Can DSL Work Without an Active Landline?

DSL service that is available without an active landline is called "dry-loop DSL" and sometimes "naked DSL." The information still travels along the same copper wires that would be used for a phone, but the user does not get a dial tone on the line if the landline is inactive. Customers who do not have a phone line connected to their home will need to have a line installed to use dry-loop DSL.

The widespread availability of dry-loop DSL has been impeded because telecommunications companies have strong incentives to keep DSL service and traditional phone service "bundled." The growing popularity of cellular phones has prompted millions of Americans to do without a landline. By offering DSL service only with a landline, telecoms can effectively force customers to keep paying for a landline that they never use.

In 2005 the Federal Communications Commission ruled against state utility commissions attempting to compel telecoms to provide dry-loop DSL. The commission was divided on the issue. In a dissenting opinion, commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein described the decision as "another ominous precedent for consumers."

Although attempts to force telecoms to provide unbundled DSL service failed, naked DSL has become widely available. AT&T; and Verizon now provide dry-loop DSL throughout much of the U.S., but this varies by region. You can call or check online to see if dry-loop DSL is available in your area. If you still want to have a telephone in addition to your cell phone, you can purchase naked DSL and transfer your old phone number to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. This depends on VoLP availability in your specific area.