Qwest DSL without ISP?

Well, I set my dad (AOL user, sorry!) with "bare DSL" from Qwest. 256kb up and down. It was a hassle because we had to say the exact right incantation to the qwest saleslady that we didn't want qwest as an ISP, but it eventually was straightened out. Dunno why the OP ordered it with MSN but doesn't use it... It was pretty easy to switch him from dialup AOL to TCP/IP and then change his AOL billing plan (which saved around $9/month.)

I couldn't get a straight answer from Qwest on whether I needed an ISP or not, and people in news groups and at

I've used CompuServe, $9.94 a month from Wal-mart.

ISP is "Internet Service Provider", which is how you connect to the internet, like dialup, DSL, cable, etc. So it would be confusing if you told a Qwest saleslady that you didn't want Quest as an ISP, because that would mean you did NOT want their DSL.

Other services for mail, etc. like MSN, AOL, etc. may or may not be related to your ISP, but are NOT considered your ISP if you are not using their dialup, DSL, cable, etc. to physically connect to the internet and can connect to it from any unrelated internet connection.

So if someone did get Qwest DSL with MSN, Quest is the ISP, and MSN is something else.

Thanks for the info, but I do know what an ISP is. And no, it should NOT have been confusing for the Qwest saleslady, since they sell a DSL service WITHOUT being the ISP. Why she didn't know about a service they sell is a different question.

This is NOT correct. You can get a "barebones DSL" from Qwest. It's like $5 per month and they do nothing but give you an IP address via PPPoA protocol.

This is correct. Qwest only provides an ATM virtual circuit over the DSL connection. You still need someone (the ISP) to terminate the ATM virtual circuit and route your IP packets to/from the internet. I would guess, that from your original post, MSN is indeed acting as your ISP. My mother has a Qwest/MSN DSL connection, and it is functional without needing to run any of the MSN software.

Not me, my Dad. It depends on the definition. If you mean the provider of the IP address, then it is Qwest, but for everything else, it is AOL. Yes, I know this makes Qwest the ISP, but their own marketing info said otherwise, which is why it was frustrating discussing this with their salespeople...

So Qwest provides your Internet connection; who is your ISP?