Think People!
Written: Jun 01 '00 (Updated Nov 20 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's Says Free
Cons: A Few Years Early
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| radio1_mike's Full Review: Winfire FreeDSL |
Update
Hey! Well, WinFire is finally ramping it up! It's available in my local metro (Boston) area. The deals are the same. The free service they offer, is roughly 2.5x fast as a 56k modem. But it is free.
But! This does not change any of the facts discussed earlier. Such as: paying for faster speed, browser bars and web access.
These issues aside: It is nice to see WinFire emerge from vaporware status!
End of Update
The idea of a truly free DSL service, at this time, is a hoax.
Let's get that straight. There are very few reviews after May '00 in this catagory or in the 'FreeDSL' catagory.
*I picked May '00 because Free DSL was supposed to go online in April '00*
Those few reviews, while very fine reviews; except for one blatant advertisement by a representative of one of those companies, are based on speculation. Not one review is based on someone who actually has the service. This should mean something, ie. it's not happening! Since, people are essentially speculating for Free DSL service.
I may as well speculate against.
Problem 1: Free may not be your favorite four letter word after investigating the deal. Typically, you have to sign up and refer 10 friends to get a free DSL modem. One such obstacle is that Broadband FreeDSL does not allow spamming for references. If any reports of spamming are turned in; you lose your chance. So, while it's effective in eliminating spamming people, it means you must know of 10 people; either directly or indirectly, who will also signup. If that happens, then you get your free modem. But what about your 10 people's modems? Then they have to refer another 10 people each? C'mon. You can't do that without some type of general messaging setup, which can be construed by anyone as spamming; if it was unsolicited.
Problem 2: Signups must be actual signups. Not just people who put themselves on the server's mailing list. But people who actually signed up for the service.
Problem 3: If you got your modem for free, great. But, if you didn't, you have to buy one and the DSL modems they use range from $110 (I believe) to $300. Boom! So free is not really free.
Problem 4: Free service is for 144K rate. This is roughly 2.5x faster than your 56K modem. Doesn't anyone find it strange that the free 56K ISP market has only really blossomed (Whoa!) is the past year or so? Now DSL service is for free at this time? A cutting edge technology. For free? 56K free ISPs are easy to set up because all but the most rural or destitute areas can access 56K speeds. DSL, right now, can only be accessed by 20-30% of the country. So you've got your free service. You may have to buy an expensive modem, or pester 10 of your friends. It's only at it's max roughly three times faster than your 56K modem? And! You have to put up with an adbar on top of that. But, in their defense, you can buy faster service plans. But, then, doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of a free DSL service? I believe that it's just a tag line to get you into their system, so you can purchase higher speed DSL service from them instead of the Baby Bells.
Problem 5: Your privacy is also at stake. With your adbar on, your web usage is tracked. If I am to be stalked by my ISP for web usage; I'd rather not know about it. Also, in the TOS agreement, you may be prohibited from viewing sites that BDS does not want you to see. So, maybe you want to go to your favorite X-rated, or otherwise controversial website and maybe even a competitor's website, you may be banned from visiting it. Great, so your access may be limited. Then, you may also be paying for faster rates anyway. Who knows maybe if the adbar isn't on you probably can't access DSL? Actually, now that I think about it, you do get booted off, without the adbar. Or who knows if you going to get kicked off, when and if you host a server. Pay for service DSLs will kick you off, if you do that. Wouldn't you think a free DSL service wouldn't be even more aggressive in doing that?
Conclusion: Stick with your present ISP, or purchase DSL, or even cable internet. If you are interested in cable broadband access, read my review of RoadRunner. This is not an assassination of those companies who are trying to provide free DSL service. I think they are few years too early. They should wait for DSL to be entrenched.
Review:
Modem: Possibly free.
Service: Free but at an icky speed. You must pay for faster speed.
Privacy: Big cost.
So, lessee here, let's call modem free probability, (P) at 50%. (0.5)
And, let's say you may want faster service. P = 50%. (0.5)
Also, you may not be very concerned about privacy. P = 50%. (0.5)
Now, 0 = no (P) of free DSL AND 1 = yes (P) of free DSL. I've been very generous in putting the probabilities at 50%. I personally think the probability of getting a free modem is next to nil.
But, it could happen.
I believe 50% is a good value for educative purposes.
It means you have a fair chance at getting free modem, and you're in the middle about the other two issues.
To determine that P (Pfree), it works like this:
Pfree = Pmodem x Pservice x Pprivacy
= 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 = 0.125
Pfree = 0.125 = 12.5% or 1 in 8 chance of getting a truly free DSL service. Fascinating.
I hope you enjoyed this exercise, feel free to fiddle around with it yourself. For something really fun; try assigning a real Pmodem value based on the actuality of 10 of your friends signing up too!
Watch that probability drop like a stone!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 0? Hah!
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Epinions.com ID:
radio1_mike
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Member: Mike Farris
Location: Malden, MA
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
Still here, can only write reviews infrequently.
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