GNG News Guy
11-29-2007, 04:11 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/62/4062.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Embarq-Explains-Naked-DSL-Offer-89829)
As we mentioned the other day (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Embarq-Offers-Naked-DSL-89775), the nation's fourth largest phone provider (soon to be fifth, supplanted by Comcast VoIP) is now offering "naked" DSL, or DSL without mandatory phone service. The catch is that they're using it as a retention tool -- offering it only to customers who threaten to cancel service. Embarq tells Telephony Online (http://telephonyonline.com/marketing/news/embarq_naked_dsl_112907/) why they don't offer up it up front:"Our strategy is to integrate our offerings so that they work together. . .Our strategy is to integrate and bundle our service offerings, so offering one standalone product like high-speed Internet isn't a strategic fit. However, we would prefer to keep a customer for one service should they decide to discontinue their home phone service, rather than lose the customer altogether."
In other words, offering naked DSL is only a "strategic fit" for the company if you vote with your wallet and threaten to take your business elsewhere.
As we mentioned the other day (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/Embarq-Offers-Naked-DSL-89775), the nation's fourth largest phone provider (soon to be fifth, supplanted by Comcast VoIP) is now offering "naked" DSL, or DSL without mandatory phone service. The catch is that they're using it as a retention tool -- offering it only to customers who threaten to cancel service. Embarq tells Telephony Online (http://telephonyonline.com/marketing/news/embarq_naked_dsl_112907/) why they don't offer up it up front:"Our strategy is to integrate our offerings so that they work together. . .Our strategy is to integrate and bundle our service offerings, so offering one standalone product like high-speed Internet isn't a strategic fit. However, we would prefer to keep a customer for one service should they decide to discontinue their home phone service, rather than lose the customer altogether."
In other words, offering naked DSL is only a "strategic fit" for the company if you vote with your wallet and threaten to take your business elsewhere.