MSN DSL uses Northpoint (Score 3)

Okay, so it's lame, I get my DSL through MSN. How else am I going to get 1.5M/128K for $40/month?

Dear MSN HighSpeed DSL customer:

I regret to inform you that MSN is temporarily unable to provide you with MSN HighSpeed DSL service. We apologize for this situation and any inconvenience you may experience. We are temporarily suspending our DSL service because our DSL wholesale provider, NorthPoint Communications, is unable to provide wholesale access to MSN. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, your DSL service will be discontinued within the next week. You may have read or heard recently in the news about the rapid changes in the DSL market, the turmoil in the capital markets, and the difficulties this has caused for wholesale DSL providers. As a result of these unfavorable conditions, today NorthPoint announced that it will no longer be able to provide DSL access.

We still are in the early stages of the broadband revolution. MSN remains committed to DSL as a viable broadband solution and delivering the best broadband access experience for our customers. Moving forward, we will focus on working with leading broadband providers who are less vulnerable to fluctuations in the market. We also will continue to deploy other broadband solutions to meet our customers' growing needs. We are committed to our current DSL retail distribution channels, like RadioShack and Best Buy, and will continue to work with them in the future to provide these broadband solutions as they become available.

In the interim, so as not to interrupt your Internet access, we are offering you the following:
* You will receive 6 months of monthly dial-up MSN Internet Access free of charge. *
* Your e-mail address will remain the same.
* If you have been charged for this month's DSL service, we will process a credit to your credit card.
* You will receive a $25 gift certificate, within 2 weeks, to use with any MSN eShop merchant.
* If you signed up for the MSN HighSpeed Standard Plan and paid $149.99 for the modem, then we will credit the modem price to your credit card.

To assist you in setting up your dial-up MSN Internet Access account, we will be sending you a copy of this letter via postal mail along with instructions for setting up your dial-up account.

While we hope that you remain an MSN customer, we understand you may want to choose another DSL provider. To make this easier for you, we are waiving all termination fees applicable to your DSL plan. Go to the following Web site http://supportservices.msn.com/us/qanda.asp#hspeed for a list of other DSL providers and answers to other questions you might have.

If you are using Web-based e-mail with MSN Explorer or MSN Hotmail, your e-mail account will be available as long as you are using those services.

In the event that you experience any difficulties, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding your MSN service we have a team of support professionals ready to assist you. To speak to an MSN Support representative, please contact our MSN DSL Customer Support Center at: 1-877-229-2295 or e-mail [e-mail]. The Support Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please print or save this e-mail so that you may have access to this number for future reference.

Again, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. As soon as our new MSN HighSpeed DSL service is available, we will contact you with a special offer. We appreciate your understanding of this difficult situation and look forward to providing you with the best broadband solution in the near future.

Sincerely,

Ted Kummert
Vice President
MSN Internet Access and Customer Support



* Additional phone and/or long distance toll charges may apply. It is the customer's responsibility to check with their phone company to determine if additional phone charges may apply. Local market network activity and capacity may affect access availability.

Time to look at Covad... I'd better not have to pay $300 for another DSL modem (although they do make nice, warm kitty beds).