If all goes well, DSL service could be available through all 1,400 RadioShacks by the end of next year. Public and private investors have given DSL a ringing endorsement. Qwest has invested in Covad and Rhythms NetConnections. Heavy losses don't appear to bother investors. Like many other Net businesses, all three DSL wholesalers are deep in the red as they pour resources into network buildouts.
None expects to be profitable anytime soon.
Cable companies aren't exactly rolling over for the new players, though. A year ago, TCI was ExciteAtHome's worst performer, and last quarter they were the strongest. Because cable operators went after consumer Net users first, DSL providers initially targeted business customers. It was an easy sell, especially to small businesses, home offices and telecommuters. Access over asymmetric DSL, which downloads and uploads data as fast as 1.5Mbps, costs around several hundred dollars a month.