Joe, what they're saying is that they did a pre-test on your line
and it appears that the quality isn't up to DSL standards. It may
be that you have a bad 'pair' or an issue with the house wiring.

Or it may be that the route from your CO to your home is so long
that you can't get reasonable speed.

So it may be fixable.

Or, not.

Do you have cable TV wired to your house?

I've been using Comcast's cable modem system for years,
and it now is running 6Mbps down, 1.5Mbps up. A LOT faster
than DSL ever will be, and I find the phenomenon of 'lots of
users on so slow down in speed' to be a myth perpetrated
by DSL providers. I've just never seen anything less than
the maximum rated speed at the time (started out at 1Mbps,
jumped to 2, then 3, then 6 at the same price).

Verizon is now running their FIOS into the neighborhood, so
there'll be competition for that speed (and TV, and telephone).

My phone has also been on Vonage for years, which runs piggyback
on Comcast cable modem.

The router idea is in any case very important. Though there is
software that lets you hook direct to your PC provided by the
cable modem and DSL folks, it often doesn't allow the whole family
to share the connection and it leaves you a bit vulnerable. If you
have a choice of providers ask 'do you support routers?' If the
answer is 'no' in this day and age, tell them to pound sand.