On Mon, 7 Mar 2005, Josh Welch wrote: >> When you have cable internet, you can not choose your own isp. > > Sorry, but I have to pick this nit. Using Time Warner cable you can currently > choose either RoadRunner or Earthlink as your ISP. I believe that Comcast is > not offering people the option of an alternative ISP. I'm curious what the difference is...is it just a branding/added service thing, or are you actually being routed directly onto Earthlink's network (rather than RR's) after you hit the cable facility. And if so, what is that connection. For instance, when you choose "MSN" as your ISP with Qwest DSL, you are using Qwest's IP backbone. There is no hand-off to MSN (IIRC). The only difference is cosmetic (like e-mail). Just as when you buy an MSN dial-up, you are using (mostly) UU.net dial-up numbers, and are routed to the internet over UU's network. Even so...ala South Park, it always comes down to choosing between a tvnag qbhpur naq n gheq fnaqjuvpu. But to answer some of the questions from this thread... Choosing your own ISP with Qwest DSL means you're actually connected to that ISP's network. Your DSL connection is routed over Qwest's ATM to your ISP, and your ISP provides transit to the Internet. Qwest just pushes ATM cells back and forth - your ISP provides authentication and IP's. The speed that the DSL modems connect at is controlled by Qwest - that is your speed through Qwest's ATM network. As long as your ISP has sufficient pipe into Qwest's ATM, you will always get that connect speed between you and your ISP. The per-MBit charge for the ISP's ATM connection into Qwest is almost insignificant (after you're already paying for the loop that is), and I would imagine that most local ISP's have more than enough pipe in that regard. There is real benefit in being able to choose your own, local ISP. But this is a right that's in jeopardy, currently in other states but coming soon to Minnesota. I fear for the future when my choices for a residential-class high-speed service are Qwest or Comcast (aka Dumb and Dumber). "Even so...ala South Park, it always comes down to choosing between a tvnag qbhpur naq n gheq fnaqjuvpu."