** Choosing a Broadband Internet Provider? by ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:43
What Should I Consider When Choosing a Broadband Internet Provider?
What Should I Consider When Choosing a Broadband Internet Provider?
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:44
For many people the most
compelling factor in the
choice between
broadband Internet
providers is speed. For
others, price is what its all
about, and for others,
convenience. Lets take a
look at the different
choices and the pros and
cons of each.
For many people the most
compelling factor in the
choice between
broadband Internet
providers is speed. For
others, price is what its all
about, and for others,
convenience. Lets take a
look at the different
choices and the pros and
cons of each.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:45
Digital Subscriber Line
(DSL) is broadband
Internet provided over
copper telephone lines.
While these are the same
lines that provide
telephone service, you can
use DSL and talk on the
phone at the same time
because voice and DSL
traffic occupy different
frequency bands.
Digital Subscriber Line
(DSL) is broadband
Internet provided over
copper telephone lines.
While these are the same
lines that provide
telephone service, you can
use DSL and talk on the
phone at the same time
because voice and DSL
traffic occupy different
frequency bands.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:45
DSL a nice step up from
dial-up service because it
offers affordable tiered
plans priced according to
speed. You might pay as
little as *14 US Dollars
(USD) per month for a
plan with entry speeds
that are many times faster
than dial-up, making DSL
a good way to introduce
yourself to broadband
Internet without breaking
the bank. You can also
upgrade to a faster plan
at any time, up to 6
Megabits per second
(Mbps).
DSL a nice step up from
dial-up service because it
offers affordable tiered
plans priced according to
speed. You might pay as
little as *14 US Dollars
(USD) per month for a
plan with entry speeds
that are many times faster
than dial-up, making DSL
a good way to introduce
yourself to broadband
Internet without breaking
the bank. You can also
upgrade to a faster plan
at any time, up to 6
Megabits per second
(Mbps).
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:46
DSL is distributed
throughout
neighborhoods using
special routers or Digital
Subscriber Line Access
Multiplexers (DSLAMs),
pronounced dee-slams.
The further the signal
travels from the DSLAM,
the more it degrades,
impairing speed. The
closer you live to the local
DSLAM, the faster and
better your service will be
within the parameters of
your plan. If you happen
to live at the outer
reaches of the local
DSLAM, you might not be
satisfied with DSL service.
You can always ask how
close you live to a DSLAM
before committing.
DSL is distributed
throughout
neighborhoods using
special routers or Digital
Subscriber Line Access
Multiplexers (DSLAMs),
pronounced dee-slams.
The further the signal
travels from the DSLAM,
the more it degrades,
impairing speed. The
closer you live to the local
DSLAM, the faster and
better your service will be
within the parameters of
your plan. If you happen
to live at the outer
reaches of the local
DSLAM, you might not be
satisfied with DSL service.
You can always ask how
close you live to a DSLAM
before committing.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:46
While DSL comes in over
the phone lines, it isnt
necessarily your telco that
provides the service. If you
do get DSL from your
telco they will bundle it
with your phone bill to
save you an extra bill.
Otherwise its common to
sign a one year contract
with a third party
provider, and have your
credit card debited
automatically every
month.
While DSL comes in over
the phone lines, it isnt
necessarily your telco that
provides the service. If you
do get DSL from your
telco they will bundle it
with your phone bill to
save you an extra bill.
Otherwise its common to
sign a one year contract
with a third party
provider, and have your
credit card debited
automatically every
month.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:47
People who have quit
landline service in favor of
cellular service can still
get DSL, referred to as
naked DSL. However, its
usually more expensive.
People who have quit
landline service in favor of
cellular service can still
get DSL, referred to as
naked DSL. However, its
usually more expensive.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:47
Cable Internet is
provided by your cable TV
company, offering
broadband Internet
courtesy of the same
cabling that brings in your
television signal at speeds
of 3-20 Mbps. Cable
broadband tends to be a
one-package deal: one
plan offered for one price.
The speed is usually high
enough that the price is
equally steep compared
to introductory DSL plans.
Its not unusual to pay
*40 USD monthly for
cable Internet.
Cable Internet is
provided by your cable TV
company, offering
broadband Internet
courtesy of the same
cabling that brings in your
television signal at speeds
of 3-20 Mbps. Cable
broadband tends to be a
one-package deal: one
plan offered for one price.
The speed is usually high
enough that the price is
equally steep compared
to introductory DSL plans.
Its not unusual to pay
*40 USD monthly for
cable Internet.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:48
Cable broadband Internet
is theoretically faster than
DSL with possible speeds
up to 30 Mbps, though it's
typically throttled back to
3-20 Mbps. Top-tier DSL
plans can compete with
cable plans limited to 6
Mbps or less, with DSL
usually being cheaper.
