Can you answer tsmitha1’s question about DSL?:

I am thinking of switching internet service from Suddenlink cable to Verizon DSL. Suddenlink took over Charter, and since, speed and service have been horrible. Does anyone have any good or bad experience with Verizon?

Broadband USB Wireless Modem

Broadband Internet is rapidly taking the lead as the most popular type of Internet access due to its speed and is offered in the form of cable, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), and satellite.  Although dial-up service is cheaper, more than half the world’s population is opting for the speed and convenience of a broadband Internet connection.

With all of the options that are available today for obtaining a broadband Internet connection, what is the difference between the connections and which one is best?

The answer depends upon your geographical area and the connection options that are available in your location.  If you live in a metropolitan area, most likely you will have more options for a broadband Internet connection than if you are located in a rural area.

There are basically four ways to obtain a broadband Internet connection which include cable, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), fiber-optic, and satellite.

A broadband cable Internet connection is obtained from your local cable television provider.  The speed of this connection will vary depending upon how many users are accessing the service at any given time.  The speed estimates that are claimed by the cable companies are often calculated under the assumption that you are the only person connected to the service.  In a given geographical area, the users of a broadband cable Internet service share the bandwidth of the connection which will slow the speed of the connection especially during peak times. 

A DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection utilizes unused telephone wires and does not interfere with your telephone service.  The speed of the broadband Internet connection provided by DSL will vary according to your location.  For instance, if you are located within long distance to a switching station, your Internet connection will be somewhat slower.  If you are trying to choose between a cable connection and a DSL line, this is one factor you will want to consider before making your decision.

Fiber-optic broadband Internet service is the newest and fastest type of connection.  Due to the fact that it is a new form of broadband Internet, the service areas are still somewhat limited because it requires laying down fiber-optic cable.  If it is available in your area, the cost is competitive with cable and DSL and the connection is much faster.

A satellite broadband Internet connection runs slower than the other broadband options.  However, it offers a nice alternative to dial-up for people seeking a faster connection in a rural area.  The costs for set up can be pricey, but the monthly cost after installation is competitive with cable and DSL.

When exploring your options for a broadband Internet connection in your area, it is a good idea to ask other people that are close by and use the service that you are considering.  Although broadband offers the promise of a speedy connection, this will not matter if your connection is unreliable.  Also the speed of your connection will depend upon the environmental variables in your geographical location, so you will want to do your homework before making a choice.



Thanks to R Shah for contributing this article to our DSL blog:

Broadband DSL Speed Test

Technology such as Broadband Internet covered in this article are rapidly changing our world in many ways and becoming more affordable for the average person. It’s worth mentioning however that better technology is actually properly defined as simply a better way of doing something we already do with whatever process we have at hand. Rather than thinking of better technology in terms of computers, hi tech gadgets and such, for example anytime we find a way to get to work 5mins faster than before we have found a better technology to improve our lives in some respect.

How often do you use your Internet? I can hardly fathom computers at times. If I actually sit and think about all they do, I simply get confused. It’s kind of like cassette tapes. Back when I was a child, I used to wonder how in the world does music come off of this magical tape. Well, it still makes little sense to me even after studying the process. The Internet is like this also. The World-Wide-Web takes us throughout cyberspace, but does it from our living rooms. It’s phenomenal how we can lounge on our couches with laptops at hand and surf the planet. However, to do this the right way these days is with high speed cable Internet.

You may find it hard to choose between high speed cable Internet and DSL. If this is the case, ponder no more. Let me give you some basic advice about high speed cable Internet. There is no substitute. You probably hop online every day. Most of us send emails, pay our bills, do some work, and maybe surf the web on a regular basis. Don’t you want the fastest speed when doing these routine chores? With high speed cable Internet you get things done at a much quicker pace. No more sitting around on your thumbs while waiting for a single page to load. Who wants to wait an hour for a movie trailer to open? You want to watch it now. You need high speed cable Internet. While DSL might save you a little; is it really worth sacrificing all of that time? Our lives are too valuable.

**Running Commentary** – Its interesting to note at this point that the cost of Broadband Internet is going to range in price quite a bit and you really need to first identify your needs and wants and when you go shopping make sure you don’t overspend for features you want but don’t really need. As technology so quickly becomes obsolete 1. many of the features will become obsolete 2. later models will be cheaper if not superseded by a later model with newer features and 3. are you going to actually have time to read the whole manual and understand how all the features work ? (I know I never figure out all the features of any new gadget or gizmo I buy)

Yes, there are a few individuals who suffer from the horrible affliction called dial-up. It’s hard to believe anymore, but a few of us still deal with the ear-piercing screech and the constant disconnections. Dial-up is certainly a thing of the past, and most of us are very glad it is. These days we love the freedom of high speed cable Internet. When you finally make that switch from one to the other, you will be completely shocked at the difference. I laughed at my father who recently switched to high speed cable Internet from dial-up. He was utterly amazed at the newfound speed. If you are not up to date on quality Internet service, it’s time to hop online and browse around. A popular high speed cable Internet service that many of us share is called Road Runner by Time Warner Cable Service. Take a surf through cyberspace with high speed cable Internet and you’ll never go back to the inferior.

To wrap up our article about Broadband Internet I wish you luck in putting your new technology to use in your home/work life. In the last 20 years I have seen so many examples of new technology come and go I can’t help feeling excited about what I’m going to see in the next 20 years. Although many people seem to feel a sense of foreboding about new things changing their lives in a negative way I must confess that I don’t have this fear at all (at the ripe old age of 40 anyway). I understand that new and changing technology is not only inevitable but in fact is opening up more opportunities for us all than ever before in our history and we should only feel threatened if we choose to cling to the past and somehow expect the rest of the world around us to do the same.



Thanks to anonymous for contributing this article to our DSL blog:

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