From what I recall, you don't strictly need a landline to get DSL -- you just need the wiring.

However, the phone companies tend to price things so as to make it pretty difficult to justify just DSL. That's why I went with a cable modem instead -- I haven't had a landline in years.

For what it's worth, if cable is available in your area I think it's slightly better, functionally, than DSL.

i tried to shut mine off awhile ago. Couldn't do it. You need a dialtone for DSL. Just cut your services/features to the bare minimum.
As far as I know, that's all you can do.

In most cases, you would need an active landline to use a DSL connection. I believe there are some DSL providers that will sell you a DSL line even if you don't have one; I guess they basically pay the phone company to make the hookup instead of you. If I understand it correctly, without a hooked-up phone line, a DSL line just doesn't work.

There's a lawsuit pending (or maybe it was settled already) about this. The phone companies want to require their DSL customers to be phone customers as well. Consumer groups are trying to force the issue.

Don't know what ever happened there. I've got food on the stove, otherwise I'd look it up.

Speakeasy DSL, for example, lets you get DSL without an active landline.

Well, that sucks. Also, I switched from cable to dsl because the cable costs $60 a month and the dsl is about $25.

I have Speakeasy DSL with a DSL line only, no phone landline.

You can get dry-line (think that's what it's called) DSL without a dial-tone, but not everywhere. You have to call your local provider. A good site for finding out who all offers whatever services in your area is broadbandreports.

I'm not sure how Speakeasy does it, but you're supposed to be able to lease a "dry pair" from your local telco, and then assign or route it as you wish.

Other telcom-centric businesses do this all the time.

For example, alarm companies do it to be able to remotely wire up signalling and alarm devices without having to rely on an active plain-old-telephone-system/service (POTS) landline.

But non-business customer consumers have traditionally had to fight tooth and nail to make this happen.

Funny - I just checked for availability with speakeasy and found that I can't get dsl where I live. However, I can get a T1 line. Yea, in my dreams.

Verizon requires a dialtone, but when there are billing or technical problems they come and go independantly, so I guess its just a forced package bundle.