Last November, the Web pages in Clifford Coy's browser took a slow turn.
For nearly a year, Coy had been happily cruising the Web with his 56Kbps US Robotics modem. Clocking incoming data with his Windows 98 modem utility, he watched pages stream in at a reliable 50-kilobit-per-second clip.
Then, on 2 November, his connection went back in time. He watched the pipe max out at just 30 kilobits per second, sometimes only 28. His 56 Kbps modem had lost nearly half its oomph.
"The [Web] pages take up to two to three times as long [to load]," said Coy. "With 56K -- well, they just come popping up."
In tracking the trouble as far as Sprint, his local phone service provider, Coy discovered what many other consumers already knew. The federally mandated "universal-service requirement" that compels Baby Bells to deliver reliable voice service does not extend to data. Bits are a privilege, not a right.
Voice phone lines now double as conduits for modems, as well as next generation digital subscriber lines, or DSL. But the pipes are run by companies with neither obligation, nor incentive, to support them as data lines.
The Bells adhere to old voice-based universal-service laws. Sprint spokeswoman Mildred Graham said the company meets its legal obligations and will generally support 9600 baud on a voice line.
That's what Coy found out last November in his Apopka, Florida, neighborhood.
"They know how to correct the problem. They are relying on an antiquated law to not provide service," said Coy. "I guess that's the thing that ticks me off."
The culprit turned out to be new network equipment that the company had just installed in his neighborhood. That equipment no longer supported his high-speed modem. A representative invited him to upgrade to ISDN.
"He was right there with the pitch," Coy said. But switching to ISDN, a troubled technology, would effectively triple his monthly phone costs.
Consumer advocates say it's time for a change. Some say the Bells are behaving like monopolies. Others are taking a more collaborative approach.
