[cloasters]

If Qwest, bless their little black hearts, is your present DSL ISP, you'll be offered the chance to change to MSN as your DSL ISP sometime soon. If you don't respond to this offer, you'll be slammed to MSN, like it or not.

This process is happening in different time frames in different markets. The slam was made in Seattle already, but I dunno when it will happen to you.

Qwest figured out how to make more money as a bridge to the DSL ISP of your choice, rather than in being your DSL ISP.

**Don't screw up like I did!** When I discovered that Qwest was gonna slam me to MSN(narrower bandwidth, higher cost--plus, you can't use Linux. Let's not forget that it's MS, shudder) I stupidly told them to disconnect me from their ISP service. Well, this little fit of pique cost me a good chunk of money. Viz, the bill I got from Qwest yesterday.

Reconnecting me to Qwest so that I use them to bridge me to my choice of DSL ISP, plus the cost of a new DSL modem/router--'cause making a break in their service makes a brand new DSL modem/router necessary--cost me...wait for it..$261.00.

Happy as a lark am I. Who needs to buy Christmas presents this year, anyway?

Note to self: Don't be an angry ass when it'll cost you moolah.