority.

OneLink services are 5$ a month more than regular DSL, but free you from the need to have a regular phone line. Speakeasy Voice services are 40$ for installation, and the first three months are free, with a 29.95$ charge per month after that. That is the same price as residential phone service from SBC, and it includes unlimited long distance (US and Canada), voice mail, call waiting, caller ID, three way calling and more. Plus, it interfaces with local 911 dispatch systems, so emergency calls are still routed as normal (and in some cases, better than normal, because name, address and phone number information is guaranteed to be transferred to the dispatcher via Speakeasy, which not all phone companies can guarantee).

If you sign up, do not cancel your regular phone service yet. You will be assigned a new number to start with, and then very soon, when they get the local number portability finished, you can transfer your existing number to Speakeasy. Then you can either switch to Speakeasy’s OneLink service which does not require a regular phone line, and then cancel your existing line, or switch your existing line to a ‘metered line’ service, which usually costs something like 6$ a month, and is a completely stripped down local service, enough to keep your DSL. The wait before porting your existing number will make for a good trial period, to make sure the service works the way you want before being stuck with it.

Anyway, not to sound like a goddamn commercial, I’ve just been really pleased with Speakeasy’s services and support over the years, and I’m excited that they are offering these two very hip services. If I’m going to be paying one company for my phone and internet, its sure as hell not going to be one of the bastard Bells, who’ve screwed more friends of mine than I can count, but rather a company I trust, like Speakeasy.

P.S. If for some reason you actually sign up for one of these, use us as a reference (username: ley). Thanks.

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