GTE to Waive One-Time Fees for DSL Service

Moving to boost its presence in the growing market for fast Internet connections, GTE Corp. on Wednesday said it will waive installation and other one-time charges for customers who sign up for the company’s high-speed service before the end of the year.

The special offer, available to GTE customers in California and 16 other states, closely resembles price breaks already offered by Pacific Bell and comes as phone companies nationwide step up efforts to sell Internet connections using high-speed technology known as digital subscriber line, or DSL.

The phone companies are facing off against cable modem services that are offering high-speed access in a growing number of lucrative neighborhoods. GTE has been lagging in the DSL market, with just 10,500 customers in California out of the company’s 42,000 total. California’s PacBell, by contrast, is responsible for most of the 100,000 total DSL customers claimed by PacBell parent SBC Communications.

GTE will provide the DSL modem and eliminate one-time fees of $99 to $340 for consumers who sign up for at least one year of DSL service. Customers must provide the network interface card--which goes inside their computer--but they get additional discounts if they sign up for GTE.net, the phone company’s own Internet service provider.

GTE’s DSL service costs start at $49.95 per month, depending on the speed.

In January, PacBell began waiving installation fees for customers who sign up a year or more of service. PacBell charges $198 for the DSL modem, but other equipment is provided.