By bringing its central office ADSL asymmetric digital subscriber line deployment plan forward by two years to the end of this year, SBC Communications Corp is sharply increasing the stakes between telcos and cable operators in the race to provide high- speed internet access. SBC says it will have ADSL installed in 525 central office by year-end serving 8.2 million business and 1.3 million residences across most of its Western region. It also plans to trial ADSL in the Connecticut-to-Southern New England territory of its $4.4bn Southern New England Telecommunications acquisition. SBC claims internet-over cable access of around 800,000 is already well behind SBC’s existing 2 million ADSL reach. ADSL for residents will be $49 per month for using SBC as their ISP, bringing it more in line with data over cable solutions. It was previously selling ADSL for $89 a month in California. Its primary ADSL modem partner is Alcatel. ADSL enables subscribers to use phones and faxes while attached to the internet. Bandwidth is dedicated rather than shared between subscribers as in cable services. The ADSL rollout includes that from its Pacific Bell and Southwestern Bell units. Internet over cable company @Home Networks was rocked by the news. Its shares lost $21 to close at $100 on Tuesday although it recovered some ground on Wednesday. @Home says it beat its 1998 subscriber target by 10%, reaching 330,000 subscribers. Retail distribution channels kicked in several thousand new subscribers at the end of last year though a full retail model is still a two or three years out observers note.
