Businesses stand to gain as DSL providers partner to offer new and enhanced services such as content distribution, end-to-end high-speed links, faster access to hosted applications, and more-robust distance learning. At the same time, promotions such as SBC's make it cheaper for customers to buy the service.

DSL provider Jato Systems is working with long-distance carrier Qwest Communications International Inc. to offer a point-to-point data service that uses Jato's local lines at both ends and Qwest's backbone network to link them. The service is 30% cheaper than getting each portion from different carriers.

Bell Atlantic is launching an in-region distance-learning package, while three other vendors are teaming with long-haul carriers to deliver innovative content distribution, file transfer, and hosted application access services to businesses.

Bell Atlantic will try to convince companies to offer the distance-learning courses for in-house training at multiple office locations or for remote home users. More than 500 Merrill Lynch & Co. employees already take videoconferenced classes for bachelor's or MBA degrees at distance-learning classrooms in the brokerage's offices. The Bell Atlantic deal would let the company offer home-based courses, says Bill Coda, director of global operations training at Merrill Lynch.

Also offering content distribution for the first time, NorthPoint Communications has teamed with long-haul providers and is testing an innovative service that carries streaming media over a private network, eliminating performance problems with the public Internet. The service, called Blast, will be offered via DSL in 12 cities by year's end, NorthPoint CEO Mike Malaga says.

US West and Enron Broadband Services will give US West DSL customers in seven major cities access to Enron's content. One service to debut next month is called click2send. It's described as a Web-based file-delivery, handling, and storage service.

And SBC Internet Services is offering to waive equipment and installation charges-a $300 savings-on DSL service ordered before April 30.