Location doesnt affect
the quality of cable
Internet, unlike DSL where
being located further
from a DSLAM is a
disadvantage.
Nevertheless, cable
Internet has its own
drawback: if the local load
becomes too high, service
can slow due to less
available bandwidth.
Cable broadband Internet
is theoretically faster than
DSL with possible speeds
up to 30 Mbps, though it's
typically throttled back to
3-20 Mbps. Top-tier DSL
plans can compete with
cable plans limited to 6
Mbps or less, with DSL
usually being cheaper.
Location doesnt affect
the quality of cable
Internet, unlike DSL where
being located further
from a DSLAM is a
disadvantage.
Nevertheless, cable
Internet has its own
drawback: if the local load
becomes too high, service
can slow due to less
available bandwidth.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:48
Cable broadband Internet
can be convenient if you
already have cable TV
service, as you can simply
add high-speed Internet
to the package and pay a
single bill. Digital phone
service might also be
included. Cable Internet is
also a good choice if DSL
service is unavailable.
Cable broadband Internet
can be convenient if you
already have cable TV
service, as you can simply
add high-speed Internet
to the package and pay a
single bill. Digital phone
service might also be
included. Cable Internet is
also a good choice if DSL
service is unavailable.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:49
Fiber Optic Broadband
Internet: If you live in a
newer community you
might not have copper
telephone lines or cable,
but fiber optic lines. Fiber
optic cable can handle
much more bandwidth
than copper or standard
cable lines. The local telco
typically offers digital
phone, television and
broadband Internet in a
packaged deal, much like
cable but with greater
capacity. Broadband
Internet over fiber optic
offers the fastest speeds
of up to 50 Mbps, but is
also priced at a premium.
Fiber Optic Broadband
Internet: If you live in a
newer community you
might not have copper
telephone lines or cable,
but fiber optic lines. Fiber
optic cable can handle
much more bandwidth
than copper or standard
cable lines. The local telco
typically offers digital
phone, television and
broadband Internet in a
packaged deal, much like
cable but with greater
capacity. Broadband
Internet over fiber optic
offers the fastest speeds
of up to 50 Mbps, but is
also priced at a premium.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:49
To accommodate
different budgets, fiber
optic broadband is offered
in tiered plans like DSL,
however the least
expensive plan will run
close to *45 USD monthly
for 10 Mbps. In areas
where copper telephone
lines and cable have been
replaced by fiber optic,
there may not be an
alternative for broadband
Internet thats any more
affordable. The good
news is that the
connection will be fast
and uncompromised by
location or load.
To accommodate
different budgets, fiber
optic broadband is offered
in tiered plans like DSL,
however the least
expensive plan will run
close to *45 USD monthly
for 10 Mbps. In areas
where copper telephone
lines and cable have been
replaced by fiber optic,
there may not be an
alternative for broadband
Internet thats any more
affordable. The good
news is that the
connection will be fast
and uncompromised by
location or load.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:49
Cellular Internet
Business travelers might
consider broadband
Internet through a cellular
company. Connectivity is
provided over cell towers,
making this the most
flexible and convenient
type of broadband
Internet. You can get
online anywhere there is
cell service by popping a
cellular broadband card
into a mobile computers
PC Card or Express Card
slot. The downside is cost,
with contractual plans
running as high as *80
USD per month or more.
Cellular Internet
Business travelers might
consider broadband
Internet through a cellular
company. Connectivity is
provided over cell towers,
making this the most
flexible and convenient
type of broadband
Internet. You can get
online anywhere there is
cell service by popping a
cellular broadband card
into a mobile computers
PC Card or Express Card
slot. The downside is cost,
with contractual plans
running as high as *80
USD per month or more.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:50
Satellite Broadband: In
rural areas where choice is
limited or nonexistent,
you might find satellite
Internet can get you
online, though it wont be
cheap. There is also a lag
when surfing due to the
signal having to travel
back and forth to the
satellite, making this a last
resort option.
Satellite Broadband: In
rural areas where choice is
limited or nonexistent,
you might find satellite
Internet can get you
online, though it wont be
cheap. There is also a lag
when surfing due to the
signal having to travel
back and forth to the
satellite, making this a last
resort option.
ROCKY13 2010/02/07 04:50
When shopping for a
broadband Internet
provider, consider smaller
local companies. They
often provide better
customer service than
large national
competitors.
When shopping for a
broadband Internet
provider, consider smaller
local companies. They
often provide better
customer service than
large national
competitors.
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